2020 Chinon Gabare

The 2020 Gabare is this domaine's largest volume cuvée, hailing from 12 different plots around the winery on their mixed farm, which boasts pigs, vegetable gardens and much more. This has a sense of seriousness as well as yellow-limestone-derived chalky tannins that are abundant. Young but already approachable, it offers up perky blackcurrant fruit, redcurrant, mocha and pencil lead flavors. There's no oak involved, but the 20-25 days of maceration on skins, combined with the limestone influence, provide a tannic undertow. There's decent density here. It is long, balanced and ultimately satisfying. I'd like to come back in a couple of years as it starts to develop some secondary characters.

The 2020 Gabare is succulent and ripe, offering sweet strawberry and raspberry fruit. The tannins are delectable, coating the palate calmly as if like cocoa powder. It's a harmonious, textural style that's easy to like thanks to its friendly personality. Can be enjoyed now with charcuterie and benefits from a light chill.

The 2020 Chinon Gabare fills the mouth with sweet, open fruit of incredible purity. A mouth-filling, mouthwatering, seamless wine, fruit-driven and approachable now, with fine tannins on the front of the palate.