Pierre-Jacques Druet

This is always one of my favourite visits. Although Pierre-Jacque now has a new, almost high-tech winery, since the majority of the wines we taste are in cask we usually do most of the tasting in one of the fabulous old caves. (Here the word caves is more appropriate in English!) Although these cellars might not appeal to buyers who believe that cleanliness is next to godliness, they are full of character and the wines that come out of the dingy barrels are some of the most elegant of the appellation. The 2003 Cent Boiselles is just a sheer delight with irresistible ripe fruits and incredible finesse for a wine of this level. The more serious Grand Mont, Vaumoreau and Clos Danzay are all amazing. The fruit is so accessible that they are almost approachable now but have the balance and structure to offer good longevity. Druet’s Clos Danzay is always a particularly feminine and charming style of Chinon and this is no exception with its tantalzingly ripe, silky red fruits. The Grand Mont is a seriously impressive wine - incredibly intense and luscious whilst the Vaumoreau is more seductive with a beguilingly fragrant bouquet and a predominance of red fruits on the palate compared to the black of the Grand Mont.