2020 Chinon, L'Huisserie, Domaine Philippe Alliet, Loire

Cherries and liquorice root. This is so much more ready, open and friendly than the 2016 vintage of the same cuvée tasted just before (2020 was a much warmer, sunnier year and the winemaker tells me that silex (the flint soils on which this Cabernet Franc grows) is very sensitive to vintage differences. Redcurrant and blood orange, caraway leaf. Mintiness. Super-fresh finish. The tannins are dry, lean, but supple, fluid, gymnastic. There is an elegantly held, unconscious beauty and poise about this wine. This is a delight, and (without having had the chance to decant the 2016) I'd recommend this over the slightly more expensive 2016.Drink 2024 - 2034Tamlyn Currin, JancisRobinson.com (November 2023)

L'Huisserie is a clay-flint vineyard on Chinon's slopes. The 2020 was tasted as a tank sample. It is a fluid, flowing style that conveys a sense of ease as it flows across the palate. It is elegant and appetising, with black fruits and a light piquancy. It finishes with cedar notes, liquorice and fruit cake spices. This is undoubtedly a high-quality, ripe, well-made style. The abundant tannins are a triumph, coating the mouth with reassuring gourmandise. This doesn't stay still; it has lovely line and direction.The father-and-son team of Philippe and Pierre Alliet have raised the bar for what’s possible with Loire Cabernet Franc and are now running one of the top domaines in Chinon. Pierre now mostly runs the estate's day-to-day, with 18 hectares of Cabernet Franc and a single hectare of Chenin Blanc. One thing he’s introduced is using more cement tanks and less oak. The south-facing limestone slope of L’Huisserie and the steep site called Côteau de Noire are two of the top single vineyards in all of Chinon.Drink 2022 - 2037Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous.com.com (August 2022)