Chinon AOC · Loire Valley, France

A walled-vineyard monopole from one of Chinon's founding families. The Clos d'Isoré is the domaine's monopole, located inside the walls of Château d'Isoré — Raffault is the only owner of these vines. The three-hectare parcel was planted in 1938 within the walls of a château with a very old winegrowing history, and the name Isoré is said to come from a character in the 12th-century "Chanson de Roland." The original massale selections remain largely intact to this day.

This is Cabernet Franc at its most structured and site-driven. The Raffault family has farmed here for 14 generations, since their ancestor Mathurin Bottreau bought his first vines in 1693. Jean-Maurice began vinifying parcel by parcel to preserve the character of each terroir, and was the first in Chinon to name his cuvées directly after the vineyards — an innovation that has since become the local tradition.

Tasting Notes Expect the signature Clos d'Isoré profile: dark cherry and cassis at the core, lifted by violet and a flinty, stony edge. Round and ample on the palate — full-bodied, intense and powerful but also elegant and refined, with a firm tannin structure and a lasting mineral finish. A wine built for the long haul, developing beautiful complexity of cassis, red fruits and forest floor with a decade in the cellar.

Wine Details

Pairs Well With-Cheeses, game, and classic French cooking — think roast lamb, duck, mushroom dishes, and aged goat cheese. Serve around 57–61°F (14–16°C).

A note before you publish: the domaine has been working toward organic certification since 2016, with Clos d'Isoré among the parcels farmed that way, so double-check whether the 2023 label carries full certification before you list it as "certified organic." I'd also confirm ABV and exact aging for this specific vintage from the importer's tech sheet.