Domaine Charles Joguet, Cuvée Terroir Chinon 2013, Loire, France

Tasting Note: A cabernet franc from Chinon to pair with a vegetable-dominated meal.

Medium-intensity ruby in color this wine has an aromatic nose of violet, crushed tea leaves and red plum with a hint of green vegetable and young cedar.

On the palate the dry, medium-bodied cabernet franc reveals slightly-under-ripe black and red fruit buttressed by medium-plus acidity and slightly-green, medium tannin.

This Chinon is mostly straightforward with only a brief hint of mid-palate complexity that is overwhelmed by the wine’s slightly, under-ripe character even as the wine gets checkmarks for embodying many classic Chinon key traits.