About the Wine
Domaine Couly-Dutheil has become, over the years, a reference point for the appellation of Chinon and one of the Loire Valley's most famous estates. Established in 1921 by Baptiste Dutheil, then developed by his daughter, Madeleine Dutheil, and her husband René Couly, today Couly-Dutheil remains a family Domaine, owned by the third and fourth generation. Arnaud Couly is the fourth generation and current winemaker, having taken over from his father, Jacques Couly, in 2003. Couly Dutheil owns more than 200 acres of vines, 98% of which are Cabernet Franc. Couly Dutheil's vineyards are managed under sustainable and"culture raisonnée" practices.
They sell 80% of their production within France, most of which is served at many of the finest restaurants in the country, including 21 of the 26 Michelin 3-Star restaurants. The multi-level, state-of-the-art facility is built into the limestone rock hillside and features a gravity-flow design to ensure maximum protection of the grapes and wine during each stage.
Clos de L'Echo is what they call a "mythical vineyard." The place that Vinous called "one of the appellation's finest sites." This beautiful enclosure is located next to a medieval fortress in the Chinon appellation. This vineyard was the first acquired by the family, and it is also one of the first Château in Chinon. Dating from the 9th century and originally planted by monks, this ripe Cab Franc has the potential to age until 2035.
Tasting Notes: 100% Cabernet Franc. Deep ruby color with a captivating, powerful & complex nose with rich notes of black fruits and Indian spices. A generous, ample, structured, and balanced palate. Tannins are dense and promising with superb fruit aromas. A charming rusticity, this is a wine with depth and intrigue for the true Francophile.
Reviews
One of the single vineyard wines from this producer. It is rich, dense, and beginning to mature. Its blackberry fruits are structured with some firm tannins. That gives the wine concentration and adds to the wine's ripeness. Drink this fine wine from 2024. ~93 Wine Enthusiast.
The 2018 Chinon Clos de L'Echo is weighty, warming, and mouth-filling. This is one of the appellation's finest sites, but the vintage has yielded a very ripe example; the alcohol is a touch heady and the flavors are inching away from fresh fruit toward baked. As always, there's excellent concentration and huge but well-resolved tannins, with fresh acidity despite the warmth of the season. If you like big wines, this Clos de l'Echo will hit the spot, but for me, it loses some of its nuance, hence the slightly lower-than-usual rating. ~92 Vinous
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