winery

Domaine Charles Joguet

Loire Valley, France

Philosophy

Pioneering practitioner of parcel-based vinification adapted to terroir's potential. Cold pre-fermentation maceration followed by temperature-controlled fermentation in stainless steel or wood. Each of Chinon's distinct soils—alluvial, clay-limestone, chalky—receives separate vinification to express its inherent character.

Reputation

Founded in 1957 by Charles Joguet—a painter and sculptor who abandoned Parisian artistic studies to reclaim his family's Cabernet Franc vineyards—the domaine stands between the Loire and Vienne rivers on historic lieux-dits recognized since the Renaissance. Joguet's visionary decision to estate-bottle and vinify by parcel, rather than sell grapes to négociants as his family had done for generations, transformed Chinon from rustic footnote into world-class appellation.

AllocationVineyard hectare count varies across sources: official website cites 30 ha Cab Franc + 2 ha Chenin (32 total); external sources cite 35-36 ha total (likely includes recently replanted sections or marginal holdings). Production volume of ~150,000 bottles annually sourced from BlockCellar and verified as consistent across multiple retailer specs. Organic certification by Ecocert confirmed 2016; transition began 2008. Succession: Charles Joguet retired 1997 after sale to Genet family (1985 partnership, 1997 full sale); current leadership Anne-Charlotte Genet (Genet family proprietor) with Kevin Fontaine as winemaker since 2006. Kermit Lynch confirmed as US importer; Augustan Wine Imports listed as secondary distributor. Lay & Wheeler (UK) carries the wines but UK importer entity not definitively named in search results. No Japan-specific importer identified. Producer website offers French and English versions. Cuvée count cited variously as 9, 14, or multiple cuvées across sources—using most conservative/verified (14 per BlockCellar). Confidence moderate: core facts verified through official site and multiple credible merchants; minor variance in total hectares and cuvée counts suggests ongoing land adjustments or seasonal variation. | Importer overflow captured (importer_other): 'Augustan Wine Imports (US secondary)'

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