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Olga Raffault

As is the case with just a few wines I can think of, my first experience of the Chinons of Olga Raffault was a vicarious one. My wine-drinking friends recalled with a passion the wines from this estate that they had drunk in the past, and what excellent value they had been. I thought I should taste them for myself, but during the years that followed I never came across a bottle. And my luck didn't improve even when I started to actively seek out the wines, as I soon discovered that there was no longer anyone importing the wines into the UK. One merchant added a couple of bin-end mature bottles to their list, only for them to be snapped up before I even realised they were for sale. In the face of such bad luck there is only one thing for it; a visit to the domaine itself was in order.

Olga Raffault established her vineyard in Savigny-en-Véron, and during her tenure here became a leading figure in the appellation, much in demand for her experience and opinion. In the early days she managed the estate with the help of Ernest Zenninger, a German prisoner of war who worked on the estate. For him, this was just the beginning of a life spent working with the vines, a new vocation born of the war that raged on in the background. But with the passage of time new hands are needed, and the estate passed from Olga to her son Jean and his wife, Irma. Today it is the next generation that is in charge, this being Olga's granddaughter Sylvie (pictured right, trying to deny the existence of the camera) together with her husband Eric de la Vigerie, who is responsible for making the wine. Naturally, there is another admittedly rather young generation waiting in the wings.

The vineyards, some of which lie just a stone's throw from the EDF Centre Nucléaire and very close to the Vienne, total 25 hectares in all, 24 of these for Cabernet Franc, with just 1 hectare devoted to Chenin Blanc. As you might expect, a domaine of this size incorporates all of Chinon's classic terroirs, the sandy, the gravelly and of course the classic limestone of the region, and there are also some areas of flint. The vines have an average of 30 years behind them, and receive only organic fertiliser, with ploughing of the rows between the vines, in keeping with lutte raisonnée. Yields are controlled with a green harvest where necessary, come September the fruit is harvested mostly by hand, with the produce of the gravel and limestone terroirs receiving the best treatment. The portfolio of wines fashioned from this fruit results in three red cuvées of Chinon, partnered by one example each of white and rosé. Le Champs-Chenin is the white cuvée; the fruit which is 100% Chenin Blanc is sourced from a clay and limestone terroir and gently pressed before temperature-controlled stainless steel fermentation at 20°C. Once finished the wine is kept on its lees before bottling. The rosé is produced by the saignée method after between eight and twelve hours of skin contact, the fruit having originated from sandy and gravelly terroir. As with the white, this too sees a very cool fermentation in stainless steel before bottling soon after.

It is the three red cuvées, however, that I wanted to experience most. These start with Les Barnabés, from sand and gravel terroirs in Savigny-en-Véron. The fruit is fermented in stainless steel at no more than 25°C and is intended for youthful consumption. Next comes Les Peuilles, made from hand-harvested fruit from a clay and flint terroir in Beaumont-en-Véron. Once fermented, at no more than 30°C also in stainless steel, this wine will go into large wooden foudres for between six and eight months before bottling. Lastly comes Les Picasses, undoubtedly the most classic and ageworthy wine from the domaine, and some would say also one of the finest examples of the whole appellation. Naturally it comes from a limestone terroir, a lieu-dit where the vines have reached a respectable fifty years of age. The fruit is hand-harvested and the final yield is typically in the order of 30 hl/ha and after fermentation, which is again carried out in stainless steel controlled to less than 30°C, followed by a maceration of 25-30 days, the wine that results goes into large foudres where it will rest for between 12 and 14 months before bottling. From some vintages it undoubtedly has the potential to age with some considerable grace, always with an elegant feel, developing an increasing level of complexity as it does so.

Tasting through several vintages of Les Picasses quickly reveals the quality of the wine, with several examples which were admirable despite not being from particularly fashionable years. I was disappointed with the 1995, but would not write off more mature wines from the domaine on the basis of this encounter with a single bottle. There are many who like to drink their Picasses at ages far greater than a mere twelve years! The younger vintages displayed a lot of classic elements, together with ripeness, freshness and elegance, and certainly have the substance required for some time in the cellar. The 2002 was perhaps the prime example of this, although other less 'classic' vintages such as the 2003 and 2000 were of extremely good quality and should not be ignored by those who are drawn to Chinon. (25/9/07, updated 3/9/08)

Contact details:
Address: 1, rue des Caillis Roguinet, 37420 Savigny-en-Véron
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 47 58 42 16
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 58 83 61
Internet: www.olga-raffault.com

Olga Raffault - Tasting Notes

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Olga Raffault Chinon Les Barnabés 2005: Lots of fresh and primary fruit on the nose here, with a very lifted, light, perhaps rather mineral character. This is also the case on the palate, where it has a very fresh demeanour, with a slightly confected sweetness to the primary fruit. Light-footed, a touch simple, but from a sandy terroir and intended for early drinking. With that in mind, good. 15/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2003: Rich, with a little confit fruit character at first, which is noticeable and in keeping with the vintage, but not off-putting or over the top. And there is so much more to give pleasure, an array of cranberry, liquorice, bitter green peppercorns and smoke. This is delightful! The palate is rich and rounded in style, with a little toffee and liquorice coating some acidic fruit, laced with mint and peppercorn. Still quite fresh and lifted, with an attractive balance and character. A second bottle tasted later was wonderful. Great potential for the cellar. 18+/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2002: This has an appealing colour, with a little hint of mahogany maturity. The nose gives us some smoky fruit. It is fairly firm on entry, but then it softens in the midpalate, where it shows a touch of cream, but always keeping a dry, spicy, tannic structure and reserve. It is even a little austere I think, but it has a lovely texture, through to a promising tannic grip on the finish. This is rather ungiving at present and needs to be left alone, but it has fine potential. It should be excellent with time. 18+?/20 (July 2008)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2002: This is immediately apparent as being a much more classic style after the 2003, with a nose that speaks much more clearly of Chinon. There is ripe raspberry and redcurrant fruit, with a slightly exotic, wild and feral edge, smoked and meaty, although also coated with a little toffee. It has well defined juicy fruit and a clear, mineral, stony element on the palate, with a fresh, slightly detached, elegantly composed persona. Very good indeed, with really fine potential here. A second bottle tasted later was just as good. 18+/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2001: This has an obvious green olive character on the nose which certainly won't appeal to all. Rather lean fruit too. It has quite straight acidity and has a lightness and freshness which are perhaps the most appealing elements. It is a shame about the aromatics, and I am not convinced these will alter significantly in the cellar. Pleasant enough. 15/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2000: Moderate colour, and a glossy appearance. What I remember from my tasting at the domaine is macerated cherries, but that characteristic is less obvious now. Instead, on the nose we have crunchy fruit, smoke and notes of celery or celery seed. A fresh and appealing weight which is quite mouthfilling and cleanly styled. There are firm acids, a sappy juicy character, and a fairly structured and savoury style. Overall this is really appealing, on the way up in terms of complexity I think, but giving much pleasure now. 16.5+/20 (July 2008)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 2000: This is quite surprising, as when discussing Chinon it is not a vintage I think of as being favourable. But here is an attractive wine, with vibrant scents of macerated cherries on the nose, and a firm palate which has more texture and depth than I expected. Good structure, not a lot of complexity at present, but this will come. Not as convincing as the 2002 or the 2003, but still with a lot of potential, as confirmed by my tasting of a second bottle within a week or two. Very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 1998: Another surprisingly good wine, and not from one of the greatest vintages. It isn't showing too much on the nose today, but it has an appealing texture and weight on the palate. It is a little unusual in that it seems so subdued, but it may well become a wine of some character with time I think. 16+?/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 1995: This is showing obvious maturity, in terms of colour and aromatics. It has a rather lean composition, though, and I find the structure to be somewhat naked on the palate. It is as if the primary fruit and texture has faded, leaving no attractive secondary characteristics, just some inadequately covered tannin and acidity. On the basis of this bottle, not very attractive really. Ideally I would like to taste again; perhaps this bottle has just been open too long? 14?/20 (July 2007)

Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses 1990: A quite mature hue in the glass, with a deeply pigmented core fading out to a dusky, almost oxblood rim with a tinge of orange-pink at the edge. It has an immediately meaty character, the wine releasing these aromas from the bottle before I even have a chance to pour it into the glass. Beyond this, the nose is one of subtle complexities, showing a rather hard core of iron-bound fruit, with notes of black olives and some chalky minerality. It is lean and ungiving on entry, but shows a little flesh through the midpalate, just enough to cover its bones, although it has a lovely silky-sweet character, which vies for your attention, its competitors being some peppery tannins and a nicely perfumed, violet tinged fruit. Rather drying tannic on the finish, but mixed with a nice texture too, and overall this wine still shows a good level of well balanced structural components. And there is rather a nice length, where a little sweet fruit persists on the palate. To be critical, although there is some attractive feminine perfume to it, it does seem a little angular here and there, the flesh underneath that appealing texture is a little deficient, and it is a little hot on the finish. A little more integration would be more appealing, but I am not convinced the wine has the stuffing necessary to give the tannins time to settle out. Nevertheless, it has a very elegant style, and it has freshness, and both of these are under-rated components of a wine. This is good to drink. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 16.5/20 (November 2007)