Couly-Dutheil, 2024 Update
Couly-Dutheil has played a significant role in the development of the vineyards of Chinon; the modern-day renown afforded the Clos de l’Echo is down purely to Couly-Dutheil, Baptiste Dutheil having purchased his first slice of this prime piece of Chinon real estate in 1925. Having previously lain fallow for some time, Baptiste and then René Couly (who married Baptiste’s daughter, this being the foundation of the Couly-Dutheil domaine) would expand, plant and nurture this soon-to-be-famous vineyard.
The domaine has also had an impact on my own view of Chinon; in years gone by I have seen the appellation through the Couly-Dutheil lens, the wines of the Clos de l’Echo a particular draw. I visited the now-mothballed tasting room at the foot of the clos during my first visit to the town back in 1993, where I had my first encounter with the stunning 1989 Clos de l’Echo. I have toured the vineyards with Arnaud, and as recently as 2023 I visited the famous clos to see the harvest in action. Below is one of the images I snapped that morning.
