Chinon rouge

Chinon Rouge is the flagship cuvée of Château de la Grille. To maintain its level of excellence, vintages from more challenging years are not bottled. Hand-picked in mid-October, destemmed grapes naturally fall into temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks equipped with pigeage for better extraction of color, aromas, and tannins. After about 3 weeks of maceration, the wines are separated from the marc (skins, seeds, and pulp) before undergoing malolactic fermentation. Aging for 12 months in barrels (50% of the cuvée) and tanks helps soften the tannins while preserving fruitiness. Finally, the wine is bottled in special bottles, replicating an 18th-century Champagne flask, and matures for nearly two years at low and constant temperatures.