Maison Couly-Dutheil, founded in 1921, is one of the finest estates of the red wine-focused, central Loire region of Chinon, with eighty acres of prime Chinon vineyards as well as seven hectares of Saumur and Saumur Champigny. The estate's Chinon holdings are impressive as they spread over three distinct Chinon terroirs: Sand and gravel along the Vienne River which produce light and fruit-driven wines, siliceous slopes and plateaus which impart a certain finesse and elegance to Chinon; and finally clay and limestone slopes which produce Chinon's most serious and profound wines. Located on the premiere cote of Chinon, on the eastern side of the the town, lies the famed "Clos de l'Olive" vineyard. This parcel is about a third the size of Couly-Dutheil's more famed vineyard, the Clos de l'Echo. The vineyards, with plantings dating back to the 1930s, rests over clay and the Turonian limestone chalk that makes up some of the most elite sites in this region. All grapes are hand-harvested, fermentation is with native yeasts in stainless steel tank, and aged for a short period in concrete vats. This is a refined and elegant Cabernet Franc that is a great candidate for drinking now or resting a few more years in the cellar.