Olga Raffault

### History Olga Raffault is one of the foundational names in Chinon, a domaine whose reputation was built across several decades by Olga Raffault herself, who became one of the most respected producers in the appellation during the latter half of the twentieth century. She was an early advocate for single-vineyard bottlings at a time when most Chinon was blended and sold without geographic distinction, a practice that helped establish the idea that specific parcels within the appellation could and should be treated separately. After her death, the domaine passed to her grandson Sylvain Raffault, who has continued the estate's approach without dramatic departure. The family name carries genuine weight in Chinon, earned rather than inherited in the reputational sense, and the domaine remains independent and family-run.

### Vineyards The domaine's holdings are spread across the Chinon appellation, taking in both the gravelly alluvial soils closer to the Vienne river and the tufa-based hillside sites that typify the appellation's more structured wines. Les Barnabés and Champ-Chenin are among the named parcels bottled separately, each reflecting distinct soil compositions and exposures. Champ-Chenin, despite the name, is planted to Cabernet Franc. The Loire valley's continental-influenced climate, tempered by Atlantic moisture, frames every vintage here, and cool years like 2021 test the grape's ability to ripen fully on these north-central Loire soils. Specific farming certifications are not widely documented for this estate.

### Winemaking The cellar approach at Olga Raffault is rooted in the traditional Chinon style: Cabernet Franc fermented in a way that preserves the grape's characteristic herbal lift and red fruit character without heavy extraction or significant new oak influence. Aging takes place in older vessels, predominantly large wood or concrete, which allows the wines to develop without imposing toasty or vanilla notes. The rosé, made across multiple vintages in the range, is dry and food-friendly in the regional manner. The single-parcel reds, particularly Les Barnabés, represent the domaine's clearest argument for site differentiation within Chinon, showing more weight and depth than the appellation-level bottling without abandoning the freshness that defines the house style.