More about 2018 Couly-Dutheil Clos De L'Echo Chinon Domaine Couly-Dutheil was established in 1921 when Baptiste Dutheil purchased a portion of the historic Clos de L'Echo Vineyard that Joan of Arc was said to have visited often. The vineyard and winery's reputation was firmly put into place by the next two generations, and today nearly 80% of their production is reserved for France's finest restaurants and retailers, leaving a high demand for the small amount left for devout followers of this wine worldwide. The soils in Chinon are composed of sand, gravel, and clay known for giving Cabernet Franc a solid structure for aging, especially plots from south-facing slopes, and Vinous praises the Clos de L'Echo vineyard as "one of the appellation's finest sites." The 2018 Clos de L'Echo has rich flavors, firm tannins, and mouth-filling fruit and spice flavors, and though drinkable at the moment, the wine will continue to unfold layers of complexity as it ages.