On occasion I have had some impressive bottles of old vine cuvees of Chinon from the likes of Charles Joguet and Olga Raffault, but by and large I have found the majority of these wines (made from 100% Cabernet Franc) to be entirely too vegetal and compact for my tastes. Hence I did not expect much from Domaine Alliet, a producer I knew nothing about ... but was I in for a surprise.The 1995 Chinon, made from the estate's younger vines, exhibits a surprisingly ripe, raspberry-scented nose with good purity, no vegetal overtones, and a fresh, medium-bodied, crisp, tasty personality. It should drink well for 2-3 years. Jeroboam Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 374-9415; fax (212) 925-6474