When one speaks of Cabernet Franc it is usually in terms of the blending grape used in Bordeaux wines. But in France’s central Loire Valley, Cabernet Franc is a stand-alone varietal that, in the right hands, produces wines of richness, breed and character. Please join us on Saturday, April 24 from 1-4 pm to taste some of the great red wines from this area of France that is better known for its iconic whites. Here’s the Lineup:
Beatrice & Pascal Lambert Chinon “Les Perruches” 2006, $18.39/btl, Regularly $22.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13.5% abv – Organic - Rock-solid, with a briary undertow carrying the macerated plum and cherry fruit, all followed by sweet tapenade and aged tobacco notes on the long finish. Even better than the 2005. Drink now through 2011. 200 cases imported. – 90 points, Wine Spectator.
La Source du Ruault Saumur Champigny “Vieilles Vignes” 2006, $19.99/btl, Regularly $24.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 12.5% abv – Biodynamic - Jean-Noel Millon took over his family’s vineyards in 1998. His 2006 Saumur Champigny Vieilles Vignes boasts pure, ripe, tart blackberry fruit with sage oil and ginger pungency and saline, chalky mineral expressions. Smoky, toasted nut notes, carob, and brown spices emerge in a penetrating finish that will truly leave you licking (the residues from) your lips. This admirably concentrated, inevitably versatile Cabernet Franc will be worth following for at least 2-3 years.
Yannick Amirault Bourgueil “Les Quartiers” 2006, $23.99/btl, Regularly $29.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13% abv – Organic - A dark, grippy red from France’s Loire Valley, with charcoal, mesquite, roasted fig, dark olive and mineral notes coursing through while a backdrop of plum sauce and toast waits in reserve. The structured, mouthfilling finish drips with fruit and olive notes. Best from 2009 through 2017. 821 cases made. – 92 points, Wine Spectator
Yannick Amirault St.-Nicolas de Bourgueil “Les Malgagnes” 2006, $25.69/btl, Regularly $31.99/btl – Loire, France – 100% Cabernet Franc – 13.5% abv – Organic - This offers the appellation’s telltale iron, briar and dark olive notes, with a rock-solid core of black currant fruit. It’s all given a lift by a layer of well-integrated cocoa and mocha-tinged toast.
Fill up your cellar or wine racks with any of these special Loire Valley reds at 20% off the regular retail price!
