I expected to like this wine, probably love it. I love Breton. And I really love Franc de Pieds.
I did not expect to be so wowed by this wine. This wine reeks of Cabernet Franc but is so ripe and lush to convey the impression of a right banker. Lovely red and dark, almost plummy, fruits, but tinged with a very mild green streak. Green tobacco leaves, mossy wet earth, chalk, mint, herbs. Both savoury and sweet, butressed by high acid. Finish is short, crisp, slightly bitter. Like a dark chocolate.
I have to say this, for my palate, you put a bottle of this in front of me, and I never go New World. There is nothing in the New World that drinks like this. A lowly 12% alcohol, no sense of oak treatment. Gorgeously pure fruit expressing a non-interventionist approach to winemaking. I know the 2011 was bottled after a year in stainless steel, and I assume the 2012 saw no oak, either. Bravo.
Nice note. After we sampled a 1993 Perrieres from this producer at a London restaurant and were wowed by it I bought some of the 2011 Franc de Pied. Looking forward to trying one at some point. Thanks for the data point.
Would love to see your thoughts on the 2011 as it’s still available in the market. I was so wowed by this 2012 that I jumped on Chambers’ website last night to order more, and voila, they were already gone! I preferred this 2012 FDP over Plouzeau and Domaine de Roches Neuves, both of which turned out very nice '12s as well.
Thanks for the heads up, Robert.
I remember liking every bottle of this I’ve had, though I don’t really follow the wine and don’t remember specifics.
Sounds like I need to check out the 2012.
Cheers.
Glad to hear that this was such a wonderful bottle Robert. I’ll have to look out for it.
I’ve never had their FdP, but I’ve had very mixed results with other Breton bottlings. Sometimes excellent they seem very prone to variation. Lots of brett, sometimes just off in weird ways. This sounds excellent, and since the line on FdP is to drink young I think maybe you dodge a lot of variation issues.
Own-rooted vines in the Loire Valley are getting rarer by the minute. Joguet’s and Baudry’s died, and it’s now illegal to plant vines on their own roots in these appellations. Hopefully, these vines will survive for many years, but they typically eventually succumb to phylloxera. Let’s enjoy them while we can!
The '12 Plouzeau did not impress me as much as '09-'11. I have to admit that I popped a bottle very shortly after release, so am reserving judgment. I found it rather grapey. Quite nice, but not the dimension of prior bottlings. Perhaps time will reveal.
Robert, fwiw I drank half a bottle of the '12 Plouzeau and thought it OK, not great, tasty but without the cab franc personality you and I love. I forgot about the rest sitting upright in the cellar for about three weeks and tried it on a lark expecting it to be totally oxidized. It was spectacular and filled with that cab franc personality.
Not surprised given the vintage. The 2012 vintage appears to be more open. That’s not to say it’s not a vintage for evolution. This 2012 has firmed up dramatically since last night, picking up weight and depth. Some of the sweetness to the fruit has receded and solid tannic structure is present. I’m thinking 5 years before I cracked another. I never agreed with the notion that FDPs were meant for early consumption. A 2003 Baudry I had a few months ago was wonderful.
Franc rules !!! It’s such an interesting grape that doesn’t get enough luv
Just 2day, picked up a bottle of $8.99 2012 roustabout meritage from trader joes…had to try it because it was cab franc dominant…this wine would fall into the dull and boring category without the CF…the franc gives a nice lift to the aromatics, lavender, green tobacco, light ash…less earthy on the palate but it’s a nice juicy little drink, good acid to keep it fresh and lively. A nice inexpensive quaff
Sounds good, thanks Robert. I really like the 2012 Nuits d’Ivresse, it was my favorite when tasted alongside the Beaumont and Les Galichets recently (and, of course, even better from a full bottle at home); unfortunately, the Franc de Pied wasn’t being poured. I want some…
Glad you had a good experience withe 2012s. I procured a couple of bottles of the 2010 FdP and they were corked and undrinkable. The two other Breton Bourgeils I bought at the same time were also corked and undrinkable. From your description of the 2012 FdP, it sounds exactly like the sort of wine I would enjoy, but I’m a bit gun-shy toward Breton now…
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