Loire Cab Franc - your short list of producers?

WINE TALK
21

Good point, forgot about that. It’s more practical for Chris and other folks in the Bay Area tho.

22

Last I had was ‘07. Awesome even in that relatively ho-hum vintage.

23

Can’t believe I forgot Filliatreau. Excellent wines at great prices.

24

Thanks everyone - really appreciate the input. A few reactions:

Breton - should have been on the “producers I already love” list
Joguet - kind of in between the two lists. Need to explore more, have liked the older bottles I’ve had. I think of them as needing lots of time.
Rougeard - bought them up to the 2010 vintage, can no longer find or afford
Guion - liked, not loved, in the past. Should try again.
Jerome Lenoir - love the wines, have not purchased since selection massale stopped doing retail.
Chateau de Fosse-Séche, Domaine Filliatreau, Domaine Chevalerie, Couly-Dutheil, Philippe Alliet - need to try (appreciated the other suggestions but was not always able to find locally)

25

A little more modern in style, none the less delicious is Pallus…

26

My short list is already listed, but two others that I drink fairly regularly and I think are worth a try, perhaps more in the “daily drinker” category, are:

Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier)

  • I’ve only had the Jour de Soif. Offers a ton of typicity for $15.

Domaine de la Petite Mairie

  • Variable (hey, it’s Loire Cab Franc) but can be excellent, and a good value.

Also Agnès et René Mosse - blends, but with a hefty cab franc component.

EDIT:
Forgot, I also wholeheartedly recommend:

Domaine la Folie Lucé

27

Agreed, wasn’t familiar with the domaine until recently, but then I tasted a 2016 Terres Chaudes (basic cuvee, around 20 EUR), and was struck by the quality (and by the fact that my wife for once liked a cab franc) - bought 12 of those, plus 6 of the Mémoires (old vines).

28

Thoughts on Domaine Guiburteau?

Been getting lots of buzz, or perhaps that’s just retailer hype. At $50+ it’s a bit pricey for the quality, but I’ve only had a couple of bottles. Keeping an open mind with a 2015 on deck to sample.

29

Let us know. Haven’t tried the reds but I’m not keen on the whites like some others are.

30

Tasted these for the first time at Weygandt Wines a year or so ago. Agree that both tasted excellent, with the 2014 probably being the better bet longer term. Also liked their Chenin Blanc.

31

I did not like Pallus at all. Waaaayyyyy to slick and modern with no sense of place. Limited sampling though.

32

I like Guiberteau quite a bit for whites. I don’t have much experience with the reds, just the 2014 saumur rouge. My memory of it does not match up well with the notes in CT. I remembered it as being primarily bright red fruit without much else going on. I thought it was pleasant, but not what I look for in Loire CF.

33

On a related topic, a bunch of new release Baudry just dropped at K&L.

34

Probably best to just ignore Guiberteau…they don’t have good scores on CT and most people don’t seem to like the style. I’ll just keep buying my 3 bottles for as long as I can of their top wines. [cheers.gif]

35

I buy Bréton. Why are you not buying them? [stirthepothal.gif]

36

For the group. Does anyone keep these for long agers?

37

Robert,

I opened that '15 Saumur rouge a week or two ago. Briefly: you know how Dirty & Rowdy are doing their thing with Mourvedre? That '15 Saumur struck me as a Cab. Franc done in the style that I would expect of D&R. I’ll perhaps try to post my full TN later today.

38

Yes. Many lead very long lives, the Raffaults for example are gorgeous with 25+ years on them. I cracked some 2005 Baudry and Joguet recently, both needed much more time. Last year had a 2003 and 2005 Rougeard Les P, the 05 was still a baby. Like claret, these wines can flesh out beautifully with time, picking up a range of ancillary and tertiary flavors, aromas and characteristics. My decisions are based on the producer and the vintage. Some are daily drinkers, pop and pour, and enjoy.

39

They lose some of that polish with age and the wines become more ‘typical’ vs. modern mocked up wines… they’re rather good. We did a blind tasting of Loire Cab franc and they came in 3rd, most pegged them for Collier…

40

I buy cheapie red Loires in great vintages and they age incredibly well, have a ton of 05’s sitting in the cellar…