I’ve spent some time in the Loire to immerse myself in their cuisine and wines. Liked most all the whites I had, but none of the reds. Ironically, it was back in Manila that I had my first memorable Chinon - 22 October 2008 at a French Wine Festival Dinner of a friend, paired with Veal Rack en Cocotte with a Gratin of Pasta, Duck Liver and Truffle and Wild Mushrooms:
2000 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon “Croix Boisée” > - This is from the appellation of Chinon, located in the Loire, where the reds are primarily made of cabernet franc (incidentally, the major grape of choice, along with merlot, of no less than Château Cheval Blanc). I remember having told Jérome that, after spending many days tasting through the Loire, I did not like a single red I tried there (the whites, though, are excellent) - finding them aggressively herbaceous, tannic and lacking in body.
With an open mind, though, I sipped this before eating, and, sure enough, it was quite forwardly herbaceous in its dominant ripe blackcurrants, cherry flavors. Also present were typical notes of violets and, more in the nose, black pepper. Admittedly, it had better heft and confidence than any red Loire I had previously tried, but I still found the middle a bit weak.
The wine’s magic, however, was in the pairing. With the deliciously earthy veal, the wine fleshed out and even expanded mid-mouth. The notes of violets rode a swelling blackcurrant river that paired hand-in-hand with the meat, and the black pepper found its place with the duck liver’s touch of richness. The wine’s transformation, when taken with the dish, was nothing short of astounding. Excellent pairing.