New York, NY, July 26, 2023 – The Loire Valley is known for producing some of the world’s finest wines, and the Loire Buyers’ Selection is your chance to discover the best of the best. Last month, the 3rd edition of the Loire Buyers’ Selection brought together a jury of 10 expert wine professionals from across the country to blind taste, rate, and highlight hundreds of expressions of Loire Valley wines from recent vintages. We invite you to read the following to discover more about the stunning Loire Valley Cabernet Francs!
The Cabernet Franc wines included in the tasting hailed from a variety of appellations, including Anjou, Anjou-Villages, Chinon, Saumur, Saumur-Champigny, and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, as well as spanned recent vintages from 2018 to 2022. In addition to garnering high scores across the board, experts unanimously agreed that in the realm of typicity, food friendliness, and diversity, Loire Valley Cabernet Franc most definitely overdelivers.
The 2023 judging panel included the following US-based wine experts: Jhonel Faenar, Tonya Pitts, Jeff Harding, Rachael Lowe, Zwann Grays, Arthur Hon, Marquita Levy, James Sligh, Nadine Brown, and Bruno Almeida.
Wines of Typicity & Origin
With regards to typicity and origin, few regionally-associated varieties hold a candle to Cabernet Franc—and the proof is in the Buyers’ Selection tasting. “I think the Loire Valley Buyer’s Guide is worth continuing because it allows for an expansive tasting of often under-the-radar producers that are not currently in the spotlight but are reflective of the typicity and origin of wines from their respective regions,” says Jhonel Faelnar, Wine Director of Atomix. Faelnar notes that tasting in a blind setting, particularly within the company of wine professionals, really adds to the learning “and ultimately, the ranking” of the various wines presented.
Food Friendliness & Diversity
Sommelier and wine writer Nadine Brown reveals that if she could use two words to describe what makes Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley so special, they would be diversity and food. “The balance of acidic freshness and red-black fruit core of Loire Valley Cabernet Francs make them a great pairing for everything, from Neapolitan Pizza and roast duck to Mexican Chicken Mole,” she says, equally citing the importance of highlighting less-common pairings, such as fish tacos, Jamaican jerk chicken, and Filipino BBQ. “Even though the wines are showing a bit riper and have a bit more alcohol than in the past, they are still generally brighter and ‘crunchier’—something that’s needed with these cuisines,” she explains.
In the realm of diversity, Brown calls out the numerous styles and pure expressions of place that Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley offers, citing that variety of appellations and their soils aid in this diversity. “From the smokey richness of Chinon to lighter notes of Saint-Nicolas-de Bourgueil, [these expressions] range from easy-drinking, light-bodied, and savory wines that do well with a bit of chill to more fruit-forward examples with great structure [that have] a capacity for longer aging,” she says.
Quality & Expertise
In terms of expertise, professionals agree that the know-how required to produce high-quality Cabernet Franc is only expanding within the Loire Valley. “I think some of the best Cabernet Franc in the world [today] is coming from the Loire Valley,” states Jeff Harding, Wine Director at Waverly Inn. Harding finds that in addition to increasing quality, winemakers’ recent focus on crafting single-vineyard expressions is also key in showcasing the region’s potential. “It’s getting a little like Burgundy now, with [highlighting] how important the terroir is!” he exclaims. Harding attributes the rise in quality to optimal growing climate, as well as the generations of expertise to be found in the region.
A Benchmark Varietal Wine
Brown finds that Cabernet Francs from the Loire Valley show “more grace and finesse” than many other global expressions of the variety. She also highlights the high amount of organic and biodynamic winemakers in the region—as well as those who have been making natural wine far before the style was fashionable. She notes that organic and biodynamic farming are subjects that have become increasingly important to both sommeliers and consumers alike, rendering Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley a frequent leader in these discussions. Though above all, it’s the long-standing emphasis on Cabernet Franc and savoir-faire of its cultivation that continues to keep expressions from the Loire Valley at the top. “The Loire Valley celebrates the singularity of Cabernet Franc,” she says. “The producers of the Loire Valley are the Cabernet Franc specialists of the world!”
Top Rated Cabernet Franc from the 2023 Loire Valley Buyers’ Selection:
Domaine Des Béguineries Réserve De Satis 2018 (Chinon) – 98 Points
Grilled meat and fresh purple flowers dance with clafoutis and black mission figs in the bouquet. Full-bodied with a silky mouthfeel, there is intense plum fruit with pepper spice and iron dominating the long, fine finish.
Domaine Ratron Clos des Cordeliers Prestige 2018 (Saumur-Champigny) – 96 Points
This wine has a vivid ruby core with some bricking at the rim. Fresh meadows of purple wildflowers emanate from the glass with rocky, mineral earth lurking underneath. Lush and ripe on the palate, with macerated strawberries, bright bing cherry, and a lingering, spice-driven finish.
Domaine Hérault Vieilles Vignes 2021 (Chinon) – 95 Points
This wine has a deep purple robe and showcases deep aromas of red plum, black cherry, and blackberry coulis. Full bodied with a grippy tannin, there are more meaty elements in this wine showing grilled beef and mushroom earth underneath the ripe fruit profile.
About Loire Valley Wines
The Loire Valley, referred to as the Garden of France, is known for its magnificent chateaux, rich history and 4 distinct wine regions – Pays Nantais, Anjou, Saumur, Touraine – each with its own characteristics of grapes, appellations and styles. The wine-growing regions dotting the Loire’s banks feature more than 3,000 wineries, more than 103,000 acres of vineyards, 33 appellations of origin and 1 protected geographical indication, thus making the Loire Valley the third largest French winemaking region. Selling 280 million bottles per year – be they red, rosé or white; still or sparkling; dry or semi-dry, supple or sweet – the Loire Valley is France’s leading producer of white wines and ranks second for rosés. The US is the Loire Valley’s #1 export market both in value ($45 million) and volume 68,000 hectoliters (=9M bottles sold in 2022).
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Website: vinsvaldeloire.fr/en
