Domaine Frédéric Mabileau, 2020 St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 'Les Coutures'
Cab Franc du Jour #155
The Mabileau family name is deeply woven into the history of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, with records of Mabileaus owning vineyards in the village as far back as 1640. The history of Domaine Frédéric Mabileau spans four generations, with some of the oldest parcels planted by Frédéric’s grandfather in 1947, though the modern story of the estate truly begins in 1991 when Frédéric and his wife Nathalie began tending three hectares of vines in the lieu-dit of Les Rouillères. Following the tragic passing of Frédéric in 2020, Nathalie and their two sons Rémy and Charly continue the domaine today, honouring his passion and legacy. The estate now works with 35 hectares of vines across the appellations of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Anjou, and Saumur, producing an exciting range that includes five Cabernet Francs. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2007 and certified biodynamic since 2018.
St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
The appellation of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil encompasses a single commune of the same name, beginning at the western boundary of the Bourgueil commune and stretching roughly 6km further west, with approximately 1,100 hectares under vine. Many texts lump Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil together as sharing the same terroir, but the more time one spends in these two appellations, the more their differences come into focus. Drive west along the D35 from Restigné, through Bourgueil, and all the way to the western boundary of St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, a journey of about ten minutes, and the shift in the viticultural landscape becomes immediately apparent.
The way St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil is positioned along the Loire as the river begins its dogleg toward Saumur gives the appellation a slightly south-southwest orientation overall, and its proximity to the mouth of the Vienne tributary makes it a touch warmer than the Bourgueil AOP, with harvest sometimes starting up to ten days ahead. The ancient alluvial terrace that begins in Restigné and continues westward through Bourgueil also widens as it enters St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, owing to that slight change in the Loire’s course, and as a result this terrace accounts for roughly 65% of the appellation’s vineyard area. As the terrace expands, the zones of recent alluvium and the côte, where the tuffeau chalk-dominated soils are found, narrow considerably.
The Côte in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
Les Coutures is sourced from a parcel on the slopes. The côte stretches the full width of the appellation but narrows as you move from east to west, from roughly 600m wide near the Bourgueil border to only about 300m wide past the hamlet of La Gardière. Elevations across the côte range from around 60 to 88m above sea level, with the majority of vineyards carrying a south-facing exposure. The forested area to the north plays an important protective role, sheltering the vines from the cold winds that arrive from that direction.
The soils on the côte in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil are dominated by sandy and silty-sand topsoils of colluvial origin, varying in depth depending on location, and underlain exclusively by the Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk, the glauconitic-micaceous chalk. By the time the slope reaches St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, the Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau is virtually absent. Scattered pockets of deeper sandy-clays mixed with flint or sandstone appear in places, as do some areas of deeper aeolian sands.
The Lieu-Dit
When Frédéric first created this cuvée in 1996, it was named for the lieu-dit Les Coutures, located on the ancient alluvial terrace, and that parcel served as its source consistently over the years. In 2020, his first vintage following his father’s passing, Rémy made the decision to elevate the cuvée by selecting a parcel on the slopes to bring greater precision and refinement. He chose the historic Clos Lorioux parcel of old vines that his grandfather had worked, and has continued to use it for this cuvée in subsequent vintages.
The parcel covers 0.5 hectares and is located in the central part of the côte, just west of the hamlet of La Gardière. The Mabileau vines occupy a prime position in the lieu-dit, at the very top of the slope just before the forest, at an elevation of around 70m above sea level on a full, gentle south-facing exposure. The soil profile here is a silty-sand topsoil over a subsoil of chalky clay, which provides good moisture retention, with just over a metre of topsoil before reaching the Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk below.
In the Cellar
The fruit is hand-harvested and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with indigenous yeast, with approximately 25 days on skins and some light pump-overs to homogenize the must. The finished cuvée is predominantly free-run wine with a small addition of press wine. Rémy noted that he has shortened the élevage for this cuvée from 24 months to 12 months, in a combination of 12hl oak foudres and older, neutral 500L barrels, in order to better preserve the wine’s fruit character. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal sulphur additions, then aged in bottle for approximately one year before release.
In the Glass
Open, lifted, and immediately fragrant on the nose, with a heady, aromatic quality characteristic of Cabernet Franc from sandier soils. The profile leans savoury and earthy, with red fruits (cherry, red currant, wild strawberry, a touch of wild black raspberry) in a supporting role. The earthy and herbal character is distinctly foresty (cedar leaf and wood, thyme, forest floor underbrush) with a lovely forest berry quality woven through. Dried rose petal adds a delicate floral dimension, and a refined, peppercorn melange spice is present but not pungent, and completes a clean, classic and inviting nose.
On the palate, the spice profile is complex and compelling with Sichuan peppercorn alongside cardamom, ground ginger, and nutmeg. Acidity is refreshing, lively, and it lifts and illuminates the fruit beautifully. Tannins are silky, uniform, and finely textured, finishing with a delicate chalkiness that provides just enough grip. The overall structure is soft and subtle rather than assertive, underpinned by a lovely fleshiness that creates a sense of ease and enveloping approachability through the mid-palate. Balanced, harmonious, and refined throughout. Sophisticated without pretension, the wine is elegant, effortless with a genuine sense of place. Deliciously approachable now, but will continue to improve over the mid to long term.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Frédéric Mabileau
Appellation: St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
Commune: St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil
Lieu-Dit: Clos Lorioux
Soil: Silty-sand topsoil, chalky-clay subsoil, over the Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk
Alcohol: 13.0%