Loire Trade Tasting Salons: Highlights and Observations
No.9 | Out & About
Four days, three different trade tasting events, dozens of vignerons encountered, and over 250 Cabernet Francs tasted (with the odd splash of Chenin as a palate cleanser). And at the end of it all, I could’ve used at least 2 more days to taste with all vignerons I wanted to, and there still would’ve been Cabernet Franc left untasted I’m sure.
Now, I will be the first to admit that I need to get better at note-taking, so you won’t be seeing any precise tasting notes or reviews in this newsletter. Rather I wanted to share with you some of my observations and insights from these tastings with the hopes that this information might be useful for your current and future enjoyment of Loire Cabernet Franc.
There’s a lot I want to share, so let’s dive in!
Recent Vintages
Across all three fairs, there were multiple vintages on offer to taste from all appellations, and one thing was immediately apparent: we are in the golden age of Loire Valley Cabernet Franc, my friends! While there are differences from vintage to vintage, there is a lot to be appreciated and enjoyed about where we are at in the world of Loire Cabernet Franc. Cool vintage, warm vintage - I love them all. Based on my tastings, below are some of my impressions of recent vintages, and depending on the style you prefer, this may help guide you as to the vintages to seek out and how/when best to enjoy them.
2023: There were a surprising number of 2023s available to taste - much to my delight. Naturally these wines weren’t finished, but most of the styles presented were a domaine’s early-drinking wine, likely to be bottled within 6 to 9 months. 2023 was an intense vintage by all accounts. Repeated bouts of rain followed by warm temperatures caused a lot of fungal disease pressure, which meant vignerons needed to be vigilant with treatments in the vineyard to keep mildew at bay. Maturities were heterogeneous, which required meticulous sorting in the vineyard and cellar. Yields were down a little but not terribly for Cabernet Franc (sadly, Chenin did not fare as well). When I asked the vignerons about their initial impressions of the vintage, many remarked that it showed similarities to 2021 in terms of freshness and lightness, but with maturities closer to 2022. Only time will tell, but I quite liked what I tasted. Wines were plush, with a nice backbone of freshness. I think the inevitable quality of the finished wines, regardless of style (that is, early-drinking or vin de garde), will very much depend on the skill and attention to detail of the vigneron.
2022: By all accounts, 2022 is proving to be an excellent vintage for Loire Cabernet Franc. It was a warm and dry vintage - perhaps too dry in some parts. There was a good amount of precipitation going into the spring and summer, and vignerons with parcels of older vines on tuffeau and/or with a bit more clay fared well. There was notable hydric stress on some but not all of the alluvial terroirs, but some rains in late August helped to refresh. The examples I tasted certainly showed the warmth and ripeness of the vintage, but alcohols felt more in balance (13-14%) compared to some previous vintages. While I have a soft spot in my heart for more “classic” vintages, I really love the immediate pleasure that many of the 2022s offer. Whether the cuvée is intended for cellaring or early-drinking, they are immensely drinkable now, and will also improve with time in the bottle.
2021: The lone vintage in the last 5 that was “classic,” in my opinion. There are some staunch critics of this vintage out there, but I love it. The summer was cool and wet, but the vintage was saved by superb warm and dry conditions in the fall. Alcohols are modest (12.5-13%), but good maturities. The wines are bright, crunchy, a little lighter on the tannins and concentration, but not at all underripe. In some examples, the herbaceousness is a bit more punctuated, but that is just part of the grape’s DNA. The best vignerons know how to work with a vintage like 2021 to create beautifully balanced and elegant wines. The early-drinking examples are energetic and delicious. Those wines intended for cellaring will likely need time for the wine’s structure to soften and integrate with the fruit. I have enjoyed many older examples of Loire Cabernet Franc from “lighter” vintages, and they have just as much to offer as the wines from “excellent” vintages. 2021 was a very ligérian vintage.
2020: There were many releases available to taste from 2020, particularly the vin de garde cuvées from many domaines. This was another warmer vintage that offers immediate accessibility for many wines regardless of the region. For some of the early-drinking examples from this vintage, these wines have now shed some of their baby fat and are much more integrated, also their additional layers and complexities are beginning to peak through. For wines intended for longer term cellaring, these wines have a plushness of fruit that makes them remarkably approachable in their youth. Structurally, the wines have ripe tannins, balanced acidities, and slightly higher alcohols than 2022, but not as elevated as I have come across in some 2018s. The top expressions show great depth and persistence, and will likely need a decade or more to come around and show their true colours, but thanks to the ripeness of fruit, they can be enjoyed today with a generous decant for a few hours (heck, even a day won’t hurt!). But don’t be afraid to tuck these wines away - they have lots of life ahead of them.
2019: Sandwiched in between 2018 (a very warm, dry vintage) and 2020 (also warm, but not as extreme as 2018), the 2019 vintage was a complicated one. Frost in the spring reduced yields severely, and the summer, while also warmer, it was the drought that ended up being more problematic than the heat. The lack of rainfall led to rather small berries, with thicker skin and very little juice. This, coupled with the warmer temperatures, meant that nailing the harvest window for perfectly aligned sugar and phenolic maturities was more of a challenge. Thanks to well-timed rains in September, alcohols are in balance, as are acidities. In general, my impression of the Cabernet Francs from this vintage, to put it simply, they need time. For many examples tasted (most of which were the vins de garde from the domaine), the tannins have a slightly hard edge to them that I think will need more time in the bottle to soften. The wines are concentrated and ripe, with a lot of character, and structurally will benefit from bottle age for maximum drinkability, particularly for the age-worthy cuvées. Tuck your 2019s in the cellar a little while longer, and enjoy the 2018s and the 2020s in the meantime.
Cabernet Franc Blanc de Noir
At all three salons, I had a chance to taste a slew of examples of Cabernet Franc as a blanc de noir (or as I referred to it, much to the amusement of the vignerons, blanc de franc), and both still and sparkling expressions made appearances. I am a huge fan of Cabernet Franc’s versatility. I adore Cabernet Franc for rosé, both still and sparkling, and while these styles are produced widely throughout the Loire, Cabernet Franc as a white wine is a bit of a curiosity. I have tried a few examples of white Cabernet Franc, both still and sparkling, from producers in North America, but have not tried any examples from the Loire up until this point.
I think blanc de noir Cabernet Franc as a traditional method sparkling wine has some interesting potential. A great example of which is the Two Sisters Vineyards Blanc de Franc from Niagara-on-the-Lake - a wine that I buy consistently with every release. As a blanc de noir traditional method sparkling, Cabernet Franc’s acidity and rusticity can be tamed with gentle cellar practices and extended lees aging, the challenge is capturing the essence of the variety at the same time. During the salons, I tried a delicious example from Stéphane Rocher of La Ferme de Mont Benault in Anjou, which saw 12 months on lees, and had beautifully balanced autolytic notes while showcasing Cabernet Franc’s delicate floral and herbal undertones.
Now, Cabernet Franc as a variety for still white wine is not an easy one. One of my favourites to date is the Blanc de Franc from Leah Jørgensen in Oregon. And I will admit, some of these examples I tasted during the salons missed the mark for me being overly acidic and a bit gangly. I think that some wood élevage (neutral and/or larger wood) on fine lees is necessary to nail Cabernet Franc as a still white wine, which, again, can help soften the hard edges and put some flesh on the bones, so to speak. Two examples in this style from the salons that were particularly well done were from Clau de Nell in Anjou and from Fabien Duveau in Saumur-Champigny. Both wines achieved balance, with the right amount of flesh and freshness, and most importantly showcased Cabernet Franc’s varietal character in a nuanced way in the glass.
New Kids on the Block
Over the course of four days, I was fortunate enough to be introduced to many new domaines and winemakers that are only a vintage or two into their journey. Compared to some other more ‘prestigious’ regions in France, the barrier to entry for an individual interested in making some wine and establishing a domaine in the Loire is relatively low. If you wish to buy a vineyard, land does not cost the nearly as much as it does in Burgundy, for example. Or if you’d rather simply buy fruit, there is a network of thoughtful growers who you can connect with to start your winemaking journey. Moreover, there is a sense of community, spirit of collaboration and a willingness to lend a helping hand across the region that makes it possible for someone to get started with relative ease, even if it is simply a matter of sharing a small corner of another vigneron’s cellar to ferment your first ton of fruit, or making a call to a neighbour when something in your own cellar isn’t quite going as planned.
Some of the domaines and individuals that I tasted with and look forward to following on their Cabernet Franc journey include Domaine de la Chance in Saumur-Champigny, Domaine des Caviers in Saumur, Domaine du Changeon in Bourgueil, Pascal Carole, and Alexandre Wallimann. I also managed to bring home wines from Domaine Moly and Etienne Bodet, with whom I have tasted unfinished wines in their respective cellars, and look forward to tasting their finished cuvées and sharing my impressions with you here.
To say it was an intense and exhausting four days would be an understatement, but it was worth it. And for Loire Cabernet Franc lovers out there, the future is bright. From a recent string of great vintages, experimentation with blanc de noir expressions, and many new domaines and winemakers beginning to make their mark with an insatiable passion for Cabernet Franc and their terroirs, there is plenty to enjoy now and to look forward to, and my love and enthusiasm for this region and Cabernet Franc remains ever-present.
For more specifics on domaines I tasted with during the salons, head to my Instagram page where there is a highlight titled “Loire Salons,” where I have saved all my stories/updates following the various tastings.
ICYMI
Speaking of new domaines for your radar, my latest tasting video features Domaine des Frères from Chinon, who launched their estate in 2020 with one wine, and have since expanded their range to include 6 single-vineyard Cabernet Francs from their parcels. You can check out the video on YouTube or Instagram.
Another worthwhile read! Thanks for breaking down the recent vintages re "Drink or Hold". I rearranged my small cache of Loire Cab Francs accordingly. And as you and Tom noted: love the cooler years. PS Did you sample the Hureau?
Yes, our ripeness levels are going to be greater than the Loire Valley’s for red wines, as a matter of course, but we harvest early (for us) to minimize skin maturity and potential color coming from the skins. We harvested at 21.5 Brix and got alcohol levels of 12.5.