Vignoble Musset-Roullier, 2018 Anjou Rouge "Les Neuf Vingt"
Cab Franc du Jour #5
The story behind this estate is quite heartfelt. Guillaume and Serge have been close friends since childhood, and both of their families owned vineyards in the area. When their parents decided to retire and sell, the two friends decided to merge the two estates, which happened in 1994. Together their combined vineyards amount to 19 hectares of Cabernet Franc, all farmed organically, located in the village of La Pommeraye in Anjou.
What is interesting about Anjou as a wine region is that the soils are entirely different from those of Chinon and the other Central Loire appellations. The soils here are formed from the Massif Armoricain, which dates back to the Precambrian period, roughly 2,500 to 500 million years ago, making them among the oldest soils in France. They are of metamorphic origin, so we are talking about schist primarily, though because Anjou sits on the edge of both the Massif Armoricain and the Paris Basin, there are also some limestone soils and a little sand present. Schist is known for producing powerful, robust wines.
On the nose the wine is quite fruit-forward, with plum, currant, and a touch of Bing cherry, showing quite pure and ripe fruit overall. There is a spicy component as well, almost a black pepper note, and a definite underlying herbaceousness leaning more toward sage and rosemary than green capsicum, though that element is there too.
The palate is quite juicy. I was expecting a little more tannin, but it is actually quite supple and sleek, with very fine, satiny tannins and relatively low extraction. The acidity is energetic and mouth-watering, giving the wine a lively, almost kinetic quality. There is also this underlying ferrous, iron-like character that speaks clearly to the power of the schist, yet the wine remains balanced and restrained rather than overbearing. It does a lovely dance between that energetic, powerful backbone and a supple juiciness that keeps things very appealing.
Wine Details
Producer: Vignoble Musset-Rouiller
Appellation: Anjou Rouge
Communes: La Pommeraye
Soils: Schist, limestone and sand
Alcohol: 14.5%