Agrelo, Gran Enemigo, Cab Franc, 2014, Argentina
You don’t see as much Cabernet Franc as you should given how amazing this grape is and this Agrelo, Gran Enemigo from Argentina is flipping brilliant. Its dry, smooth, good tannins which are well integrated with plenty of red and black fruit flavours that last so long. There’s oak and earthiness that balance just so beautifully.
Its not cheap but for special occasions just perfect. We had it with slow cooked brisket which was amazing.
Alban Foucher is the 3rd generation wine maker at Earl Goucher in Saumur. The La Seigneurie 2017 is a consumer wine. 40,000 bottles are produced and at Eur10 it’s a decent example of a Cab Franc drink now wine. You get the usual red fruit aroma and flavour but also a decent hit of tannins. It’s not a smooth, silky wine but with a lump of meat or tomato based pasta dish it’s pretty good. Personal I prefer less tannins.
La Seigneurie 2017 by Alban Foucher, Loire Valley
Clos Moleton 2015 from Saumur, Loire Valley, France is one of the better reds from the region. An organic vineyard that produces fine wine made from Cab Franc. There are aromas of red fruit with spice. Flavours of red fruit, black cherry, pepper and a slight flavour of vanilla make this a wonderful red. At about £20 it’s good value.
Clos Moleton from Saumur, Loire Valley, France
Day 4, after all the tasting so far, today would at prove the end turn out to be the most weird.
Our first stop was in Vouvray at Bernard Fouquet. They only do Chenin Blanc wines but have various styles. The first wine was the Cuvee Silex, a dry but tasting off dry, rounded, soft feeling wine with aromas of stone fruit, melon with cane through on the taste. Beautifully east to drink.
Bernard Fouquet caves
Bernard Fouquet, Vouvray, Loire Valley
Francois et Julien Pinon in Vouvray was the next stop. We tasted in a troglodyte cave house, cool and inviting.
Francois Pinons storage
Francois Pinons tasting room
David Sebastien, Loire Valley wine making in a cave
All the wines that he made were competent, the reds had an earthy smell but were full-bodied Cab Franc and had very subtle differences but with good red fruit and black fruit flavours coming through.
The idea is that the wine will take on the flavours of the pot and the pot will breakdown the tanning and structures of wine to give it a finer flavour. He toasts the inside of the pots to give different flavours just as you would a barrel. He even hangs some from the caves ceiling.
The hanging wine vat
Humidity is at 85% and the temperature is approximately 12 degrees in the caves, theres masses of mould growing on the walls on tanks barrels, spooky place.
Mould growing on the barrels
The guy can make wine but I’m not entirely convinced that this is the way forward.
24 pallet gyro pallet for riddling the sparkling wine
Wine having a little rest
Quadrille and Saumur white
Mushrooms growing in the caves
Mushrooms growing in the caves 2
Charles Joguet Cab Franc
As a Bordeaux rose this Cave d’Augustin Florent is made with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It’s got more flavours than a Provence rose, peach, pear and strawberry but the flavours blend into each other and it takes time to taste these. There is not much on the aroma side, some aromas but difficult to pin these down. A master of wine would have no problem but the average accidental drinker would.
As a cheap rose for the summer it’s ok, have it with a salad or fish to help take your mind off the wine personal I prefer Provence rose.
La Cave d’Augustin Florent 2018, Buzet, Bordeaux rose