If you go down to the Loire today....

You never know what you might find.

The Loire Valley is responsible for some great pleasures, white on the surface of it. Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé and other delightful Sauvignon Blancs like Menetou Salon and Reuilly. But dive deeper and there's more. There are tremendous dry and dessert wines made from Chenin Blanc, there’s even Muscadet which I’ve always liked even when it was much derided. It’s actually become a bit trendy recently amongst Sommeliers and the like, but don’t let that put you off. Loire even does fizz, the remarkably good value Crémant de Loire.

            But, it’s red I’m here to talk about, in particular wine made from Cabernet Franc the less glamourous cousin to Cabernet Sauvignon but equally interesting if not more so. Not to denigrate Cab. Sav. as they call it but those understated things in life just appeal to me more. And let’s not forget that one of the world’s most sophisticated and expensive wines, the famous Cheval Blanc from the right bank in Bordeaux is made from a blend of which Cab. Franc is the dominant grape. But in terms of glamour, that’s an exception and so back to the Loire which specializes in this relatively little known gem. Usually around 90 % of the blend, so it really is the barometer for Cab. Franc as a representative expression of the grape. It prefers cooler, inland terroirs hence it thrives in Saumur, Chinon and Bourgeuil, all in the central Loire. It’s not always rosy of course, poor weather can affect the harvest and make it a little insipid but generally speaking these days, it’s pretty consistent. Cabernet Franc is a subtle grape; light to medium bodied, perfumed, red and black fruits depending on individual wine and can be drunk chilled, if you so wish. Enough tannin to make it a good food wine but nothing like it’s macho relative.

            Now, beyond that, discovering it is easy as there’s not that much to choose from. Saumur Champigny if you believe the Sommeliers, is probably the most sophisticated, beautifully balanced and subtle and great with food - as they all are - though not roast beef or anything TOO heavy and rich. Bourgeuil and St. Nicolas de Bourgeuil, generally a bit more intense perhaps less nuanced and earthier though still highly recommended (esp. St. Nicolas) and Chinon, perhaps the best known, again, on the delicate side, but maybe the one to avoid at a low price from supermarket shelves unless it’s drunk chilled and you don’t expect too much. Not that price will be an issue. These wines, if you can find them, can be had for pretty reasonable prices and like all my favourite wines, have their own unique personalities and qualities. A decent amount of searching should bring you sufficient reward and significant pleasure!

http://loirevalleywine.com/appellation/st-nicolas-de-bourgueil/

Malbec Memories...

Seems somehow timely to be writing about a hot day in the South-West of France on this damp squib of a day in London in August. The hot day was last June, the place was Cahors! There we were walking round this delightfully charming yet low key city and food was on our mind. What was to be eaten remained uncertain, there are many options but the wine was less in doubt. In wine terms there’s only one word to associate with Cahors. It is, of course, Malbec. Now for many of us, Malbec is synonymous with Argentina. That little relationship has worked out rather well, but let’s not forget that they’ve been cultivating this grape around Cahors for centuries. 

 Malbec or Cot as it is also known is a dark, inky chewy black grape. This doesn’t paint a lovey picture of course, but for those who know what they’re doing round here, this isn’t a problem. Firstly, some merlot is normally added to soften it up a little.  There is also the little matter of that favourite thing of mine, le terroir. In the rugged hills above Cahors, the limestone character of the soils gives a unique personality to these wines. The cheaper ones are not necessarily that sophisticated, certainly less palate friendly than the more fruit driven Argentine equivalent -where altitude reduces the tannic effect - but when drunk here with the local cuisine, it is a match made in heaven. My lunch of Duck Confit – for the first time in my life, but it was worth the wait- was consumed with a chilled rosé as it turned out. Being hot and lunchtime, red was out of the question, but the rosé was perfect. Made from Malbec, obviously, in a pale pink style à la Provence with good freshness and minerality. 

And minerality leads me to the particular wine in question for this article. A 2012 Chateau de Chambert Cahors AOC. A perfect example of the best Cahors has to offer. The limestone and iron rich soils give an elegance, minerality and finesse to this wine that balance the inherent power and structure of the Malbec grape. Combined with the fruit you have a wine that matches many dishes most perfectly. This will also last if you wish to ‘put it down’ and at well under twenty pounds it represents excellent value for money. That’s the thing about Malbec from Cahors. The good ones are not that expensive and are unique. The cheaper ones to be found on supermarket shelves are usually reasonable fun, maybe not worth writing home about so much with the mass of competition around but if you want to spend a bit more money once in a while, but not too much, do some research on Cahors! Even better just go there!