I love the old-school vibe of this classic Chinon. Aromas of blackcurrant, olive tapenade, and roasted red pepper leap from the glass. As the wine opens, beautiful floral and herbal notes emerge — rosehip, freshly picked sage — adding lift and complexity. The palate shows lovely texture, with tannins that are just beginning to melt into the background. This is my favorite OG Cabernet Franc on the shelf right now — savory, terroir driven, and perfectly suited to the table. It would shine alongside smoked duck, braised pork, or a classic tête de veau.

Cabernet Franc was one of my first loves in wine, I worked for a winery that bottled one and it was one of my favorite wines we made, it just had this twist that made it a little bit different, a little bit more interesting, and to this day I have a big ol' soft spot in my heart for the grape. This is just such a very French expression, in the best of ways. There's fruit there on the nose some blackberry, a little raspberry, something slightly crunchy as well, but then there's this kind of thorny green bramble of aroma running through the whole thing, with hints of bay, thyme, some dense and rich earth, and a little bit of fresh tobacco leaf in the very back. The more it opens, there's this kind of wilted rose petal around the edges, very subtle but pretty. The tannin is mid+ with a little bit of a grip, but it just wants some food. A little bit of black and red fruit on the front, but then it goes back into the more savory components, there's black tea and green peppercorn, a little bit more bay leaf, and then a lengthy finish that has just a touch of fruit around the very outside, but more spice and dried green herbs as it moves along. This is just so good, and with a meal it would be absolutely perfect.