Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley is one of my favorite wine styles. And everything I love about it is showcased by this bottle.

You cannot miss the cool climate here – it’s so bright, so fresh, yet there is no sign of green leafiness. Loaded with beautiful, ripe black currants, besides that special Loire Cabfranc aroma, which reminds me of a carpenters workshop somehow (but not to oak). Some black pepper, too, perhaps. Hardly medium-bodied, but so juicy, with tons of black fruits. Bone dry, as usual for Loire Cabfranc, I love that. It’s as easy to drink as the best bistro reds, but it has proper tannin structure. A textbook Saumur Champigny, pitch-perfect for what it is.