From the Wine Trail... Saumur!
Smack in the middle of the Loire lies one of my favorite appellations in all of France: Saumur-Champigny. The collection of little towns that make up this appellation are not much to look at, but they are surrounded by fields of the tastiest Cabernet Franc around, and dotted with humble vignerons, going about their work.
We got to know one such vigneron last year--Domaine des Sanzay, in the town of Varrains, a few kilometers south of the Loire--and they have quickly become a favorite go-to for their succulent reds. In fact, Dan has told me he’s adopted them as his local supplier, or fournisseur, of house wine.
I don’t blame him. I’ve waxed poetic about this particular Cabernet Franc as my dessert island wine; I’d reach for this wine every day, to go with most anything. Sure enough, after 1600 kilometers on the road crisscrossing France, I set my bag down in the guest room of Dan's home in the Loire, and spotted a bottle of Sanzay Cuvée Domaine, empty on the counter.
"Don’t worry--I just restocked last week," he told me. "We have another bottle to open if you want."
"Don't worry," I replied. "We are restocked at the warehouse, too!"
Domaine des Sanzay Saumurs-Champigny Cuvée Domaine 2023
This is pure, unadulterated Cabernet Franc.
This is pure, unadulterated Cabernet Franc. Didier assembles this wine from a handful a parcels next to the winery, with an average vine age of 40 years old. He ferments the wine in stainless steel tanks and bottles it young for a fresh, juicy quality, and a pleasant grip of tannin--the sort of wine you'd find at any reputable Parisian café to go with your steak-frites, quiche, or roast chicken.
The 2023 vintage is bright, friendly, and ready to drink, so I asked for the last few cases of the vintage to hit our shores before they sold out, and we've now got 8 cases in the warehouse.
Domaine des Sanzay Saumur-Champigny Les Frogéres 2020
I'd drink the Cuvée Domaine any day of the week, but what about the weekend? Well, Didier Sanzay makes something for that long meal with friends, when you have time to relax and take a moment to indulge.
Among his vines, there are a few small, special parcels that produce extraordinary wine. He vinifies and bottles these separately to show off the power and elegance of Cabernet Franc.
One of the parcels, Les Frogére, balances beautiful, bold red fruit with subtle earthy aromas. This is aged in used Burgundy barrels for 15 months for elegant, refined tannins and a supple texture. With a few years of bottle age on it already, you will find rich umami flavors and a complex nose that will continue to develop in the glass for hours.