Winemaker Notes
“Les Sables” is the estate’s primary cuvée of Cabernet Franc, with the oldest vines going to the “Vieilles Vignes” bottling below. Grapes are harvested by hand and entirely de-stemmed; fermentation takes place in stainless steel and occurs spontaneously; and extraction is obtained primarily via remontage during a 10-to-12-day maceration. As with the Chenin Blanc, sulfur dioxide is applied only at bottling and only minimally. This wine is remarkably fresh, with fully ripe, snappy red fruits and beautifully integrated tannins—a testament to this appellation’s capacity for producing elegant Cabernet Franc. This is the kind of wine that just feels good to consume.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
Marked by great châteaux built with the same tuffeau limestone that is also responsible for the excavation of so many of the famed Loire caves, Saumur is famous for its Chenin blanc based sparkling wines. Inside the Saumur region, Saumur-Champigny creates some of the Loire’s greatest Cabernet Francs.