Winemaker Notes
"Hurluberlu" is crafted from 20 distinct parcels and stands as the estate's largest cuvée. The name "Hurluberlu" is actually Sebastien's nickname, bestowed upon him by the villagers, meaning "someone with their head in the clouds". This wine is crafted in a primeur style, emphasizing vibrant fruit character. Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, the grapes are meticulously hand-harvested in small crates. The winemaking process involves 25 days of carbonic maceration, with daily racking of the juice to minimize skin contact extraction. After pressing, the free-run and press juices are blended and aged in concrete tanks for several months. True to Sebastien's low-intervention philosophy, the wine is bottled without filtration and zero added sulfites.
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.
Stretching east along the steep banks of the Loire River, Touraine is a major part of the Middle Loire. Soil variations of clay, sand, tuffeau and gravel throughout its subregions support both white and red varieties. Chinon and Bourgueil remain the source of Loire’s finest Cabernet Franc; various styles of the most outstanding Chenin blanc come from Vouvray and Montlouis.