If, like me, you are a Burgundy lover who’s also enthralled with top-tier Loire Valley Cabernet Franc from legends like Olga Raffault and Clos Rougeard, don’t let today’s offer elude you. While Domaine de la Petite Mairie is a small “farmhouse” producer with little global distribution, the estate is widely regarded as a historically important pioneer in the appellation.
Today’s cuvée epitomizes this region’s inimitable minerality and perfectly articulated fruit. There is no disputing that Cabernet Franc achieves its most thrilling heights in the Loire Valley villages of Chinon, Saumur, and Bourgueil. While the best wines from these appellations lean on a familiar combination of Cabernet and limestone, Bourgueil is the only appellation dedicated exclusively to red varieties. And despite being the least recognized of the three, Bourgueil tends to offer an extra dose of tannic grip and savory/mineral aromatics, making it an “insider” destination for both value and undeniable quality. Today’s bottle ups the ante with ancient vines, an attention to detail and depth that belies its refreshingly modest price tag, and a perfect five-star vintage that delivers a boldness of Burgundy-like fruit seldom witnessed in the region. It’s a winner!