Lovers of silky, spicy, lip-smackingly drinkable red wines we have your catnip in a bottle today: a perfectly balanced Cabernet Franc from one of the most acclaimed winemakers in France’s Loire Valley. Though not as flashy as his neighbors at Clos Rougeard or Domaine Collier, Arnaud has gained widespread recognition for pure, terroir-driven wines for the past two decades. “Clos Mazurique” is a single-vineyard wine that acts as his “bistro” Cab Franc, but it is much meatier, weightier, and more complex than anything else in that category. Indeed it counts as “bistro” style only because it sees no oak. It’s a truly lovely, crowd-pleasing red that can be enjoyed casually or seriously, or both! We highly recommend having a case of this and its sister white wine “Les Perrières” (look to your right) on hand at all times.
Domaine Arnaud Lambert is the result of a merger, and some fortunate timing, about 15 years ago. Arnaud was already working alongside his father at their family estate, Domaine Saint-Just, when they were presented with the opportunity to acquire 20 hectares of vines from the Château Brézé, an historic property that had fallen into a bit of disrepair. This was 2009, just before the hill of Brézé became a destination for wine geeks the world over looking for a pilgrimage to the famous, and soon to be unicorn-esque, estate of Clos Rougeard. Now armed with a truly enviable arsenal of some of Saumur’s very best vineyards, Yves and Arnaud were ready to make a big splash on the wine scene of France. But sadly, Yves succumbed to an aggressive form of cancer in 2011 and so his son was left to forge ahead without him.
Yves had already lit a fire in Arnaud to become more natural in the vines and the cellar, so he set about converting the entire estate into organic farming, reaching full certification a few years ago. He also eliminated all additions and subtractions, with the exception of sulfur—which he uses very sparingly and only where necessary. The same is true for oak: This ancient vessel is perfect for adding texture and complexity to the right wines, but can also mask the nuances of terroir, so Arnaud uses very little new oak anymore, and most cuvées see none.
“Clos Mazurique” is a single parcel of vines that faces west on a gentle slope of the Brézé hill. Cabernet Franc is often framed by firm, even aggressive tannins when young, but the terroir of Brézé leads to softer, silky wines that are lifted by acid instead of tannin. To highlight this distinction further, Arnaud ferments and ages the “Mazurique” only in concrete tanks. The result is richly fruited, medium bodied wine that is overtly floral and fragrant and can be enjoyed young. Serve in a Burgundy stem, at a cool 55-60 degrees after a short decant and you’ll swoon over aromas of red and black cherries, dried roses, orange peel, cinnamon, red and green peppercorns, persimmon, and earthy forest floor. It’s a no-brainer for any Parisian bistro staple, but it is also deliciously perfect with Texas style BBQ. Indeed it is truly versatile red, which is why you should stock up and keep some on hand for any and all occasions!
