There’s no point in “burying the lede” with today’s offer: this is that rare bottle that sits happily at the crossroads of pedigree, price, and mass appeal. Uncorking a flagship cuvée that’s been consecutively produced for 90+ years usually comes with a whole load of anticipation and pomp, but 18th-century Domaine de Brizé’s “Clos Médecin” is the sort of delicious, no-frills, Cab Franc-Cab Sauv blend you’ll want to pop every night of the week. And it comes in at a price that allows you to do just that!

Today’s Anjou-Villages appellation might not carry the same clout of a Chinon or Saumur-Champigny, but I’ve come to learn that in a region as large and diverse as the Loire Valley, wines from these lesser-known areas easily grab my attention. More than once while traveling there, I’ve ordered what I expect will be a simple glass of local wine, only to be thunderstruck by the quality, nuance, and absurd enjoyability of each sip. That is exactly what this sleek Cabernet blend reminds me of—hoard all you can!

Domaine de Brizé has been run by the Delhumeau family since the mid-1700s. Viticulturally, the estate is an embodiment of the blurred lines in this central portion of the Loire Valley, with plantings of Cabernets Franc and Sauvignon, Gamay, Chenin, and Chardonnay. The soils are a bit of a mashup too, with the clays associated with Muscadet to the west commingling with the schist and sand you’ll find in Saumur and Vouvray. All for the best: these convergences produce a bottle that’s as refreshing and quaffable as any Loire red, without any of the thin fruit or weedy vegetal notes you can sometimes find here.

“Clos Médecin'' is a true flagship wine, not because it comes in an embossed bottle or a wooden crate, but because it’s been produced by the same family from the same small plot of land for nearly a century now. It comes from a single, walled vineyard with Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon planted alongside one another, from the domaine’s oldest vines. Roughly 60% Cab Franc, the 40% Sauvignon serves to round out and darken the wine, adding a sensuous and supple quality I don’t often associate with the Loire. A year of aging in stainless steel keeps it in check, retaining vibrancy and structure you might otherwise lose in oak. 

In the glass, “Clos Médecin” is a vibrant purple moving out to a ruby rim. Decant for 15 minutes and pour into a Bordeaux stem, and the nose will exude what seems like every part of a blackberry bush: lush yet tart berries, but also the leaves and the dirt it grows in. Bright, crisp blackcurrants and raspberries follow, with Cab Franc’s sometimes aggressive green pepper notes subdued into a lovely tobacco leaf herbaceousness. The palate combines ripeness and roundness with deep refreshment, Cab Sauv’s black-fruited body married to the signature snap of Cab Franc. The tannins are moderate and seamlessly integrated into the fruit; it’s delicious on its own, but it also screams to be tableside next to some hearty country fare like rillettes or rosemary-flecked lamb chops. We can’t fully decide if “Clos Médecin” is a bottle to lay down for years to come or one to pop every chance we get, so to hedge our bets we’re doing both. We recommend you do the same!