2012 Saumur Champigny Les Memoires

The 2012 Saumur Champigny Les Mémoires comes from a 0.7-hectare parcel to the south of Saumur with 108-year-old vines, according to winemaker Thierry Germain. They root in calcareous marl and silex soils and the hand-picked grapes were fermented to 20% on the stems. Compared to the Échelier, it is a more polished and fruit intense but also more floral, slightly earthy scented Cabernet Franc with a fresh raspberry and blackcurrant aroma. It is very aromatic, and in its finesse, freshness and perfectly balanced elegance it is unrivaled. So are the finely grained but still young tannins. This is a beautifully vibrant, fresh and firmly structured Cabernet that proves impressively that you don't need a 2003 vintage to produce world-class Cabernet Franc in the Loire valley––at least if you have vines of a biblical age and a meticulous winemaker like Thierry Germain.