Three years ago, I visited the Rive Gauche organic wine estate in Chinon - at that time, I reported about the trip in the magazine and in the forum of Wein-Plus - and I dealt with the Loire wines in more detail. The reproach at that time from committed wine friends: I had not visited the top of the Loire vintners, but had picked out one or the other winery almost arbitrarily. This may be true, but my concern is actually always to gain as broad an experience as possible in the different wine regions and to get to know not only the wines, but also the cultural heritage and traditions. At that time, I took this bottle with me, bought -down- in the mountain cave where the imposing ruin of Chinon Castle stands, where once Joan of Arc convinced the king to come to Orléans' military aid.
Two things fascinated me about the wine and the winery: the historic location and the consistent organic production. I know, these are not the things that wine lovers usually "go for". There, sounding names and any blessing of points are much more important.
But I am not quite so wrong. The "Revue du Vin de France" has given this very wine and this vintage a special award, even if it didn't score more than 16/20 points. It is an excellent wine, which is now - after four years - wonderful to drink: still fresh, fruity and elegant
elegant, despite (or perhaps because of) its age. For me, the origin - the Loire - not only resonates in it, it dominates the wine experience. Far away from the more and more frequent (artificial) concentration and a pleasing tannin structure.
Somewhere I read that Cabernet Franc is just the little brother of Cabernet Sauvignon and by far not of the same noble dignity. What nonsense! They are lower in tannin and acidity, but have intense fruit aromas: blackcurrants, strawberries and raspberries to coffee, chocolate and tobacco notes. However, all this is much more subtle than with Cabernet Sauvignon and the aromas are not smothered in a blend - or as is usually said: refined.
No, this wine stands by its origin, by its nature. And it has maintained itself well, even refined itself, over four years. I mean, I ended up in the right cellar after all. And it doesn't really matter how much of my feelings for this wine are purely taste-related and how much is also the myth of having originated from where kings once resided and Rabelais found pithy words to actively intervene in the confessional politics of the time (before the religious wars). Cultural history - even if it is not related to wine - is also an essential part of the character of a wine region and its wines.