Deboutbertin Cabernet Franc La Noue Blanchard 2019

 Country: France

Region: Loire

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Cabernet Franc

This Cabernet Franc is grown in schist on a plateau in Faye D'Anjou. The certified organic vineyard is plowed by horse, and no machinery is used at all. Named after the lieu-dit (small geographical area) where the vineyard is located, La Noue Blanchard comes from 50-70 year-old vines on deep silty and gravelly soil over schist. This type of soil particularly suits Cabernet Franc as well as the apple and apricot trees co-planted by owners Stéphanie and Vincent Deboutbertin for biodiversity. They harvest small perfectly ripe grapes which are foot trodden on arrival and vinified with stems. They undergo a three-week maceration, and aging takes place in used barrels for a year with no racking. No sulfur is added at any point.

This  is a serious style of Cabernet Franc, dense and complex with very fine-grained tannins. This is completely hands on, natural winemaking.