Les Jardins de La Martiniere Xavier Rouge VDF Red 2014

Country: France

Region: Loire

Type: Red Wine

Grape: Cabernet Franc

This cuvée was vinified by previous domaine owner Xavier Caillard of Les Jardins Esméraldins, made with grapes from a 70-year old parcel with south-east facing exposure. 10 days of whole bunch maceration with a few punchdowns, followed by aging for 4 years in stainless steel and another 4 years in barrel. Les Jardins de la Martinière, in consultation with Xavier, decided to bottle the cuvée in 2022. 

This is a deep and brooding expression of Cabernet Franc that has evolved gracefully with the extended élevage. Layers of earth and dried dark fruits have integrated beautifully with the barrel aging. Wonderful straight from the bottle, and even more expressive with a brief decant.