The jewel in the crown of the Loire’s reds and where Cabernet Franc really shines (up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon can be added). In good vintages the wines can be full bodied and can be cellared for up to 2 decades. Grown on the stony terraces tends to give the wines notes of ripe raspberries, blackcurrant and anise and other spices, supported. The wines from the steeper rockier areas along the hills that separate the Loire from the Vienne tend to produce wines with mineral, gamey complexity and a strong tannic backbone. With age and/or as the wines open up they can have a silky, vevety mouth feel.
