Sanzay Saumur-Champigny “Dares” 22

Our favorite source for these delicious reds is the Domaine des Sanzay, an organic fixture of Saumur-Champginy in the central Loire. Their unblended Cabernet Franc wines have become highly popular in our warehouse, with their simple Saumur red and old-vine cuvée opening tasters’ eyes to a new expression of the grape.

This year it was Sanzay’s parcellaire cuvée “Les Dares” that grabbed our attention. Drawn from a single plot of 65+ year old cabernet franc, this is an impressive wine. The nose is very fine and detailed, with a distinct note of honeysuckle over the red apple fruits and violet petals. The mouth is fine grained and concentrated with perfectly balanced tannin and a clean, dry finish. Decant for a half hour and serve with stews or duck or steak.