Cabernet Franc in Loire Valley

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Cabernet Franc from Anjou Noir schist. Bright red fruit, violets and graphite lift over fine tannin and herbal Loire freshness.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Bourgueil from the Beauvais terroir at Benais. Mid-weight, structured Cabernet Franc with mineral spine and a graphite finish, distinct from the limestone-driven Grand Mont.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Refreshing

Langlois's signature Brut Reserve: minimum 58 percent Chenin Blanc, balanced with Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, 10 percent reserve wines, and a minimum 24 months on the lees (double the appellation minimum). Linden blossom and baked pear on the nose, creamy mousse with biscuit and a mineral finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Fruity

Langlois's Cabernet Franc-dominant Cremant de Loire rose. Over 60 percent of the blend comes from clay-limestone terroirs of Montreuil-Bellay and Le Puy Notre-Dame, with 18 months on the lees: pale pink with copper notes, red berry and peach aromatics, fresh and easy on the palate.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

Single-vineyard biodynamic Bourgueil from a clay-flint parcel. Mid-weight, dark-fruited Cabernet Franc with iron-mineral grip and a long saline finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Contemplative

Langlois's icon Cremant de Loire. Chenin Blanc-led with Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc, fully five years on the lees: dried apricot, toasted brioche and candied lemon, with a long honeyed pear and saline mineral palate.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The estate's flagship cuvee, drawn from the oldest tuffeau-limestone parcels around the historic cellars. Demeter biodynamic Cabernet Franc with long ageing potential.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Savoury

Alliet's gateway Chinon blends sand-and-gravel terrace parcels for a juicy, mid-weight Cabernet Franc with the house's savoury, Bordeaux-trained signature in early-drinking form.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard biodynamic Bourgueil from a 4-hectare clay-and-gravel parcel. Darker, more structured than Trinch, with iron-mineral spine and a savoury, tobacco-laced length.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Walled single-vineyard from tuffeau-limestone soils. Thierry Germain's flagship cuvee blends old oak and amphora ageing for a perfumed, mineral Cabernet Franc with serious cellar potential.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The walled clos opposite Chinon's chateau, owned by Couly-Dutheil since 1921. Tuffeau-limestone terroir gives cassis, cedar and a chalky mineral length in the estate's flagship Chinon.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The Joguet flagship from an old-vines clay-limestone clos planted in 1953. Powerful, structured Cabernet Franc with cedar, graphite and a leathery, slowly-evolving finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

South-facing limestone clos above Chinon town, with vines planted in the 1970s. More vertical and stony than Dioterie, with dark-blue fruit and a chalky, mineral length.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

South-facing tuffeau-limestone parcel above the Vienne. Alliet's most structured cuvee: cassis, cedar and a chalky mineral grip in the Left-Bank-influenced house style.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Bold

Couly-Dutheil's prestige cuvee from the best clay-limestone parcels of Clos de l'Echo. Heavily barriqued, structured for long ageing, with cedar, sweet spice and a chalky graphite finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The estate's gateway Bourgueil from sand-and-gravel terraces. Bright, juicy Cabernet Franc with red plum and herbal lift, ready in its first decade.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Fruity

Thierry Germain's village-level Saumur-Champigny under Demeter biodynamic farming. Bright, lifted Cabernet Franc with violet and red plum over a saline mineral spine.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Easygoing

Ackerman's value Cremant de Loire blanc. Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc vinified in stainless steel and aged 12 to 16 months on the lees: yellow peach and white-flower aromas, lively attack, suave mid-palate, slightly tart finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

Joguet's gateway Chinon from sand-and-gravel terraces. Bright, juicy and herbal Cabernet Franc to drink in its first few years, lightly chilled.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Savoury

A village-level Chinon from clay-gravel parcels near the church at Sazilly. Mid-weight Cabernet Franc with classical Loire poise: red fruit, mineral grip and a lifted finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Refreshing

The estate's gravel-terrace blend and gateway to Bernard Baudry's house style: bright raspberry and violet over a fine-grained Cabernet Franc backbone, ready to drink in its first few years.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Festive

Saigne-method Cabernet Franc Cremant de Loire. Intense pink-salmon hue, wild strawberry and ripe peach aromas, a broad and gently tannic palate with a soft mousse.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Bottled from ungrafted Cabernet Franc planted on sand soils. Lighter-footed and more aromatic than the limestone cuvees, with rose and wild raspberry over a fine-grained mineral spine.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Bourgueil from the Grand Mont tuffeau-limestone slope at Bourgueil town. Pierre-Jacques Druet's structured, age-worthy Cabernet Franc with cassis and chalk.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Savoury

Clay-flint single vineyard at Cravant. Denser and darker than Vieilles Vignes, with blackberry, iron and a saline length from the unusual soil mix.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

A mid-tier Chinon between Rene Couly and Clos de l'Echo. Mid-weight, structured Cabernet Franc from clay-limestone parcels near Chinon town.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Limestone-grown Cabernet Franc from the highest, latest-ripening parcel at Cravant. Denser, more vertical and slower-developing than Les Grezeaux, with chalky minerality and high-toned cassis fruit.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The estate's gateway Chinon, blending sand-and-gravel terrace parcels for a mid-weight, juicy Cabernet Franc with classical Loire poise and a mineral finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Single-vineyard Bourgueil from a tuffeau-limestone parcel at Benais. Yannick and Benoit Amirault's structured, age-worthy Cabernet Franc with cassis and graphite.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The estate's Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil cuvee from sand-and-gravel terraces. Bright, juicy Cabernet Franc with classic Loire poise and a saline finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The Foucault brothers' cult cuvee, born from a single tuffeau-limestone parcel at Chace. Dense, perfumed Cabernet Franc with cedar, graphite and a chalky, mineral length that defines what Saumur-Champigny can be.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

The estate's village-level cuvee, blending parcels around the cellars at Chace. More accessible than Le Bourg and Les Poyeux but with the Clos Rougeard signature: fine tannin, mineral length, and a perfumed lift.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

South-facing clay-limestone clos planted in 1989 just below the La Croix Boissee parcel. More aromatic and floral than its sibling, with red-plum fruit, fine-grained tannins and a saline length.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

Bourgueil from a walled gravel-and-tuffeau clos around the estate. Mid-weight, structured Cabernet Franc with classic Loire savoury depth and a fine mineral spine.

Dry · Light-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Refreshing

Sand-and-gravel terrace Cabernet Franc from the river terraces around Savigny-en-Veron. Bright, light-footed and tank-aged for early drinking, lightly chilled.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Cabernet Franc from clay-flint soils above the Vienne. Sappy cassis-and-graphite fruit framed by fine-grained tannins, named for the small dog-shaped rocks that flank the parcel.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Saumur-Champigny from a tuffeau-limestone parcel at Dampierre-sur-Loire. The Vatan family's structured Cabernet Franc with cassis, graphite and saline length.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Bourgueil from gravel-on-clay terroir. The Caslot family's Demeter-certified biodynamic style: poised, mineral Cabernet Franc with red fruit and graphite.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Savoury · Elegant

The Baudry single-vineyard on gravel-over-clay terraces above the Vienne, picked from vines planted between 1969 and 1980. Mineral, dark-fruited Cabernet Franc with savoury depth and an iron-tinged finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Single-vineyard Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil from gravel-over-tuffeau soils. More structured than La Source, with iron-mineral spine and a savoury, tobacco-laced length.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Old-vine biodynamic Bourgueil from a tuffeau-limestone parcel. The Bretons' flagship: cassis, chalk and graphite Cabernet Franc with serious cellar potential.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Rustic

A clay-limestone single vineyard that has produced Raffault's library-aged flagship since the 1940s. Released only after long bottle age, it shows leather, dried fruit and tertiary forest-floor depth.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Cult Saumur-Champigny from the Les Poyeux climat. More aromatic and slightly lighter-footed than Le Bourg, with dark cherry, tobacco and a long, fine-tannin mineral length.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Gravel-terrace single vineyard along the Vienne, picked from vines averaging 50 years. Bright, lifted Cabernet Franc with rose, raspberry and pebble-mineral minerality.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The estate's flagship single-vineyard cuvee, named for Philippe Vatan's daughters Lise and Agathe. Tuffeau-limestone Cabernet Franc with cedar, chalk and a savoury, espresso-tinged finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Ackerman's iconic Cremant de Loire, named for the son of founder Jean-Baptiste Ackerman. Chenin, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc each vinified separately, blended for harmony: ripe white and red fruit, brioche and dried fruit length, with a delicately spiced white-pepper finish.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Old-vine Cabernet Franc from clay-limestone parcels. The estate's structured mid-range cuvee, sitting between Cuvee Domaine and Clos de l'Echelier in profile.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Refreshing

Easygoing Anjou Cabernet Franc from organic schist parcels. A concentrate of elegance and tension; accessible and easy-to-drink.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Funky

The Bretons' zero-added-sulfite Cabernet Franc, a pioneering natural-wine cuvee since 1996. Vibrant, crunchy red fruit and wild-herb lift, ideally drunk young and slightly chilled.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The estate's gateway Bourgueil, blending sand-and-gravel terrace parcels for a juicy, biodynamic Cabernet Franc to drink in its first decade.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

Old-vine Cabernet Franc from tuffeau limestone parcels at Ligre. Denser and more vertical than Les Chiens-Chiens, with dark berry fruit and a chalky, mineral spine.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

Named for Rene Couly, who founded the firm in 1921. The estate's gateway Chinon: juicy, fresh Cabernet Franc from sand-and-gravel parcels, vinified for early drinking.

Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Easygoing

Direct-press Cabernet Franc rose from the estate's clay-and-gravel terraces. Pale salmon in colour, savoury and mineral rather than fruit-forward, finishing dry and saline.

Dry · Light-bodied · High acidity · Refreshing · Easygoing

Saigne-method Cabernet Franc rose. Pale salmon, savoury and mineral rather than candied, finishing dry and saline.

Dry · Medium-bodied · High acidity · Elegant · Festive

Ackerman's Chardonnay-led Cremant de Loire Royal. 36 months on the lees lend tertiary dried-fruit and almond notes, balanced by zesty lemon and a buttery, biscuity Chardonnay character with a long, dry finish.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Low tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The Bretons' natural-leaning gateway Bourgueil. Crunchy, juicy and low-sulfite Cabernet Franc, picked from younger gravel-terrace parcels and vinified for early drinking.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Medium tannin · High acidity · Easygoing · Fruity

The estate's gateway Saumur-Champigny, named for the tuffeau stone that defines the appellation. Mid-weight, juicy Cabernet Franc from sand-and-gravel parcels, vinified for early drinking.

Dry · Full-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Contemplative · Elegant

The estate's library-aged flagship from old-vine tuffeau-limestone parcels. Released only after extended cellaring, with cedar, chalk and a savoury, espresso-tinged length.

Dry · Medium-bodied · Firm tannin · High acidity · Elegant · Savoury

Bordeaux-trained Philippe Alliet's old-vine Chinon, picked from gravel terraces along the Vienne. Mid-weight, structured Cabernet Franc with dark fruit and iron-mineral spine.