The principal wine (just renamed Les Mauguerets) of young gun Gérald Vallée (tall, handsome, lovely wife, so talented!), from Cabernet Franc aged in large old oak vats. The 2009 vintage was superb for reds in the Loire, making this the best vintage yet of this much-admired wine. Scent of fresh currants. Silkily textured, showing ripe currants backed by fine tannins, this is attractively aromatic. So correct and elegant. Now-2014

Product Code: VAL209

On the gently south-facing gravel terraces and sandstone slopes around the village Gérald Vallée crafts a range of 5 wines from a domaine of 26 hectares. We offer two wines: Les Mauguerets, from gravely plots across the estate, is just rounded from some ageing in old wooden vats, and shows typicity allied to real finesse. L’Envolée is his top wine, from two low-yielding plots of sixty year old vines on the slopes, given lots of pigéage and long maceration to aid extraction, before 12 months ageing in barrel, and bottling without fining or filtration.