2004 Catherine & Pierre Breton Chinon Beaumont Loire Valley France. 12.5% alcohol; 100% Cabernet Franc. Chambers Street Wines; price not recorded -- around $20. Louis/Dressner Imports, New York, NY.
Deep garnet red color, deep hue, lovely earth aroma with hints of fruit and spice, very good fruit tastes with minerals, earth, and a light smokiness, medium mouth feel, good acidity and tannins in a fine balance, long finish with fruit, spice, earth and mineral notes. Closed at the get go but developed beautifully over two hours in the glass showing an very interesting development. Surprising amount of sediment from the first half of the bottle; even more in the second half. A very nice wine that promises to develop further. 4*.
Notes:
Bertrand Celce: An excellent report with very good pictures about the property: http://www.wineterroirs.com/2006/05/breton.html
Jamie Goode: Quite fine, firm spicy nose with a fresh minerality to it. Some earthiness. The palate is savoury with vivid fruit and good minerality and acidity. Delicious stuff. Very good/excellent 92/100
Lyle Fass: Lots of earthy, gamey character and dark black and red fruits. A wine that will benefit from some major aeration but the wait will be worth it.
