The Loire Valley is famous for its Cabernet Francs. Anjou, which is located in what’s known as ‘Middle Loire’, and where this 2019 Pierre Menard, “Orion Alpha” Cab Franc is from, is known as the “Garden of France”. Records indicate that grapes were grown here as far back as the 12th century!
We purchased this wine from SommSelect. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know that we love many of the wines Master Somm Ian Cauble showcases. Unfortunately, as you’ll see below, while this appears to be an interesting wine, from an interesting, up-and-coming producer, it wasn’t quite what we hoped it would be.
Pierre Menard’s parents have been farming the same land in Anjou for decades. On a plot that’s roughly 20 hectares, the family grows Chenin and Cabernet Franc grapes, some of which date back almost one hundred years to the 1920s.
Until recently, these grapes were sold to other winemakers in the region via the local co-op. It wasn’t until Pierre showed an interest in winemaking, completed his viticulture training, and gained experience in vineyards throughout Europe and New Zealand that the family’s long-tended grapes received their own bottling.
The wine world has a lot to thank Cab Franc for. This humble black grape is the parent grape to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Carménère!
In France, where Cabernet Franc originated, the grape is used in Bordeaux-style blends, along with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, but also made in single-varietal wines, mostly in the Loire Valley. If you happen to visit the Loire, you may see Cab Franc labeled as ‘Breton’ locally.
Cab Franc appears in a number of variations. It can be light and bright or of medium body with flecks of acidity and an unmistakable savory quality.
Locals and visitors alike will tell you that Touraine, Anjou, and Saumar have some of the most beautiful countryside in all of Europe. Vineyards flourish in this region of France, which is most notably known for producing high-quality Chenin, Cab Franc, Gamay, and a smattering of sparkling wines. Many of the region’s Cab Franc grapes are grown in Eastern Anjou, where the soil is a mix of silt and clay. Oyster-flecked limestone, sometimes called “tuffeau blanc,” is also present.
The grapes for this bottle of 2019 Pierre Menard, “Orion Alpha”, Anjou Cabernet Franc are sourced from two vineyards, the “Le Clos des Mailles” vineyard, whose vines are roughly 70 years old! And a younger vineyard, which is unnamed on the bottle. In blending Cabernet Franc from two separate sites, with vines of separate ages, Pierre hoped to create a vibrant, age-worthy wine with a rich palate.
Both vineyard sites were hand-harvested and hand-de-stemmed. All of the vineyards in Domaine Pierre Menard, and the surrounding vineyards whose grapes are sold off, are biodynamically farmed, which means no pesticides or artificial fertilizers are used.
Biodynamic vineyards take a complete approach to sustainability. While some vineyard managers may focus on water reduction or reducing the vineyard’s carbon footprint, biodynamic vineyards seek to incorporate an entirely holistic approach. To achieve this, they sometimes use draft horses to till the vineyard rows, or sheep to eat weeds.
With all of the cool family history behind the bottle, the age of the vines, and the biodynamic principles, we really wanted to like this wine. Unfortunately, it fell short of our expectations.
In the glass, this French Cab Franc is a dark garnet color, with long slow legs. On the nose, you’ll notice a ton of minerality, forest floor, stoniness, prunes, figs, and yes… diesel. On the palate, similar flavors emerge, including prunes, raisins, red pitted fruit like plums, more minerals and stoniness, lead pencil, black pepper, and again… diesel.
The body is medium/full, and the wine has a leathery texture with a medium to long finish and medium acidity. We noticed no sediment in the bottle. The wine underwent no fining or filtering.
We will say that this wine does get better as it opens up. But even with that being said, at $45, there isn’t enough time in the world for this to be as good as the price. It drinks more like a $25 bottle, but even then, not a good one.
Domaine Pierre Menard also makes a Chenin from the vineyard’s heritage vines, called ‘Quart de Noels’. Perhaps we’ll have better luck with that bottle.
France
Loire Valley
Cabernet Franc
14.1
Pierre Menard
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
30 Minutes
Now to 2026
Domaine Pierre Menard
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