This is my second participation to the monthly « circle of tasting » organized around Wine Blogging Wednesday (WBW).

This time, the challenge was chosen by Gary Vaynerchuk, of Wine Library TV fame. Here’s the episode where he announced it.

The theme was French Cabernet Franc.

Of course, I hadn’t much choice but to go to Loire Valley, one of the rare places where Cabernet Franc is successfully used as a single varietal. I had the choice between a few appellations such as Bourgueil or Saumur.

I discovered those last summer in Paris, when I was looking for cool wines to fit with the hot mid-August weather on the terraces of the Marais neighborhood. Served around 10-12°C, they were just perfect for enhancing the bohemian atmosphere of Marais streets. That memory is really imprinted in my mind as synonymous to Cabernet Franc from Loire Valley.

However, this new French Cabernet Franc WBW challenge comes as I’ve been through months of winter in Montreal, and the memories of my summer trips have all but faded.

Will I revive the feeling of a hot Paris street in a summer just by drinking a Loire Cab Franc? I doubt it.

I explained my situation to the staff at my local SAQ. Very helpful as usual, they decided I had to taste the 2003 Alain Lorieux Chinon, after much discussion involving two employees and the store manager.

That evening (last Saturday) was a special event: my friend Kate from Toronto just arrived in town for a few days, and I wanted to please her with the right choice of wine, since she was cooking me her own chicken breasts recipe, which involves lots and lots of garlic and shallot (mmmh…).

Of course her meal was delicious delicious, really (thanks again Kate!!!). But this wine also contributed to the pleasure of that dinner.

Alain Lorieux is one of those passionate independent vintners from whom the best surprises come. Based in Touraine, in the Loire Valley, he produces wines of Chinon and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil appellations, both red and rosé. He only uses 100% Cabernet Franc for all his wines. And his 2003 vintage is a must-see (or must-taste, should I say).

Dense and crunchy, peppery and bitter, however with bright fruity notes at the start, this 2003 Chinon is simply Cabernet Franc at its best.

This wine brought me back to my memories of that wonderful August vacation in Paris I was mentioning earlier.

Even in the last desperate weeks of the never-ending Montreal winter, in the deepest levels of Canadian winter depression, I somehow managed to re-catch a glimpse of that long-gone feeling I had on a terrace in the Marais, when that cool Bourgueil gave me the relief I needed after a long and hot day of walk in the city.

I’m focussing on the personal experience and memories because I think these have a lot to do with wine tasting. Far from being an expert, I certainly don’t pretend to guarantee in subtle and far-fetched terms the feeling this wine will offer you if you taste it.

The only thing I’m sure of is that this wine worked very well for me, at least. And I think it’s pretty safe to say that Cabernet Franc from the Loire is one of the best wines to go with poultry. Of course, Kate’s cooking skills had lots to do with it as well…

If you have the chance to taste this wine, feel free to edit the article I started in Vinismo.