Cabernet Franc is a grape with long-standing attraction. Thanks to its noteworthy versatility, the grape yields wines that can please any red drinker. In general, wines made with Cabernet Franc feature bright red fruit perfuming strong, vegetal notes of bell pepper with textures that fall anywhere from glou-glou to hardy. And the Loire Valley — one of the regions that has claimed Cabernet Franc as its own — leads the winemaking world in representing the grape.
Drinkers worldwide know Cabernet Franc grows well in the Loire, but the regional producer that has mastered the grape par excellence is Clos Rougeard. Since beginning operations on and at the foot of the legendary Brézé hill in 1664, Clos Rougeard hasn’t just defined the Saumur-Champigny appellation, it’s become the pinnacle of Cabernet Franc and Loire Valley wines. The domaine’s remarkably old vines are situated over clay- and limestone-rich soils, which lend a minerality that crafts Clos Rougeard’s signature crisp structure and balances Cabernet Franc’s inherent fruitiness.
Clos Rougeard’s small-yield production and meticulous vinification — its wine ages in barrels for two years before aging in-bottle in ancient cellars for even longer — makes its products rare and expensive. But winemakers in and around Saumur-Champigny are producing comparable Cabernet Francs with more approachable prices and a wider shelf presence. Here are six alternatives to Clos Rougeard.
Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge
Also located on the famed hill of Brézé is Domaine Guiberteau. Romain Guiberteau took the helm after training under Nady Foucault of Clos Rougeard. While the majority of Guiberteau’s output is Chenin Blanc, his mentorship at Clos Rougeard appears in his label’s Cabernet Francs. The domaine’s wines offer a bright, red-fruit palate reminiscent of typical Cabernet Franc with a gripping acidity and strong minerality that comes from the high-altitude, limestone-rich plots. Domaine Guiberteau is a mainstay among Cabernet Franc connoisseurs, and its Saumur Rouge retails for around $38.
Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge
Brendan Stater-West is an American expatriate in France with a singular affinity for Brézé. (The winemaker’s Instagram handle is @brezelove, after all). Stater-West wet his feet in vinification at Domaine Guiberteau before starting his own label in 2015. His apprenticeship at Domaine Guiberteau is apparent in the finesse of his wines. Favoring a savory flavor profile, Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge brings earthy aromas of bell peppers and cedar on the nose with a robust spice and cooked-down dark fruit on the palate. A bottle averages around $32 on retail shelves.
Domaine Arnaud Lambert ‘Tue-Loup’ Saumur Rouge
Domaine Arnaud Lambert’s ‘Tue-Loup’ is a blend of grapes from three Cabernet Franc plots around the Brézé commune. This biodynamic expression is bright and full of red fruit. Lambert destems the clusters before fermentation, creating a silky, quaffable texture that’s structured by notes of leather, smoke, and stone. The juice is split between barrels and concrete eggs for the 12-month élevage, yielding a subtle backbone to balance the wine’s notes of fruit. With an average retail price of $40, this Saumur Rouge gives consumers a glimpse of haute Cabernet Franc at an approachable price.
Le Petit Saint Vincent Saumur-Champigny
Just one town over from Clos Rougeard is Le Petit Saint Vincent, whose Cabernet Franc leans on the more robust, vegetal side than the perfumed, fruity one. The vineyard’s plots span over 13 hectares, and all but one grow Cabernet Franc. The producer crushes, ferments, and matures its wines in cement, developing the minerality crucial to Loire Valley wines. Aside from the bold notes of leather and bell pepper, acidic fruits like cherry and raspberry brighten the front palate. This wine goes for around $25 — an absolute deal for the finesse and flavor packed into each bottle.
Manoir de la Tête ‘Bagatelle’ Saumur Rouge
Manoir de la Tête’s ‘Bagatelle’ finds the ideal balance for which Cabernet Franc is known. Manoir de la Tête vinifies and ages its wine in concrete, creating a juicy, quaffable expression with soft tannins. A blend of lively fruits with savory leather and black peppercorn comprises the palate. ‘Bagatelle’ benefits from chilling before serving, as its unlikely marriage of brightness and depth melds better when cold. With an average retail price of $25, this Cabernet Franc will please drinkers with a palate for light and crushable wines.
Catherine & Pierre Breton ‘Trinch!’ Borgeuil
Catherine & Pierre Breton are legendary producers and pioneers of the natural wine movement, but their wines boast the prestige and finesse of conventional bottles. With a texture that is both structured and glou-glou, ‘Trinch!’ — a way to say cheers in French — is a crowd-pleasing Cabernet Franc. Bell pepper headlines the nose and palate, but beyond the expected flavor profile lies a zippy energy that sustains the flavors long after each sip. The wine hails from Borgeuil, another renowned appellation in the Loire. Its maceration in stainless steel vats imparts an unmatched expression of fruit, which is structured by the couple’s commitment for a pure celebration of their plots’ mineral-rich terroir. Bottles of ‘Trinch!’ retail for around $25.
