Francois Blanchard La Presse 2020
Loire Valley, France
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
11.5% ABV.
La Presse is one of two red wines that François makes in most years from his mature vineyard La Grande Cleré, just outside the village of Lemeré in Touraine.
Planted 50 years ago by François’ grandfather, this extremely low yielding site is among the most biodiverse vineyards we’ve ever set foot in. The soil here has never been turned (thanks to the enormous fragments of silex beneath the surface) and the resulting grasses compete nicely with the vines and thus lower yields. As such, year in year out, this site produces wines of excellent concentration of flavour and matter, always with modest alcohol levels.
In terms of vinification, La Presse each year is the pressings, post-ferment of the cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon from La Grande-Cléré, fermented in heavy-gauge fibreglass and, later, transferred to barrel.
Today, following a year of rest, this is tasting great, with perfect physiological ripeness, soft and fleshy dark fruit and flashes of varietal typicity on the palate. With a wonderfully digestible 11.5% abv, this is a very good proposition for the warmer months (although it’s pretty good in winter too!)
Loire Valley, France
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
11.5% ABV.
La Presse is one of two red wines that François makes in most years from his mature vineyard La Grande Cleré, just outside the village of Lemeré in Touraine.
Planted 50 years ago by François’ grandfather, this extremely low yielding site is among the most biodiverse vineyards we’ve ever set foot in. The soil here has never been turned (thanks to the enormous fragments of silex beneath the surface) and the resulting grasses compete nicely with the vines and thus lower yields. As such, year in year out, this site produces wines of excellent concentration of flavour and matter, always with modest alcohol levels.
In terms of vinification, La Presse each year is the pressings, post-ferment of the cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon from La Grande-Cléré, fermented in heavy-gauge fibreglass and, later, transferred to barrel.
Today, following a year of rest, this is tasting great, with perfect physiological ripeness, soft and fleshy dark fruit and flashes of varietal typicity on the palate. With a wonderfully digestible 11.5% abv, this is a very good proposition for the warmer months (although it’s pretty good in winter too!)
Loire Valley, France
Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
11.5% ABV.
La Presse is one of two red wines that François makes in most years from his mature vineyard La Grande Cleré, just outside the village of Lemeré in Touraine.
Planted 50 years ago by François’ grandfather, this extremely low yielding site is among the most biodiverse vineyards we’ve ever set foot in. The soil here has never been turned (thanks to the enormous fragments of silex beneath the surface) and the resulting grasses compete nicely with the vines and thus lower yields. As such, year in year out, this site produces wines of excellent concentration of flavour and matter, always with modest alcohol levels.
In terms of vinification, La Presse each year is the pressings, post-ferment of the cabernet franc and cabernet sauvignon from La Grande-Cléré, fermented in heavy-gauge fibreglass and, later, transferred to barrel.
Today, following a year of rest, this is tasting great, with perfect physiological ripeness, soft and fleshy dark fruit and flashes of varietal typicity on the palate. With a wonderfully digestible 11.5% abv, this is a very good proposition for the warmer months (although it’s pretty good in winter too!)
