2017 Domaine de Noiré Chinon Rouge Soif de Tendresse 750 ml

Cabernet Franc from Chinon is a benchmark for the variety all over the world. It’s rare, however, that a wine as profound as this one is available for under $30. But that’s the beauty of what Domaine de Noiré has been doing with this estate-grown, old-vines Chinon: Proving that greatness doesn’t have to break the bank. And can be enjoyed any day of the week.

Great Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley is a perennial favorite among wine professionals…us included. But it’s been a long time since we’ve offered one; we just haven’t found any that made us sit up a bit straighter, take a second sip, and swoon.

But the lively, deeply satisfying 2017 Domaine de Noiré Chinon Soif de Tendresse made us do exactly that, and we immediately knew it was time to bring one of the classics of the Loire back to Wine Access. If you’ve been on the hunt for an authentic medium-bodied French red, then this is the one to pick up by the case.

Of course, it makes sense that this one is such a stellar example of all that the region is capable of: It’s lovingly crafted by winemaker Jean-Max Manceau, a native of Chinon and one of its most passionate proponents of Cabernet Franc. His own insistence on quality at any cost is deliciously borne out with this stunner of a wine, crafted from old vines of 35-50 years of age on his family’s estate, a south-facing wonder on a high-altitude plateau.

That land is the beneficiary of millions of years of geological movement that has led to a particularly advantageous situation in his vineyard: It’s flecked with flint throughout, and those stones, which absorb the heat of the sun during the day, slowly release it during the cooler nights, allowing the grapes to ripen fully throughout the growing season.

The result is a wine that our Judging Panel dubbed the “Sleeper of the Day.” The team was instantly won over by its effusive floral aromatics and propulsive energy anchored by a core of juicy cherry and plum fruit, all complicated by brown spice and rich woodsy undertones. And while we loved it right out of the bottle, we all agreed that it would shine even more brightly with 20-30 minutes of air, and perhaps after a brief stint in the fridge. This is a wine, after all, whose freshness and vibrancy deserve every opportunity to shine.