I absolutely love Cabernet Franc, truly, and perhaps that's because it's not exactly commonplace 🦄

For me, Cab Franc is the ultimate "hit or miss" grape. It can be a literal glass of tannic green bell pepper juice, or it can be an idyllic blend of red berries, black pepper, and sweet, grilled red pepper. Add to that the influence of the vintage, which is particularly crucial for this variety. It makes a gem much harder to find.

But here, with Catherine and Frédéric, I was completely blown away. Regardless of the vintage, everything was superbly concentrated, rounded, with a firm yet soft touch 🫰

That very softness is essentially the philosophy of these two children of the vine, hailing from Alsace and the Loire, who didn't name their estate "La Sagesse des Sols" (The Wisdom of the Soil) for nothing.

"The soil dictates the wines we can make, not the other way around." This also means understanding that "We are as many little bacteria that interact with the soil, its surface, harvesting the fruits." This simple, down-to-earth, farmer's idea is that if you listen closely to the earth, it will tell you what to do 🤫

When married with innovation, this wisdom can go very far.
It can be as simple as planting oats and fava beans to enrich and structure the soil, boosting biodiversity 🐇
It can be as complex as customizing a tractor with a tricked-out rolofaca that weaves cover crops and tall grasses into a floor mat instead of killing everything in its path.

Of course, the vineyard work is crucial, but it would be nothing without an exceptional terroir. The Loire is the most spread-out wine region in France, and it's easy to get lost. So let's talk simply. Their soil rests on the Armorican Massif (Atlantic and Breton side) with soils primarily composed of schist and quartz. All you need to know about these soils is that they are ideal for reasonable yields and achieving beautiful concentration in the grapes. Essentially, these soils store water—but only just enough. In other words, the wine never feels thin, or diluted, and the vineyards hardly experience hydric stress.

Finally, what truly seduced me is the diversity of their wines. In addition to the two Cabernet Francs, 'Épique ou Rien' and 'La Forge Tranquille', they offer an orange wine, rare for the Loire region, made from Grolleau Gris. Their hundred-year-old Grolleau Noir called 'Les Gobelets' is a delight that would impress any lover of Pineau d'Aunis who thinks they know pepper. Finally, their sparkling wine from Saumur maide with Chardonnay would make a few Champagnes look pale in comparison.

Vaillant, Angeli, Mosse, Ogereau, Bernaudeau... these are the winemakers that inspire La Sagesse des Sols. That speaks volumes about the level of excellence the estate demands of itself. One to follow!