I never understood the importance of the Loire until now.
The wines are not easy; they demand a conversation, and for that reason simply can't be cocktail wines. And having visited through a slew of the top producers last July I came away a little confused. I felt like I missed something. Until tonight.
The Cabernet Franc that grows in the Loire produces meaty wines. They are often defined by a certain vegetal quality and green pepper notes. They are intensely minerally and wrought with terroir, and as I said above there's so much hitting your palate that you simply aren't allowed to gulp and swallow.
There's fruit too. There's actually tons of fruit- for me always defined by some sort of raspberry profile, usually black raspberry.
But tonight I had some Loire reds hanging out and I made a simpled marinated grilled chicken breast (in chipolte sauce). And the wines were perfect. Powerful enough to stand up to the spice. Earthy enough to not overwhelm the chicken meat. And the vegetal thing brought it all together with the little tiny pieces of blackened meat.
If you haven't tried them, go by yourself a Chinon, or a Touraine Cabernet, or a Saumur Champigny Rouge, or a Bourgeuil. Chill it down a little. Open the grill and sear some meat. You will find a delicious combination.
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