Frédéric Mabileau: Tasting & Drinking
Over the past few years I have found a number of domaines in Bourgueil and St Nicolas de Bourgueil which are not merely curiosities, or mere ‘alternatives’ to Chinon, but which turn out delicious wines which deserve to be tracked down and enjoyed for what they are. Some are easy-drinking styles, from sandy or sometimes gravelly soils, while others are more serious, where clay or limestone is concerned. One of the first vignerons to convince me of the merits of both of these styles, from these two appellations on the northern banks of the Loire, was Frédéric Mabileau.
Having visited Frédéric during harvest I saw his dedicated approach to the picking and sorting, and I witnessed his meticulous attention to detail first-hand. With that in mind, it is not surprising to me that during his time here he made a range of wines of such obvious appeal. Les Rouillères is frequently delicious, bright and breezy, yet also pure and worthy of our drinking time. For more serious occasions, Eclipse offers a more potent vinous experience. Whichever cuvée you chose, however, the wines all offered top quality for their respective appellations, with pleasure aplenty in the glass.
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