2024 Saumur-Champigny, Domaine des Sables Verts

• Style: Bright, mineral-driven Cabernet Franc
• Taste: Raspberry, blackcurrant, silky tannins, vibrant acidity
• Food: Roast dinners, stews, charcuterie, game, beef
• Occasion: Weeknight drinking, Sunday lunch
• Serve: Now through 2028, 12.5% abv

In the Glass — Tasting Notes

Juicy raspberry and blackcurrant leap from the glass with a subtle mineral crispness that speaks to the vineyard's distinctive blend of tuffeau limestone and green sand. Silky tannins carry the fruit forward while vibrant acidity provides lift and freshness, never heavy, always inviting another sip. A conversation in a glass—bright, unpretentious, and endlessly rewarding.

The Winery — Domaine des Sables Verts

Caroline Meurée and Hervé Malinge met while studying in Bordeaux before purchasing this 16-hectare organic estate in 2019. Their vineyards spread across five village plots in the heart of the appellation, where 40-year-old vines dig deep into clay-limestone soils. The 2024 vintage faced wet spring and changeable summer conditions, yet careful parcel-by-parcel harvesting and hand selection ensured only ripe, balanced fruit made it into the tank. A three-day skin maceration in stainless steel, wild yeast fermentation, and five months unoaked aging preserve the crunchy, fresh-fruit character. Bottled without fining at 12.5% abv, the wine remains restrained and refined.

At Your Table — Food Pairing & Serving

This wine shines alongside duck confit, grilled lamb chops, aged goat cheese, and charcuterie boards. It pairs beautifully with charred vegetables and roasted meats. Drinking beautifully now, it will hold for another three to four years in the cellar. If you're exploring Cabernet Franc beyond Bordeaux and want to understand what the Loire Valley brings to this grape—floral lift, mineral drive, clarity—this is your entry point. Head to our full Cabernet Franc selection to discover how region and producer shape the same variety into entirely different wines.