2017 Frédéric Mabileau ‘Les Racines’ Cabernet Franc

Frédéric Mabileau

France / Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil / Frédéric Mabileau

The parcel is situated in the Bourgueil appellation, in Chouzé-sur-Loire, very close to the river. It was Frédéric's grandfather who planted these vines more than 45 years ago in the "Champs Colesse" lieu-dit, and that's why the wine is named “racines”, meaning “roots”. The fruit comes from 47-year-old vines on a two-hectare plot on clayey mud and sandstone with gravel. Hand harvested with a yield of 35hl/ha, then destemmed and sorted on a table. Given a four-day pre-ferment cold soak before fermentation in 70-hectolitre Tronçais oak fermenter. Malolactic conversion and maturation for 18 months in 3- and 4-year-old French oak demi-muids.
The 2017 has deep spicy and smoky notes. The dominance of ripe fruits is combined with the cocoa aromas thanks to the aging in oak. This is a generous wine with soft tannins which expresses the terroir clearly.

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About Frédéric Mabileau

Frédéric Mabileau is an organic-certified, biodynamic estate based in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil in the Loire, where the family’s winegrowing history dates back to 1620. Inspired by his father Jean-Paul Mabileau, Frédéric kicked off his own project in 1988 when he planted his vines on a parcel owned by wife Nathalie called Rouillères - a name now given to the estate’s entry level Anjou Chenin Blanc and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil Cabernet Franc. When Jean-Paul retired in 2003, Frédéric and Nathalie combined two domaines into one. Frédéric immediately took stock of the vineyard holdings, embarking on a painstaking study of the terroirs before establishing his own range of wines. Today they own 28 hectares across the Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Saumur and Anjou appellations. When Frédéric's life was cut tragically short by a light-aircraft accident on the eve of the 2020 vintage, sons Charly and Rémy stepped unflinchingly to fill his shoes alongside Nathalie.

About

The estate is named for Frédéric Mabileau, who kicked off his own project in 1988 and made his name as a leading light of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. With characteristic dynamism and flair, Frédéric composed wines of character and vitality from these various appellations, with wife Nathalie always at his side. When Frédéric was killed in a light-aircraft accident on the eve of the 2020 harvest, Nathalie took charge, with sons Charly and Rémy in support. Charly is a Bordeaux restaurateur with viticultural studies under his belt, while younger brother Rémy spent three consecutive harvests working alongside Frédéric before stepping into the shoes of his talented father.