Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge Les Motelles 2015

100% Cabernet Franc. The 1.4-hectatre Les Motelles vineyard is in the south of the appellation, next to the village of Montreuil-Bellay. The soils here are clay-rich with gravel (it’s Guiberteau’s only site with minimal limestone) and the vines were planted by Guiberteau’s grand-père in 1955. Cropped at 40 hl/ha, the fruit was fully destemmed and fermented naturally in concrete, before the wine was aged for 14 months in a mix of three to five year-old barrels. To mitigate the natural power of this site, Guiberteau is no longer cropping the vines at 20 hl/ha and has also taken to working the wine more lightly with gentle punch downs. The wine is also bottled earlier than in the past – all positive evolutions for this cuvée which has never looked fresher or more supple. The nose is smoky, with plenty of cherry and blackcurrant. The palate is all rippling energy with black and reds fruits, overlaying gravely tannins.