Anjou Villages

France · AOC · Loire Valley

Styles

Natural factors

Precambrian and Paleozoic basement of the Massif armoricain, very locally overlain by Cenomanian formations (ostracean marls) along the eastern edge.
Brown soils over schist, clay-gravelly or over ostracean marls: shallow, low water-holding capacity, good thermal behaviour.
Rhyolite dykes (acidic volcanics) and spilite dykes (basic volcanics) to the west, giving rise to very stony soils.
Foehn effect caused by the reliefs of the Choletais and the Mauges: rainfall approximately 585 mm/year versus approximately 800 mm in the Choletais.

Human factors

Cabernet franc N, known locally as 'plant breton', spread following the phylloxera crisis (from 1865 onward), subsequently joined by cabernet-sauvignon N. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Product characteristics

Deep ruby colour; nose of red fruits and flowers evolving toward black fruits, spice, game, and forest floor.
A full and generous palate with well-integrated tannins and a persistent finish; cellaring is recommended ('set it aside for a few years').

Terroir / wine link

Brown soils over schist and clay-limestone soils over Cenomanian deposits allow cabernet franc and cabernet-sauvignon to express 'their full richness and originality'.

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.