Origin: Loire Valley, France
Retail: $19.95 | Sale: $17.95
The firm of Charles Bove began life in the 19th century in Montrichard, in the Loire Valley. Its base of operations was, and is, an enormous rock quarry, abandoned after it had been quarried for building the Loire Chateaux (Chenonceau is just minutes away). This old quarry is composed of over 9 miles of underground cellars on three levels, with an all but steady temperature year-round of 53 degrees Fahrenheit. The humidity inside is ideal for making and storing wines, and these days the firm keeps an average of two million bottles of sparkling wine undergoing aging at any given time. This cuvée is made according to the Méthode Traditionnelle process. The bouquet is filled with scents of cherries, fresh baked bread, chalky soil tones, dried rose petals, and a touch of spice. On the palate the wine is crisp, full-bodied, focused, and shows fine mid-palate depth. It has bracing acids of youth, frothy mousse and very good length, with grip on the complex finish.
70% Cabernet Franc & 30% Gamay