Chateau de la Roulerie Anjou Rouge le Maronis, 2006

This is a Cabernet Franc from the Loire Valley that is drinking beautifully right now and should continue to do so for some time. The color is deep and dark with bluish tints, still young. Typical Cab Franc aromas and flavors are well displayed: black raspberries and cherries, flowers and a dusty, dry finish, somewhat like black tea. Tannins are smooth and silky, and the wine should go well with a variety of summer dishes. If you like sweetish, oaky New World Cabernet Franc or Sauvignon, you might be turned off by the earthy finish (some describe it as "dirt"), but it's true Cabernet Franc. The wine comes from vineyards that can be traced back to 1020, and winemaking practices are traditional and uncompromising. Try it; you might well love it, as I do.