From: Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Cabernet Franc
Taste: A good mix of fresh, crunchy black fruits with earthy, sweet herb notes and hints of pepper, leather, and graphite. Compared to the last vintage, the fruit of 2021 is more lifted and leans into cool, chiseled tones that suggest serving this wine with a slight chill. Additionally, this vintage is now bottled with a cork enclosure instead of a screw top.
Pairing: This cheerful Chinon rouge would stand up nicely to any dish featuring charcuterie, pork, game, or meaty fish like salmon. At the shop, it has us craving a luscious duck rillette smeared generously onto good bread (keep scrolling for the recipe). You can find duck legs in the frozen section at PCC, but we suggest heading to the Beast and Cleaver or your local butcher to get them fresh. (Recipe below!)
About. The Chinon appellation is situated within the Loire Valley’s most important region, Touraine; its vineyards extend along the stony slopes just south of the Loire river and onto the banks of the Vienne as it flows northwest on its way to join up with the Loire. The remains of a once-extrvagent medieval château preside over the Vienne river at the quiet center of town. Atlantic breezes blow through the valley to keep Chinon’s climate cool, contributing to ideal ripening conditions for its prized Cabernet Franc vines.
This wine comes from vineyards planted in Chinon’s three main soil types: terraces on the banks of the Vienne river composed of gravel and sand, hillsides and mounds composed yellow tuffa (a rock often formed near river beds) and plateaus and mounds composed of flint, clay and sand. Marquis de Surblet produced this wine to express the classic finesse of the Cabernet Franc grape. The grapes were picked at optimal ripeness, destemmed, and fermented as well as aged in concrete tanks.
Easy Duck Rillettes
Ingredients:
6 Moulard duck legs
1 ¾ cups dry white wine
Water, as needed
1 bouquet garni (5 parsley sprigs, 3 celery leaves, 1 thyme sprig, 1 bay leaf, 5 whole cloves, and 10 peppercorns, tied in cheesecloth)
½ head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
3 carrots cut into 4 chunks each
3 onions, quartered, stubbed with 16 whole cloves per onion
Pinch dried thyme
Pinch quatre epices (equal parts ground cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and black pepper)
Salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
1. Combine white wine, bouquet garni, garlic, carrots, onions, thyme, and quatre epices in a large stockpot and bring to a boil over high heat.
2. Add duck legs, and water to cover meat if necessary. Return to a boil, skim off scum, reduce heat, and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated and been replaced by duck fat, and the duck is completely tender when pierced with a toothpick, about 3 hours.
3. Remove duck pieces with a strainer. The meat will fall off the bone. Discard skin and Debone duck with a fork, shredding meat into thin strips. In a large bowl, combine meat with fat and vegetables while still hot, discarding onions.
4. Remove bouquet garni. Gently mix together season with salt and pepper. Scrape into a terrine, cover, and refrigerate at once. Let stand for at least 2 days.
5. Bring to room temperature before serving.
