Cuvée MMXIV, Vin de France. Biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc, destemmed, fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated for 12 days, aged for 15 months in amphorae, vinified and bottled without any SO2. No fining or filtration. 12% alcohol. Total production 5000 bottles and 100 magnums.
Dark, somewhat hazy and quite opaque - slightly murky - Burgundy red color. Brooding, somewhat funky and slightly animalistic nose, lacking clarity. Aromas of wizened dark berries, some farmyard tones of merde, light earthy notes of damp clay, hints of autumnal forest and a touch of crowberry. Nothing particularly Cabernet Franc here, at least in the nose. The wine is dry, crunchy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with - at first - a slightest hint of prickle and a rather noticeable streak of bitterness along with somewhat tart flavors of lingonberries and crowberries, some leafy tones, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of unripe bilberry, a hint of leather and a touch of barnyard funk. The wine is high in acidity with quite delicate and mellow tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and medium in length with flavors of savory leafy tones, some tart lingonberry, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light leathery tones, a hint of blood and a touch of something unclean which might evolve into mousiness if the wine was left opened for too long.
A drinkable but not particularly interesting nor attractive weekday red from the naturalist end of the spectrum. Light, simple and refreshing, but offers quite little typicity. Not a catastrophe - like the Ange Pinot Noir was - but honestly nothing special to write home about either.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Purchased in 2016, opened during the Spring Apocalypse 2020 aka Covid-19 pandemic. Initial nose had that slightly damp cellar funk that I associate with traditional French reds. Then there was bright red fruit — cherry upon reflection. And also perhaps a bit of mint / menthol? Super bright and fresh on the nose. Palate confirmed this. Plus screaming acidity - in a good way. Acidity has a citrus note - sort of OJ / orange zest. And floral too, I would echo the lavender that someone else mentioned. This wine is delicately strong, or strongly delicate, not sure how to say it. And, all else being equal, gotta love a bottle with a devil penis ;-)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Elegant. But enough funk to make it interesting. Well balanced. A bit of effervescence. Price makes it a great every day drinking wine. Need to get more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Air it or age it. Very closed initially, no fruit worth mentioning, very stony, slightly floral (lavender?), beer yeast, sourdough. High acidity, low tannins, slightly spritzig. Very natural, in a slightly pejorative sense, but beneath all that, there's a hint of very nice red fruit which slowly, slowly gains strength with air. Unfortunately, once the wine had reached there today, this particular guzzler was more or less done with the bottle. Not super impressed today, but I'd like to return here in a few years to see what happens.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
This Cab Franc took a while to open up. Residual fizz in the bottle, dusty, it commences with birch tree juice and bell pepper, but then it slowly acquires typical Chinon like aromas.
I like it and I’m storing a couple of bottles to see how this natural sulfite free wine evolves with time.
Natural Wines at Maritozzo / 1 March 2018
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
A private lunch (Restaurant The Kitchin *, Edinburgh, Scotland): Made with 100% Cabernet Franc, aged for 15 months on the lees in amphoras, no sulphur added. Very pure and primary, floral and elegant, light and fresh but with some structure and grip, nice vegetal notes, relaxed but energetic, good length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
Fully enveloping flavor, black cherry and graphite nose, fennel, crushed rock, blackberry, rose, and distinctly mineral finish. High acid but relatively plush so it isn't as angular as I would expect from maritime Cab Franc. Delicious now
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No
/ Comment
Really expressive floral (violet, rose, lilac) and funky cherry nose. Slightly effervescent on opening, goes away after an hour or two. Delicious, clean, funky fresh sour cherry and purple fruit, high acid, loads of minerality, and amazing savory complexity- earth, dried leaves, smoky bacon, olive, mushroom, balsamic, general funkiness. Long finish. So good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
/ Comment
10/27/2020 - forceberry wrote: 78 Points
Cuvée MMXIV, Vin de France. Biodynamically farmed Cabernet Franc, destemmed, fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts, macerated for 12 days, aged for 15 months in amphorae, vinified and bottled without any SO2. No fining or filtration. 12% alcohol. Total production 5000 bottles and 100 magnums.
Dark, somewhat hazy and quite opaque - slightly murky - Burgundy red color. Brooding, somewhat funky and slightly animalistic nose, lacking clarity. Aromas of wizened dark berries, some farmyard tones of merde, light earthy notes of damp clay, hints of autumnal forest and a touch of crowberry. Nothing particularly Cabernet Franc here, at least in the nose. The wine is dry, crunchy and light-to-medium-bodied on the palate with - at first - a slightest hint of prickle and a rather noticeable streak of bitterness along with somewhat tart flavors of lingonberries and crowberries, some leafy tones, light gravelly mineral notes, a little bit of unripe bilberry, a hint of leather and a touch of barnyard funk. The wine is high in acidity with quite delicate and mellow tannins. The finish is dry, crunchy and medium in length with flavors of savory leafy tones, some tart lingonberry, a little bit of crunchy crowberry, light leathery tones, a hint of blood and a touch of something unclean which might evolve into mousiness if the wine was left opened for too long.
A drinkable but not particularly interesting nor attractive weekday red from the naturalist end of the spectrum. Light, simple and refreshing, but offers quite little typicity. Not a catastrophe - like the Ange Pinot Noir was - but honestly nothing special to write home about either.
2 people found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
4/16/2020 - Tydecell Likes this wine: 87 Points
Purchased in 2016, opened during the Spring Apocalypse 2020 aka Covid-19 pandemic. Initial nose had that slightly damp cellar funk that I associate with traditional French reds. Then there was bright red fruit — cherry upon reflection. And also perhaps a bit of mint / menthol? Super bright and fresh on the nose. Palate confirmed this. Plus screaming acidity - in a good way. Acidity has a citrus note - sort of OJ / orange zest. And floral too, I would echo the lavender that someone else mentioned. This wine is delicately strong, or strongly delicate, not sure how to say it. And, all else being equal, gotta love a bottle with a devil penis ;-)
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/24/2019 - waywardsailor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Elegant. But enough funk to make it interesting. Well balanced. A bit of effervescence. Price makes it a great every day drinking wine. Need to get more.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
10/31/2018 - Gece wrote:
Air it or age it. Very closed initially, no fruit worth mentioning, very stony, slightly floral (lavender?), beer yeast, sourdough. High acidity, low tannins, slightly spritzig. Very natural, in a slightly pejorative sense, but beneath all that, there's a hint of very nice red fruit which slowly, slowly gains strength with air. Unfortunately, once the wine had reached there today, this particular guzzler was more or less done with the bottle. Not super impressed today, but I'd like to return here in a few years to see what happens.
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
3/31/2018 - Timothy Sung wrote: 89 Points
A good loire biodynamic franc.
Nothing more than just that.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
3/1/2018 - ve23 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Natural Wines on March 1, 2018 (Maritozzo, Moscow): 92+/100
This Cab Franc took a while to open up. Residual fizz in the bottle, dusty, it commences with birch tree juice and bell pepper, but then it slowly acquires typical Chinon like aromas.
I like it and I’m storing a couple of bottles to see how this natural sulfite free wine evolves with time.
Natural Wines at Maritozzo / 1 March 2018
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
12/7/2017 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: 89 Points
A private lunch (Restaurant The Kitchin *, Edinburgh, Scotland): Made with 100% Cabernet Franc, aged for 15 months on the lees in amphoras, no sulphur added. Very pure and primary, floral and elegant, light and fresh but with some structure and grip, nice vegetal notes, relaxed but energetic, good length.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
11/22/2017 - pwassam Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fully enveloping flavor, black cherry and graphite nose, fennel, crushed rock, blackberry, rose, and distinctly mineral finish. High acid but relatively plush so it isn't as angular as I would expect from maritime Cab Franc. Delicious now
1 person found this helpful, do you? Yes - No / Comment
7/6/2017 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - savory, earthy, berry
Mouth - tart cherry, very bright, lively, fresh, food friendly, hint of savory on finish
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment
5/6/2017 - sp4388 wrote: 93 Points
Really expressive floral (violet, rose, lilac) and funky cherry nose. Slightly effervescent on opening, goes away after an hour or two. Delicious, clean, funky fresh sour cherry and purple fruit, high acid, loads of minerality, and amazing savory complexity- earth, dried leaves, smoky bacon, olive, mushroom, balsamic, general funkiness. Long finish. So good.
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Comment