Wine review: 2010 M. & S. Bouchet ‘Le Sylphe’ Cabernet Franc

This Cabernet Franc from Matthieu and Sylvanie Bouchet has a quiet elegance. The silken, vibrant Loire Valley red tastes of bright fruit, sweet spices and black pepper. The vines are old, some of them 80 years or more, and the small estate near Saumur has been farmed according to biodynamic principles since 1962. In fact, Matthieu’s father, François, was a leading French consultant in biodynamics and wrote the how-to book on using its principles in the vineyard. He consulted for Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Leroy, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and many other estates in Europe.

This would be a fascinating pairing for the Thanksgiving meal. I also like it with steak tartare, savory tarts, calf’s liver and omelets and other egg dishes.

Region: Loire Valley, France

Price: About $24

Style: Quietly elegant

What it goes with: Roast turkey, steak tartare, savory tarts, egg dishes

Where to find it: Best Wines Online in Santa Ana, (888) 817-8880, www.bestwinesonline.com; Buzz Wine & Beer Shop in Los Angeles, (213) 622-2222, buzzwinebeershop.com; Larchmont Village Wine, Spirits & Cheese in Los Angeles, (323) 856-8699, www.larchmont.com; Silver Lake Wine in Los Angeles, (323) 662-9024, www.silverlakewine.com; and the Wine House in West Los Angeles, (310) 479-3731, www.winehouse.com.

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