Lisagathe is Hureau's top wine. And in 2014, it's stunning.

We've been beating the drum for Hureau over the past couple of years. The 2014 Lisagathe is very likely the best wine that we've tasted from them.

Hureau turns out very impressive wines, but does so without flash or artifice. Much of the attention that Saumur receives goes to producers with grand ambitions - Roches Neuves, Clos Rougeard, Guiberteau, Collier, etc. We're fans of these wines, but they carry a certain polish and drive towards perfection that's appropriate to the world stage they want to participate in. Hureau operates differently.

We're fond of calling Hureau's wines "honest." What we mean is that they are subtle and unmediated expressions of Cabernet Franc. There's no effort made to buff out all of the edges, and the wines are more characterful and compelling for it.

This is one of best values that we've come across in some time.

Lisagathe comes from some of the best terroir in Saumur. Hureau's oldest vines were planted in 1952. The soils are tuffeau, a chalky limestone. Lisagathe produces especially structured wines. What's striking about the 2014 Lisagathe is how it carries that imposing structure with finesse and lively freshness.

In the Loire, 2014 produced wines of incredible length, poise and concentration. When you taste the 2014s, the completeness jumps out at you.

Lisagathe boasts loads of refinement, purity of fruit and precision. There are notes of spice, licorice, tobacco, sandalwood and dark red fruits, each seamlessly melding into one another. It possesses amazing depth and internal architecture. You can tell that it's destined for a long life.

The Lisagathe is very exciting. Its breeding, directness and price make it stand out. Lisagathe is always a very strong wine, but in 2014 it's a home run. Don't miss.

To order, email offers@crushwineco.com

or call the store at (212) 980-9463.

Joe Salamone

Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits

2014 Chateau du Hureau
Saumur-Champigny Lisagathe