It's rare that people compare a Cab Franc to Chambolle, but that's how people talk about l'Echelier.
L'Echelier's haunting perfume, lifted brightness, and energetic minerality makes the comparison an apt one. It’s a rendering of Cab Franc unlike any other.
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Clos de l’Echelier is a 1.8ha clos (a walled vineyard) in Saumur-Champigny. The 40-year-old vines lie on clay and limestone soil. In the spectrum of the Loire’s appellations, Saumur-Champigny is notably more muscular than Chinon and Bourgueil, but l’Echelier carries an amazing amount of elegance.
2016 is a fascinating l'Echelier Rouge. Roches Neuves' 2016s are dense and penetrating, but they also have a lovely verve and agility. As you might expect, when it comes to the latter, it's the l'Echelier that highlights these qualities the best.
In 2017, winemaker Thierry Germain nailed the vintage. The 2017 l’Echelier has all the qualities we love about this wine: delicacy, refinement, and completeness. There’s also an energy to this vintage that’s palpable. It’s an exciting wine to drink.
L'Echelier might be one of the most elegant renditions of Cab Franc on earth. I'm happy to offer these two vintages of l'Echelier at sharp mixed 6-pack pricing. You'll want to track them for a decade at least and likely more.
To order, email offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Joe Salamone
Wine Buyer
Crush Wine & Spirits