Domaine Arnaud Lambert Saumur Breze 'Clos Mazurique'

Arnaud Lambert is undoubtedly one of the rising stars of the Loire. What’s most incredible about Arnaud is his ability to churn out such quality with nearly twenty different cuvées rendered from more than forty hectares of vineyards; although this is a lot, all of his wines seem like they’ve come from a domaine with no more than five hectares.

Lambert's Clos Mazurique is one of the great Cabernet Franc values of the Loire Valley, this is one of the most complex and satisfying wines you'll find for less than $30. This single vineyard, certified organic site sits on a bed of pure limestone.

The nose is packed with classic varietal character of dark berries, white pepper, tobacco, and chalk. The palate is full and energetic with long lasting flavors of dark cherry, blackcurrant, violet, lavender, and rose petal. I love serving this with a slight chill during the warmer months, but it's also wonderful with poultry or hearty mushroom dishes during the cooler months. You seriously can't lose here!