Red: Renaissance 2004

The name of this wine aptly sums up what is happening today in the Loire Valley, and nowhere more so than in the central region known as Touraine. In this sprawling area which encompasses such well-known appellations as Chinon, Vouvray and Montlouis, there has been a remarkable increase in quality standards in recent years. Xavier Frissant, the energetic and articulate director of his family's estate, is in the forefront of the movement for renewal in Touraine. Situated near Amboise, best known for its fabled chateau and as the one-time home of Leonardo da Vinci, Xavier makes a range of original and unusual wines. In France, he has a particular following for his unique white wine "Les Roses du Clos", made from the almost extinct varieties called Surin Gris and Fie Gris.

This month's red selection is a blend of three classic Loire varietals: Cot (better known as Malbec), Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. As a rule of thumb, most Loire reds tend to be unblended products of a single varietal (think of Chinon or Bourgueil made from Cabernet Franc or Sancerre from Pinot Noir). This wine therefore bucks the trend in following what makes it an irresistible proposition in its early life. With the telltale green, herby notes that Loire-lovers die for, it scintillates on the nose. Initially light in its attack on the palate, it swells remarkably in the mouth and offers a beautiful "inner sweetness", uncomplicated by any extraneous wood tones. It is a style of red wine that is hardly duplicated anywhere else on earth. Equally remarkable for a wine seemingly so ready, charming and inexpensive, it can be aged in the cellar for several years to great advantage.