Report on Shopping for Cabernet Franc

That's too bad. Catherine and Pierre Breton's Bourgueil is a fantastic example of Cab Franc from the Loire. Alas, I can't tell you anything useful about the producer you did get.

That sounds like a good plan. Recipe?

Mark Lipton

I would have liked to buy the $25 bottle, but alas I was not with him. What I don't quite understand: when I described the $25 bottle, I read it as you understood it was Catherine and Pierre Breton's Bourgueil

Is there only ONE Breton? If I understand correctly, there is more than one Bourgueils, but only ONE Bourgueil Breton, which is Catherine and Pierre, right?

We drank 1/2 of the bottle of CF we bought. We tasted it before we sat down to the meal. It was OK, but much better with the meal. But not good enough to drink the whole bottle at one sitting. ;-))

I'm glad someone here described it as leafy, vegetable-like as I wouldn't have been able to articulate those tastes.

Here it is basically from the back of a Goya can of Canary Beans, but I have cooked dried canary beans, too. One is as good as another IMO. I only bought the dried because I can't always find the canned. It also calls for 2 slices of bacon, but I don't use bacon, but use pancetta instead. Bacon changes the flavor too much for me. As for the pork tenderloin it calls for, I use a little more than 1/2 pound and spice it up a little in a slow cooker until very, very tender. The rest of the pork loin can be used for other dishes.

Classic Peruvian Stew and Rice One 15.5 oz. can Canary Beans, undrained

2 slices bacon, diced 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, cubed 1/2 cup onion, diced 1 clove garlic 1/2 cup tomato sauce (I used more) 1/2 cup water 1 packet Sazon Goya with Cilantro and Annato

In saucepan on medium, cook bacon until lightly browned. Add meat, onion and garlic and cook until meat is browned. Stir in tomato sauce for 3 minutes. Add Sazon, beans, water and season to taste. Simmer for 10 minutes or until desire consistency. Serve with rice.

Thanks for your advice. Dee

Just to be clear here, Bourgueil is the region that the wine comes from, and C&P Breton are the winemakers. There might be another Breton making wine in Bourgueil, but AFAIK no other Breton's wines aren't being imported to the US.

You're welcome.

Mark Lipton

The plot thickens, because another name for Cabernet Franc is.... (drum roll please) ... Breton! I believe Pierre Breton makes a Chinon, also.

I know the name Gasnier but can't recall tasting his wines. Cravant is however a very fine terroir for Chinon.

Thanks for the link Dee. I would have sworn that Chinon is required to be

100% CF, but apparently it is not so. Always something to learn on AFW.

What happened to the trip, Mark? No time to make it over? I must say, it's not easy to do in one day...

-E

I don't know about Mark, but it would be nice for some of us if GWB had really meant it when he said he was behind the strong dollar-while letting it slide oops! At any rate I would welcome even the euro's starting rate or $1.16 to the euro at this point and would be taking my long put off Normandy, Brittany trip.

Oh ho! Thanks for the information, Emery.

Ack!! I am so sorry that I didn't get back to you, Emery. In the end, I had to make it as quick as possible, so no time for any excursions. I flew into LGW on Thurs. am and out again on Sun. am, two seminars and a memorial service later.

Mark Lipton

Even tho it does say on this site that it is 10% cab sauv, it does not show that at all on the bottle itself. Dee You're half right. :-))

Better that than half wrong...

I looked it up at the INAO site, currently 90% min CF (or Breton), up to 10% Cabernet Sauvignon. Wines made before 2000 may have up to 25% CS max.

-E