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Frederic Mabileau

Frederic Mabileau operates a 27 ha domaine, with the majority of the vines concentrated in St Nicolas de Bourgueil. Frederic is of a winemaking family, his father, Jean-Paul, having been proprietor at Domaine du Bourg. Some of these old family vineyards have recently been brought back into the Mabileau family, as Frederic, with wife Nathalie, is determined to expand and improve his domaine. He manages his vineyards with a great consideration for the soil, the environment, and the quality of the fruit that results. The vines, predominantly Cabernet Franc, are largely Guyot trained, see leaf thinning as required, are interplanted with grass to encourage the vine roots deeper into the soil, and are hand-harvested.

The Mabileau portfolio is headed up by three cuvées of St Nicolas de Bourgueil, of which Les Rouilléres is the entry level wine. This comes from vines, aged between 15 and 35 years and harvested at 55 hl/ha, on a smallholding at the heart of the St Nicolas appellation after which the cuvée is named. It is fermented in stainless steel, with punching down of the cap, and sees up to ten days maceration in total, and is bottled with only a very gentle filtration. It's a successful wine, with two previous vintages picking up a Coup de Couer in the Guide Hachette and Revue des Vins de France. Next comes Les Coutures, from 40 year-old vines, harvested at 45 hl/ha; this sees cold fermentation in oak, with a year of oak-ageing after fermentation. The premier wine is Eclipse, from 50 year-old vines harvested at 35 hl/ha, which is otherwise handled in much the same way as Les Coutures. In addition there is Les Racines, a Bourgueil from clay-limestone terroir, as opposed to the St Nicolas vines which are on more typical sand-gravel-clay mixtures. Here the vines are 45 years old, harvested at 40 hl/ha, and the wine sees six months in oak before bottling. Two final wines complete the portfolio, an AC Anjou Cabernet Sauvignon and a Cabernet Franc rosé named Osez.

My experience of this estate is limited, but what knowledge I have tells me that there are good wines coming from the vineyards of Frederic Mabileau. And they are well priced. This domaine is just one more reason that you should shop for wine in the Loire! (28/2/06)

Contact details:
Address: 6 rue de Pressoir, 37140 St Nicolas de Bourgueil
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 47 97 79 58
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 97 45 19
Internet: www.fredericmabileau.com

Frederic Mabileau - Tasting Notes

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Frederic Mabileau Bourgueil Les Racines 2005: This wine has a very appealing and dark hue in the glass. On the nose there is crunchy fruit, with a green, blackcurrant character, peppered with a rich, herby edge. This wine has a very fresh and cool style, stony and firm, medium bodied at best. A very firm acidic core, ripe and fresh, showing crisp fruit with plenty of greenery too. It culminates in a sappy and gently tannin-infused finish. Overall this wine has a good, bright style, lean and stony rather than fleshy, but appealing all the same. This is good. From my 2008 Loire wine tasting notes. 15/20 (July 2008)

Frederic Mabileau St Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouilléres 2004: This has a delightful, youthful colour, still with a tinge of purple. Blackberry fruit on the nose, with some buttery crumble notes, and a peppery twist too. On the palate this is dry, savoury and reserved, but with really nice blackberry and raspberry fruit. Behind it there sits just a little seam of tannin, which suggests that this will drink very well for several years, although it is lovely to drink now. Nice, dry and mouth-watering, even if a little short on the finish. This is very good indeed. 16.5+/20 (February 2006) Label

Frederic Mabileau Bourgueil Racines 2003: A huge slug of tartrate crystals is the first thing I notice; the next is the fresh, youthful colour. The nose takes a few hours to open up, allowing some confected aromas to blow off, giving way to some fresh, mineral-laced black cherry fruit with a green capsicum twist. Medium bodied, with nice extract, but quite reserved, with firm acidity. Black fruits with a little garden mint. Nicely rounded, rather dry and sappy tannins showing in the finish. Nice length. Overall a rather traditional style. 16.5/20 (February 2006) Label