Oeno — Master your wines

Location: Along the Vienne, west of Tours and south of the Loire.
Soils: Sandy-gravel terraces and clay-limestone slopes provide contrasting sites.
Grape: Cabernet Franc, locally called Breton, is principal; limited Cabernet Sauvignon may contribute.

Colours: Red and rosé, plus a small production of dry Chenin white.
Style: Fruit, herbal notes and tannin vary with ripeness, site and cellar choices.
Contrast: A light-looking Cabernet Franc may still have firm tannin; taste before deciding service.

Assess: For red, judge tannin and ripeness rather than colour depth. Keep the small dry Chenin-white and rosé categories separate from the Cabernet red pairing.
Pair: Roast pork or duck breast with a savoury mushroom jus suits a youthful, structured red; a mature, softer bottle can meet roast chicken with a lighter pan jus. Dry white with river fish and beurre blanc uses Chenin’s acidity against butter.
Pair · rosé: A dry rosé with a chicken-and-herb salad or grilled vegetables and a little yogurt sauce keeps the texture light and the dressing restrained.
Service: Start reds at 14–16°C, whites at 10–12°C and rosés at 9–11°C. Taste before carafing a young structured red; recheck a closed wine after a short trial. Decant older bottles gently for sediment close to pouring.

Chinon