Cabernet Franc, Loire Valley, France

A ruby-hued, and energetic glou-glou red to stave off the frost bite! For those new to glou-glou, think a chillable and chuggable red wine, an important category if you love spicy food, an afternoon sip and just-plain-old JOY. This best-in-class-example is from Lambert, a family winery founded in 1987 in Cravant-les-Côteaux, and dedicated to the organic and biodynamic cultivation of the region’s cherished grapes: cabernet franc and chenin blanc. Carbonically macerated, think Beaujolais-meets-the-Loire, the 35-year-old, biodynamically tended cab franc vines come from Chinon’s porous tuffeau, a local limestone of the Loire Valley that gives wine beautiful freshness and texture. Cracked red peppercorns, rose petals, jiggly cherry jello, wild strawberry snacking, graphite-y minerality, raspberry tonic & winter savoury.