Domaine des Deux Moulins, Anjou Rouge, 2018
Domaine des Deux Moulins, Anjou Rouge, 2018
- 75cl
- 12%
- Red Still
- Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon
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Optimal drinking window: Now - 2028
This is Loire red with a bit more muscle than you might expect. Made from Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2018 Anjou Rouge is packed with ripe red and black fruit – think cherry, raspberry, blackcurrant and plum – with a touch of liquorice and spice underneath. It’s full-bodied and chewy, but the tannins are ripe and supple, while the Loire acidity keeps everything fresh rather than heavy. There’s a pleasingly rustic edge to it, too.
A proper food wine, and particularly good with grilled sausages, roast lamb, steak or anything coming off the barbecue.
The 2018 vintage has had eight years to settle and is currently in a very good place, with the primary violet and dark fruit still vivid but the tannins now properly integrated. Over the next two to three years the fruit will begin to deepen and take on more earthy, leathery secondary character, which will suit the wine's rustic streak very well. We would drink it with pleasure now until around 2028.
Tasting Notes
AppearanceDeep ruby with a vivid violet rim that tells you exactly how much life this wine still has in it.
NoseIrises and dark roses leap out first, then red and black fruit crowd in behind. A thread of liquorice runs through it all, keeping things interesting.
PalateFuller than you'd expect from the Loire, with a round, almost generous weight and tannins that have softened without going anywhere. The fruit is ripe and confident, with a earthy, slightly rustic edge that gives it personality rather than detracting from it.
FinishMedium-long, with that liquorice note returning and a savoury, dry close that makes you want another sip rather than a glass of water.
Overall impressionA proper, unpretentious red that punches well above its price and rewards anyone who gives it a little air and a decent meal alongside it.
Food Pairings
In Anjou, this would land on the table alongside rillettes de porc from the local charcutiers, slathered thickly on bread with cornichons on the side. Slow-braised beef with mushrooms is a natural partner, as is a hearty cassoulet if you're willing to stretch the geography slightly. Closer to home, the locals would think nothing of pairing it with a grilled andouillette or a plate of boudin noir with apples. The wine's earthy backbone also makes it a surprisingly good match for strong-flavoured cheeses like a ripe Camembert.
We think this wine would go well with
Serve at around 15-16°C rather than full room temperature, which lets the fruit sing and keeps the acidity lively. This wine is unfined and unfiltered, so decanting is not just recommended but genuinely important: stand the bottle upright for a few hours first, then pour carefully into a decanter and give it at least an hour before serving. A standard Bordeaux-style glass with a generous bowl works well here.
Anjou sits on some of the Loire's most varied soils, but the best red-wine plots are typically on schist and sandstone slopes south of Angers, which give Cabernet Franc a grippy mineral backbone and good natural acidity. The continental-leaning climate here means warm summers can ripen Cabernet Sauvignon properly, a variety that struggles further west in the valley. That combination of cool nights and warm days is precisely what keeps the fruit fresh rather than jammy.
Anjou Rouge is the catch-all red appellation covering the area around Angers in the central Loire, built primarily on Cabernet Franc with Cabernet Sauvignon permitted as a blending partner. It sits in the shadow of its more celebrated neighbour Saumur-Champigny, which often commands higher prices and more critical attention, but Anjou Rouge at its best offers something more earthy and characterful. The appellation allows for a wide range of styles, from light and fragrant to the kind of bold, structured red this domaine produces.
FAQs
What does this wine taste like?
Think bold, round, and genuinely characterful. Dark plum and red fruit lead, with violet florals and a thread of liquorice running through to a savoury, earthy finish. It has real presence without being heavy.
Is the Loire really worth considering for red wine?
Absolutely, and this is a good example of why. The assumption that the Loire only does whites and rosés is one worth dropping. Cabernet Franc in particular thrives here, and when Cabernet Sauvignon is blended in during a warm vintage like 2018, you can get real depth and structure.
When should I drink this?
It is drinking well right now and will continue to do so until around 2028. We would not hold it much beyond that. The fruit is the main event, and you want to catch it while it still has plenty to say.
What food should I serve with it?
Anything in the hearty, meaty category works brilliantly. Slow-braised beef, lamb, charcuterie, a robust mushroom dish or a strong-flavoured cheese will all bring out the best in it. Avoid very delicate dishes where the wine's weight might overwhelm.
Does it need decanting?
Yes, and it matters here more than most. The wine is unfined and unfiltered, so there may be sediment in the bottle. Stand it upright for a few hours first, then decant carefully and give it at least an hour before drinking. It opens up considerably with air.
Is this wine worth cellaring?
For a year or two, yes. It will gain a little more complexity as the earthy secondary notes develop. Beyond 2028 or so, though, we would not push your luck. This is a wine built for pleasure, not posterity.
OUR GROWERS
Domaine des Deux Moulins
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