Frédéric Mabileau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Eclipse 2017
91/100
Vinous
"Remarkable accuracy!"
Eclipse is the estate's densest and most noble cuvée, produced from the finest hillside plots. It offers notes of ripe fruit with a hint of licorice, a dense and powerful palate, full of freshness and balance, with a surprising length. A cuvée of choice, produced only in the finest vintages!
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Eye
Dark, deep color
Nose
Book of ripe notes, slightly licorice-like
Mouth
Well-balanced and powerful, with the chalky freshness of its terroir, assertive tannins, and a surprising length.
Serve
At 14-16°C
Open
Decant 1 hour before serving
Drink before
2030
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy with grilled meats, small game, cheeses...
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2026 guide) 3 stars (High-quality production, serving as a benchmark in its sector)
About the estate:
Frédéric Mabileau was one of the Loire Valley's most iconic figures. He tragically passed away on Monday, August 31, in a microlight accident. In 2003, with the help of his son, he took over the entire 27 hectares of the family estate and introduced organic farming methods. Two types of soil predominate here: clay-siliceous soils with a tendency towards limestone, which produce the most intense and structured wines, and lower down, on the terrace overlooking the former bed of the Loire, siliceous, sandy or stony soils, known as "gravel," on which the vines flourish, producing a more fruity and indulgent wine. The Saint-Nicolas wines on sale embody the delicacy of the appellation's wines: the seams on gravel and clayey silt have a full but silky texture, with well-defined tannins and a frank fruitiness. The Rouillières wines seduce with their juiciness and a very floral finish. For around €15, Bourgueil Racines has a clay-gravel terroir that produces one of the most complete wines in its appellation. Chenin-des-Rouillères shows the charming side of the grape variety without sacrificing any of its character. It is now accompanied by Chenin-du-Puy, in Saumurois, in the same spirit. This is one of the priorities in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil!
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated estate (2026 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer's wines are regularly awarded by the guide)
About the estate:
A leading figure in Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas since he settled there in 1991, Frédéric Mabileau built up a 35-hectare estate that has been organic since 2007 and biodynamic since 2012. Following his accidental death in 2020, his son, Remy, took over. Charly, his other son, has opened Chez Odette, a restaurant dedicated to local and seasonal cuisine, in the estate's courtyard.
Vinous
Wine rated (2021 guide) 91/100
About wine:
Tasted alongside the 2015, the 2017 Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil L'Eclipse shows greater clarity and purity of fruit, with more refined and rounded tannins, although the natural chalky texture is still present. It is interesting to note that this vintage was made using whole clusters, and one would expect the stems to be more pronounced, but the tannins remain refined. There is a hint of medicinal character that could develop in the bottle, but for now it is contained and, rather than detracting, adds an extra element of complexity. Beautiful freshness.
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