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2018 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre BretonPaul Breton, son of Catherine & Pierre Breton
Based in Restigné, in the heart of the Bourgueil AOC, Catherine and Pierre Breton always dabbled in Vouvray, since Catherine's family is based within the Chenin Blanc appellation about an hour’s drive upriver. Now the next generation of Bretons has come of age, and while daughter France holds down the fort in Cabernet Franc country, her brother Paul has chosen to focus entirely on white wines. He even set up his own little cellar in Vouvray, and has taken on new vineyards to increase the family's production of blanc.
Pierres Rousses is a new bottling he launched from a parcel of old vines on flinty soil. He ages it in used barrels, giving it a much different character than the “Dilettante” Vouvray bottling the family has long produced. Paul’s wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish—decidedly old-school Vouvray from a budding young talent!
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 55 years old |
Soil: | Clay, Flint |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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This wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
About The Producer
Catherine & Pierre Breton
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2021 Sancerre Rouge
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Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
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2021 Sancerre Rouge
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2021 Chinon
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2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312