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2012 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre BretonThe Bretons pretty much wrote the book on natural wine, or at least the chapter on Cabernet Franc, and their quaffing cuvées are now stuff of legend. Don’t forget, though, that they also make quite serious terroir wines that are dense, dark, and delicious, meant for aging, like this Clos Sénéchal that at five years old is just beginning to show us what it’s got.
—Chris Santini
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2012 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 1.3 ha |
Soil: | Gravel, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | The wine is macerated in open wood vats and fermented and aged in wooden foudres. It is bottled without fining or filtration after 18 months of aging. |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region
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2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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For this Vouvray, Paul has opted for a demi-sec style utterly unique in its combination of honeyed richness and flinty verve. This bottling is hard to resist on its own, but you might also try serving it with a simple cheese platter.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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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
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
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2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
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2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
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2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
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2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
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2022 Jasnières
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2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236