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2015 Bourgueil “Nuits d‘Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre BretonPioneers of natural winemaking in the Loire Valley, Catherine and Pierre Breton do not adhere to dogma. Rather, they seek to make the best wines possible from their terroir, using sustainable farming and noninterventionist winemaking as a means to that end. In other words, they strive to make great wine first, and great natural wine second. Here we have the only Breton cuvée bottled without a drop of added sulfur, but that should neither attract you nor scare you away. Still, if you want to drink a truly compelling Cabernet Franc—broad and well structured, reminiscent of smoky black fruit, spice, and wild bramble—then this is the wine for you.
—Anthony Lynch
Dustin's Pick
I love this wine in general, and especially this vintage. It's a wild, funky, ripe, chewy Cabernet Franc from one of my all time favorite producers.
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 50 years, 3 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | The wine is vinified in barriques and kept in wood for a year then bottled the following December a little over a year after harvest |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
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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.
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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.
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Delicate, precise, and succulent at the same time, this beautiful blanc will pair well with fresh seafood and light summer salads and pastas.
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
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There isn’t a spot in the world better suited for Cabernet Franc, and their old vines produce the raw material for one of the best reds in the Loire valley.
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This divine red allies the power and finesse one would expect from this great terroir.
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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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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Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.
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
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
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Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
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2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
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2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard 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