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2015 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre BretonIs it possible to squeeze honey from a stone? That is hard to imagine, yet the image is precisely what this young Vouvray from Catherine Breton brings to mind. The honeyed aspect is typical of Chenin Blanc, and when coupled with the stony element derived from the chalky soils found in this part of the Loire Valley, it yields this live wire of a wine with succulent fruit and a completely bone-dry, mouthwatering finale. Upon opening the bottle, you may find the wine needs to breathe in order to show its best, so don’t hesitate to decant it to encourage the full spectrum of Vouvray aromas to make their appearance. A truly versatile white, La Dilettante has the bright acidity to pair with sushi or delicate fish dishes, yet it contains the textured weight on the palate to accompany richer foods like poultry or mushrooms. For a real treat, age it for five years and enjoy it with a slice of seared foie gras.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | There is no maloactic fermentation and the wine is bottled in the spring following harvest |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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This divine red allies the power and finesse one would expect from this great terroir.
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.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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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.
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Bottled without any sulfur whatsoever, here is a seriously playful Cab Franc from the masters of vinous fun.
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.
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.
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2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.