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2015 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton
This new wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex. The result of a carbonic maceration in wooden vats, it clocks in at a mere 10.4% alcohol, and shows its best with a slight chill. Expect hints of pepper, tomato leaf, earth, and an explosion of juicy red fruit like raspberry and cherry, plus other little berries that burst under the tooth with brightly flavored nectar. We expect it to go fast, so don’t miss out on this novelty from our friends in the Loire: drink it frequently, in large quantity, and of course, don’t forget to quaff responsibly. –Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2015 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Grolleau |
Appellation: | Val de Loire |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 60 years, .8 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone, Silex |
Aging: | Carbonic maceration for 3 weeks in an open-top wood vat, wine is bottled in the April following the harvest |
Farming: | Organic, Biodynamic |
Alcohol: | 10.4% |
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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
2023 Sancerre
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
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2020 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
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2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
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2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
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2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
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2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Sancerre “Les Cris”
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2023 Sancerre
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2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard 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