Notify me
2017 Bourgueil “Nuits d‘Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre BretonCatherine and Pierre Breton are no strangers to having a good time. If you peruse Bon Appétit, you may have read a story in the December 2019 issue in which the author recalls “standing in a small warehouse in the middle of the Loire Valley of France at three o’clock in the morning watching an apparently legendary 60-ish vigneron named Pierre Breton dancing to Blue Suede Shoes.” Combine that anecdote with the name of this cuvée—“drunken nights”—plus the fact that unsulfured reds like this one are often made in a glouglou (that is, gulpable) style, and you might expect the 2017 Nuits d’Ivresse to be a simple, delicious quaffer. It is indeed delicious, but this cuvée is the Bretons’ argument that serious, age-worthy wine from a top-notch terroir can be made without the addition of sulfur, which most winemakers use to stave off bad bacteria. Creating this ambitious a wine without sulfur is an incredibly difficult and scientific feat, one that the Bretons have masterfully achieved here. Made from fifty-year-old Cabernet Franc vines planted in clay and limestone—as opposed to other sandy and gravelly patches of Bourgueil—Nuits d’Ivresse evokes eating fresh blackberries in a pine forest. Simultaneously plush and structured, it is ready to drink now after a little decanting, but it also will evolve beautifully for at least ten years.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
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: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
France | Loire
January Club Rouge ~ Peppery and bright, earthy and juicy all at once.
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
France | Loire
This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
A delicate, aromatic red in the “drink now!” vein.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
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”
France | Loire
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.
2021 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
France | Loire
Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
France | Loire
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.
2021 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
France | Loire
Sourced from the village of Beaumont, located within the Chinon AOC, it is utterly delicious, with a perfect balance of fruit and earth.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
France | Loire
Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
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
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211