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2018 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la ChanteleuserieOne taste of Thierry and Christine Boucard’s Cuvée Alouettes ignites a craving in me for a juicy bistro burger finished with a shmear of spicy moutarde forte. Since it’s similar in style and price to an easy-drinking Beaujolais Villages, you’ll want to drink it chilled and, likely, in one sitting. Unlike with other quaffers, though, you can expect a little extra brawn and woodsy fruits like cassis and plum. It’s pure, peppery, and perfect Cabernet Franc.
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Domaine de la Chanteleuserie |
Winemaker: | Thierry Boucard |
Vineyard: | Planted from 1967 - 1980, 8 ha |
Soil: | Sand, Clay |
Aging: | Fermented and aged in stainless steel cuves |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
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Given light treatment in the cellar, this wine shows off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form.
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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This chiseled Chenin Blanc comes from 70-year-old vines planted on an ancient limestone slope. Burgundian-like in character from its time spent in barrel, the laser-like acidity will become even more enticing with some age.
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
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Smooth and seductive on the palate, Cuvée Beauvais offers a resurgence of silky fruit and florals—like blackberries and roses, without the thorns.
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
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Cabernet Franc on sandy, gravelly soils—juicy, crunchy, and highly chillable.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
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Pretty and elegant, with a taste of fresh peaches and nectarines, it is perfect for your summer table.
2018 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc
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The fruit is concentrated, deep, and pure, suggesting wild brambles and tart blackberries, along with an earthy, spicy component and hints of cedar.
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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Vinified with a gentle, terroir-focused touch—few reds will slake your thirst with the ease and finesse of Cuvée Alouettes.
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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This cuvée delivers trademark elegance and notes of blackberries, forest, and graphite.
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
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Made in the méthode traditionnelle with direct-press Cabernet Franc, it is a light, bright, and festive bubbly meant to be drunk cold and often.
About The Producer
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie
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 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
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2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
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2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
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2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171