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2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton

Based in Restigné, in the heart of the Bourgueil AOC, Catherine and Pierre Breton always dabbled in Vouvray, since Catherine's family is based within the Chenin Blanc appellation about an hour’s drive upriver. Now the next generation of Bretons has come of age, and while daughter France holds down the fort in Cabernet Franc country, her brother Paul has chosen to focus entirely on white wines. He even set up his own little cellar in Vouvray, and has taken on new vineyards to increase the family's production of blanc.
Pierres Rousses is a new bottling he launched from a parcel of old vines on flinty soil. He ages it in used barrels, giving it a much different character than the “Dilettante” Vouvray bottling the family has long produced. Paul’s wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish—decidedly old-school Vouvray from a budding young talent!
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 55 years old |
Soil: | Clay, Flint |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
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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
2022 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chardonnay
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
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2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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2019 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Épiré France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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2021 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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2022 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chardonnay
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Racines”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Épiré France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Vintage Chart Mentality

Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch