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2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”

Catherine & Pierre Breton
Discount Eligible $38.00
SOLD OUT

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


Technical Information
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%

More from this Producer or Region

About The Region

Loire

map of 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

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SOLD OUT
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$269.00 $363.00
$269.00 $363.00
$269.00 $363.00
AT CART MAX

Sampler Includes:

2023  Vin de France Brut “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?” • Catherine & Pierre Breton  $25.00   
2023  Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte” • Eric Chevalier  $22.00   
2023  Quincy • Domaine Trotereau  $27.00   
2023  Vouvray • Champalou  $28.00   
2023  Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes” • Régis Minet  $34.00   
2023  Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé • Domaine de Reuilly  $24.00   
2023  Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes” • Domaine de la Chanteleuserie  $18.00   
2023  Chinon “Les Granges” • Bernard Baudry  $27.00   
2023  Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau • Catherine & Pierre Breton  $29.00   
2023  Sancerre Rouge • Daniel Chotard  $40.00
2022  Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes” • Domaine des Roches Neuves  $42.00   
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray” • Grange Saint Sauveur  $49.00

Normally $363.00
SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $269.00
(a 25% discount)

Old cob-webbed wine bottles

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.