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2020 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie
Depending on vintage and terroir, Cabernet Franc shows so many personalities in the Loire Valley that it’s thrilling to check in every year and sample the grape variety across several villages, from Saumur to Chinon. This cuvée comes from Bourgueil on the northern bank of the Loire River, an appellation that can produce serious, age-worthy Cabernet Franc. This bottling, though, is the ultimate bistro or picnic Bourgueil, a red that radiates joy and versatility while offering enough spine to stand up to heartier dishes. The Boucard family, who has been making wine here since 1822, ages Alouettes for eight to twelve months in stainless-steel tanks to preserve as much of the fruit’s bright, fresh character as possible. Evoking blackberries, black cherries, and graphite, this is a wine you’ll want to have on hand all summer.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
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: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

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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 Kimmeridgian 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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2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2023 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
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2024 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
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2024 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
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2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
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2023 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2023 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2024 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2015 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312