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2020 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
Domaine de la ChanteleuserieDepending 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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2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
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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.
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The singularity and beauty of Chenin Blanc really shines with a bit of age, which is what makes this wine so special to enjoy now.
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
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2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
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2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
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Cabernet Franc on sandy, gravelly soils—juicy, crunchy, and highly chillable.
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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May Adventures ~ Vinified with a gentle, terroir-focused touch—few reds will slake your thirst with the ease and finesse of Cuvée Alouettes.
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.
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
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2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
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2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
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2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
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2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174