Notify me
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre BretonVintage 2021 was challenging for Cabernet Franc, but I’ve heard more than one winemaker say they absolutely love the classic wines that resulted. When I tasted Clos Sénéchal, it was easy to see why—the wine is a stunner, with a velvety texture and a core of ripe fruit, along with an earthy wildness. It is compact and packs a punch, like a featherweight boxer, and should cellar well.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 1.3 ha |
Soil: | Gravel, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | The wine is macerated in open wood vats and fermented and aged in wooden foudres. It is bottled without fining or filtration after 18 months of aging. |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 14% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
France | Loire
Sourced from the village of Beaumont, located within the Chinon AOC, it is utterly delicious, with a perfect balance of fruit and earth.
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
France | Loire
Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.
2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
France | Loire
This wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish.
2023 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
Delicate, precise, and succulent at the same time, this beautiful blanc will pair well with fresh seafood and light summer salads and pastas.
2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
France | Loire
This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
France | Loire
For this Vouvray, Paul has opted for a demi-sec style utterly unique in its combination of honeyed richness and flinty verve. This bottling is hard to resist on its own, but you might also try serving it with a simple cheese platter.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
France | Loire
Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
France | Loire
Bottled without any sulfur whatsoever, here is a seriously playful Cab Franc from the masters of vinous fun.
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
France | Loire
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.
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
A delicate, aromatic red in the “drink now!” vein.
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
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2016 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” MAGNUM
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
Our Guarantee
Our Guarantee
We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.
Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.
Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.