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2021 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre BretonPierre Breton has deep roots in Bourgueil, so when he met Catherine—whose family hails from Vernou-sur-Brenne, in the heart of the Vouvray AOC—the stage was set for a superstar marriage between these two great Loire crus. Since founding Domaine Breton in the mid-1980s, they have carried the flag for their respective home appellations with passion, ambition, and playful zest—traits you can identify in every one of their wines. They have farmed organically and biodynamically since 1990, eschewing herbicides to promote a rich microbial life among the vines, aerating the soils and prompting the roots to dig deep down into cracks in the bedrock for sustenance. Today, Catherine and Pierre are joined by their daughter, France, and son, Paul.
Their Ritournelle rosé is purely and simply a thirst-quencher: direct-press Cabernet Franc with a brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish. Meant to be served from an ice bucket, with a couple pals and maybe a round of goat cheese or some crisp greens.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | Rosé |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 2 ha, vines 30 years old |
Soil: | Gravel |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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Bottled without any sulfur whatsoever, here is a seriously playful Cab Franc from the masters of vinous fun.
2022 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.
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A delicate, aromatic red in the “drink now!” vein.
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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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.
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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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
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2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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2021 Chinon
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2022 Bourgueil Rosé
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2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Bourgeuil “Cuvée Beauvais”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain 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.