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2022 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: | 2022 |
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 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.
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.
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
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Sourced from the village of Beaumont, located within the Chinon AOC, it is utterly delicious, with a perfect balance of fruit and earth.
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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Serve it with a slight chill, and you’ll have a satisfyingly fresh red with medium fruit and a light dusting of herbs and tannin.
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.
2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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This wine is deep and textural, with serious presence on the palate and a dry, flinty finish.
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
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A delicate, aromatic red in the “drink now!” vein.
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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Delicate, precise, and succulent at the same time, this beautiful blanc will pair well with fresh seafood and light summer salads and pastas.
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
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
Champalou France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. 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.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171