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2017 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
Catherine & Pierre BretonI have had some amazing Les Perrières over the years—the 1997 and 1989 stand out—and I think that in time this 2017 will rank among them, but greatness was not my first impression. The first pour was surprisingly stingy, the wine closed off. The night was young, however, so I left the bottle alone while I prepared dinner. When I returned to the glass an hour later, the wine had begun, almost imperceptibly, to open up: the tannins softening, the greenness giving way to red fruit, beautiful earthy, spicy aromas rising from the glass. The change was remarkable. This continued over the course of the evening as the wine blossomed like a fragrant, kaleidoscopic tropical flower.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
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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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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
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
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2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
1989 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
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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