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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton
Catherine and Pierre describe this light, spring red as “cabernet franc like a sea breeze.” There’s lots of fresh fruit with little tannins. The wine’s name is a reference to the maritime warning “Avis de Vent Fort” (meaning strong winds are in the forecast), is a play on words to evoke the idea that if the weather is bad, one should sail back to shore and have a glass of wine instead.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Bourgueil |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 40-50 years |
Soil: | Gravel, clay, limestone |
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.

2023 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2023 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.

2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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Brisk red-fruited twang, some herbaceous zest, and an absolutely mouthwatering zingy finish.

2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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Unique in its combination of honeyed richness and flinty verve. Hard to resist on its own, but you might also try serving it with salty-sweet yakitori or buffalo chicken wings.

2022 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.

2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
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A delicate, aromatic red in the “drink now!” vein.

2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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Peppery and bright, earthy and juicy all at once.

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.

2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
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The family’s grandest wine, a brooding elixir of satiny fruit, cedar, and graphite.
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 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2021 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2021 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2023 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
You don’t have to be rich to cellar a great wine.