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2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton
Pierre 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: | 2024 |
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% |
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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.
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2022 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
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2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
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2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
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2021 Vin de France Blanche
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2023 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2023 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2023 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2021 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.