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Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton
With three decades’ worth of Loire harvests under her belt with her husband, Pierre, plus her own “dabbling” with Chenin Blanc since 2002, Catherine Breton is undeniably an authority on biodynamic farming and natural winemaking. Using these methods, she produces this fine sparkling Vouvray—bone-dry thanks to an extremely low dosage, richly honeyed and complex from refermentation in bottle, and mouthwateringly stony from the flinty soil. More than two decades after vinifying her first Vouvray, it appears Catherine is “La Dilettante” no more.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | sparkling |
Vintage: | NV |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Pierre Breton |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Wine is raised for a minimum of 12 months before bottling and a minimum of 11 months after. |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region

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

2023 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2023 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
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Delicious and honest naturally sparkling Chenin, bottled with no dosage and no sulfur.

2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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This divine red allies the power and finesse one would expect from this great terroir.

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.

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 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 “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.

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

2023 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
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
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2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
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2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
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2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
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2023 Savennières
Château d’Epiré France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Epiré 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.