Three More from Bourgueil.

Three more from Bourgueil, and these wines just sang to me on a rare rainy overcast day in late July as the garden soaked up every drop that fell from the sky, I too, accompanied by my wife, enjoyed each drop of these Loire nectars.

the Line Up

Domaine de la Chevalerie Breteche 2015

Domaine de la Cotelleraie Les Mauguerets 2020

Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Alouettes 2023

As always poured single blind, knowing what the wines are but not which is in which glass.

Smell, taste, reflect... take notes, draw a conclusion and revisit to confirm. Many times I will repeat this with each flight on the next day to see if anything changes. 

My Thoughts & the Results...

Domaine de la Chevalerie Bretéche 2015 (92pts)

Aromas of deep plum, dark sweet cherry flesh, boozy red fruits, graphite, rosemary, twizzler candy and accents of warm clove spice and woodsy cedar shavings.

Palate is harmonious, great balance of earth and fruit with some playful punchy youthfulness wrapped in a silky rich composted earth blanket of finesse and complementary tannin. Rolling blood orange bitterness waltzes w/ quenching acidity and brightness as the classic cranberry, raspberry, dark cocoa nibs and tar flavors hold the tempo and let the forest mystery permeate through the complete atmosphere of this wine. Exquisite bottle of cabernet franc and seems to be maturing but not wrinkling, I predict this wine will surely go another 5 perhaps 10 years

Domaine de la Cotelleraie Les Mauguerets 2020 (90pts)

Aromas of wet composted woodchips, a touch of sulphur, gunpowder, slatwater taffy, violets, cherry pits, blueberry pie, eucalyptus and candied strawberry.

Palate is velvet in mouthfeel with layered red fruits and a predominate strawberry jam, cherry cola, fruity pebbles man this taste like being a kid again but has some mature herbal and mineral notes of  anise, thyme, lavender, flint and crushed gravel too. Overall some great depth of flavor with nice interplay of tannin and acidity to amp up the edges from being too silky and laid back.

Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Alouettes 2023 (84pts)

Aromas of tart cranberry sauce, blueberries, brambles, unripe cherries, youthful start but opens up slightly with nuances of earthy spice of tarragon, black pepper and sage.

Palate is more earthy than the nose lead me to expect and layers of composted leaves, tobacco, wood ash mingle with a bitter grip that tightens around the fruit and handcuffs it with tannin and earthy composted flavors that never open for the faint hints of raspberry chambord fruity brightness to shine. 

A fine line up of Bourgueil wines, worth experiencing each and every one, but if you had to pick just one. The Bretéche is special.  

Expect a smattering of posts coming over the next few weeks as I recoup from a couple of long weeks of slinging organic produce and wine here in Vacationland, while also attending a mind blowing tasting in Massachusetts, organizing a few of my own here in Maine and taking a much deserved week off to enjoy the garden, cellar and my wonderful family! 

Thanks as always for stopping by and keep foraging those shelves for dusty forgotten gems and fresh off the boat ferments!

Three from Bourgueil.

 

Staying in the cabernet franc frame of mind with the current deep dive into the Loire Project. After a few heat waves of sipping rose and more daquiris it was time to sit by an afternoon firepit and taste through a small grouping of Bourgueil producers. 

the Line Up

Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Cuvee Beauvais 2023

Y. Amirault Cote 50 2022

Domaine de la Cotelleraie Pigeur Fou 2020

My Thoughts & the Results...

                       Dom de la Cotelleraie Pigeur Fou 2020 (92pts)                             

Aromas of tomato leaf, blackberry, apple skins, crushed blueberries, plums and a herbaceous violet, lavender, floral nuance. 

Palate is fruit forward on the front end with some glimpses of mineral rich composted earth, wild strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and violets all wrapped up in a bright quenching acidity that builds as the flavors evolve but keeps balanced by a fleshy apple backbone.

Great overall depth and movement. Comparable to that person you didn't quite think was your kind of person at first, but after a lil small talk and finding some common ground, they end up leaving you with an intimate connection that deepens your understanding of life and opens you to a unique perspective that you find yourself craving when you are apart.

 Domaine de la Chanteleuserie Cuvee Beauvais 2023 (88pts)

Aromas kick off spicy like smoked paprika but alluring soft raspberry jam notes work its way from the crowd and exclaims this has much fruit to contend with along with nuances of rosemary, cedar, well composted earth, eucalyptus & green unroasted coffee beans.

On the palate this wine shows balance. Yes balance and harmony with blood orange acidity swirling through layers of strawberry compote, ripe brooding raspberry, as soft herbal earthiness emerges from the fruit with hints of poblano and lingering tarragon accents.

This wine shows clear intentions and creates a friendly inviting dialogue, it reveals itself as a great companion but never quite dives into deep conversation. That acquaintance that asks you how you're doing but kind of drifts off when you begin to answer.  

 

 Yannick Amirault Cote 50 2022 (87pts)

             Aromas of cranberry sauce, woodchips, soft earthy dried peppers creating some underlying pyrazines, fleshy bing cherry, red jelly candy and raspberry jam.

The palate is soft and evolves starting with some silky red fruits, rolling into an herbal midpalate that balances out the flavors with primary notes of raspberry coulis and earthy cranberry, all rolling into a long fruity finish that honestly reminds me of black raspberry ice cream with sprinkles.

A soft and unassuming wine that is persistent but cordial. Waltzing through the palate like its danced this dance over and over, never missing a step but also failing to challenge the status quo.

A great line up, paired nicely with a day of burning some blow downs and tending to the garden while grilling some sausage and veggies, capping the evening off with some classic campfire s'mores. 

Im finding lots of variation from producer to producer but not as much glaring differences from appellation to appellation,  at least on the cabernet franc side of the project. I will start the conversation of observations by saying I have found Bourgueil to be a bit more extracted in fruit and density than the offerings from Chinon and Saumur.  This may also be attributed to riper vintages, which is another factor that I have been trying to focus on and pay attention to, but also seems a bit inherent in all of the Bourgueil selections thus far.

With my cabernet franc bottles dwindling down in the cellar and a special cab franc blind tasting that I will be attending on the horizon, I would expect to see a few more cabernet franc posts coming soon as I try to gain as much insight and experience to bring to the tasting.

Into the Land of Bourgueil.

Ok, getting back on track for the Loire Project here. I know I had been teasing Savienerre for my next region as I jumped through the different appellations of Anjou. Well forget that, after a few cool rainy nights and a late night accompanied by a friend that was curious about cab franc, I derailed that plan and cracked into some offerings from Bourgueil.

( a general view of Bourgueil from wikipedia)

Much like Chinon, Bourgueil has a similar breath of soil types ranging from sand, gravel and the classic tuffeau along with some protection from the cold northern winds by surrounding forests. A region located just west of Tours, along the right bank of the Loire. There are many similarities in comparison to Chinon and Saumur, yet while sipping these wines there is an undeniable uniqueness of Bourgueil. That being said, I am still making my way through investigating the characteristics and terroir of this appellation and will share some of my findings, conclusions and insights in part two.

the LINE UP

Catherine Breton Trinch 2023

Domaine de Chevalerie Chevalerie 2019

Domaine du Changeon Les Passagers 2020

Domaine du Bel Air Les Vingt Lieus Dits 2020

You know the drill by now, all four poured blind and assessed, lets get into  the results!

My Thoughts and the Results...

Dom Chevalerie Chevalerie 2019 (90pts)

Aromas of dense cherry, earthy composted forest floor, iron, violets, black olive, plum skin and a touch of tarragon.

Palate is bright upfront with unctuous cherry flesh leading the way into raspberry, plum and some of that underlying earthy compost from the nose. Great balance of acidity and dark fleshy fruits opening up a complex palate with nuances of blood orange, tar, pomegranate, wet moss and wood chips.

Tuned to perfection!

Catherine Breton Trinch 2023 (86pts)

Aromas of raspberry coulis, cherry skins, cherry pie, decaying mulch, licorice and juicy berry.

Palate is fruit forward like the nose with layers of berry compote, cherry skins, apple skins, wild strawberry, peony, sorrel and soft earthy nuances of wet leaves and pine needles tease out the finish as the fruit fades. 

Harmonious integration of earth and fruit with supple weight to ride out the acidity nicely.

 

Domaine du Changeon Les Passagers 2020 (85pts)

Aromas of candied fruit, wood ear mushroom, cedar, flinty graphite, raspberry cordial and nuanced baking spice.

Palate is red fruit forward but leaning into a earthy cranberry, elderberry and dried blueberry. Musty forest floor permeates through the fruit and draws out some green floral herbaceous, along with a touch of bitter tannic bite that grips late and settles out with the earthy fruit.

Nice evolving palate with nice balance but just not enough acidity to shine as bright as I feel this wine could have shined.

Domaine du Bel Air Les Vingt Lieus Dits 2020 (80pts)

Aromas are brettanomyces forward with some barnyard composted red fruits, pine, rosemary, macerated raspberry along with some steamy upturned compost, sandalwood and dried holiday floral Christmas tree potpourri.

Palate is herbaceous, heavy on the pine, spruce and rosemary flavors harnessed slightly by some dark concentrated blackberry, cherry skin and wet composting leaves.

Some redeeming qualities but a bit too Christmassy... honestly it reminds me of opening the attic aged box of Christmas decorations that contains an old yankee candle holiday spice selection. 

Overall a delicious line up and I would be curious to see how the Domaine du Bel Air would hold up on its own, with a nice meal... the good and bad with these single blinds is it really dials in your palate to focus on the differences in each glass, the contrasting elements will always be what stands out and sometimes you have associations or just feel overpowered by its uniqueness. Occasionally that uniqueness can win you over and occasionally it can push you away.

I have a handful of higher tier Bourgueils to dive into soon as the heat of summer and the hustle and bustle associated with it gets well underway. Hot days in the garden have had more glasses of rose' being poured as well as the emergence of daiquiri season, a personal favorite of mine!

Surely I will be posting more as my journey to forage the perfect bottle and glass continues...