Catherine & Pierre Breton ‘Trinch!’ Bourgeuil Rouge 2022
Location: France, Loire, Bourgeuil
Winemaker: Catherine & Pierre Breton
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
Soil: Gravel
Winemaking: The maceration is done in open wood vats and the fermentation and élevage is done in 550-L barriques, a variable percentage of which are new. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after two full years in wood.
From us at M&L: A poster of Catherine and Pierre’s wine has hung in the shop since day one, a testimony to our memories of their legendary wines of Bourgeuil. We’re blessed again by the couple’s passion and skill with the release of the 2021 ‘Trinch!’, sourced from 30 year old Cabernet Franc vines. Catherine and Pierre continue to be experts in capturing the perfect balance of earth to fruit that makes Cab Franc so bleeping delicious: there’s supple blackberry jam, aromas of mint tea, gentle tannins of dried elderflower, textures of raspberry leaves covered in dew. ‘Trinch!’ Is a German expression meaning ‘cheers!’ so drink up! -Lennie
From the Importer Kermit Lynch: Catherine and Pierre Breton are the real life bon vivants vignerons of lore. They are passionate about what they do, they enjoy sharing it with others, and they entertain with a generosity and charm. That they make great wine with such integrity makes our appreciation of them complete. The Bretons farm eleven hectares of vines just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. They produce Chinon and Bourgueil, as well as a bit of Vouvray, creating honest wines for both early consumption and longer aging. The Bretons first introduced biodynamic practices into their viticulture in 1994, just after receiving their organic certification in 1991. Recently, they started the three-year process of seeking biodynamic certification. In fact, they have become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult.
The Bretons farm vineyards on varied soil types, including gravel, limestone, clay, schist, and yellow tuffeau. Their wines are made primarily from Cabernet Franc (known in the Loire, curiously, as “Breton”) with small quantities of Chenin Blanc for their Vouvray. Though Pierre is the principal cellar master, Catherine makes a series of cuvées under the label “La Dilettante,” or the Dabbler. Together, they divide their wines into three categories: Natural Wines (for easy consumption), Classic Wines (that represent the typicity of the appellations), and Wines of Terroir (vinified individually by parcel). The Wines of Terroir from Chinon and Bourgueil are destined for long life in your cellar. A 1964 made for unforgettable drinking in 2008! Each of the Breton cuvées is unique, with differences in soil, vinification, and élévage all playing a role while still demonstrating a familial resemblance. Catherine and Pierre are two of the hardest working people we know of in the wine business. This explains why their wines, despite the fact that they are totally natural and unadulterated, are so incredibly consistent; consistently delicious. Their achievements and contributions to the natural and organic wine movement globally cannot be underestimated.
Location: France, Loire, Bourgeuil
Winemaker: Catherine & Pierre Breton
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
Soil: Gravel
Winemaking: The maceration is done in open wood vats and the fermentation and élevage is done in 550-L barriques, a variable percentage of which are new. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after two full years in wood.
From us at M&L: A poster of Catherine and Pierre’s wine has hung in the shop since day one, a testimony to our memories of their legendary wines of Bourgeuil. We’re blessed again by the couple’s passion and skill with the release of the 2021 ‘Trinch!’, sourced from 30 year old Cabernet Franc vines. Catherine and Pierre continue to be experts in capturing the perfect balance of earth to fruit that makes Cab Franc so bleeping delicious: there’s supple blackberry jam, aromas of mint tea, gentle tannins of dried elderflower, textures of raspberry leaves covered in dew. ‘Trinch!’ Is a German expression meaning ‘cheers!’ so drink up! -Lennie
From the Importer Kermit Lynch: Catherine and Pierre Breton are the real life bon vivants vignerons of lore. They are passionate about what they do, they enjoy sharing it with others, and they entertain with a generosity and charm. That they make great wine with such integrity makes our appreciation of them complete. The Bretons farm eleven hectares of vines just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. They produce Chinon and Bourgueil, as well as a bit of Vouvray, creating honest wines for both early consumption and longer aging. The Bretons first introduced biodynamic practices into their viticulture in 1994, just after receiving their organic certification in 1991. Recently, they started the three-year process of seeking biodynamic certification. In fact, they have become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult.
The Bretons farm vineyards on varied soil types, including gravel, limestone, clay, schist, and yellow tuffeau. Their wines are made primarily from Cabernet Franc (known in the Loire, curiously, as “Breton”) with small quantities of Chenin Blanc for their Vouvray. Though Pierre is the principal cellar master, Catherine makes a series of cuvées under the label “La Dilettante,” or the Dabbler. Together, they divide their wines into three categories: Natural Wines (for easy consumption), Classic Wines (that represent the typicity of the appellations), and Wines of Terroir (vinified individually by parcel). The Wines of Terroir from Chinon and Bourgueil are destined for long life in your cellar. A 1964 made for unforgettable drinking in 2008! Each of the Breton cuvées is unique, with differences in soil, vinification, and élévage all playing a role while still demonstrating a familial resemblance. Catherine and Pierre are two of the hardest working people we know of in the wine business. This explains why their wines, despite the fact that they are totally natural and unadulterated, are so incredibly consistent; consistently delicious. Their achievements and contributions to the natural and organic wine movement globally cannot be underestimated.
Location: France, Loire, Bourgeuil
Winemaker: Catherine & Pierre Breton
Grapes: Cabernet Franc
Soil: Gravel
Winemaking: The maceration is done in open wood vats and the fermentation and élevage is done in 550-L barriques, a variable percentage of which are new. The wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered after two full years in wood.
From us at M&L: A poster of Catherine and Pierre’s wine has hung in the shop since day one, a testimony to our memories of their legendary wines of Bourgeuil. We’re blessed again by the couple’s passion and skill with the release of the 2021 ‘Trinch!’, sourced from 30 year old Cabernet Franc vines. Catherine and Pierre continue to be experts in capturing the perfect balance of earth to fruit that makes Cab Franc so bleeping delicious: there’s supple blackberry jam, aromas of mint tea, gentle tannins of dried elderflower, textures of raspberry leaves covered in dew. ‘Trinch!’ Is a German expression meaning ‘cheers!’ so drink up! -Lennie
From the Importer Kermit Lynch: Catherine and Pierre Breton are the real life bon vivants vignerons of lore. They are passionate about what they do, they enjoy sharing it with others, and they entertain with a generosity and charm. That they make great wine with such integrity makes our appreciation of them complete. The Bretons farm eleven hectares of vines just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. They produce Chinon and Bourgueil, as well as a bit of Vouvray, creating honest wines for both early consumption and longer aging. The Bretons first introduced biodynamic practices into their viticulture in 1994, just after receiving their organic certification in 1991. Recently, they started the three-year process of seeking biodynamic certification. In fact, they have become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult.
The Bretons farm vineyards on varied soil types, including gravel, limestone, clay, schist, and yellow tuffeau. Their wines are made primarily from Cabernet Franc (known in the Loire, curiously, as “Breton”) with small quantities of Chenin Blanc for their Vouvray. Though Pierre is the principal cellar master, Catherine makes a series of cuvées under the label “La Dilettante,” or the Dabbler. Together, they divide their wines into three categories: Natural Wines (for easy consumption), Classic Wines (that represent the typicity of the appellations), and Wines of Terroir (vinified individually by parcel). The Wines of Terroir from Chinon and Bourgueil are destined for long life in your cellar. A 1964 made for unforgettable drinking in 2008! Each of the Breton cuvées is unique, with differences in soil, vinification, and élévage all playing a role while still demonstrating a familial resemblance. Catherine and Pierre are two of the hardest working people we know of in the wine business. This explains why their wines, despite the fact that they are totally natural and unadulterated, are so incredibly consistent; consistently delicious. Their achievements and contributions to the natural and organic wine movement globally cannot be underestimated.