St Nicolas de Bourgueil

This red wine appellation produces wines that can be enjoined in their youth and complement a wide variety of cuisines. Wines grown on limestone soils have the potential to age and improve after five to ten years in bottle.

 

Vineyard

Location: This appellation, within the larger Bourgueil AOC, closely follows the contours of the village of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. The vineyard is within the confines of Touraine and Anjou, on the western edge of Bourgueil, on the upper terrace of the right bank of the Loire.

Surface Area:

• 1,050 hectares / 2,595 acres

Soil: The area consists mostly of a wide terrace of old silt deposits, with deep soil made of sand and gravel. Above the terraces, a third of the vineyard stretches across a Turonian chalk limestone hillside covered with sand.

Climate: The vineyard is largely exposed to the Loire, which, in this area, becomes extremely wide where it meets the Vienne. This allows oceanic influences to be clearly felt. Slopes are covered in woodlands that protect from the north wind.

 

Wine

Annual Production: 

• Approximately 59,000 hl / 1,320,860 gallons, including 2% rosé

Yield:

• 55 hl/ha

Grape Varieties:

• Cabernet Franc
• Cabernet Sauvignon (up to maximum 10% of blend but rarely used)

Growing/Production Practices: Density 5,000 vines/hectare and pruning, usually single Guyot, is strictly regulated.

 

Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Bright garnet
• Nose: Intense aromas of cherry, strawberry, violet, and berries with spice and leather as the wine matures
• Flavor: Wines range from supple and bright to dense and meaty. All are fresh and well balanced with medium-to-full body.

 

Food Pairings

• Lamb cutlets with fig and goat cheese salad
• Harissa-marinated grilled chicken
• Portobello mushroom burger