Catherine & Pierre Breton 'Elle est pas bulle la vie?' Chenin Blanc Pétillant Naturel, Vin de France, France 2024
Catherine and Pierre Breton farm 11 hectares in the village of Restigné, east of Bourgueil, producing Chinon, Bourgueil, and Vouvray under their own name since the 1970s. They received organic certification in 1991 and have been in biodynamic conversion, becoming internationally recognized figures of the natural wine movement in a region where organic viticulture is notoriously difficult. Their two children, France and Paul, have taken over the domaine. Paul, who set up his own cellar in Vouvray, conceived this pétillant naturel as his own project — a festive, zero-intervention sparkling Chenin grown in the Vouvray appellation and bottled as Vin de France. The label art is by cartoonist Michel Tolmer, a frequent collaborator of the domaine.
- WINEMAKER: Paul Breton
- FARMING: Certified Organic. Biodynamic conversion. No additions; no sulfur.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: Vouvray appellation, Loire Valley, France. 1 hectare of clay and siliceous soils. Vines planted circa 1960. Bottled as Vin de France. 12% ABV.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested. Grapes pressed and bottled before fermentation is complete, trapping CO₂ in the bottle to create natural effervescence (méthode ancestrale/pétillant naturel). No dosage, no sulfur, no additions.
- AGING: 11 months on lees in bottle.
- TASTING NOTES: Wild, savory, and lush on the nose with a honeyed, flinty character. The palate is lively and fruit-forward with good texture, natural effervescence, and a refreshing, slightly yeasty finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, fresh chèvre, charcuterie, fried chicken, spiced dishes, apéritif.
Catherine & Pierre Breton 'Elle est pas bulle la vie?' Chenin Blanc Pétillant Naturel, Vin de France, France 2024
Catherine and Pierre Breton farm 11 hectares in the village of Restigné, east of Bourgueil, producing Chinon, Bourgueil, and Vouvray under their own name since the 1970s. They received organic certification in 1991 and have been in biodynamic conversion, becoming internationally recognized figures of the natural wine movement in a region where organic viticulture is notoriously difficult. Their two children, France and Paul, have taken over the domaine. Paul, who set up his own cellar in Vouvray, conceived this pétillant naturel as his own project — a festive, zero-intervention sparkling Chenin grown in the Vouvray appellation and bottled as Vin de France. The label art is by cartoonist Michel Tolmer, a frequent collaborator of the domaine.
- WINEMAKER: Paul Breton
- FARMING: Certified Organic. Biodynamic conversion. No additions; no sulfur.
- VARIETY: 100% Chenin Blanc
- TERROIR: Vouvray appellation, Loire Valley, France. 1 hectare of clay and siliceous soils. Vines planted circa 1960. Bottled as Vin de France. 12% ABV.
- VINIFICATION: Hand-harvested. Grapes pressed and bottled before fermentation is complete, trapping CO₂ in the bottle to create natural effervescence (méthode ancestrale/pétillant naturel). No dosage, no sulfur, no additions.
- AGING: 11 months on lees in bottle.
- TASTING NOTES: Wild, savory, and lush on the nose with a honeyed, flinty character. The palate is lively and fruit-forward with good texture, natural effervescence, and a refreshing, slightly yeasty finish.
- FOOD PAIRINGS: Oysters, fresh chèvre, charcuterie, fried chicken, spiced dishes, apéritif.
