Catherine et Pierre Breton, Bourgueil, Perrieres

Medium garnet. Nose of red currant, lifted searing green, beef blood, soaring floral scents, earthy cedar. Even at opening, lovely integrated layers of plum, currant, sauvage, and fine earth on the palate with a satisfying late lick of ripe meaty green. Nice acidity and softened tannin. Long finish of bright red currant, sharp vibrant green pepper, and crushed stone. Gorgeous, resolved, all-of-a-piece. Our last bottle, a treasure.

1993 vintage

Better than the last two of these: really good, balanced, integrated Cab. Franc - based wine, with its characteristically intense acidity balancing nicely against the persistent tannins. Very fine - again, can't understand why Bordeaux reds are preferred to these in the broad market, but not unhappy that they are. Now if I could only find my bottles of Senechal!

2005 vintage

Much better than the other recent bottle: classic pencil lead, cedar; nicely developed tannins. Possibly at the far end of its plateau; need to open yet another before long - and a Senechal.

2005 vintage

Not bad, not especially good. Surprisingly underwhelming for the vintage and vigneron.

2005 vintage

Singing, classical

2005 vintage

Sample tasting at work (Oinoscent) : Decanted and slowly tasted Thick red fruit core, mineral, spice frame, floral notes, grilled peppers, palate tight, edgy, needs some time to open up (which it did later on), red fruit, acidity cutting through, med body, med finish

2005 vintage

Brett on the nose has me worried but it settles down after a few minutes of being open. Some capsicum but integrated, lovely fruit still. Tannins are still very present, softened a bit but you still feel them. Still drinks incredibly young, only hint of age is the rust color on the edges. Served to some friends blind and the oldest anybody guessed was 2012.

1997 vintage

Breton Tasting with France Breton and Baptiste Desrrouseaux (Flatiron Wines SF) : Lovely as before. Didn't have a chance to fully open up, and is showing incredibly young. Several commented that this seemed like one of the youngest wines of the night. Certainly the color is of a freshly bottled wine, but I felt there was some tertiary development and complexity, while retaining young fruit vibes. Fruit, depth, mineral, tobacco. This is the complete package and will probably peak in …

2005 vintage

Surprisingly delicate and lifted on the palate, veering towards bright red fruit with racy acidity. Juicy.

2005 vintage

Magnum. Opened 2 hours before drinking. Even ruby without any fading. Fruit and earth on the nose. Compared to prior bottles, only a trace of dill in the background. Medium weight, marvelous integrated feel with a long soil base and naturally ripe, sweet blue and black fruit. Fine acidity, a pleasingly salty edge, and light, fine remaining tannins that have a whiff of ground coffee. This was a knockout, easily the most seamless, balanced Loire red I have had in …

2005 vintage

Very good wine. The nose shoes a density of aroma without excess weight - a friend tasting it blind thought it could be northern rhone, such is its animale character and black fruit. I love the nose here, showing a violet aspect that I get in many rhone wines but also in some bordeaux. Lifted - very good acidity. We drank it alongside a 2010 Baudry Grezeaux, and to me the Baudry showed a more perfect composition, better overall balance. …

2005 vintage

So vibrant and youthful for an almost 30 year old wine. The cork was soaked through and there was mold on the top, but otherwise it was in great shape and came out fine. A very pretty nose of bouquet garni, red plum, black tea and evergreen. The palate is multi-layered with soft red fruit, black pepper and bell pepper predominating, reminiscent of a good northern Rhone. The balance is impeccable. Well above expectations, this was an outstanding bottle of …

1993 vintage

Showing a surprising amount of ripe fruit and glossy oak, not bad but not what I want or expect in a Cab Franc from this producer.

1997 vintage

Pop n poured, and ready to go. Nose is classic cab franc - dark, spicy mysterious, plum/cassis front and center, with roasted pepper and barnyard lurking around the edges. Palate is rich, velvety, and concentrated, but near weightless in mouthfeel. Abundance of cassis, a bit of scorched earth, with secondary tobacco and old library books. Maybe a touch of menthol, but otherwise not particularly green. The balance of acid, fruit and savory elements seems pretty much ideal to me. Tannins …

2005 vintage

A little band-aid on the nose but there’s lovely aromatics of tobacco leaf and green herbal notes. Palate is crisp, fine, ans a bit of spice coming out as the leather, tobacco and herbal notes repeat on the finish. Quite nice. In a good spot.

1999 vintage

Still drinking well, supple and deep fruit.

1999 vintage

Decanted for 90 minutes. Garnet hue. Nose of subtly raw green pepper and beef blood cut with currant and damp earth. Layers of blackberry, bright red currant, savory green leaf, and meaty tones coursing on the tongue with freshness and bite. Vibrant acidity and filed off tannin. Longer finish of dark plum, sauvage, complicating green, and craggy soil. Delicious. Great way to celebrate #29.

1993 vintage

This is just beautiful. Fresh, deep ruby fruit wrapped in a light cloak of green - just enough to let you know it's cab franc. Bit of graphite and lovely cut. What a brilliant producer.

2005 vintage

Deep ruby core. Some initial herb and graphite gave way to tart cherry and olive. Earthy, medium bodied. With time in the decanter, some real ripeness and sweetness emerged, fine citric acidity that was more Burgundy than Loire became apparent, and the tannins took on a bitter chocolate richness. I have had good bottles of this in the past but never as complete and exciting as this. Quite remarkable for 16 year old Bourgueil.

2005 vintage

Excellent bottle. Very laid down with all the age.

1993 vintage

Gorgeous, opulent, concentrated & complex 2005 Bourgueil. Dark Plums - damsons, dark berries, black olives, earthy, lots of the classic Loire CF notes of lead pencil, cigar box, no green bell-pepper but with a really lovely floral - wilted roses / violets ? - charm and a nice (if moderate) kick off acidity that stops it from feeling too heavy... Leans more towards Bordeaux than Burgundy, in structure & flavour profile. May well improve further, but in a good place …

2005 vintage

Russk. Marido brought to Andrea's. Some of the welcomed barnyard, medium bodied+. Not tired in any way.

2005 vintage

Garnet color. Nose of fecund soil, plum pits, beef blood, and hyacinth transporting one immediately to a different place. Layers of cassis, red currant, blueberry, green leaf, and fine earth coursing on the tongue with beguiling interplay. Broadening, dusty tannin and ample acidity for freshness. Longer finish of deepening red fruit with hits of rock and savory green grip. Really quite lovely at age 27, with more left in the tank.

1993 vintage

Meh. Very earthy and a little dank. Cherry. Perhaps it needs some time to open up - not much comes through other than acidity.

1993 vintage

Rich aromas of velvety plum and toffee, before a thick mouthful of plums and dark cherry, a brief but welcome freshness mid-palate and a long, brooding finish. It has several years to go and will improve further, but I could have done with a little more crispness and freshness on the finish. What I did like about it was the alcohol level - a mere 12°, quite a change from other 05s which are mostly around 14°, so although very …

2005 vintage

Ruby. Pencil shavings and ripe cherry. Herbs, earth, and red fruit in a medium weight frame. Still quite youthful at age 15. Excellent.

2005 vintage

Darker ruby-garnet. Nose of beef blood, fecund soil, cassis, tropical flowers, and bits of camphor. Gentle layers of red currant, meaty sauvage, hits of cherry, and savory green pepper. Residual acidity and very smoothed but dusty tannin. Moderately long finish of pliant red plum fruit, slow grip, and earth. Holding up well.

1993 vintage

Very primary looking ruby. Classic graphite shavings and black fruit. Excellent ripeness and unusual concentration, resolving tannin. This has progressed significantly toward maturity since I last tasted this almost 3 years ago but remains very youthful and vigorous.

2005 vintage

From memory, darker than most CF we drink, fully ripe with just a pleasant hint of greenness, fully mature but still vibrant, delicious with lamb chops.

1999 vintage

Popped and poured to accompany New York steaks. Medium garnet color. Nose of fecund earth, beef blood, green peppers, hothouse flowers. Red plum and currant fruit cut with green leaf and meaty tones fanning out broadly on the palate with satisfying sauvage note as well. Dusty tannin and moderate acidity. A melange of dark fruit, green, earth, and grip on the medium length finish. Lost a bit of concentration as the evening progressed. Enjoyable nonetheless.

1993 vintage

A pleasure to post on this again. Popped and poured to accompany grilled New York steaks. Translucent garnet color. Nose of savory stemmy green pepper, earth, leather, cassis, alpine floral scents, plum. Red currant, dark plum, and green leaf fanning out beautifully and broadly on the palate with such satisfaction and verve. Fresh acidity and rounded off, dusty tannin leading to a longer finish of sweet plum, green stem, and grip. Such a beauty.

1993 vintage

Just the right amount of aged green notes. A stunning wine.

1993 vintage

Great bottle. Lush dark fruit that shows ripeness, acidity, and complexity. There are soil and stone tones also, and the wine feels complete. It’s absolutely ready to drink and shows some maturity, but it is still on the ways towards full maturity, and has the right material and balance to age well. Very lovely wine.

2005 vintage

First still pretty young, but opening up with some some more air. Very nice notes of black currant, black cherries, also notes of espresso, dark chocolate, some bellpeppers too. It‘s medium+ bodied with very good freshness, medium-high acidity and medium+ tannin. Very good length. A still young but very fascinating Bourgeuil from this top vineyard.

2005 vintage

About 4 years after encountering this wine at a neighborhood London restaurant, I recently came across a small stash at a local retailer and went for it. Popped and poured to accompany Tuscan steak. Medium garnet color. Modest nose at first, opening up eventually to reveal scents of currant, damp earth, stone, and violets. Likewise the palate was closed initially but gradually exhibited layers of plum, red currant, blackberry, a bit of green pepper, and stone. Ultimately lots of bright …

1993 vintage

Last bottle off a restaurant cellar, from memory. In impeccable state, fine nose, which showed signs of evolution, going in the direction of tobacco and roasted coffee, but not excessively so and remained fresh. The palate was lively and silky. A real treat.

1997 vintage

Direct from KLWM 5 yrs ago.

1997 vintage

Not rated as it is tasted at a restaurant Transparent ruby with brown hue and fine sediments Nose of flowers, dark cherries and tobacco at first, more savoury and little nose after an hour in glass On the palette, it shows tart cherries and soft tannin

1997 vintage

This was a much, much better showing than a tight and closed bottle 5 years ago. Popped and poured. Brett was apparent on the nose and palate, but didn't overwhelm the wine....it did seem to diminish as the wine opened up and got better over an hour or so. Some expected green, earthiness and fruit. Drinking well, but I think it has time ahead. After a few hours open, the tannins did become drying.

2008 vintage

No formal note. Welcome to the funky town! 88.

2008 vintage

Fascinating, enveloping, and different in profile from almost anything else we drink. Like a sanguine cushion of candy cane with wild weeds, dried herbs, and spice. One of those incredible wines that risks disagreeability. A quick decant does wonders.

1999 vintage

100% Cabernet Franc Welcome to funky town. This is not the wine to please every crowd but characterful and true to its place. Cabernet Franc perfume of crushed vine leaf, stem, underripe cassis. The palate takes you right down the funky alley of cattle range, manure, mushroom, wet log, and newly ploughed mud with some umani character starting to appear. Red fruit very much presence with great tannic and acidic backbone. This is certainly not for everyone but I dig …

2008 vintage

Now this is crazy: the cadre of Burgundy (only) lovers I had for this tasting found this to be pleasurable and even quaffable, not too intellectual. Surprising considering the more extreme reactions I've seen to the explicit greenness in aged bougueils. I found this fresh with tar, real dirt, and green pepper. As Erica points out a lovely burnt tire sense. Puckery, juicy, and savory.

1993 vintage

nose - smoky tyre, green pepper, earth mouth - light, light red fruit, savory and slightly funky. intriguing wine.

1993 vintage

Dark purple; opaque. Deep, dark fruit on the nose that's just as bountiful in the mouth -- so plentiful it nearly blinds one to the fairly substantial tannins. Plenty ripe but no slop here as there is a great deal of backbone and the acidity is well judged. I like it very much right now but think it's still young. This could wind up being spectacular. (I have bottles labeled both KLWM and LDM. This was KL. Don't know if …

2005 vintage

VA suggested a bottle that would fall apart but after 2 hours it became bright, lively and juicy.

1993 vintage

Loire Night (San Francisco) : Deep ruby-this is dark for a Loire red, especially at this age. Classic pencil shavings and olive. Medium weight, certainly not the biggest red of the night. Deep black cherry and olive flavors buttressed by higher acidity and a tannic finish. Excellent but still remarkably young; this is still 5 or more years from its peak, but it should continue to evolve beautifully given its material and balance.

2005 vintage

Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco) : Light, browning. Very bell peppery nose. Brown spice, stalky, artificial sweetness (chaptalized?). Earthy, dry finish with some brett showing. Completely unappealing.

1999 vintage

Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco) : Pale to the rim. Light weight, green olive, high acidity. Not much to like here.

1993 vintage

Breton Bourgueil Perrières Vertical (Arlequin Wine Merchant, San Francisco) : The most prominent green pepper on the bouquet and the spiciest profile of this spot-checked 8-vintage vertical. Beautiful berry fruit, lighter on its feet than others, and with a finish that just keeps humming along until it eventually finally spins out like a top. Fantastic and not going to get any better. Drink now -2021

1993 vintage

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Catherine et Pierre Breton, Bourgueil, Perrieres

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