Description
Cabernet Franc from parcels above the Vienne on mixed clay and limestone defines 2022 Catherine et Pierre Breton Chinon Rouge Les Beaux Monts, a cuvée from a domaine that has helped shape artisanal Loire viticulture since the early 1980s. The Bretons built their work around organic farming and later integrated biodynamic principles as they expanded holdings across Bourgueil and Chinon, maintaining a minimal input approach focused on soil vitality and careful harvest timing. Varied exposures and good drainage influence canopy development and berry size, and vineyard decisions are aligned to those differences rather than fixed routines. In the cellar, whole cluster choices are adjusted to the vintage, fermentations proceed with native yeasts, and maturation follows in well seasoned oak to allow development without overt imprint. Les Beaux Monts sits within the Bretons’ ongoing emphasis on individual lieux dits, offering a focused Chinon interpretation informed by long term experimentation and patient, low intervention vinification.