Bourgueil

France · AOC · Loire Valley

Styles

Natural factors

Vineyard on a south-facing slope (one-third) and terraces-montilles at its foot (two-thirds), bordered by the Gâtine forest to the north and the Loire to the south.
Lower-slope soils on tuffeau chalk (Turonian); mid-slope soils are argilo-siliceous, of Senonian origin. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
At the foot of the slope, free-draining sandy-gravelly soils over ancient alluvial deposits, alongside 'montilles' formed from modern alluvium.
The wooded plateau to the north shelters the vineyard slope from cold winds. The AOC covers 8 communes in Indre-et-Loire.

Human factors

Cabernet franc, locally known as 'breton', is thought to have been introduced via river transport, aided by the political union of Anjou and Aquitaine (11th–12th centuries). (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)
The vineyard on alluvial terraces resisted phylloxera longer than most (its spread slowed by the sandy soils), and was subsequently replanted exclusively with Cabernet franc.

Product characteristics

Rosés: aromas of fresh red and white small fruits, sometimes citrus or pepper; reds from tuffeau keep 3 to 10 years and are best served at 17 °C.

Terroir / wine link

Sandy-gravelly soils yield fruity aromas with fine, supple tannins; Turonian tuffeau produces fuller-bodied wines with more tannic structure. (via Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0)

Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.