Bourgueil Rouge "Domaine de Matabrune"

The wines from this estate are strongly influenced by traditional production methods, and are ambassadors for their appellations.

Presentation

Presentation
8th generation on this 25-hectare farm spread over the towns of Bourgueil, Benais and Restigné. The vines, with an average age of 40 years, are planted for 70% of them on the clay-limestone hillsides, guaranteeing a perfect east / west exposure, and for 30% on light soils of sand and gravel. The combination of these two terroirs allows each vintage to maintain the richness and typicity of this large estate. The entire operation is conducted according to restrictive specifications of reasoned control.

The winegrower : "Living on the banks of the Loire, I am truly in love with that "royal river" – as well as its natural environment, historic heritage, and local lifestyle.
After a successful and rewarding career in information technology, I wanted to do something entirely different. In keeping with my values (love of nature, tradition, family, sharing, and simple pleasures) - wine was an obvious avenue.
Today, I manage some 150 hectares of vines at four estates in Anjou, Saumur, and Bourgueil (where Domaine de Matabrune is located), where I seek to reflect all that I love about the Loire – especially its terroirs and its history.
I love to travel and especially enjoy wide open spaces like the Canadian prairies and the plains of East Africa. But I am also partial to Brittany and its storms !"
This famous French writer and humanist was born near Chinon in the 15th century. Rabelais was a monk and then a doctor before devoting the last part of his live to writing. His name is inseparable from that of two characters he invented: Garguantua and Pantagruel. These two giants (father and son) sought good wine and all the pleasures the world has to offer. The name Matabrune is taken from that of a young washerwoman in "The life of Garguantua and Pantagruel".
Location
Domaine de Matabrune has 26 hectares of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the communes de Bourgueil, Benaisn, and Restigné. The vines were reproduced by mass selection: vines were grafted and then multiplied. This is conducive to producing grapes of the highest quality.
Terroir
Seventy-nine percent of the vines grow on clay-limestone slopes with perfect east/west sun exposure. This accounts for the wine's richness and fine tannic structure. The remaining 30% of the terroir has light soil with sand and gravel. This contributes to the wine's fruity intensity. The blend of wines from these two distinct terroirs reflects the unique personality of this large estate in each vintage.
Vinification
Sandy terroir: limited extraction in order to obtain silky tannin. Pre-fermentation cold maceration (3 days) and short vatting. The wine is run off halfway through fermentation to obtain maximum fruit, good colour, and smooth tannin.
Clay-limestone terroir: Repeated pumping over and pigeage (punching down the cap) are done at the beginning of fermentation, then less often towards the end. Long vatting period (20 days) extracts high-quality tannin, richness, and structure, while retaining roundness and a sweet sensation.
Ageing
The wines are then assembled and then aged for 12 months using micro-oxygenation.
Varietal
Cabernet franc : 100%

Advice

Serving
Best enjoyed slightly chilled (12-14°C).
Tasting
Fine, complex, generous wine with good ageing potential. Intense red colour with deep purple highlights. Elegant nose of black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry) red fruit (raspberry), and spice (black pepper, vanilla). Rich, full-bodied, and well-balanced on the palate with soft tannin. Long black fruit aftertaste.
Food pairings
Best enjoyed with roasts, game, beef, and soft-ripened cheeses.