Domaine de la Chevalerie, 2015 Bourgueil ‘Les Galichets’
Cab Franc du Jour #115
The Caslot family can trace its roots in Bourgueil back to 1640. Today, 14th-generation siblings Emmanuel and Laurie have taken up the reins at the estate, farming 33 hectares of vines predominantly in the commune of Restigné, with some parcels in Benais, specifically in the lieu-dit Grand-Mont.
The family produces several expressions of Cabernet Franc, including their Cuvées d’Inspiration, blends from multiple parcels each with a specific stylistic vision, alongside an ambitious range of six cuvées parcellaires, of which Les Galichets is one, each sourced from a single lieu-dit and intended to showcase the terroir it comes from. Meticulous and thoughtful work in the vineyard is a core tenet of the family’s approach. The vineyards have been certified organic since 2008 and certified biodynamic since 2012, and the Caslots go a step further still by employing regenerative farming practices including permanent cover crops and no-till farming. Visiting the domaine, there is an energy and vitality in these vineyards that is genuinely palpable.
The Commune of Restigné
The majority of the family’s parcels are in Restigné, one of the most terroir-diverse communes in the Bourgueil appellation. Located on the east side of the Changeon River, Restigné and the commune of Bourgueil on the opposite bank are the only two communes in the appellation with a high concentration of vineyards on both the ancient alluvial terrace and the slopes.
The ancient alluvial terrace begins about 3km north of the Loire River and stretches roughly 4km from east to west and 1.25km from north to south, at elevations of around 35 to 45m above sea level. The soils here are predominantly sandy to silty-sandy, with varying amounts of gravel, over a bedrock of Lower Turonian tuffeau.
In the northeastern part of the commune, the slope rises roughly 1.5km toward the forests to the north. Topsoils here become shallower and carry considerably more clay. Elevations range from around 55 to 70m above sea level, with the bedrock dominated by Middle Turonian white tuffeau chalk, and a narrow band of Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau toward the top. At the very northern edge of the commune, at around 75 to 80m above sea level, deep Senonian-era clays and sands mixed with flint take over.
Les Galichets Lieu-Dit
Les Galichets is situated mid-slope, right at the transition point where the slope begins to assert itself over the ancient alluvial terrace. Domaine de la Chevalerie holds about 5 hectares here, with vines planted during the 1950s, averaging around 60 years of age. The parcels have a southwestern exposure.
The family has invested considerable effort in understanding the soils across their holdings, and when you visit the domaine, cross-sections of the various soil structures are prominently on display, making the diversity of their terroirs tangible and easy to grasp. In the Galichets parcels, the topsoil is a clayey-sand with approximately 25% stoniness, with flint, sandstone, and chalk pebbles throughout. The subsoil is a clay-silt-sand mix with some gravel, ranging in depth from 1 to 2m, before reaching the Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk bedrock. For those with a bottle of the Chevalerie cuvée, the two wines come from very similar terroirs, with the primary distinction being that Chevalerie is situated a little higher on the slope, where the topsoil is somewhat shallower and the influence of the tuffeau chalk is more direct.
In the Cellar
The approach across all of the domaine’s cuvées parcellaires is traditional and consistent. Fruit is hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with indigenous yeast at around 25 to 27C, with maceration by infusion and very little active cap management. Total maceration runs approximately 24 days. The wine is moved by gravity from sorting table to tank and from tank to press, avoiding pumps wherever possible throughout the vinification. Aging takes place for about seven months in older demi-muids of 400 to 500L. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered, and the family favours a shorter barrel aging to preserve the fruit and soften the tannins, followed by extended bottle aging to allow the fruit, acidity, and tannins to harmonize and evolve in their own time.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine de la Chevalerie
Appellation: Bourgueil
Commune: Restigné
Lieux-Dits: Les Galichets
Soils: Clayey-sand topsoil w/ 25% stoniness, followed by clay-silt-sand mix with gravels (1 to 2m total), followed by the Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk bedrock
Alcohol: 12.5%