Domaine Les Pins (Pitault-Landry), 2017 Bourgueil "Les Rochettes"
Cab Franc du Jour #8
Domaine Les Pins is run by Philippe and Christophe Pitault, the fifth generation of their family at the estate. They have 28 hectares across two appellations, Bourgueil and the adjacent St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, with 4 hectares in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and the remainder in Bourgueil, spread across several parcels throughout the appellation.
What is important to understand about Bourgueil is that it really is a tale of two distinct terroir types. In the southern part of the appellation, closer to the Loire River, you have the lower-lying plateau of gravelly soils, and then as you move north you climb up a ridge and the vineyards transition onto slopes that tend to be more limestone-driven.
Today’s wine comes from a lieu-dit called Les Rochettes located on those lower-lying gravelly parcels. As a general rule, the flatter, lower-lying vineyards here tend to produce more easy-drinking, everyday styles, while the more structured and age-worthy wines come from the slopes above, not unlike the way Burgundy broadly works, which is an interesting parallel.
The vines in this particular lieu-dit range from around 10 to 35 years of age, and the vineyard is farmed sustainably.
Immediately on the nose there is a beautiful red fruit quality, like Bing cherry or red raspberry, a really pure expression as if you are biting into a fresh ripe cherry in season. There is a lovely herbal underpinning with cedar, a touch of tobacco, and a hint of violet, all nicely balanced with the fruit and giving the nose a pleasant aromatic lift. On the palate the fruit is confirmed with lively acidity and good structure. This is an easy-drinking everyday wine, but it is not without substance: the tannins are medium-bodied and velvety, and what I love most is the finish, where there is this punchy graphite and crushed rock quality that gives the wine a sense of seriousness and purpose. A beautiful expression of this part of Bourgueil.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Les Pins (Pitault-Landry)
Appellation: Bourgueil
Lieu-Dit: Les Rochettes
Soils: Recent alluvial sandy-silty soils
Alcohol: 13.5%