Domaine Nau, 2020 Bourgueil ‘Les Brunetières’
Cab Franc du Jour #162
For four generations, the Nau family farmed their polyculture domaine in the commune of Ingrandes-de-Touraine in Bourgueil, most recently led by brothers Patrice and Bertrand alongside their brother-in-law Abel. With retirement approaching and no one in the family interested in taking over, the estate was purchased by established vignerons Jean-Martin Dutour and Christophe Baudry, who brought it under the Domaines Baudry-Dutour umbrella as their first Cabernet Franc venture outside the Chinon appellation. The estate today comprises 18 hectares of Cabernet Franc vines, from which three cuvées are produced, including two cuvées parcellaires from the lieux-dits Les Brunetières and Les Blottières.
Ingrandes-de-Touraine
The commune of Ingrandes-de-Touraine occupies the easternmost part of the Bourgueil AOP, bordered to the west by Restigné and to the east by the tiny commune of Saint-Patrice. From an administrative standpoint, the two have since been amalgamated to form the commune of Coteaux-sur-Loire, a name that speaks directly to the character of the terroir here. With the exception of a small area in the southwestern part of the commune, the majority of Ingrandes-de-Touraine is defined by Turonian tuffeau chalky slopes.
The main vineyard area begins about 2km north of the Loire River and stretches roughly 2km inland. It is worth noting that the vineyards here are considerably closer to the Loire than in other parts of the appellation, owing to a slight shift in the river’s course. That easterly position, combined with the proximity of the Loire and the surrounding Forêt de Rochecotte, makes this one of the cooler parts of the Bourgueil AOP.
In terms of soils, alluvial terroirs are limited to a small area in the southwestern corner of the commune, around the lieu-dit Minière, representing the easternmost extension of the ancient alluvial terrace that continues westward through Restigné, Bourgueil, and into St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Here we find the deeper sandy-silts and sands with gravels typical of that terrace. The rest of the commune is dominated by slopes, divided into two sections that flank the village on either side.
To the west of the village, the sloping vineyards are a continuation of those that begin in Benais, with predominantly south-facing exposures and soils largely influenced by the Middle Turonian white tuffeau chalk, with a narrow band of Upper Turonian tuffeau toward the top of the slope. To the east of the village, a shift in topography produces slightly steeper, more west-facing slopes, with some south-facing sections as you move from west to east. Soils here include both Middle and Upper Turonian tuffeau chalk, along with higher plateau areas carrying Senonian clays and sands mixed with flint. Clay content in the topsoils tends to be higher on the slopes in Ingrandes-de-Touraine than in neighbouring communes.
Les Brunetières
The cuvée takes its name from the lieu-dit of the same name, a notable and well-regarded site of about 20 hectares on the slopes, where several vignerons hold parcels and produce single-vineyard wines. The lieu-dit sits in the northwestern part of Ingrandes-de-Touraine at the highest point on the slope in the commune, with a full south-facing exposure. Its name derives from the brownish colour of the clay that overlays the tuffeau chalk beneath, brun being the French word for brown.
Domaine Nau has about 2.5 hectares here, with vines planted between 1954 and 1999. This cuvée draws exclusively from the oldest vines, averaging between 50 and 70 years of age. The parcels carry a southern exposure with a shallow clayey topsoil over the Middle Turonian white tuffeau chalk below.
In the Cellar
The fruit is hand-harvested, hand-sorted, and fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in concrete with indigenous yeast at a moderate temperature, with some light pump-overs during both fermentation and post-fermentation maceration. Total skin contact is approximately three weeks. After maceration, the free-run and press wines are separated, and only the free-run wine is used in the finished cuvée, which is then aged in concrete for two years before bottling.
In the Glass
Pure, deep, and inviting on the nose, with a riper, slightly fleshy fruit profile reflective of the 2020 vintage. Red and dark fruits intermingle (strawberry, raspberry, cherry, blackcurrant) in the sweet-tart spectrum, while the pyrazines take a gentle backseat. This wine is more fruit-forward, but the herbal profile is nonetheless beautiful with notes of rosemary, thyme, bay leaf, and a striking evergreen character (fir, spruce, cedar) that evokes a cool, densely packed forest in early spring. Wet stone adds further depth.
The palate shifts slightly darker, with a black raspberry pâté de fruits quality emerging alongside those lush evergreen notes. Intriguing layers of clove, allspice, and a pastry-like nougat and milk chocolate emerge through the mid-palate. Very complex, driven entirely by fruit and terroir with no oak influence. Acidity is fresh, lively, and vivacious, creating a compelling sense of verticality and focus. The tannins are ripe, velvety, uniform, with a compactness and density characteristic of clay soils, yet with a fine-grained texture that gives elegance. The mid-palate is broad and round, the finish focused and taut. Structured, balanced, complete. Modern, lush and “solaire” in its fruit, yet cool, focused, and precise with a real sense of place.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Nau
Appellation: Bourgueil
Commune: Ingrandes-de-Touraine
Lieux-Dits: Les Brunetières
Soils: Shallow brownish clay over the Middle Turonian white tuffeau chalk
Alcohol: 14%