Domaine de la Butte 2018 Bourgueil le Haut de la Butte

750 ml, by Jacky Blot

"This has a smoldering profile, with bay leaf, tobacco and loam notes opening up to black olive, currant and cedar details that follow closely behind. Shows great harmony now, but the tannins could soften up a bit, which should be no problem with some time in the cellar. Delivers lots of character and energy. Best from 2022 through 2032. 400 cases imported." Wine Spectator 93 Points

After 15 years of creating masterful Chenins from Vouvray and Montlouis at his Taille aux Loups Domaine, Jacky Blot has turned his hand to the red wines of Bourgueil. After buying the 14-hectare estate in 2002, this Loire maestro has already made an enormous impact by adopting a Burgundian approach in the vineyard, each cuvée is fermented separately according to its position on the slope. The grapes are picked by hand and crushed by foot before fermentation and élévage in oak cask. These are sensational small production red wines and are some of the most sensual Cabernet Francs in the world.

Haut de la Butte
A 6 hectares vineyard plot selected for its geological composition situated at the highest point of the domaine at an altitude of between 90 and 110 metres. A mixture of compacted clay and flint from the Paleocene era covers a base of late-Turonian chalk. This is Jacky's most charming and immediately accessible cuvee, a wonderfully pure expression of Cabernet Franc. No new oak is employed to preserve the wines purity and freshness.

France, Loire, Montlouis
100% Cabernet Franc