“La Dilettante” Rouge

“La Dilettante” Rouge is a young, fresh Bourgueil made from Cabernet Franc grapes. Red fruit aromas on the nose lead into a delicately floral and spicy finish. On the palate, juicy, fruity flavors mingle with silky smooth tannins and lively acidity. The winemakers use three weeks of carbonic maceration, then age the wine in oak while malolactic fermentation takes place. La Dilettante is a fresh, lively, fruit-driven Loire Valley red.

Catherine and Pierre Breton are based in the Loire Valley. They converted their vineyards to organic and biodynamic farming in 1990. They grow grapes across distinct Touraine sites: reds in Bourgueil, whites in Vouvray, and additional parcels in Chinon.

This husband-and-wife operation has built a reputation for pure Cabernet Francs from Bourgueil and Chinon using biodynamic viticulture and vinification. They hold Ecocert organic certification and Demeter biodynamic certification.

The Bretons’ philosophy comes from a love of the land. They give their vineyards ultra-intense organic care, which is no small task in this northerly climate. They avoid chemical fertilizers and weed killers, restrict yields to around 40–45 hl/ha, and harvest entirely by hand. All wines undergo spontaneous fermentation using indigenous yeasts. Their desire for “natural” winemaking shows in their limited use of sulphites, typically just 10 mg/l at bottling, though some cuvées are bottled without any added sulphites.