Nuits d’Ivresse is imported by Louis/Dressner. They import wines that are made by winemakers that combine great terroir with a minimalist winemaking approach.

The wine is produced by the Domaine Catherine & Pierre Breton. Catherine & Pierre Breton practice organic viticulture and vinify most of the wines in stainless-steel vats so that the wines can express their terroir and vintage.

The cuvée Nuits d’Ivresse is a Bourgueil, an appellation located in the Loire Valley. It is made from old Cabernet Franc vines growing on clay and limestone soils. It is from a selection of fruit that is vinified completely without the use of any sulfur, according to the vinification principals outlined by the late Jules Chauvet. There is a tiny amount added before the bottling to keep the wine stable in shipping, but it is so minimal as to be undetectable in testing. The wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered.

The wine is a deep garnet color. The nose is extremely interesting — a quintessential puppy dog breath nose (as our friend Alice Feiring would call it), I get some stewed vegetables, compost (ma newer as George C would kindly say) and some violet. I like the nose as it usually tends to signal a style that I enjoy (though not a fan of this type of nose in and of itself if that makes sense). I also usually like to decant these types of wines as some of the aromatics tend to fade a bit.

Bark currant, earth, pomegranate, rhubarb, loads of green vegetables — and some cab franc herbaceousness. Lush but also very dry, nice balance, great purity with good structure and solid finish.

Their wines are highly regarded in France and are just starting to get more attention in the U.S. — and it is worth seeking out their wines to understand why.

Priced at about $22-23. Recommended.

Other wines from Catherine & Pierre Breton:
Catherine & Pierre Breton Chinon Beaumont 2004
Catherine & Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Perrières 2005