Bonnigal-Bodet - 'Brut d'Enfer' - Chenin Blanc, Chard/Meunier/Pinot - Touraine, Loire Valley, FR - NV

On a hillside on the north bank of the Loire, the Bonnigal Bodet estate cultivates chenin and chardonnay. This cuvée brings together the two grape varieties, from vines located in the plots "Les Culs de Bœuf" oriented to the west, "Les Beauvoirs" oriented to the east and the "Ouchonnerie" oriented to the south. The berries are harvested by hand in small crates. Then, the grapes sorted in the cellar and pressed ferment spontaneously thanks to the native yeasts, in stainless steel tanks. Aging continues for ten months in vats and barrels, then the second fermentation takes place in bottles, which age nineteen months in the cellar.

Not dosed, this sparkling reveals a golden dress, crossed by fine and elegant bubbles. Its intensely fruity bouquet mixes notes of peach and apricot and other more exotic ones while announcing a fresh and balanced mouth. A beautiful bitterness in the final closes the tasting. To be enjoyed as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a red fruit pie in the next five years.

-An excellently bad translation!

Long-time best friends, Jean-Baptiste Bonnigal and Stéphane Bodet, met as students in Montagne-Saint-Emilion. Having obtained their vocational baccalaureat and vocational diplomas, they parted ways to carve out careers. Stéphane stayed in the Bordeaux region and cut his teeth on Merlots and Cabernets Sauvignons in Saint-Emilion. Jean-Baptiste packed his bags and set off for the wide open spaces of New Zealand and Australia, before coming home to hone his skills with François Chidaine in Montlouis-sur-Loire. When he returned, Jean-Baptiste invited Stéphane to take on the family domaine in Limeray, near Amboise, with him. They share the same professional aspirations and have a similar vision of nature. They have adopted organic and biodynamic practices. They work the land, hoe every fortnight to aerate the soil, encourage and support microbial life with a variety of plants, treat the vines only as required, thin leaves manually to allow the grapes to achieve peak maturity, and ensure carefully controlled harvests. Their wines are created to be as precise and pure as possible.