Chateau de Minière - 'Bulles de Minière' - Cabernet Franc - Bourgueil, Loire Valley, FR - NV

Satellite's Hot Take

A classic at Satellite and a terrific alternative to Lambrusco!

Notes from the Winery/Importer

LOCALITY: FRANCE – Loire – Bourgueil APPELLATION: Vin de France GRAPE VARIETY: 100% Cabernet Franc WINEMAKER: Clément Maire-Leguistin VINEYARD: Planted in the 1970s and 1980s. South/ southwest facing. Admixture of Aeolian sand, silt and clay over Turonian limestone base. VITICULTURE: Organic certified Ecocert and HVE (High Environmental Value). Grassing between rows. Guyot simple pruning. Yield 35 hL/ha. WINEMAKING: Ancestral carbonic maceration in tank followed by destemming, pressing and start of fermentation. Then bottled under crown cap. AGING: Aged for 9-12 months on lees; riddled and disgorged. BOTTLING: Pet Nat; fermentation in bottles.

Notes on the Producer

Situated in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation, midway between Tours and Saumur, Château de Minière covers 29 hectares of vineyards dedicated to Cabernet Franc, the signature grape of the region. The vineyards, averaging over 50 years in age with some vines surpassing a century, are planted at a density of 4500-5000 vines per hectare. The Château de Minière has a rich history shaped by remarkable women dating back to the 15th century. Originally a fortified farm and then a manor, the estate eventually became a Château and has since been in the hands of inspiring female owners. In 2010, the Château entered a new chapter under the stewardship of Kathleen Van den Berghe and her husband, Sigurd Mareels, who acquired the estate. Eager to take up the torch, Kathleen proudly joins the exclusively female line of owners and continues this unique legacy. That same year, the Château began its transition to organic viticulture and has been certified by Ecocert ever since. The commitment to organic farming practices is evident in every aspect of vineyard management. The estate employs traditional tillage methods and avoids chemical fertilizers, instead opting for natural soil amendments to maintain soil health and foster biodiversity. Cover crops such as barley and oats are sown between vine rows to aerate the soil and encourage a thriving biotope. The diverse terroir of Château de Minière is a key element in the production of its exceptional wines. The older vines thrive on the tuffeau limestone hillsides, while younger vines are planted on the lighter sandy and gravelly soils formed by the Loire River. This variety in soil composition, ranging from gravelly sites along the river to a mixture of clay, limestone, and silica on the hillsides, imparts unique characteristics to the wines, resulting in a superb bouquet that reflects the estate’s terroir. At Château de Minière, viticultural techniques such as ploughing, grassing, leaf pulling, and green harvesting are meticulously applied to ensure the highest quality grapes. The vines are trained in the single cane Guyot system, and the harvest is conducted manually. The grapes are rigorously sorted before either a 100% destemmed mash fermentation for the reds or a gentle direct pressing with a pneumatic press for the Rosé takes place. The Rosé musts are then fermented in stainless steel tanks at low temperatures (14°-16°C) on ambient yeasts to preserve the delicate aromas and flavors of the Cabernet Franc, aged for 5-6 months in thermoregulated stainless steel tanks and bottled without fining, with only light filtration. The red wines are fermented on the skins for 3-4 weeks. During this time, the must is gently punched down. The wine is then aged either in stainless steel or in barrels with about 1/3 new oak. The estate’s dedication to environmental stewardship extends beyond the vineyards. Château de Minière promotes biodiversity through various initiatives, including maintaining a bird sanctuary and beehives. These efforts not only enhance the natural beauty of the estate but also contribute to the ecological balance essential for sustainable viticulture.