The characteristics of Bourgueil AOC wines? Light and fruity or tannic and full-bodied : Bourgueil wines come in a variety of styles !

The Bourgueil AOC appellation mainly produces red wines (and a very small amount of rosé wines). Two styles of wine coexist in the Bourgueil appellation : on one side the fruity and lighter red wines produced on the gravel along the banks of the Loire, and on the other, what is referred to as “tufa wines”, more tannic, complex and full-bodied. The latter are usually produced from the vines located on the hillsides of Bourgueil. The Bourgueil AOC appellation (by the way, AOC and AOP are synonyms) was created in 1937, and today brings together more than 120 wineries spread over a vineyard of 1,400 hectares.

The origin of the Bourgueil vineyard is linked to the foundation of the abbey of Bourgueil, in the year 990. Over the next millenium, the vines naturally spread outside the walls of the abbey … Today the wines of Bourgueil have acquired a great reputation, maybe not as much as Chinon or Sancerre, but the ever raising quality of the production have helped the appellation gain traction in the past decade.

Bourgueil : The appellation

Located in the department of Indre-et-Loire, the Bourgueil AOC appellation extends on the northern banks of the Loire, about 45 km from Tours and 25 km from Saumur. The Bourgueil AOC zone covers six towns on the right (north) bank of the Loire. These are: Benais, Chouzé-sur-Loire, La Chapelle-sur-Loire, Restigné, St-Patrice and Bourgueil (of course!). These villages host around 120 Bourgueil wine producers whose vineyards cover just over 1,400 hectares. The Bourgueil wine region generally includes the neighboring appellation of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil (the two villages are only 2 or 3 kilometers apart). Nearby, you can also find the Chinon wine region (about fifteen kilometers to the south-east) and Saumur wine region (about twenty kilometers to the west).

Villages of the Bourgueil appellation

Benais, Bourgueil, Chouzé-sur-Loire, La Chapelle-sur-Loire, Restigné, St-Patrice

Bourgueil : The wines

Red wines

Rosé wines

Produced mainly from Cabernet Franc, the red wines of Bourgueil are particularly aromatic. They usually reveal aromas of red fruits (cherry, strawberry, blackcurrant, or even raspberry). To these first notes can be added those of liquorice or green pepper. As they age, AOC Bourgueil wines develop notes of cooked fruit or spicy flavours. The oldest Bourgueil wines can express animal scents such as leather and oaky notes. As a reminder, there are two main styles of wine in the AOC Bourgueil: gravel wines, supple, light and fruity, and tufa wines, more tannic, more complex and full-bodied. A light and fruity Bourgueil wine is the perfect match to a roast chicken (simple … and yummy!). For more complex Bourgueil wines, their tannins will work wonders on the juicy flesh of a duck breast!

Grape varieties used for Bourgueil wines

The main grape variety of Bourgueil wines is Cabernet Franc (aka Breton). Cabernet Sauvignon can be used as an accessory grape variety, but within the limit of 10% of the assembly.

Bourgueil : The wineries

The Bourgueil AOC brings together around 120 winegrowers and wineries. After a wine tasting experience in Bourgueil, you can head to the town of Chinon, which remains a must-see tourist (and wine) destination. Fontevraud Abbey is also a stone’s throw away, in the direction of the Saumur Champigny vineyard. In short, you are in the heart of the Loire Valley vineyards!