Catherine & Pierre Breton "Un chien dans un jeu de quilles" VdF Rouge, Loire Valley, France 2025

FROM KERMIT LYNCH:

THE WINE: 100% Pineau d'Aunis. Whole cluster fermentation for 15 days, with light punchdowns every two days during the second week. Aged in oak until March.

The translation of the wine's name is "a bull in a china shop." A "jeu de quilles" is a game of bowling, but in this context "quilles" takes on both its standard meaning "bowling pin," and its French slang definition, "a bottle of wine." The wine is endearingly named after Paul Breton who vinifies the cuvée.

THE PRODUCER: Catherine and Pierre Breton are real life bon vivants vignerons of lore. They are passionate about what they do, enjoy sharing it with others, and entertain with a generosity and charm. That they make great wine with such integrity makes our appreciation of them complete. The Bretons farm 11 hectares just east of Bourgueil in the village of Restigné. They produce Chinon, Bourgueil, and a bit of Vouvray, creating honest wines for both early consumption and aging. The Bretons received organic certification in 1991 and recently began the three-year process of seeking biodynamic certification. They’ve become international icons for the natural wine movement in an area where the climate and soil can make organic viticulture difficult.