2022 Lame Delisle Boucard “Vieilles Vignes” Bourgueil

“Vieilles Vignes” 2022 draws solely from 50- to 70-year Cabernet Franc rooted in Benais’ gravel-topped tuffeau slopes on the Loire’s north bank.
Low-yield clusters, hand-picked at perfect phenolic ripeness, travel minutes to the cellar, destemmed yet left as whole berries for a month-long native-yeast cuvaison.
Gentle pump-overs extract color and satin tannin without greenness; a slow press leads to 18 months in large, neutral oak foudres that add oxygen polish, not flavor.
The vintage’s warm days and cool nights yield inky fruit purity—think black cherry, cassis, and violet—balanced by Bourgueil’s hallmark graphite, smoked tea, and forest-floor depth.
Medium-plus body, brisk acidity, and fine, chalk-etched tannins promise pleasure now after a brief decant and graceful evolution over the next decade.

Nose: Ripe black cherry, wild blackberry, and crushed violets joined by pencil lead, cedar shaving, and fresh tobacco leaf.

Palate: Juicy dark fruit glides on sleek tannins, enlivened by cracked pepper, dried sage, and a mineral thread of wet stone.

Finish: Long, dry close leaves echoes of tart berry skin, smoky earth, and cool limestone freshness.

Superb with duck breast in cherry reduction, thyme-roasted pork loin, truffled mushroom pâté, or aged Crottin de Chavignol—the wine’s lively fruit, spice, and stony snap elevate every savory bite.