Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis-sur-Loire Brut Triple Zero

After founding Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in 1989 and bringing its wines to international acclaim, Loire master Jacky Blot acquired Domaine de la Butte in the appellation of Bourgueil in the summer of 2002. He seized upon the opportunity to make equally great reds by acquiring an ideal bloc of Cabernet Franc vines averaging 30 years of age entirely on one, south-facing slope bordered by protective forests in Bourgueil. The entire slope has a bed of limestone rock and different top-soils and microclimates. The variations give rise to the three cuvees that Blot crafts at his Bourgueil domaine. He aims to produce dramatic, intensely flavored and original red wines.

Farming practices: All the rows are plowed and no chemicals are used in order to encourage the roots to penetrate deep into the subsoil. Yields are kept low by removing buds at the beginning of the growing season and green harvesting in August. Leaves are removed in order to increase exposure to the sun, ensure aeration of the vines, and facilitate hand harvesting. All grapes are hand selected and picked at optimal maturity and then placed in small boxes for transport to the winery, where they are further sorted on a table de tri. The fruit is destemmed and descended by gravity into wooden and concrete fermentation tanks. Blot ferments each cuvee for different periods of time, using only native yeasts.

Vegan: The wines are not fined or filtered, therefore can be consumed by vegan. They are clarified only by several rackings.