Domaine de la Butte : Le Pied de la Butte 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of Le Pied de la Butte 2023 Domaine de la Butte

Tasting notes

Colour
The colour reveals a vivid ruby hue with a beautiful visual intensity typical of sunny vintages for this red wine.

Nose
The nose gradually opens with a vibrant freshness, releasing aromas of red and black fruits such as cherry and cranberry. This fruity bouquet is enriched with subtle vegetal notes and a delicate mineral, smoky thread.

Palate
On the palate, this wine proves particularly easy-drinking and pleasure-focused. The structure is direct and taut, carried by a lovely natural acidity. The tannins, supple and perfectly integrated, accompany a lingering finish where fruity and mineral flavours unfold.

Food and wine pairing

This wine pairs wonderfully with slow-cooked dishes such as venison stew, beef bourguignon or lamb. It also enhances roasted pork chops, charcuterie and matured cheese platters, tapas, grilled vegetables or oily fish such as salmon.

Service and storage

For an optimal tasting experience, it is recommended to serve Le Pied de la Butte 2023 at a temperature between 16 and 17°C, ideally after decanting to allow its aromas to fully develop. This wine can be enjoyed in its youth but will continue to evolve favourably, drinking well until around 2029.

Other characteristics

This wine has an alcohol content of 13%. Bottled without fining or filtration, it displays natural clarity but may develop a slight sediment over time.

The elegance and freshness of a great Bourgueil wine from Domaine de la Butte

The estate

Founded in 2002 by the late Jacky Blot, Domaine de la Butte spans fourteen hectares in a single block in the Loire Valley, France. A pioneer of demanding viticulture, the estate quickly established itself thanks to its parcel-by-parcel approach and its organic certification. Since his father's passing in May 2023, Jean-Philippe Blot, with over twenty years of experience by his side, now leads the estate. He carries on this minimal-intervention philosophy with great skill, elevating the estate's wines among the industry's key references.

The vineyard

Located on one of the finest slopes of the Bourgueil appellation, the vineyard benefits from an ideal south-facing exposure and natural protection from cold winds. The grapes for this cuvée come from the lower part of the hillside, where vines averaging thirty to thirty-five years old thrive. They are rooted in soils composed of clay and flint, resting on a base of sedimentary limestone, the famous tuffeau. The estate favours rigorous manual work, with no pesticides or synthetic fertilisers.

The vintage

2023 began with a cold, wet winter, followed by a dry spring that caused early water stress. Budbreak occurred in mid-April, ahead of a warm and humid period that fostered significant disease pressure. Fortunately, a drier end to spring allowed for excellent flowering. Summer, initially mixed, ended with a sudden and welcome heatwave late in the season. These conditions allowed for optimal phenolic ripeness just before the manual harvest, which began in early September.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes, hand-harvested in small crates, undergo careful sorting on a table before being placed in vats. Fermentation of Le Pied de la Butte 2023 starts naturally through indigenous yeasts, in both concrete and wooden vats. A defining feature of the estate's philosophy, malolactic fermentation is deliberately blocked to preserve maximum tension and freshness. The wine is then aged for about six months in concrete vats, before bottling without any mechanical clarification.

Grape variety

100% Cabernet Franc.