Maison Marc Bredif

Maison Brédif produces red and rosé wines and Chinon Blanc. No oak is used in the winemaking to respect the freshness of the grapes and the terroir. Marc Breif is part of the famous producer La Doucette.

In Touraine, the red wines are made entirely from Gamay. It can be made in a light, fruity style for immediate consumption or deep and rich for longer ageing. Gamay is typically blended with Cabernet Franc and Cot a local clone of the Malbec. It is a purple-colored grape variety with a light, fruity style and also used to make rosé wines in Anjou and Saumur. These wines are similar to those of Beaujolais wine but with raspberry notes and the signature fresh-peppery nose of the Cabernet Franc. Served chilled, a young Cabernet Franc is an ideal red for a summer barbecue. Older wines are delicious with roasted meats.

Terroir

The Chinon AOP area features a mixture of soils and tuffeau, which is great for both Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc (aka Breton), giving both varieties wonderful aging ability. Reds and rosés are light- to medium-bodied and although paler in color, they have deep, dark, spicy fruit character. The wines of the Chinon area are the softest and rich expression of the grape and often compared to Bordeaux, while the Bourgueil area produces more tannic and structured wines. Chinon are typically served slightly cooler than most red wine. 

Bourgueil AOP are instantly recognizable Cabernet Franc wines known for their aromas of graphite, strawberry, and raspberry. The Cabernet Franc is grown in a mix of sandy gravel (more fruit/floral) and limestone (more spice), making for medium-bodied reds and structured rosé wines. 

St. Nicholas de Bourgueil yields lighter colored Cabernet Franc reds and roses with lighter aromatics that are easy going and reveal lots of red fruit when young. They are sometime compared to wine from Bordeaux.

History

Above the vineyards in Chinon stands the ruins of Chateau of Chinon. The Plantangenet Henry II, King of England, died here.  His son, Richard the Lionheart owned it and his other son, King John lost it to the French.  It was here that Joan of Arc came to plead with Charles VII for an army.

The town of Saumur is called “la perle d’Anjou” (the pearl of Anjou) as it is built of the area’s soft tufa, a limestone, which becomes paler with age and lends itself to intricate carving. The Château there was built in the 12th century during the reign of the Plantagenets and was converted into a fortress in the 13th century. Saumur has a rich past as a one-time Protestant stronghold and international centre of learning. It is this chateau newly built that is portrayed in the famous “Tres Riches Heures du Duc de Berry” (now at the Chateau de Chantilly). Cabernet Franc grapes were praised by Rabelais, the great epicurean writer who was born near Chinon, and Cardinal Richelieu selected it for exclusive planting at St Nicolas de Bourgueil.

Chinon & Bourgueil Wine Adventures

The red wines of Chinon are the softest and rich expression of the Cabinet Franc grape and sometimes compared to Bordeaux, typically served slightly cooler than most red wine. Red Bourgueil produces more tannic and structured wines. Discover the renaissance Chateau de Villandry and remarkable reconstruction of the 16th century gardens divided in three terraces. The impressive medieval fortress of Langeais and Chateau Azay Le Rideau, an archetypal early Renaissance Chateau with a magnificent staircase are also worth a visit

Multi Region Journeys