Bulle de Fort

About the Wine

This is a small production méthode ancestrale, or in Montlouis what's codified as a Pétillant Originel, i.e., no sugar or yeast additions. It comes from Chevalerie's Cab Franc vines on sandy clay soils, based on limestone. The first vintage was 2020. Ferments are spontaneous and élevage is roughly 50-50 in neutral 500L demi-muids and in 220L ceramic eggs before the wine is bottled en tirage. Subsequently, the first of two disgorgements is at 15 months. The name bulle de fort is a play on words: in the central Loire, boule de fort is a tradition of pétanque (aka, boules). ABV 13%, SO2 18 mg/L total. Production averages 1,200 bottles.