All about Bourgueil
In this landscape of gently sloping hillsides, grapevines and white houses built of tufa stone, AOC Bourgueil is delighted to introduce you to its wines! The Cabernet Franc grape reigns supreme. Depending on the terroirs on which it grows, different styles of Bourgueil wines coexist, from light gravel wines to the great ageing wines of the tuffeau terroirs.
Explore our appellation sheet
Origins
History
It appears that the origins of the Bourgueillois vineyard are linked to the founding of the Abbey of Bourgueil, in 990, which provides us with the first written records. In 1189, Abbot BAUDRY celebrated the charms of his monastery and its wine. Over the centuries, the vineyards spread beyond the abbey's walls to the hillsides and ancient terraces of the Loire.
Vines were first planted in the 4th century by Saint Martin of Tours. Benefiting from its location on the banks of the Loire, the vineyards of the Bourgueil region have long been exporters of fine wines, with a trade flow turned towards the sea, notably towards the Flemish countries from the 17th century.
Rabelais, Pierre de Ronsard, Balzac and the actor Jean Carmet, the child of the country, have sung the praises of Bourgueil wines.
| 990 | Foundation of Bourgueil Abbey | It appears that the origin of the Bourgueil vineyard is linked to the foundation of Bourgueil Abbey in 990, which provides us with the first written records |
| 1189 | Growth of vines | Abbot BAUDRY celebrates the charms of his monastery and its wine. Over the centuries, the vineyard extends beyond the walls of the abbey and onto the hillsides and ancient terraces of the Loire. |
| 1937 | Classification of AOC | The Bourgueil vineyard, classified AOC by decree on July 31, 1937. |
| 1993 | Creation of the first wine house | It's in the family home of Jean Carmet, a 15th-century building located in the heart of Bourgueil, that the winemakers set up their first Maison des Vins de Bourgueil 20 years ago. |
| 2018 | Creation of our second Maison des Vins | The winegrowers of Bourgueil welcome you at the foot of the Château de Langeais within our second Maison des Vins since June 2018. |
Presentation
The Bourgueil AOC is located west of Tours on the right bank of the Loire. The 1400-hectare vineyard extends over 7 communes ( Bourgueil, Benais, La chapelle sur Loire, Chouzé sur Loire, Ingrandes de touraine, Restigné and Saint Patrice)
Terroirs and wines
Two main terroirs make up the 1400 hectares of AOC Bourgueil.
First, the terroirs closest to the Loire are made up of sand and pebbles - known locally as "graves" or "gravel" terroirs. Next come the tuffeau or "tuff" terroirs, as we approach the slopes of the appellation. These terroirs are clay-limestone in nature. The terroir cross-section shows a first montile of sand and gravel, found in the communes of Chouzé and La Chapelle, followed by a vast area of clay soil suitable for cereal cultivation, near the Changeon or Lane streams.
The wines
On the terrace of sand and gravel that the Loire has deposited at the foot of Bourgueil, the "gravel wines", light and fruity, are supple and can be enjoyed from their youth.
On the clay-limestone hillside, an ancient bed, that the Loire has carved out of the "tuffeau", the wines are complex and tannic. They reach their full potential after a few years in the cellar and, in the best years, can age for over a century, like the grands crus! The rarer Bourgueil rosés account for 4% of production. They are dry, aromatic and fruity.
They most often present aromas of small red and white fruits, fresh and quite intense, sometimes enhanced by a note of citrus or pepper.