# Brindezingue Cabernet Franc (2024)

- **Producer:** Pierre Borel
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Cabernet Franc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Average price:** €16
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 12–14 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** bell pepper, cherry, blackcurrant, plum, smoke

## About this wine

Pierre Borel is an artisan natural wine grower based in Bourgueil within France's Loire Valley. After obtaining his winemaking credentials and gaining experience at celebrated natural wine domains such as Domaine des Griottes and Domaine du Mortier, Borel established his own estate. Working entirely on his own, he tends small vineyard parcels surrounded by protective woodlands that shield the vines from chemical drift. The name Brindezingue is a French colloquial term meaning a bit crazy or tipsy, reflecting the approachable, lighthearted bistro character of this wine.

## Interesting facts

- The cuvée name Brindezingue translates colloquially to a bit crazy or tipsy.
- Pierre Borel works his entire estate completely solo, managing every vineyard manually.
- The vineyard parcels are surrounded by natural woodlands to shield vines from chemical drift.

## Food pairing

This light-to-medium-bodied red with brisk acidity and supple tannins pairs effortlessly with classic French bistro fare. Its fresh red fruit and subtle herbaceous notes complement herbal roasted poultry, grilled pork, and mushroom dishes. Brisk Loire acidity cuts through cured meats and fresh goat cheese without overpowering delicate flavors.

## Wine making process

Grapes are harvested entirely by hand in multiple passes to ensure optimal phenolic ripeness. In the cellar, the fruit is completely destemmed and undergoes a brief maceration of roughly ten days to capture vibrant fruit flavors while keeping extraction minimal. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with natural indigenous yeasts in stainless steel and fiberglass tanks without added sulfur during vinification. The wine is aged mainly in temperature-controlled tanks to preserve fresh aromatics, before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with little to no added sulfites.