# Clos du Tue-Boeuf La Butte (2023)

- **Producer:** Clos du Tue-Boeuf
- **Colour:** red
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Gamay
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €20
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 14–16 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** raspberry, strawberry, cherry, black pepper, forest floor

## About this wine

Clos du Tue-Boeuf is an iconic natural wine estate situated in the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. Managed by the Puzelat family, whose local historical roots trace back to the 15th century, the estate has played a pivotal role in pioneering low-intervention viticulture in France. 'La Butte' refers to a single-parcel hillside vineyard planted on flinty clay over limestone near the commune of Les Montils. Although historically part of the Touraine geographical area, this specific single-plot cuvée is bottled under the Vin de France designation to preserve traditional, unadulterated winemaking methods outside local AOC strictures.

## Interesting facts

- The estate's historical location 'Tue-Bœuf' translates to 'ox-killer hill' in 15th-century historical records.
- The vineyard contains old Gamay Teinturier vines, a rare mutation with red-colored flesh and juice.
- To distinguish Vin de France cuvées from AOC wines, labels feature a drawing of an ox-drawn cart.

## Food pairing

This vibrant, light-to-medium-bodied natural Gamay pairs exceptionally well with foods containing moderate fat and subtle herbaceous complexity. High natural acidity cuts cleanly through rich charcuterie and tangy goat cheese, while the supple tannins complement lean meats and poultry without drying out the palate.

## Wine making process

Crafted from organically and biodynamically farmed old vines ranging from 40 to 85 years old, including a tiny proportion of historic Gamay Teinturier. Harvested manually in small baskets, the grapes undergo 100% whole-cluster spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in open-top conical oak vats. The process utilizes closed-top semi-carbonic maceration for 10 to 21 days before pressing. The wine is aged for 6 to 8 months in neutral Burgundy barrels and 600L oak demi-muids to avoid imparting oak flavors. Bottled unfined and unfiltered with zero or minimal added sulfites.