# La Dilettante Vouvray Sec Chenin Blanc (2024)

- **Producer:** Catherine & Pierre Breton
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chenin Blanc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 12.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, grapefruit, lime, blossom, honey

## About this wine

Catherine Breton grew up in a winemaking family in Vouvray but initially studied geography and accounting. In her youth, her school report card famously referred to her as a 'dilettante'—someone who dabbles for pleasure rather than purpose. Reclaiming the term with pride, she launched her personal 'La Dilettante' label in 2002 to craft pure, minimal-intervention Vouvray Chenin Blanc from her family's historic vineyard plots in Touraine, Loire Valley. The 40-year-old vines grow on clay-limestone and flint soils, farmed with rigorous organic and biodynamic care.

## Interesting facts

- Catherine Breton reclaimed the term 'dilettante' from a childhood report card that criticized her for dabbling for pleasure.
- Catherine and Pierre Breton are celebrated global pioneers of organic and biodynamic winemaking in the Loire Valley.
- The wine comes from 40-year-old vines grown on classic Touraine tuffeau clay-limestone and flint soils.

## Food pairing

The high electric acidity and bone-dry character of this Vouvray cut effortlessly through the richness of goat cheese, shellfish, and light poultry. Crisp citrus and mineral accents complement delicate seafood flavors while cleansing the palate between bites.

## Wine making process

The grapes are hand-harvested with strict sorting in the vineyard. Winemaking involves a gentle, slow pneumatic pressing of whole clusters followed by spontaneous fermentation in stainless steel tanks using native wild yeasts. Malolactic fermentation is blocked to preserve pristine focus. The wine matures on gross lees in stainless steel and neutral 600L oak demi-muids before being bottled in spring without fining or filtration, and with only minimal sulfur additions.