In the glass
Aroma: blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, violet, leather
Palate: cassis, fine-grained tannin, chalky mineral, long savoury length
The Foucault brothers' cult cuvee, born from a single tuffeau-limestone parcel at Chace. Dense, perfumed Cabernet Franc with cedar, graphite and a chalky, mineral length that defines what Saumur-Champigny can be.
What it pairs with
-
Tournedos Rossini with truffle
Foie gras, truffle and beef are framed by the wine's cedar and chalk register. -
Roast wild boar with juniper
Game and the wine's leather-and-graphite spine align directly. -
Mature Comte 36 months
Crystalline alpine cheese sharpens the wine's saline mineral length. -
Lievre a la royale
Hare in royal sauce and the wine's full body, leather and savoury depth are mutually flattering.
History
Le Bourg is the Foucault brothers' single-vineyard flagship from the home parcel at Chace. Bottled under heavy new oak from 1988 onward, the cuvee became a Loire cult reference under Nady and Charly Foucault and was acquired by the Bouygues family in 2017.
- 1988 — First vintage of Le Bourg as new-oak single-vineyard cuvee
- 2015 — Death of Charly Foucault, marking the end of the brothers' era
- 2017 — Estate sold to Martin and Olivier Bouygues
Facts
- Producer
- Clos Rougeard
- Grapes
- Cabernet Franc (100%)
- Classification
- Saumur-Champigny AOC
- Oak
- 24 to 30 months in oak barriques, around 80 percent new
- ABV
- 13.5%
- Price
- EUR 500 to 1200 at retail
- Drinking window
- 10 to 40 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1988
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Wine Advocate 95 (2015 vintage, reviewed 2019)
- Vinous 95 (2016 vintage, reviewed 2020)
Frequently asked about Le Bourg
What does Le Bourg taste like?
Blackcurrant, cedar, graphite, violet and leather on the nose; cassis, fine-grained tannin, chalky mineral and a long savoury length on the palate. Full-bodied with firm tannins and high acidity.
When should I drink Le Bourg?
Drink between 10 and 40 years from vintage. Decant 90 minutes to two hours for young vintages; mature bottles need careful handling for sediment.
What food pairs with Le Bourg?
Tournedos Rossini with truffle, roast wild boar with juniper, mature Comte 36 months, and lievre a la royale are all canonical matches.
Where is Le Bourg made?
From a single tuffeau-limestone parcel at Chace within the Saumur-Champigny AOC, the Foucault brothers' historic home plot.