Gauthier Pere et Fils Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Jour de Soif, Loire, France

Raspberry, red currant, fresh flowers, and violet lead into a light, juicy palate shaped by bright acidity, supple texture, and a gently saline finish. 2024 Gauthier Pere et Fils Domaine du Bel Air Bourgueil Jour de Soif is a 100% Cabernet Franc conceived around immediacy and freshness, drawing on younger vines planted across gravel terraces and mid-slope clay in Benais. Hand-harvested fruit, indigenous-yeast fermentation, gentle extraction, and fine-lees aging preserve the directness of the fruit, reflecting Pierre and Rodolphe Gauthier's disciplined approach to organically farmed Bourgueil.

Product Details:

• Winemakers: Pierre and Rodolphe Gauthier
• Grapes: 100% Cabernet Franc
• Farming: Certified organic by Ecocert since 2000
• Vineyard Source: 60% gravel terrace and 40% mid-slope clay, south-facing
• Vine Age: Approximately 20 years
• Planting Density: 5,000 vines per hectare
• Harvest Method: Hand-harvested, fully destemmed, and sorted on a sorting table before vatting
• Fermentation: Indigenous yeasts following a cold pre-fermentation maceration
• Maceration: Approximately 8 days of gentle vatting with pump-overs, maintained below 25°C
• Aging: Approximately 6 months in tank on fine lees
• Bottling: Bottled the spring following harvest
• ABV: 12.5%

Sensory Description:

Bright red berry fruit defines the aromatic profile, with raspberry and red currant joined by violet and fresh floral notes. The palate is light-bodied, supple, and immediately juicy, emphasizing fresh Cabernet Franc fruit rather than weight or extraction. Lively acidity gives the wine its thirst-quenching energy, while restrained tannins and a subtle saline edge keep the finish crisp and inviting. The 2024 is built around freshness, purity of fruit, and easy movement across the palate, while retaining the savory lift characteristic of Cabernet Franc.

Winemaker's Background:

The Gauthier family's history in Benais reaches back to the late nineteenth century, when Pierre Gauthier's great-grandfather moved from pottery work into farming and began acquiring vineyard parcels after phylloxera. The estate subsequently evolved away from mixed farming toward viticulture, and today Domaine du Bel Air is led by Pierre and his son Rodolphe Gauthier. They farm approximately 18 hectares in Benais and Restigné, with much of the domaine rooted in the limestone- and clay-influenced terroirs for which this sector of Bourgueil is known. Certified organic by Ecocert since 2000, the estate combines careful soil work and detailed vineyard management with cellar practices tailored to each site and cuvée. Jour de Soif represents the domaine's most immediate expression of Cabernet Franc, emphasizing fruit, freshness, and early accessibility.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve lightly chilled at approximately 14 to 16°C in a medium-sized red wine or Bordeaux glass. A brief 10 to 15 minutes in a carafe can help the young Cabernet Franc open aromatically, though the wine is designed for uncomplicated early drinking. Its juicy fruit, fresh acidity, and light structure make it particularly well suited to charcuterie, country pâté, terrines, veal with spring vegetables, roast poultry, grilled pork, mushroom dishes, and relaxed summer meals.