C&P Breton Cab Francs - elegance over funk

Last weekend opened a 1989 Catherine & Pierre Breton Les Perrières and 2010 Franc de Pied with friends. Both showed an elegance that I’ve rarely encountered in Loire CF, especially considering the price (ie, excluding Rougeard). The funk was there, but very subtle. Layers and layers of elegance followed by a long finish. I could have drank many more bottles of each that night.

The FdP was the group’s preferred wine, but amazingly the 1989 LP did not taste that much older and was still extremely fresh. More so than the many 1989 Olga Raffault Les Piscasses I’ve tried.

Another reminder of how great, not to mention ridiculously affordable, Loire CF can be. Time to pause my buying embargo and track down more C&P Bretons.

Hear hear.

i think these back vintage releases from breton are reconditioned. they always seem pretty young. the 93 is great.

Would presumably explain the freshness. Where other reconditioned bottles I’ve read about Included complaints of muted wines, I would definitely not label the ‘89 Breton as such.

Are the Raffault library wines reconditioned? The five ‘89 Raffaults I’ve tried have seemed like 30 yo wines.

C&P Breton is what sparked my love affair with Chinon.

I don’t think so. Every wine I’ve had has seemed appropriate for their age, and that includes '79, '86, and '89. Though an '85 I popped last weekend came off more like a Bourdeaux in terms of its power and intensity. Surprisingly tannic and more ‘alive’ than the '86s and '89s.

My take as well, same with a couple of 1990s that I’ve had over the last year.

Nice note, Tallman!!

Just had a 96 a few weeks ago and loved it. Very nice wine. Aromatics were really complex.

Had a 97 a few months ago. Last bottle of a restaurant in Paris. Not reconditioned and in great shape. Beautifully complex.

Nice note Scott. Been a fan for years. Currently drinking through a case of 2014 Nuits D’Ivresse. Some bottles have had a touch of funk…outweighed by elegance. Been letting the 2010 Pieds and Les Perrieres continue their slumber.

RT

Anyone have experience with the 83 C&P Beaumont? I just picked up a Mag for a very reasonable price.

Probably the Breton family. Based on his website, Pierre made his first wine at the local Coop in 1985.

RT

'89 was a great year for Loire reds… i loved the C&P Perrieres and Raffault Picasses. Another great '89 is the Joel Taluau St-Nic-de-Bourgeuil, which K&L had been selling for for the ridiculous price of $35 a few years back.

I was lucky enough to be one of the friends that night. The 2010 FdP was rockstar good, on par with 2010 and 2007 Rougeard bottles I had last year(a good year for sure).

I can certainly see continuing to hold the 2010 FdP, but after tasting it last week…I would have to move it to offsite storage for that to happen. I thought the 89 was lovely and fresh as well.

I either need to find a few bottles of my own or continue to hope that scott is willing to come to McMinnville to share these.

I drank most of all the '14 Breton FDP in Bore’lando…
electric! Appreciate the note Scott

I’ll bring more when I come down this month!

Agree, the ‘93 Perrieres is great.

Cheers,
Doug

2009 and 2012 of the FDP are quite nice as well. Pretty much worth grabbing in most vintages, esepcially since FDPs are dying.

And yes, the 93 Perrieres is excellent. Marc you has this with me and Charlie.

A Bloomberg article yesterday gave a nice summary review of cabernet franc as a grape that is gaining in popularity… Bloomberg - Are you a robot? .