Domaine de la Butte Mi-Pente Bourgueil 2020

Domaine de la Butte Mi-Pente Bourgueil 2020 is the flagship red from Jacky Blot’s revered Loire estate, crafted entirely from old-vine Cabernet Franc on the domaine’s prized mid-slope parcels. The name “Mi-Pente” (meaning “mid-slope”) reflects its origins on the central band of the hillside, historically known to deliver the most complete and expressive wines. This cuvée captures the tension, finesse and limestone-driven precision that have made Domaine de la Butte one of the benchmarks for modern Bourgueil.

Tasting Notes
In the glass, the 2020 Mi-Pente shows a deep, vibrant ruby color with a youthful purple rim. The nose is intensely expressive yet refined, offering layers of wild blackberry, black cherry and ripe cassis, interwoven with floral notes of violets and peonies, plus hints of graphite, crushed stone, tobacco leaf and subtle cedar from élevage. On the palate, this is a taut, finely etched expression of Cabernet Franc: medium to full-bodied, with a core of dark, pure fruit framed by lively acidity and beautifully ripe, silky tannins. Flavors of blackcurrant, red plum and Morello cherry are lifted by savoury notes of pencil shavings, dried herbs and a cool, chalky mineral line that runs from start to finish. The structure is precise and linear, with impressive depth and length that promises a long evolution in bottle. While already approachable with a good decant, the 2020 has excellent aging potential and should evolve gracefully for 10–15 years, gaining further complexity and aromatic nuance.

Production
Mi-Pente is sourced from the mid-slope section of Domaine de la Butte’s steep Bourgueil vineyard, where 70+ year-old Cabernet Franc vines are rooted almost directly into bare limestone, interspersed with sedimentary rock and only the thinnest veneer of topsoil. This terroir delivers naturally low yields, excellent drainage and a marked temperature contrast between day and night, concentrating both fruit and freshness. Harvest is carried out by hand with meticulous selection in the vineyard to ensure only perfectly ripe, healthy bunches are brought to the cellar. The grapes are fully destemmed, then undergo spontaneous fermentation with native yeasts in a combination of wooden and concrete vats, allowing for a gentle extraction that preserves purity and finesse. After fermentation, the wine is aged in smaller barrels (a judicious mix of used oak to avoid overt woodiness), allowing it to gain texture and complexity while keeping the focus squarely on terroir and varietal character.

Food & Serving
This Bourgueil is a superb partner for elegant but flavourful dishes: think roast lamb with herbs, duck breast with red wine reduction, grilled veal chops, or classic bistro fare such as steak frites. It also pairs beautifully with game birds, charcuterie, and earthy dishes featuring mushrooms, lentils or root vegetables, as well as semi-soft and aged cheeses like Tomme de Savoie, Comté or aged goat’s cheese from the Loire. For optimal enjoyment, serve at 16–18°C. Decanting for 1–2 hours in its youth helps the wine open up and soften the tannins; as it matures, a shorter decant mainly to remove sediment will suffice.

Producer
Domaine de la Butte was founded by the late Jacky Blot, one of the Loire Valley’s most influential and quality-driven vignerons, renowned for his work at both Domaine de la Taille aux Loups and Domaine de la Butte. Situated on the slopes of Bourgueil, the estate is composed of carefully delineated parcels that Blot divided into distinct terroirs, each dedicated to its own cuvée, with Mi-Pente representing the estate’s most emblematic expression of Cabernet Franc. Under Blot’s vision—continued today by his family and team—the domaine has become a reference point for pure, terroir-driven reds, farming with great attention to the soil and minimal intervention in the cellar. Domaine de la Butte’s wines regularly feature in leading European cellars and critical reviews, helping to elevate Bourgueil’s reputation on the international fine wine stage.

We deliver within 2 - 6 business days. You can choose whether it should be to a parcel shop or home delivery. Free delivery to both parcel shops and your front door. Our store partners primarily use GLS, DPD, UPS and DHL for deliveries. We cover deliveries to the majority of countries in Europe.