COLOUR
Red
TYPE
Still
VINTAGE
2015
GRAPE
Côt, Gamay Chaudenay, Gascon
PRODUCER
Julien Courtois et Heidi Kuka
REGION
Loire Valley
CHARACTERISTICS
Body
Sweetness
Dry
Acidity
Finish
Intensity
AROMAS & FLAVOURS
ABOUT THIS WINE
The Ancestral 15 from Julien Courtois and Heidi Kuka is a Vin de France red wine from the Sologne region of the Loire Valley. This cuvée is distinguished by its blend of 45% Côt, 45% Gamay Chaudenay, and 10% Gascon. Notably, the Gamay is 'Franc de Pied' (ungrafted) and was planted in 1978, while the Côt and Gascon vines were approximately 20 years old in 2015. The winemakers are committed to biodynamic farming and minimal intervention, aiming to create wines that are authentic expressions of their terroir and grape varietals. Julien Courtois comes from a family with a strong winemaking tradition, with his father Claude Courtois being a pioneer of natural winemaking in the Loire Valley.
ALCOHOL
AVG. PRICE
STYLE
Natural
SULPHITES
NO
When to drink
Now or Later
INTERESTING FACTS
Fact 01
Features ungrafted Gamay planted in 1978.
Fact 02
A blend of Côt, Gamay Chaudenay, and Gascon.
Fact 03
Classified as Vin de France, highlighting its non-conformist nature.
Fact 04
Produced with biodynamic and chemical-free viticulture.
FOOD PAIRING
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WINE MAKING PROCESS
The Ancestral 15 is produced using a minimal intervention approach. The grapes are hand-harvested and undergo spontaneous fermentation in old oak barrels without temperature control. Maceration lasts for one week, followed by an aging period of one and a half years in old oak barrels. The winemakers employ biodynamic farming and chemical-free viticulture, with manual work from start to finish. This process is designed to allow the character of the Côt, Gamay Chaudenay, and Gascon grapes, along with the Sologne terroir, to be fully expressed in the final Vin de France.
