Wine Review: Domanine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine (France)
My review of Domanine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine, from Loire, France.
When one thinks of a classic French table wine, Domaine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine is right out of the central casting vineyards. Introduced to me by a French wine sophisticate, this palate pleaser is the quintessential payoff from the rolling hills of Loire.
Not for every taste, the Domaine Guion Bourgueil Cuvee Domaine is a bone dry red. If you’re seeking sweetness and fruit, run in the opposite direction. However, if you savor backend sensations and that classic Cabernet Franc typicity, this might become a daily “go-to.”
This wine holds one distinction that might interest wine drinkers who haven’t sampled the product. It’s entirely organic. In general, I don’t find organic wines quite up to par with those employing standard ingredients and production, so I was eager to sample this terroir of temptation. She didn’t disappoint.
From the family estate and website: “There are few properties in France that can boast such a great pioneering legacy in organic farming as Domaine Guion. In the 1950s, the Guion family established their farm in the heart of the Bourgueil appellation, a stone’s throw from the banks of the Loire River. Since it was a polycultural estate, the family was able to live almost entirely off the land. By 1965, they began farming organically, with a holistic understanding of its effects far ahead of their time.”
I would categorize this as a niche wine for non-daily drinkers, and a possible staple product if you are like me and adore the unique characteristics of Loire wines. It usually runs in the $20-$25 price range but I’ve seen discounts as low as $16 a bottle.
Grade (100 point scale): 91
Value: (10 point scale): 6
Price: $20
Recommended: Yes (but only for those who enjoy very dry reds, with some tannins)