Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil

3.8/5See the 1038 reviews

All about Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil wine

The cultivation of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil dates back to Roman times, but it was around the Abbey of Bourgueil, founded in 990, that the Bourgueil vineyards, including that of Saint-Nicolas, really developed. The Breton grape variety made its appearance here in 1152, thanks to the political union of Anjou and Aquitaine. The appellation area follows the contours of the commune of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil. The vineyard is located on the borders of Touraine and Anjou, in the western extension of Bourgueil, on the high terrace of the right bank of the Loire. Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil was granted AOC status by decree on July 31, 1937.

The Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil appellation covers 1,000 hectares, with an annual production of 56,000 hectolitres, including 2% rosé. Most of the area is situated on a broad terrace of ancient alluvium, with deep soils of sand and gravel. Above the terraces, a third of the vineyard lies on a slope of tuffeau (Turonian chalk) covered with sand. The vineyards of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil open out onto the Loire, which at this point, with the confluence of the Vienne, takes on exceptional dimensions and lets in ample maritime influences. The climate is therefore slightly more oceanic than in Bourgueil, with the same forest-covered hillside protecting the well-exposed slopes from northerly winds.

The grape varieties authorized for the production of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wine are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The latter is allowed in up to 10% of the blend, but is rarely used. Gravel wines mature quickly, while tuffeau wines are best aged for 5 to 10 years. Very fine crus are offered by Domaine Yannick Amiraultthe Domaine de la Cotelleraie or the Château de la Chevalerie. From theAOC BourgeuilSaint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil is the only wine produced in the commune, with a plantation of 1,000 hectares. It is theLoire Valley PDO to match the contours of the Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil commune. Located between Angers and Tours, this plantation offers a unique grape variety for wine, as the vineyards manage to flourish even with the delicate composition of the soil.

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wine, a Touraine product

The appellation Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil was born in 1937 and is one of the few communal names in France. Le Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil red wine remains the only grape variety in the Loire Valley to be king. The fruity taste that envelops each bottle gives it real aromatic finesse.

However, this wine should not be confused with its neighbor Bourgueil, which has its own appellation cultivated in many different grape varieties. The Prix du Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil is also different from simple Bourgeuil wine.

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wine, three different terroirs

The particularity of this wine lies in the number of terroirs that make it up. In fact, three terroirs shape the wines of a single appellation. Soils with different geological characteristics give this wine its true identity.

The first terroir covers 700 hectares and consists of sandy-gravelly soil. Wines from vines planted on this soil are especially supple on the palate, expressing aromas of red fruits.

The second terroir covers 300 hectares on the hillside. The nature of the soil is clay-limestone, as these are former tuffeau quarries. The remains of these quarries now serve as cellars for Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wines. The wines from this plantation are quite complex, with a full-bodied, garnet-purple color that is highly aromatic. On the palate, notes of blackcurrant, licorice, blackberry and spices are intense and powerful. The final terroir consists of 100 hectares of silty soils. Also known as "la Taille", this terroir produces a fruity wine with an intense color, fresh and supple.

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wine, at the heart of the Loire Valley vineyards

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil is a wine made in the Loire Valley. The Loire Valley stretches from west to east, from the mouth of the Loire at Nantes and Saint-Nazaire to the center of France at Nevers and Bourges.

The Loire Valley produces a wide variety of wines within a single vineyard. The Atlantic Ocean brings its mildness, the climate of northern France its freshness.

The Loire Valley is divided into four main wine-growing sub-regions, from west to east: Région Nantaise, Anjou-Saumur, Touraine and Centre Loire. Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wines belong to Touraine. They are made in Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil, a commune in the Indre-et-Loire department, a few kilometers north of the Loire.

The subsoil plays a key role in the profile of Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wines. It consists of sand and gravel, but also clay.

The surface area of the Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil appellation is around 1,000 hectares.

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wines

The Loire Valley vineyards market mainly white wines. Red and rosé wines are produced in equal proportions. Sparkling wines are also produced.

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wines are both red and rosé. Red wine dominates, accounting for over 98% of production. Two grape varieties are used to make Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil red wine. These are Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon, which accounts for less than 10% of the blend. A large proportion of Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil red wine production is single-varietal, made from Cabernet Franc. Cabernet Franc is emblematic of the wines of the Loire Valley and Touraine for the Chinon, Saumur and Bourgueil appellations, although it is also found in the Bordeaux and Languedoc regions. Rosé wines are made with Cabernet Franc.

The main wineries producing wine in the Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil appellation are Domaines des Vallettes, Pithon-Paillé, Yannick Amirault, Frédéric Mabileau, Pascal et Alain Lorieux,...

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil wine tasting

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil red wines are fruity, lively and light, making them easy to drink. They are best consumed at a temperature of between 12° and 14°C. To the eye, Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil red wine appears deep red, with violet highlights. Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties produce dry red wines with moderate alcohol content.

These grape varieties produce beverages with a high level of acidity. Cabernet Franc is less tannic than Cabernet Sauvignon. Both grape varieties give their wines a fruity, red-fruit profile, with blackberry, blackcurrant and raspberry on the nose. Grass and green bell pepper aromas follow.

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil red wines are medium-age wines. They can be drunk with a wide variety of dishes. They are easy to match. They go well with poultry, pork and cheese. Goat's cheese, a specialty of the Loire Valley, is best enjoyed with Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil.

The Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil rosé remains a confidential wine. Salmon-pink in color, it has a nose of exotic fruits such as mango and pineapple and a fairly round mouthfeel. It's best drunk chilled, at 9°C. Ideal in summer, it can be drunk all year round with spring vegetables, poultry, fish and goat's cheese.

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Discover our selection of the best Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wine producers.

Sylvain Bruneau Vigneron

Domaine de la Cotelleraie

Frédéric Mabileau

Domaine Yannick Amirault

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Our latest sales of Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil wines

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil L'Éclosion rouge 2022

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

2*Étoiles Hachette

91/100 Wine Enthusiast

90/100 James Suckling

velouté

black fruits

no added sulfur

old vines

"The charm of this natural wine, a pure reflection of its clay-limestone terroir, with great depth".

Produced from ideally-situated, 60-year-old vines, this "natural" wine benefits from an atypical vinification (3 weeks of punching down at a rate of 3 per day). It is then aged in ovoid vats for 12 months. It has a lovely nose of peony, smoky notes and black fruits. The palate is equally pleasant, rich and deep, with structure thanks to silky tannins. It would be ideal with medallions of venison loin in cranberry sauce. It will reveal itself even more after some time in the cellar!

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil L'Éclosion rouge 2022

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Hauts Frogers (Ex Cuvée Réserve) 2021

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

4/5 (1 review)

92/100 Gilbert & Gaillard

91/100 Vert de Vin

90/100 James Suckling

Médaille d'or Salon des vins de Loire Angers

balanced

ample

red berries

"A fine benchmark for the appellation, a sure bet for this cuvée de garde".

This cuvée develops complex aromas of ripe, even jammy red fruit. The balance is perfect and the acidity pleasantly pronounced. The tannins are smooth, providing fullness and great length on the palate.

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Hauts Frogers (Ex Cuvée Réserve) 2021

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Si Le Vin (Ex Tradition) 2023

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

4.3/5 (3 reviews)

fruity

crunchy

cold meats

"An immediate dose of pleasure, a sure bet for upcoming spring aperitifs!"

Cuvée Si Le Vin (Ex Tradition) comes from young Cabernet Franc vines planted on sandy terraces. The wine is juicy, with hints of crisp, tart red fruit. The attack is fresh and pleasant, enhanced by supple tannins.

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Si Le Vin (Ex Tradition) 2023

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Coutures 2021

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

4/5 (1 review)

1*Étoile Hachette

fruity

elegant

outstanding

biodynamics

"Straight in its boots and without artifice" Le Guide Hachette 2025 "

"This cuvée has benefited from the long macerations that give the wines their silky textures. That's exactly what the tasters felt, charmed by the elegance and suppleness of this energetic Saint-Nicolas, bursting with fruity flavors (cherry, black fruit), with supporting woodiness and melted tannins. "Straightforward and unpretentious", the jury summed up." (Le Guide Hachette des vins 2025)

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Coutures 2021

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2022

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

94/100 Bettane & Desseauve

92/100 RVF

racy

delicate

ripe fruit

game

"A great Loire wine of great finesse. Succumb to its mad charm!"

With its crisp, intense fruitiness, Les Malgagnes is powerful and silky. Ripe fruit aromas with balsamic accents emerge from this cuvée. The harmony between tannin and acidity, richness and freshness, is sure to win you over!

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2022

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2022

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.7/5 (3 reviews)

1*Étoile Hachette

92/100 James Suckling

91/100 RVF

cabernet franc

fruity

mineral

purity

graphite

poultry

"An elegant Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil!

"Unpressed grapes and 9 months' ageing in truncated wooden vats for this solar Cabernet Franc, with its heady scents of very ripe red fruit and caramel. Full-bodied, rich, long and flavorful, infused with bigarreau jam, the palate reflects a beautiful, gourmet expression of the vintage". (Le Guide Hachette des Vins 2024)

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2022

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouillères 2022

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

4.2/5 (8 reviews)

93/100 Le Figaro

16/20 Jancis Robinson

(Vintage 2021 notes)

fruity

gurgling

biodynamics

Gem

"The archetypal St Nicolas de Bourgueil!

On a special sandy-gravel terroir, this cuvée is where it all began for Frédéric and Nathalie. This fresh, crisp pleasure wine carries us away in a pretty basket of red fruits. Les Rouillères is the estate's emblematic cuvée, simple and pure. A must-have in your cellar!

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Rouillères 2022

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Eclipse 2017

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

91/100 Vinous

cabernet franc

to be penned

dense

coated tannins

game

"Remarkable accuracy!

Eclipse is the densest and noblest of the estate's cuvées, made from the finest hillside plots. It delivers notes of ripe fruit, with a hint of licorice, and a dense, powerful palate, full of freshness and balance, with a disconcerting length. A choice cuvée for the finest vintages only!

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Eclipse 2017

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Tradition rouge 2021

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.7/5 (9 reviews)

cabernet franc

fruity

crunchy

aperitif

cold meats

immediate pleasure

Cuvée Tradition comes from young Cabernet Franc vines planted on sandy terraces. The wine is juicy, with hints of crisp, tart red fruit. The attack is fresh and pleasant, enhanced by supple tannins, and the pleasure is immediate. A sure bet for spring aperitifs!

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Tradition rouge 2021

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil L'Éclosion rouge 2021

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

1*Étoile Hachette

(2020 vintage notes)

cabernet franc

cheeses

white meat

no added sulfur

old vines

Produced from ideally-situated 60-year-old vines, this "natural" wine benefits from an atypical vinification process (3 weeks of punching down at a rate of 3 per day). It is then matured in ovoid vats for 12 months. It has a lovely nose of peony, smoky notes and black fruits. The palate is equally pleasant, rich and deep, with structure thanks to silky tannins. It would be ideal with medallions of venison loin in cranberry sauce. It will reveal itself even more after some time in the cellar!

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil L'Éclosion rouge 2021

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil Fred 2021

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

2.5/5 (2 reviews)

cabernet franc

cold meats

cheeses

buddy wine

"Cuvée hommage

Cuvée Fred, a tribute to Frédéric Mabileau, is a fine expression of carbonic maceration, using whole, intact grapes. Beautiful whole grapes, gently vinified and never crushed. A lovely thirst-quenching wine, in memory of this outstanding winemaker!

Frédéric Mabileau - Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil Fred 2021

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Cuvée Réserve 2019

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.8/5 (25 reviews)

2*Étoiles Hachette

Médaille d'Or Gilbert & Gaillard

cabernet franc

fruity

silky

quality-price

"A fine benchmark for the appellation

"After 12 months in barrel, this cuvée delivers a lovely bouquet of vanilla and fruit. A harmonious marriage of wood and Cabernet, extended by a full, round mouth, structured by smooth, silky tannins. A very well-balanced wine from start to finish". (Le Guide Hachette des Vins 2022)

Sylvain Bruneau - Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil Cuvée Réserve 2019

Domaine Yannick Amirault - La Source 2020

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.1/5 (8 reviews)

15/20 Bettane & Desseauve

(2019 vintage notes)

round-tipped

friand

accessible

"Fruit in its purest expression

This cuvée, made from the estate's youngest vines, once again highlights the fine work of its creator, Yannick Amirault. The fruit is there, accompanied by superb substance and pleasant roundness. The ripeness of the grapes has a lot to do with it, as does the care taken in vinification. Delicious and supple!

Domaine Yannick Amirault - La Source 2020

Domaine de la Cotelleraie - Pigeur Fou 2016

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.6/5 (20 reviews)

15/20 RVF

Planted on a thick layer of gravel, Cabernet Franc reveals its very fruity character here, with aromas of raspberry. Light on the palate, it's very elegant, with a silky, velvety feel. It's organic, natural and good!

Domaine de la Cotelleraie - Pigeur Fou 2016

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Les Malgagnes Amphore 2015

Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil|Red wine|Organic

3.7/5 (6 reviews)

Les Malgagnes Amphore is a selection from the cuvée of the same name, classically barrel-aged, which spends 12 months in clay eggs. Less tannic, it retains the original fruitiness of Cabernet and avoids the aromatic artifices of wood. A wine of great finesse!

Domaine Yannick Amirault - Les Malgagnes Amphore 2015

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