Yannick Amirault, now assisted by his son Benoit, is one of the great leaders in the appellations of Bourgueil and St-Nicolas de Bourgueil.

Their Bourgueil Le Coudraye is a specialty product at the SAQ. It issues from sandy, gravelly soil, and is a delightful Cabernet Franc to drink over five years, especially in great vintages like 2009 and 2010. Their other specialty product at the SAQ, Bourgueil Le Grand Clos, comes from slopes with flinty clay soils located further down the Loire. Vinified in barriques, this wine has serious stuffing and is meant to be put in the cellar for a few years in order to smooth its tannins and reveal its full potential. We recommend carafing all of Yannick Amirault’s wines for at least a few hours before drinking.

For the most part, Loire wines are white wines, except in the triangular heartland formed by Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. In these three towns, Maître de Chai is allied with trio of legends: Yannick Amirault in Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Philippe Allliet in Chinon, and Jean-Pierre Chevalier in Saumur-Champigny. Despite hardly knowing each other personally, they all admire the others’ wines, which share a commonality of being inspired more by Bordeaux than the Loire. In other words, their wines emphasize structure and elevage. All three are in constant reflection and all three produce generous wines. Trust them.