Loire Love Letter: Nic Bradley, Europvin
In this week’s Loire Love Letter, Nic Bradley of Europvin tells us about a very unique producer in Vouvray who mixes novelty and fun into the winery experience.
Frédéric Bourillon, Larger than life
When one thinks of Vouvray, and the wines that come from this historic region, the images that usually come to mind are of regal châteaux and wines with fussy old labels. There are however some who don’t always fit the mold. Frédéric Bourillon is one whose personality and appearance will make you think otherwise. I have never met the man, but from what I hear and have seen from him, he is truly larger than life. Standing tall like a rugby player, with an artistic eye, Frédéric is a world class vigneron who creates some of the finest examples of Chenin Blanc in Vouvray. Everything on the surface looks like what you would expect to see in Vouvray, an old chateau with 15th century cellars. A property belonging to the family for 3 generations. But take a closer look and you find an ambitious man with a sense of humor and an artist’s touch. Only someone with this grand outlook on life could come up with the idea to place ’scratch & smell’ stickers on his bottles.
After all, who said you can’t have a little fun while being a well recognized figure in the Loire Valley? Frédéric does just that, uses ambition to create a strong image for this wonderful Domaine. In addition to the 8 different wines produced, there are also 4 special cuvées that are produced with extremely small quantities. These have custom paintings and sculptures created by his artist friends. One of his friends, Michel Audiard (a sculptor), is working on an installation called Femme Loire, a 20 meter tall sculpture of the female form that will look over the Loire Valley.
You know how some say that people look like their dogs. I find that to be true with personalities of wine makers, and the wines they produce. Frédéric is no exception. To live life with this much vivacity, enough to have lunch on such a scale that everything is larger than life. Literally! You can sense this energy in his wines with their plush elegance of masterful balance of rounded stone fruits and crunchy minerality. If you have not experienced the grandeur that is Domaine Bourillon Dorléans yet, please don’t wait. If that isn’t enough to convince you that drinking great Vouvray is a good thing, then perhaps this parting message from some who is truly larger than life will.
- Nic Bradley, Europvin
Editor’s Note: Wines from Domaine Bourillon Dorléans are available to order at the following stores:
The Wine Buyer
Saratoga Wine Exchange
Gordon’s Fine Wines & Liquors
If the above stores are unable to ship to your state, we suggest using wine-searcher.com to locate a store near you that carries the wine.