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Champalou’s Flagship Vouvray
Champalou’s Flagship Vouvray
by Anthony Lynch by Anthony Lynch
2020 Vouvray
2020 Vouvray
Didier, Céline, and Catherine Champalou
Champalou France | Loire | Vouvray
It’s hard to believe that nearly thirty-five years have passed since we first began importing Didier and Catherine Champalou’s wines. Few producers in the wine world boast such a consistent record, where each release is an honest and reliable ambassador to an appellation, a grape, and an entire region.
The Champalous are masters of Loire Chenin Blanc, producing Vouvray in all styles; this still, dry rendition, aged in stainless steel, represents their flagship cuvée. Gentle and refreshing on the palate, it boasts a delightful balance of stony minerality with luscious, almost honeyed fruit and flowery notes, making for a great apéritif or easy pairing with all sorts of dishes.
Didier and Catherine love to cook, and they will often produce an aged bottle or two to serve with a creation from the home kitchen. Best of all, their daughter Céline has joined the domaine, so we can hope for another thirty-five years—at least!—of delicious, terroir-driven Vouvray crafted with heart and soul.
Didier, Céline, and Catherine Champalou
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Champalou |
Vineyard: | 35 years average, 13.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
Vouvray Brut
France | Loire
From clay and limestone vineyards, they are able to obtain remarkable complexity in their Brut, while the texture shows both a creamy richness and an austere minerality.
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
France | Loire
This Chenin Blanc has a tart sweetness, or perhaps a sweet tartness—with neither overbearing—that epitomizes good balance and will have you greedily reaching for your glass.
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
Delicate, precise, and succulent at the same time, this beautiful blanc will pair well with fresh seafood and light summer salads and pastas.
2018 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
France | Loire
This is the Champalous’ late-harvest wine, gently sweet yet retaining the mouthwatering acidity that Chenin from the great sites of the Loire can provide.
2021 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
France | Loire
Vinified with a gentle, terroir-focused touch—few reds will slake your thirst with the ease and finesse of Cuvée Alouettes.
2022 Vouvray
France | Loire
Gentle and refreshing on the palate, it boasts a delightful balance of stony minerality with luscious, almost honeyed fruit and flowery notes.
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
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Delicious and honest naturally sparkling Chenin, bottled with no dosage and no sulfur.
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
France | Loire
The contrast of ripe, succulent Chenin Blanc fruit with a spike of flinty minerality is like licking honey off an arrowhead.
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
France | Loire
The most serious and age-worthy of Champalou’s dry wines, it has a depth and richness of flavor that allow it to shine alongside refined cuisine.
About The Producer
Champalou
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Le Portail”
Champalou France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Clisson “La Molette”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.