Notify me
2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
Daniel Chotard
Since taking over management of the family domaine several years ago, Simon Chotard has been constantly experimenting in the cellar. His quest for a more authentic expression of terroir has led him to isolate certain parcels on the basis of soil, testing different techniques in fermentation and aging in order to draw the best from his land each vintage. A single-vineyard, old-vine Pinot Noir from a small parcel planted by Simon’s great-uncle and grandfather is one such test case. Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Pinot Noir |
Appellation: | Sancerre |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Daniel Chotard |
Winemaker: | Simon Chotard |
Vineyard: | Vines planted in 1963 and 1965, .5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, limestone, Kimmeridgian marl |
Aging: | Aged for 18 months in 400-liter barrels |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Quincy “Château de Quincy”
France | Loire
Textured, lush, full of aromatic gooseberry and passionfruit—all supported by spiny minerality.

2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
France | Loire
Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse.

2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
France | Loire
Burgundian-like in character from its time spent in barrel, the laser-like acidity will become even more enticing with some age.

2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
France | Loire
Intensely dry and mineral, the structured Les Arceaux is a bottle to pair with a meal rather than to drink as an apéritif.

2022 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
France | Loire
This racy wine is a perfect match for all types of crustaceans as well all by itself on a sunny afternoon.

2024 Coteaux du Loir Blanc
France | Loire
Exotically perfumed with hints of guava, musk, and clove, it finishes dry and quite flinty.

2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
France | Loire
Pierre’s old-vine Quincy has a mouth-coating texture and charming notes of tangerine that are certain to earn this great appellation the following it deserves.

2024 Sancerre
France | Loire
Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.

2023 Sancerre Rouge
France | Loire
Chotard has crafted a delicious, complex, and elegant rouge that gives many village Burgundies a run for their money.

2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
France | Loire
Fresh and punchy Cabernet Franc from fun-loving Catherine and Pierre Breton. Light, juicy, and ready to go. Drink young, drink chilled, drink plenty.
About The Producer
Daniel Chotard
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 Kimmeridgian 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
2024 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2024 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2016 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2024 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2016 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet 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.