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2011 Vouvray “Le Portail”
ChampalouWine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2011 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Champalou |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Didier Champalou |
Vineyard: | 16 years, .35 ha |
Soil: | Clay |
Aging: | After fermentation, the wine sits on its lees for twelve months in barrel before bottling |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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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.
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
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2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
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2022 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
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2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236