Notify me
2016 Vouvray
ChampalouIt is uncommon, across the world of wine, for a producer to cultivate a single grape variety alone. Of the nearly 200 growers whose wines we import, a tiny fraction do this. Thierry Allemand in Cornas (Syrah). The Raveneaus and Lavantureux in Chablis (Chardonnay). The Lapierres in Morgon (Gamay).
Then there are the Champalous, who live and work in Vouvray, just downriver from the Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci spent his final years. Of this small and impressive set of single-grape devotees, Catherine, Didier, and their daughter Céline draw the widest range of styles out of one material. From a dry sparkler to two of the most sublime late-harvest wines on this planet—and three styles in between—they have not only found, but mastered the diverse, exquisite possibilities of Chenin Blanc.
The best introduction to the Champalous’ Chenin magic is their refreshing, elegant, classic Vouvray AOC bottling, which is an equally good candidate for your porch apéritif, dinner table, and cellar. At table, it is stunningly versatile, having paired well recently with a beet and goat cheese salad, two different summery pastas, and an assortment of Chinese dishes. Aromas and flavors of pear, apple, flowers, honey, mouthwatering citrus, and minerals take turns coming in and out and back into focus as you drink this wine, giving it a mesmerizing complexity that is rare at this price. Best of all, it is a real joy to drink—a strong contender for your go-to summer white.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Champalou |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Didier Champalou |
Vineyard: | 35 years average, 13.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
France | Loire
This wine in the Breton book is a pure old-vine Grolleau from soils of clay and silex.
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
France | Loire
Thierry has perfected the art of coaxing this Cabernet Franc’s soulfulness and elusive finesse into bottle.
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
France | Loire
May Bianco ~ A fleshy, full-bodied Sancerre with great freshness and the ability to age in bottle for a few years after release.
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
France | Loire
Welcome to depth, complexity, understatement, finesse.
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.
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.
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 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.
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
France | Loire
Consistently one of the Loire’s finest Sauvignon Blancs
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.
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 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Château de Quincy”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Château de Quincy”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée du Silex”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171