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2019 Vouvray “La Cuvée des Fondraux”
ChampalouThis wine is une merveille—a marvel. To drink, to recommend, to bring to a party, to open at dinner. When it accompanies salty, briny appetizers, its brightly mineral side shines, but even alongside the spiciest Indian specialties, its audacious fruit and slight sweetness are completely undaunted. It is the poster child of versatility in a glass. I have yet to find a dish it can’t make more interesting or a diehard bone-dry devotee it can’t convert to the wonders of off-dry Chenin Blanc. Put briefly, it is one of my go-to wines, and I have utter confidence it should become one of yours.
—Emily Spillmann
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Champalou |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Didier Champalou |
Vineyard: | 45 years average, 4 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Silex |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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 Sancerre
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Reverdy’s trademark is a generous flavor of blossoming flowers channeled over the palate, culminating in a finely etched mineral finish.
Vouvray Brut
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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.
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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This Saumur Champigny is electric and alive, from the first scent of roses on the nose to the juxtaposition of textured tannic grip and sheer weightlessness on the palate.
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
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The contrast of ripe, succulent Chenin Blanc fruit with a spike of flinty minerality is like licking honey off an arrowhead.
2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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The singularity and beauty of Chenin Blanc really shines with a bit of age, which is what makes this wine so special to enjoy now.
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines.
2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
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Juicy and open-knit, it mirrors the sensation of biting into fleshy slices of white peach, nectarine, and guava.
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.
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.
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 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
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2022 Chinon Rosé
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2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
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2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
Our Guarantee
Our Guarantee
We only import wine we drink and enjoy ourselves, directly from the source.
Our wine tastes the same in your home as it did where it was bottled in Europe.
Like the long-term relationships we build with growers, we build long-term relationships with our clients. Have a question? Need wine advice? Just give us a call—510-524-1524.