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2021 Vouvray
Champalou


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.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
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: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

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.

Touraine “Fines Bulles”
France | Loire
August Club Gourmand ~ Made in the méthode traditionnelle with direct-press Cabernet Franc, it is a light, bright, and festive bubbly meant to be drunk cold and often.

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.

Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
France | Loire
Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.

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.

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.

2017 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
France | Loire
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 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
France | Loire
Produced from direct-press old-vine Grolleau and Cabernet Franc, this is serious rosé, made by a connoisseur, for the connoisseur!

2021 Sancerre Rouge
France | Loire
Chotard has crafted a delicious, complex, and elegant rouge that gives many village Burgundies a run for their money.
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”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Bourgeuil “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2018 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Bourgeuil “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2018 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Rosé
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
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