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Vouvray Brut
ChampalouThe Champalous make the finest sparkling wine in France outside of Champagne. Their secret? Pampered Chenin Blanc vines farmed in high-quality limestone soils and hand-riddled in their small family cellar. The talented Céline Champalou is pictured on the cover of this brochure, surveying and sharing her latest vinous exploits.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | sparkling |
Vintage: | N.V. |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Vouvray |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Champalou |
Winemaker: | Catherine & Didier Champalou |
Vineyard: | 20 years average, 3.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Farming: | Sustainable |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
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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 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2023 Anjou Rouge “Clos de la Cerisaie”
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2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
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2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2017 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
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2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
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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