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Vouvray Brut
Champalou
The 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% |
More from this Producer or Region

2023 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.

2023 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
France | Loire
This exquisite Muscadet is a perfect reflection of where it originates, as if it’s been sculpted by winds off the ocean and infused with hints of sea salt in the air.

2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
France | Loire
Huguette is a silky, peppery Cabernet Franc from vines over a century in age.

2023 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.

2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
France | Loire
Gently sweet yet retaining the mouthwatering acidity that Chenin from the great sites of the Loire can provide.

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.

2023 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
France | Loire
This racy wine is a perfect match for all types of crustaceans as well all by itself on a sunny afternoon.

2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
France | Loire
Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse.

2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
France | Loire
A lovely combination of Grolleau Noir and Cabernet Franc, there seems to be a synergistic effect elevating both grapes to create a juicy, spicy, refreshing whole.

2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
France | Loire
It fills the mouth with suspicions of honeysuckle and pulpy stone fruits, all while maintaining classic notes of iodine and sea breeze that make this the vinous equivalent of tidepooling.
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
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Blanc “Pierre François Xavier Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174