Notify me
2021 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Éric Chevalier

Éric Chevalier

Éric Chevalier is out to prove that Muscadet is a versatile white, with countless purposes beyond washing down oysters. He boldly switched to organic farming and ditched his machine harvester for the tried-and-true two hands and a pair of pruning shears—sadly, both uncommon practices in the region. His cellar work further differentiates him from the Muscadet masses, as he relies solely on indigenous yeasts for fermentation, uses tiny doses of sulfur, and filters minimally.
Of the twenty-five hectares he farms, the largest percentage of his production is dedicated to Melon de Bourgogne. No other grape variety can translate a salty ocean breeze quite like it. At Éric’s domaine, just a stone’s throw from the Atlantic coast, the vineyards lie in the direct path of incessant onshore winds. And yet the first impression in his Muscadet is a lovely whisper of florality, perhaps the aromatic footprint of organically farmed old vines with no added yeast and a modest use of sulfur. When the flowers subside, the salt kicks in, leaving your palate both charmed and salivating for more.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Melon de Bourgogne |
Appellation: | Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Éric Chevalier |
Winemaker: | Éric Chevalier |
Vineyard: | 50 years; 6 ha |
Soil: | Serpentinite, eclogite, quartz |
Aging: | Wine stays in foudre for fermentation and élevage, then raised 10-12 months depending on the vintage |
Farming: | Organic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 11.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
France | Loire
This dry Chenin Blanc is etched from the white limestone beneath—crystalline, pure, and chiseled.

2024 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
France | Loire
Grassy and piquant with a citrus and mineral-tinged finish, it checks all the boxes.

2017 Jasnières “Chant de Vigne”
France | Loire
A single-vineyard bottling whose age lends a soft, drawn butter richness to its bright, tart citrus palate.

2021 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
France | Loire
With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.

2024 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
France | Loire
From a small but mighty appellation boasting an impressive soil loaded with fossilized oyster shells. Peachy, finely textured, and pleasantly verdant.

2024 Sancerre
France | Loire
Textbook Sancerre: bright and citrusy, with a clean, stony finish.

2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
France | Loire
The new vintage shows great freshness and brightness, making me think of tart berries picked in the forest just a touch below full ripeness.

2024 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.

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

2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
France | Loire
This sparkling wine has decadently rich, honeyed fruit and a nice dollop of buttery brioche.
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 Kimmeridgian 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
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2024 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2024 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2024 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2024 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2024 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2024 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch
Promo Code Terms
There are two types of promo codes
1) a code that gives you a percentage off your order
2) a code that gives you a dollar amount off your order
How do promo codes or coupon codes work?
When you place an order with a percentage coupon code, the discount only applies to discount eligible items. An eligible item typically is a product that does not already have a discount. Sampler packs that already have discounts applied to them do not count towards the minimum of 12 eligible items. In your shopping cart, you'll see percentage discounts next to each bottle.
When you place an order with a dollar amount code, the dollar amount is added to your discount. In your shopping cart, the dollar amount is subtracted from your total, and does not show next to each bottle.