Notify me
2023 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d’Epiré
Chenin Blanc from Savennières is such a different beast from Vouvray. Here, at the western end of the Loire Valley, limestone gives way to more schist, resulting in a cooler, more restrained vibe, with less stone fruit and more crisp pear. The finish is nutty, dry, and a bit craggy, much like the rock-strewn vineyards overlooking the Loire that are its source.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2023 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Savennières |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Château d’Épiré |
Winemaker: | Paul Bizard |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1989, 1.5 ha |
Soil: | Schist |
Aging: | Ages for about 6 months sur lie in very old chestnut demi-muids |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 12% |
More from this Producer or Region

2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
France | Loire
Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.

2019 Bourgueil “Les Perrières”
France | Loire
The family’s grandest wine, a brooding elixir of satiny fruit, cedar, and graphite.

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 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
France | Loire
Gorges boasts an incredible texture and tension imparted by decomposed, blue-green igneous rock, seventy-year-old vines, and years-long aging on the lees.

2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
France | Loire
Lime blossoms delivered via a lightning bolt of minerally refreshment.

2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
France | Loire
This divine red allies the power and finesse one would expect from this great terroir.

2023 Savennières
France | Loire
March Club Chevalier ~ Savennières is home to some of the greatest terroirs for this grape variety thanks to its soils of schist, sandstone, and blue slate and its proximity to the moderating Loire River.

2022 Sancerre Rouge
France | Loire
Pure, classy fruit sing tenor without any interference from the earthy bass that often makes itself heard in Bourgogne rouge.

2020 Chinon “Les Varennes du Grand Clos”
France | Loire
With floral aromas and fine-grained tannins, it already showcases its charms.

2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
France | Loire
Peppery and bright, earthy and juicy all at once.
About The Producer
Château d’Épiré
One of the oldest and most celebrated domaines in Savennières, Chateau d’Épiré is rich in history. Savennières is situated just southwest of Angers, on the north bank of the Loire River. Vines have been cultivated there since the time of the Romans. The domaine itself has been in the Bizard family continuously since the 17th century. The most recent owners and caretakers of the land are Monsieur and Madame Luc Bizard. They own eleven hectares, nine of which are entirely dedicated to the cultivation of Pineau de la Loire, known today as Chenin Blanc. The château is exquisite, but the pièce de résistance is their winery, formerly a Romanesque chapel, which is from the 12th century. Truly a blessed wine!
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
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2023 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Réserve”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Sancerre Rouge
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2023 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Le Prieuré”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2023 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain 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.