Notify me
2023 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Eric Chevalier
When Eric Chevalier welcomes us with a broad smile at our first stop, you can practically smell the Atlantic Ocean in the air. Eric pops open a bottle of La Noë. The first glass is perfect with oysters—it is streamlined, saline, and full of lemon. Shortly after, the granite terroir kicks in, the wine becomes more full bodied, and chamomile and apricot notes lead to a rich finish—perfect to accompany local fish dishes.
—Julia Issleib
| Wine Type: | white |
| Vintage: | 2023 |
| Bottle Size: | 750mL |
| Blend: | Melon de Bourgogne |
| Appellation: | Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu |
| Country: | France |
| Region: | Loire |
| Producer: | Eric Chevalier |
| Winemaker: | Eric Chevalier |
| Vineyard: | 20 - 60 year, 4 ha |
| Soil: | Granite |
| 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
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 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
France | Loire
At first, it is streamlined, saline, and full of lemon. Then the granite terroir kicks in...
2024 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.
2024 Chardonnay
France | Loire
Some wines deliver well beyond expectations—this is one of them.
2024 Sancerre
France | Loire
Textbook Sancerre: bright and citrusy, with a clean, stony finish.
2024 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.
2022 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
France | Loire
Thierry has perfected the art of coaxing this Cabernet Franc’s soulfulness and elusive finesse into bottle.
2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
France | Loire
Chinons from Joguet are known for their firm minerality, but this one is quite charming as well, with plummy black fruit, myrtle, and notes of warm licorice.
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 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
France | Loire
Showing off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries.
/
About The Producer
Eric Chevalier
Eric Chevalier is a rising star in the Nantais of the Loire Valley. For ten years, he sourced fruit for a large négociant in the Touraine. In 2005, he returned to his hometown of Saint-Philbert de Grandlieu and ended up taking over the family domaine, Domaine de l’Aujardière. His father, a talented vigneron well-known as a high-quality source of bulk wine, had stopped working the vineyards and the vines were going to have to be pulled up and replanted or sold. Eric was anything but enthusiastic. Little by little his passion grew, and today he is proud to be the 4th generation to farm the domaine. Eric sustainably farms 25 hectares of vines, producing wines of great character and finesse. He found his future in his family’s past.
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
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2024 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Saumur Blanc “Terres”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2024 Gros-Plant du Pays Nantais
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2023 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2024 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Chardonnay
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Touraine “Fines Bulles”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
A good doctor prescribed the wine of Nuits-Saint-Georges to the Sun King, Louis XIV, when he suffered an unknown maladie. When the king’s health was restored the tasty remedy enjoyed a vogue at court. Lord, send me a doctor like that!
Inspiring Thirst, page 117