Day 1-Loire-Champalou

I was so excited to go here as well as Joguet. Two rock star wine makers in my book. Speaking of books, every wine book I pick up talks about Joguet as the premier winemaker in Chinon and Champalou as the premier winemaker in Vouvray. I was especially excited because I got to taste all the various forms of Chenin Blanc produced in this region, as well as see some of the vineyards and the soil.

Tasting:

N/V Vouvray Brut-we have this wine and it's just as good in France as back home
2008 Vouvray Sec-same as above, the '08 vintage was very similar to the '07
2008 Vouvray Fondraux Demi-Sec - 2.5% residual sugar in this wine, which is good, because it really balanced the nervous acidity that ran through the middle of the wine. I finally understand what 'nervous acidity' means. This vineyard banks right along the Loire River and spends 4-5 months in old barrels.
2007 Vouvray Le Clos du Portail-this is a single vineyard of Chenin Blanc with 10yr old vines and spends 18mos. in barrel and then 18mos in bottle. Unbelievably good. Only 55 cases come to US.
2008 Moelleux-botrytis infected Chenin Blanc grapes with 80gm of residual sugar only made in particular vintages
2004 Vouvray Fondraux-22gm residual sugar-sweet honey and flower notes
2003 Vouvray Fondraux-40gm res sugar-1/2 the level of acidity-mushroom notes, then honey
1996 Vouvray Fondraux-(btw, Fondraux means slope where water runs off) 30gm res sugar, a lot of minerality and melon flavors
1989 Vouvray Fondraux-wow! 20yr old Vouvray, who would have thought...wow..wow..Kermit's 1st vintage was '87. White truffles and minerals.






The Domaine




Catherine Champalou and her daughter




The line-up






The Champalou Vineyards


The Champalou terroir




The Champalou cat



While we were at Champalou, Chateau D'Epire stopped by and tasted us on his Savinniere, another Chenin Blanc producing region in the Loire. While his wines were very well made, they were too dry for my taste.

2008 Savinierre Cuvee Especiale
1998 Savinierre Cuvee Especiale

A young gentleman by the name of Eric Chevalier was there. Eric is a sort of rogue in the Loire making inexpensive, all organic from non-traditional Loire grapes.

2009 Muscadet Cotes de Grand Lieu (100% Melon de Bourgogne)...this Muscadet is aged on the lees and has a great nose.
2009 La Noie-Pinot Gris
2008 Chardonnay-unoaked chardonnay
2009 Fie Gris...the Fie Gris is a grape called Sauvignon Gris...a very dry, acidic grape with a real lively nose
2008 Rose-100% Pinot Noir



Eric Chevalier






The Muscadet--Cool label



The rocks that the Muscadet grows in.



Domaine de la Chanteluserie was there as well and tasted us on their Bourgeil. This is the same Bourgeil we had in Tours the previous night. I like these wines a lot.

Tasting:
2007 Cuvee Vielles Vignes Bourgeil-40-90 year old vines
2007 Cuvee Beauvois Bourgeil
2008 Cuvee Alouettes Bourgeil-lightest and fruitiest of their Cab Franc's
2008 Cuvee Beauvois Bourgeil-not as mushroomey as the '07, aged in stainless
2008 Cuvee Vielles Vignes Bourgeil-aged in wooden casks, my favorite of the bunch