The Loire is a fascinating region due to the diversity and the many different styles of wine that are made in the region. Even though there are many different white and red varietals grown throughout the region we are going to focus on Chenin Blanc or locally known as Pineau de la Loire. Just like the Loire itself, Chenin Blanc is a varietal of great diversity. Chenin Blanc can be dry to sweet and still to sparkling. There are four levels of sweetness: Sec, Demi-Sec, Moelleux, & Doux(listed from driest to sweetest).
Vouvray is an appellation in the Loire known for producing not just Chenin Blanc but some of the world’s best! Chenin's from this area can be richly flavored with stone fruits like apricots and honeyed and spice notes (even when they are dry). Surprisingly, these wines can be long lived. Most white wines lose there vibrancy over the years but that's not the case from some of the top producers in the region. Fortunately for me, Champalou remains as one of the best if not the best producers of Chenin Blanc.
Catherine and Didier Champalou started the domaine in 1983, and have since made their estate one of the most highly acclaimed in the region. The Champalou family farms twenty-one hectares of vineyards on clay, limestone, and siliceous soils. They embrace sustainable farming while also integrating the use of the lunar calendar more traditionally associated with organic viticulture. The Champalou house style produces wines of great elegance and tenderness, highly aromatic with impeccable balance. No one comes close to copying their distinct style. The 2009 Champalou Vouvray is a sec which is the driest wine the estate produces. This is a wine that has great freshness and a delicate aroma of the wine that makes it a perfect partner with grilled fish and white meats, shell-fish, roasted vegetables and oriental food. When young, this is also a first-rate aperitif wine.
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