2023 Champalou Vouvray

Producer: Domaine Champalou 
Region: Vouvray, Touraine, Loire, France 
Varietal: Chenin Blanc 
Year: 2023

About the Producer: 

"In addition to being extremely talented vignerons, the Champalous (Catherine, Didier, and their daughter, Céline) are quite skilled in the culinary arts. Ever the warm and generous hosts, they take pleasure in toiling away in the kitchen to create brilliant and often unexpected pairings for their wines. With Vouvrays of all styles available in their cellar—still and sparkling; dry, off-dry, and fully sweet; oak-aged and tank-aged; vintages young and old of every cuvée—the options are truly endless. 

Upon placing a dish on the table, Didier likes to play a game. He’ll pour a glass of a mystery bottle brought up from the family cellar and then let the guests determine its vintage and bottling. On one particularly memorable visit, he served up a most luxurious creation: oysters topped with foie gras, baked for several minutes until the whole reached a rich, tender, decadent apex. What wine could possibly accompany this sublime combination of briny and unctuous? One with a fresh spine of acidity and a texture voluptuous enough to stand up to foie gras—their 2009 Vouvray sec. 

Next, Catherine emerged from the kitchen carrying a Moroccan-style chicken tagine with olives, currants, and preserved lemons—not exactly local Loire Valley fare, but delicious nonetheless, and perfect with a refreshing, ever-so-slightly sweet 2008 Vouvray Les Fondraux, hinting at honey and candied citrus.

Finally, to accompany a simple slab of aged comté, Didier poured a radiant golden liquid reminiscent of melted stone and black truffle. It prickled the palate with a gentle effervescence—surely this must be an aged pétillant? Didier flashed a devious smile as he brandished the crusty old bottle and announced triumphantly, '1986!'

Today we feature the most recent release of the family's flagship bottling of dry Vouvray, a graceful and refreshing expression of Chenin Blanc with ample flesh in the style of 2015 or that memorable 2009. You'll be hard-pressed to find a more versatile wine at table—the possibilities are infinite, so follow Didier's lead and have some fun with it!" 

*Price and availability in store may vary. Vintage date different than pictured.