I'm delighted to announce that Eric Chevalier has been chosen as the Loire vigneron for Stage 3 of this year's Tour de France.

Today's stage starts in Olonne-sur-Mer and heads northwards avoiding the coast, which featured on Saturday's opening stage. As reported yesterday the route passes the winery of Thierry Michon (Domaine de Saint Nicolas). It then heads north east – ducking to the east of Challans – on a level to Nantes before heading north west towards Le Pont de Saint-Nazaire to cross La Loire and the race's entry into Brittany. It finishes at Redon.

As the race heads north west to La Loire it will pass through the small town of Saint-Philbert-de-Grand-Lieu. The talented Eric Chevalier is based just a few kilometres to the south of Saint-Philbert at the little hamlet of L'Aujardière. Eric's winery is just off the D70 used by the race but I am sure that he will be able to set up a table on the main road to allow the passing riders to sample his fine Fié Gris (Sauvignon Rose/Sauvignon Gris) and his equally good Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu. With the intermediate sprint at Saint-Hilaire-de-Chaléons some 20 kilometres further on I'm sure a glass of either would be an ideal preparation!

My guess – not a very difficult one! – is that this stage will end in a sprint. It would be good to see Mark Cavendish open his account for the 2011 Tour here.

Fié Gris: the wine that made Eric famous

22nd September 2009

Rather forgot that I hadn't posted a note on Eric Chevalier's 2008 Fié Gris that at tasted at the stand of Swig Wines Ltd at the Boutique Wineries tasting held in London on 22nd September 2009. The tasting was held at the headquarters of the BMA (British Medical Association), who rather ironically had recently issued a warning about the perils of drinking alcohol.

Given the theme was 'boutique wineries' you might anticipate that the Loire would have a strong showing. Not the case at all – just three wines: the Fié Gris and a Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé from Pascal Jolivet, which will be the suject of a separate post.

Eric's 2008 Fié Gris (also called Sauvignon Rose or Sauvignon Gris) VDP Val du Loire confirmed the good impression I had of this wine from the tasting of the Sauvignon Blanc Project wines in Tours in February 2009. It has delicious crisp, refined grassy and gooseberry fruit, good weight with an attractive touch of bitterness in the finish.

Available from Swig Wines Ltd (020-8996 2950) for £13.95 a bottle.

See mention of Eric Chevalier here.

Aynard and Isabelle with their 2005 Vanneau Huppé

I have finally finished the report on my March 2009 visit to the Clos du Porteau in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. See here.

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Last evening came across a really excellent feature from Bertrand Celce (Wine Terroirs) on Jacky Preys and the saving of the Fié Gris (also known as Sauvignon Gris or Sauvignon Rose. Bertrand doesn't update his blog every day but his work is consistently a must read along with his fine photos.