Céline Champalou

After the Puzelats we headed westwards along the Loire past Amboise to Husseau where we saw Frantz Saumon and tasted his current range of wines. Next on to Vouvray and Domaine Champalou where we saw Céline Champalou as her parents – Catherine and Didier – were away in Lyon for a tasting and lunch at Bocuse to mark the selection of their sparkling Vouvray for a prize.

Sign@Frantz Saumon

Two empty bottles@Frantz Saumon inc a magnum of Morgon from Marcel Lapierre

We then had time for a quick visit to the new premises of Château Gaudrelle in Rochecorbon and see Alexandre Monmousseau. Alexandre said he was stunned by how quickly this year's grapes were developing. "I have to keep pinching myself to make sure that I'm not dreaming!" He made an interesting observation on the possible effect of the flowering before the summer solstice. "Normally the flowering isn't finished until after the summer solstice when the length of the days are already starting to decline. This year the vines will have an additional 20-25 days during the period of maximum light. We don't know what effect this will have."

Alexandre opening a Vouvray and checking the cork

In the cellars of Gaudrelle

Then it was back to Montlouis to see Ludovic Chanson, whose wines I first tasted at this year's Salon des Vins de Loire. Having tasted his full range I remain impressed, especially with his Montlouis. Clearly yet another emerging star in Montlouis!

Ludovic Chanson

Bertrand Jousset cultivating his vines near Husseau

Ludovic Chanson (Montlouis) with his PetNat – sans pagne

Following a tip from Christelle Guibert (Decanter magazine) I went taste Ludovic Chanson's wines yesterday afternoon. He has taken over the vines that used to belong to Alex Mathur, formerly Levasseur. In 2008 he worked in a partnership, which didn't work out, so in 2009 he went solo and his first vintage is certainly impressive with great purity of fruit. Yet another impressive producer in Montlouis! He is on stand J242.

(Further details to be added when I get back to London this evening.)

Ludovoc Chanson has 6.2 hectares – all Chenin except for 70 ares of Chardonnay and 80 ares of Sauvignon Blanc. The estate started its conversion to organic cultivation in 2006 and was approved in 2009. I was impressed by the purity and precision in Ludovic's wines and it was no surprise to learn that he had a great admiration for the late Stéphane Cossais. He has a couple of PetNats – one (Les Prions) made from Chenin and the other (sans pagne) from Chardonnay. Both are well made but I preferred purity and precision of Les Prions. 2009 Gavroche is an attractively ripe style of Sauvignon Blanc with a touch of spice. Of the three 2009 Montlouis I tasted – Les Cabotines (sec), Les Pêcheurs (demi-sec) and Safran (moelleux) – I was particularly impressed with Les Pecheurs (19gms of residual sugar) with its great balance of fruit and acidity.    

Ludovic Chanson

3 Chemin Creux, 37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire

Tel: 06.15.97.46.01 (mobile)

Email: ludovicchansonvigneron@gmail.com