Ludovic Chanson
It is not that long ago that I wrote of Peter Hahn, of Le Clos de la Meslerie, and how exciting it was to find a new domaine in Vouvray, an appellation which seems to be grossly under-exploited when it comes to wines of quality. Despite there being more than a thousand hectares of vineyard, and dozens if not hundreds of vignerons, only a handful really turn out anything of significant interest. Across on the other bank of the Loire, Montlouis was until very recently in an even more dire state, with no well known domaines, even Le Taille aux Loups and François Chidaine – both long established – flying under the radar of most consumers and the wine press.
This is no longer the case in Montlouis, as today it is one of the most dynamic appellations in the Loire, perhaps even all France. New blood, drawn to the region by the combination of vineyards full of old Chenin Blanc vines planted on some very exciting terroirs, and cheap land prices, and perhaps enthused by the likes of François Chidaine and Jacky Blot, have revitalised Montlouis. This once rather morose region is now a bubbling force once again, with brilliant wines from the likes of newcomers Lise and Bertrand Jousset, Frantz Saumon, Damien Delecheneau and Xavier Weisskopf to name but four.
Now, with the arrival of Ludovic Chanson, we can add another name to this list.
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