A Visit to Champalou, 2024
Exactly ten years ago I completely immersed myself – not vicariously, but both mentally and physically – in Vouvray, and it was glorious. I relocated to the appellation for several weeks, with visits and tastings on my mind. Even though it was July it was mostly cool and drizzly, but not even the dreary weather could dampen my spirits. I simply countered by lighting a fire in my rented cottage (there was, happily, a good supply of fire logs and kindling). Job done.
The cottage sat on edge of the plateau above the valley of the Brenne, and each day (well, most days) I would head out to visit all of my favourite domaines, calling first on Vincent Carême, who invited me back that same evening for a braai – even at this stage Vincent was spending a lot of time in South Africa and his braai skills were on full display. Then I knocked on the door of Peter Hahn at Le Clos de la Meslerie. I also called on Domaine des Aubuisières to taste with Bernard Fouquet, and later the same week found myself shivering in the cooler-than-cool cellars of Philippe Foreau at Domaine du Clos Naudin. Another memorable visit was to see François Pinon, the most gentlemanly of all the appellation’s vignerons. Events which at the time were recent and raw, but now long-forgotten by all but a few, meant I could not make a formal visit to Domaine Huet, but I did manage to stop off to buy a handful of bottles to taste and assess.
I had such a fabulous time immersed in this appellation and its wines that when I began the hunt for a property to buy in the Loire Valley just a couple of years later I naturally started in Vouvray and worked outwards. In the end I bought a farmhouse south of Chinon (apparently they make wine here too) but Vouvray is only an hour away, and I now visit the appellation as regularly as I can manage. And while I have never recreated that glorious sequence of visits I have managed to return to a decent number of those domaines, ten years on.
One domaine I visited on that trip which I have not yet mentioned is Champalou. Calling in here back in 2014 I was met by Catherine Champalou, who I had met several times before at the Salon des Vins de Loire. I was also introduced to her husband Didier Champalou; while an integral part of the domaine, Didier always took a back seat when presenting the wines, leaving that job to Catherine, so if I recall correctly this was the first time we had met. And I met their daughter, Céline Champalou (pictured above), who was already taking an active interesting in the running of the domaine.
But that was all ten years ago. Much water has since flowed under the bridge, and while I have met Catherine and Céline several times since, it is a long time since I last walked in their vines, or peeked inside the cellars. It was clearly time to head back. I slipped behind the wheel, and headed north to Vouvray once again.
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