Champalou, Vouvray Sec, 2024 GIRBONCHAMP period — and the cooperative

period — and the cooperative model means this kind of pedigree is delivered at a fraction of what comparable single-estate bottlings ask

and finely nuanced

then aged 16 months in large oak without fining or filtration

Unlike most umeshu

then ages it in concrete eggs and demi-muids for texture without masking the terroir

Champalou, Vouvray Sec, 2024 GIRBONCHAMP period — and the cooperativeDidier and Catherine Champalou built their Vouvray estate from scratch in 1983 and have become one of the most dependable names in the appellation, with daughter Celine now part of the operation. This dry Vouvray is their flagship: 100 percent Chenin Blanc, aged in stainless steel to keep it fresh and direct, from vines farmed sustainably with attention to the lunar calendar and biodiversity between the rows. It threads the line Vouvray does so well,