2024 Éric Chevalier Chardonnay 'Val de Loire'

100% Chardonnay farmed organically (uncertified) on 8 acres of vineyards 10-15 years old full of serpentine quartz and blasted by the salty breeze from the Atlantic here on the Loire Valley’s western edge.  Fermented with native yeasts and aged simply in stainless steel. 11.5% alcohol.

Thanks to the coastal climate and vinification without oak, this Chardonnay is one of the zestiest, most refreshing we stock. It’s almost like a cross between Chablis and Muscadet. Crisp and unadorned, with pure orchard fruit and the slightest hint of salinity, it offers one of the best ways to start a night, whether you’re making dinner for yourself or setting out snacks for friends. 

Éric Chevalier is the fourth generation of vignerons to farm and make wines at his family estate, Domaine de l’Aujardière, in the town of Saint-Philbert de Grandlieu, just southwest of Nantes. In the past, his family rarely bottled their wine, preferring to sell it as high quality bulk juice. 

The estate’s 25 hectares are devoted mostly to Melon de Bourgogne, with the other half split between Chardonnay, Fié Gris, and Pinot Noir, among others. Soils in the part of the vineyard where Chardonnay is grown consist of granite, silt and sand. As of 2020, the domaine is certified organic—a rare feat in a region known better for intensive farming and the pursuit of high yields over quality. He is also proud to be bottling all of the family’s production himself. Éric farms thirty hectares of vines, producing wines of great character and finesse that offer tremendous value. He found his future in his family’s past.