2021 Fabrice & Lauré Chaillou Grinadine
WINEMAKER: Fabrice & Lauré Chaillou
REGION: Loire Valley, FR
VARIETAL: Grolleau Gris
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
100% grolleau gris, built to drink cold, fast and with good friends.
Fabrice & Lauré Chaillou have been farming vineyards with organic and biodynamic practices and making wine since they met at viticulture school in 1995. Fabrice worked for Jo Pithon for many years, where he learnt that making great wine starts in the vineyard. Since 2016, the pair have been based in the small town of Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay in the Val-du-Layon where they have been slowly acquiring old abandoned or poorly managed vineyards that with a little love and good farming, not only return to life but prosper.
They started with 0.5 hectares of Chenin Blanc and today they farm just over 3 hectares of Chenin Blanc, Grolleau Noir and Grolleau Gris with plans to plant a small parcel of Pineau d’Aunis next year. Their vineyards are certified by Ecocert and their goal is to reach around 4 hectares of vineyards where they can achieve a GAEC (Good Agricultural & Environmental Conditions). In the cellar they let things occur naturally, grapes are either direct pressed or undergo short carbonic maceration and vinification happens in fibreglass tanks. Their wines are extremely pure and very fresh to drink—they make you reach for a second bottle very quickly.