I first met Eric Pasquier at a wine fair in Paris and remember his gallic charm and humour. However, I was equally impressed by his wines to the point that I made visiting his vineyard my gateway to exploring the wines of the Loire Valley.
Chateau Gaudrelle, situated on the north bank of the Loire, in the heart of VOUVRAY DOC was founded as long ago as the 17th century. Their cellar, impressively, is located deep inside the rocks of the hillside by the river, a location as near perfect as you could want to store and create their expressive style of Chenin Blanc.
Eric became owner in 2020 with a view to building upon the shift towards organic farming and promoting the biodiversity in the vineyard which had started in 2010.
They wanted to give more life to the soil and to take better care of the vines so that they could produce not only the best possible grapes but also to aid them become more resistant to the vagaries of the weather. They even use animal traction to avoid compacting the soil which is just one of the ways they strive for excellence to produce a grape variety that is not only typical of the region but does Vouvray proud.
What Gaudrelle are able to do with just the Chenin grape is quite astounding.
