Cirrus - 2018
Éric Chevalier
- Region
- France » Vin de France
- Type
- white still, dry
- Producer
- Éric Chevalier
- Vintage
- 2018
- Grapes
- Sauvignon Gris
- Alcohol
- 12
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
This cuvée comes from a maceration of Sauvignon Gris (otherwise called Fié Gris), in whole bunches for 3 to 4 weeks. Aging on lees for 11 to 12 months.
Ratings
Wine enjoyment depends on many variables. Let's not delve into what was amiss this time, but something definitely was, as Cirrus failed to show itself in its glory. And it's not about Cirrus per se cause I saw how miserable Camandula was.
Flabby and shy. Fíe Gris! Spoiled apricot, Sicilian orange, dark bread, mango and flowers. Over time it closes even more. What once was showing promise turned into 'table' wine. Not simple, as it features some smokiness. It has good tannin and acidity.
Alright, alright. We blame glasses. Use proper glassware, kids.
Probably the strangest wine of the evening. At first, I thought it was flabby and dull (hey, Fíe Gris?). But then my excitement grew, and I started to enjoy this wine. Like a lot! Especially the way tannin and acidity play in the taste, twisting and overflowing each other. In the nose, it's non-mainstream and rather shy. Spoiled apricots, dark bread, ascorbic candy, smokiness, mango, flowers and subtle rot notes. Nice.
Éric Chevalier
Sometimes people who sell wine decide to try on a new role of a vine grower or even a winemaker. Éric Chevalier was a négociant with ten years of experience when he moved to his hometown of Saint-Philbert de Grandlieu, just southwest of Nantes. Next year, in 2006, he ended up taking over the family Domaine. His father, a vigneron, had stopped working the vineyards, and Éric was faced with a difficult choice. Despite being anything but enthusiastic, he was against replanting or selling vineyards. And instead, he decided not only to continue farming the Domaine but also to produce and bottle all of the family's result of hard work.
In 2020 Éric Chevalier acquired organic certification, a rare achievement in Loire Valley. Especially considering the difficult climate and region's love for high yields. In addition, Éric Chevalier is one of the few people still planting and producing wines from Fié Gris.