Vigneau-Chevreau Vigneau Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionnelle Brut NV

The Vigneau Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionelle Brut NV (non-vintage, as most champagnes and other sparkling wines are a blend of multiple years’ wines) captures the eye with streams of fine bubbles and a bright sun-splashed color. It follows up with an equally compelling set of aromatics. Scents of freshly cut mountain-grown apples, quince, citrus, and white peach delight the nose. In the mouth, Vigneau’s Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionelle Brut fills the mouth and dances across the tongue with spritely abandon, offering elegant fruit flavors and hints of freshly baked brioche and toasted almond. Serve the charming Vigneau Sélection Méthode Traditionelle Brut well chilled (38°-40° F) and then allow it a few minutes in the glass to fully work its magic. Anticipated maturity: 2024-2027. Enjoy!

Vigneau’s Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionelle Brut can turn any event into a festive occasion. It will gladly brighten any table as this delightful bubbly begs to accompany poultry, fish, shellfish, and even many exotic dishes. Whether it is roast turkey with all of the trimmings, Tikka Marsala Roasted Chicken with roasted cauliflower, curry, and lime, or mildly spicy East Indian dishes, Vigneau’s Vouvray Méthode Traditionelle Brut makes a splash! It also provides a splendid companion to shrimp, sushi, trout, sea bass, and spicy Thai dishes. Hors d’oeuvres, charcuterie, melon wrapped with prosciutto, and many fine cheeses provide delicious pairings, too, and require little preparation. Moreover, the festive Vigneau Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionelle Brut doubles as an aperitif extraordinaire, as it needs only a clean glass or flute to work its magic. Bon Appétit!

Vigneau’s Sélection Méthode Traditionnelle Brut NV is a dry sparkling wine made in the Méthode Traditionnelle, as is champagne. It is a wine that is under pressure. It should always be well chilled before opening. Always exercise caution when opening a bottle of sparkling wine. Point the bottle away from people and objects. Use a clean towel or cloth to firmly grip the bottle. Gently remove the wire stopper while firmly holding the cork in place. Then, with thumb and forefinger, remove the cork slowly from the bottle. Do not let the cork fly. Enjoy!

Long considered a noble wine and a favorite of French kings, Vouvray, whose motto Je réjouis les coeurs (“I gladden hearts”) is truly taken to heart at Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau, where beautifully tended gardens and acres of pristine vines along gentle slopes facing the meandering Loire River greet the visitor. Located in the heart of the Vouvray appellation, Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau specializes in fashioning exceptional still and sparkling Chenin Blanc, Vouvray’s great gifts to a thirsty, weary world.

Domaine Vigneau-Chevreau has been in the Vigneau family since 1875 and is presently under the meticulous care of brothers Christophe and Stephane Vigneau. The brothers Vigneau practice organic viticulture at the domain and acquire small quantities of choice, sustainably grown grapes from a neighboring vineyard for their sparkling Vigneau Sélection Vouvray Méthode Traditionnelle Brut (this month’s feature).

The Vigneau brothers cultivate several vineyards including the iconic Clos de Rougemont vineyard which is attached to the historic Abbaye de Marmoutier, whose vines date to the Roman period. Legend has it that Clos de Rougemont was first cultivated by St. Martin of Tours, a 4th century bishop and monk, who is also believed to have grafted the first Chenin Blanc variety from the wild grapes of the nearby Touraine forests. In addition to Clos de Rougemont and their Vigneau Selection Méthode Traditionelle Brut, Christophe and Stephane fashion a full gamut of traditional still and sparkling Vouvray wines ranging from bone dry to sweet.

Vouvray is the most renowned and respected appellation in Touraine, a province long known as the playground of French kings. Touraine lies at the very heart of France and occupies the central section of France’s Loire Valley. This picturesque region along the slow-moving Loire River and its tributaries encompasses some of France’s oldest and most respected vineyards as well as the great Renaissance châteaux for which the region is equally famous.

Wines entitled to the Vouvray appellation hail exclusively from a single grape variety – Chenin Blanc. Unlike other French appellations whose wines exemplify their diversity through a myriad of different grape varieties, Vouvray expresses itself and its many attributes with a single grape, which can be made dry (sec for still wine and brut for sparkling wine), semi-sweet (demi-sec), soft and lightly sparkling (moelleux) or sweet (doux). In fact, about half of the appellation’s entire production is in sparkling wine made with the same traditional method used in Champagne. Moreover, Vouvray can be enjoyed young or in the case of the region’s finest sweet wines aged for decades, evolving from a crisp bracing wine into a luscious potion.