The Loire Valley is a great place to find high quality sparkling wine, for less than the cost of Champagne. This one has been aged for three years and is a stunning example of the style. It offers crisp, dry notes of pear and apple, balanced by bright acidity and layers of complexity. The wine has a textured finish, and is a wonderful representation of fizzy Chenin.

In the charming village of Noizay in the Vouvray region of the Loire Valley, Alexandre Giquel's path to winemaking was unconventional. As a teenager, he was offered a job by his neighbours to train horses to work in biodynamic vineyards. After immersing himself in organic and biodynamic practices during internships, he embraced traditional methods, such as tilling his soils with horses, a skill he honed under legendary winemaker Philippe Guichard of La Table Rouge. Giquel's vineyards in Noizay, with vines over 20 years old and some Chenin plots dating back 90 years, are managed without chemical sprays. Instead, he meticulously applies natural treatments, reflecting his commitment to soil health. He manages 3.15 hectares of vineyards that he acquired in 2018. His cellar, carved into Noizay’s tuffeau rocks, allows for slow, natural fermentations, producing wines that truly express their terroir. For him, winemaking is a passion rooted in stewardship and a dedication to creating wines that eloquently speak of their origins. An artisan well worth investigating.