INSIDER'S PICK: 2017 ERIC CHEVALIER CHARDONNAY VAL DE LOIRE $17.99

At a time like this, it's pretty much impossible to be 'normal'. But it is important to try and keep what you can as close to normal as you can while you can. Even though we will not be doing the public tasting portion of the Insider's Pick until further notice, we will still be offering the wine for purchase with the usual 10% discount on Thursday and Friday. The wines will still be ones we highly recommend, and the tasting notes will still be our own. We hope you are able to come by and get some wines to enjoy.

Often consumers and reviewers will refer to a nice Muscadet from the Nantes region of the Loire as 'the poor man's Chablis', based on its seashell flavored briny notes and clarity of flavor. Though it is made from the confusingly named Melon de Bourgogne (having nothing at all to do with the Burgundy region), Muscadet can tick off many of the flavor profile boxes as Chardonnay from that famous region, just lighter in style and never really reaching the heights of Cru level Chablis. It was only a matter of time before winemakers here endeavored to grow and produce higher quality Chardonnay around Nantes and really push the comparisons of Chablis further, and we are definitely seeing that movement among some of the younger generation moving into the scene. After taking over the family domaine in 2005, young Eric Chevalier converted them from selling off their fruit mostly in bulk to co-ops into an estate grown producer following strict organic practices. Along with many quality wines from traditional and heirloom Loire varieties, their Chardonnay caught the eye of noted importer Kermit Lynch, and they began bringing them over. The Chardonnay sees all the care and techniques as their Muscadets or any quality Chablis would, and the results are quite substantial. Immediate aromas of apple, citrus and oyster shells that invokes the vineyard's proximity to the sea, similar to a Muscadet but with more volume. On the palate the extended aging on the lees brings out a natural mouthfilling richness that makes aging in barrel unnecessary and unwanted, showing off the tingly citrus on a round refreshing bed of melon pulp and grape skin. It is a wine that is as a whole fairly simple but it does all the simple things very, very well and for a great price. A perfect match for any fish or seafood dish with a strong 'sense of the sea' to it.

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