For basic info,
the domaine's website.
My friend Bruce and I visited on Sept 10, 2007. We were met by Christophe Chauveau. He has spent many years in the UK so he speaks perfect English (which is good for us and our mediocre French). His back was hurting that day so we moved boxes, opened doors, etc.
The domaine produces red and ros (100% cab franc), and white (100% pineau de la Loire) wine. The wines are fermented in steel tanks then gravity-fed downstairs into barrels. Only the super-cuvee, "Antique", sees new wood.
Chadderdon brings his wines into the US. There has lately been unprecedented excitement over the ros, both in the US and in the UK. Christophe says he bottles it in February and it is
all gone by April. He comments that some of his neighbors send their pink wine out "to be gassed up" -- sparkling wine fetches a higher price -- but he is happy to ship still wine.
We tasted through his available bottles. (There was no "Nathan" or ros to try.) I thought the younger-vines bottlings, and the blanc, lacked intensity and complexity. The "Antique" was oaky and tired. The VV, however, had some real charm. I bought '98, '02, and '05.
Last thing: The house is called "Pallus" and it does contain an amazing collection of antique corkscrews and other wine-bottle-opening tools.
