Domaine Lapandéry is a family estate now in its third generation, based in Saint-Haon-le-Vieux in the Côte Roannaise, at the western edge of the upper Loire Valley. The vineyards sit on steep slopes and terraces, farmed with an emphasis on protecting the surrounding environment, and the estate's cellar sits right in the middle of the vines, a setup that keeps the whole winemaking process close to the fruit from harvest to bottling.
This 2024 bottle carries the Pays d'Urfé designation, a regional classification covering this westernmost stretch of the Loire, an area better known for its granite soils than for widespread international recognition. Made from old-vine Chardonnay, Vieilles Vignes, grown on granite, the wine draws real structure and minerality from that volcanic terroir, a signature of the Roannaise region more broadly. Expect a taut, mineral-driven white with more grip and depth than a typical Loire Chardonnay, a byproduct of the older vines and rugged growing conditions.
The result is a distinctive, terroir-forward white from one of the Loire's lesser-known corners, made by a family that's farmed these slopes for three generations.