Tasting Notes
This much-loved 100% Chenin Blanc is drawn from the second pickings and some surmaturite grapes from range of Chidaine's old Chenin plots - including the Clos du Volagray and Saint-Martin and Grillonnieres - sites that have stony soils, heavy in yellow limestone (or tuffeaux). These vines range in age from 30-90 years and are always cropped at a tiny yield. Always one of our favourite Chidaine wines, this is a tangy example loaded with Seville marmalade, lemon curd and fresh ginger notes. So spicy and generous, yet finishing dry and punchy with a lick of limestone on the finish. Seriously impossible to stop drinking the interplay between juicy sweet fruit and vibrant freshness is a wonder to behold. Expect low, but some, residual sugar. - Importer Note
François Chidaine is one of the France's most exciting white wine makers. Great vineyards managed biodynamically, ultra low yields and 'hands off' élevage are the order of the day here. It gives you an idea of Chidaine's standing in the Loire that when Benjamin Dagueneau wanted to gain experience as a younger man, he went to work with Chidaine. As a collective, his wines offer a remarkably pure and vivid expression of their respective terroirs.
In terms of the regions, Montlouis is Vouvray's little brother, sitting directly across the Loire river in France's North. The analogy of siblings is a good one as the rivalry between these two regions is intense. However, as Montlouis is much smaller in size, 400 hectares as opposed to 1800 for Vouvray, and as most of the wine is consumed in France, Montlouis is less well known. - Importer Note.
Product Type | Wine White Chenin Blanc |
Volume | 750ml |
Country | France |
Region | Loire Valley |
Sub Region | Montlouis |
Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |