François Chidaine - Montlouis sur Loire Clos du Breuil 2022 (sec)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

François Chidaine, one of the leading figures in the revival of Montlouis wines, brings out all the nuances of each vineyard plot—ranging from flinty clay to white Tuffeau chalk—using biodynamic farming methods. Revitalizing about ten hectares of Vouvray vineyards on the opposite bank, this winemaker—strongly supported by his wife Manuela—now also relies on his children Alice and Pierre, who have joined the estate. These fine wines for fine dining improve with age.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Produced from a single south- and west-facing plot composed of clay and flint over a limestone subsoil, the 2022 Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil is already showing well today. Revealing aromas of flowers, lemon, grapefruit, and spices, it is medium-bodied to full-bodied, pure and harmonious, with a crystalline, taut mid-palate and a heart of lush, indulgent fruit, leading to a long, ethereal finish. It is a fragrant and refined wine.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

The 2022 dry, full-bodied wines are well worth discovering, starting with the Clos du Breuil, with its rounded, seductive texture, enhanced by meticulous aging in oak.

About the estate:

Since his debut in 1989, François Chidaine has become a leading figure in Loire white wines, an unparalleled winemaker now revered by many other vintners. He is among those who put Montlouis, his home region, on the map. In the early 2000s, he expanded his operations in Vouvray, notably by acquiring Clos Baudoin from the Poniatowski family. With the help of his wife Manuéla, François has continuously refined his winemaking and aging techniques, carrying out meticulous work in vineyards certified biodynamic since 1999. We cannot praise highly enough the level achieved by the wines of this exceptional winemaker. The “Vins de France” are in fact Vouvrays that, having been vinified outside their appellation zone, cannot claim the appellation. The range consists of blends from various plots (Choisilles, Argiles, Tuffeaux, Moelleux) and unique lieux-dits (Clos du Breuil, Les Bournais, Clos Habert, Baudoin). The sparkling fruit of these wines requires a few years in the cellar to open up and reveal itself fully. An essential estate for any lover of the great Loire expressions of Chenin. The transition to his children, Pierre and Alice, is proceeding smoothly.

Vinous

About the wine:

The Montlouis Clos du Breuil 2022 is a sophisticated, pure, and precise dry Chenin Blanc with a hint of flint. Its aromas of ripe pear, peach, and flowers make it a seductive wine. Eleven months on the lees have given it a pleasant texture, followed by well-balanced phenolic compounds—a remarkable achievement given the thickness of the skin and the low juice content of the berries due to drought conditions.