François Chidaine - Montlouis sur Loire Les Epinays by Pierre Chidaine blanc 2022 MAGNUM (sec)

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

François Chidaine, one of the leaders of the Montlouis wine revival, brings out all the nuances of each plot of land, from flinty clay to white Tuffeau chalk, using biodynamic farming methods. Reviving around ten hectares of Vouvray vineyards on the other bank, this winemaker, who is well supported by his wife Manuela, can now also count on his children Alice and Pierre, who have joined the estate. These great gastronomic wines improve with age.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Chidaine's Montlouis Les Épinays 2022 comes from a south-facing plot composed of clay, flint, and limestone. It opens with a complex, slightly reductive bouquet of white fruits, Anjou pear, acacia, and candied citrus, delicately enhanced with a touch of mandarin blossom. Medium to full-bodied, it is structured and slightly austere, with a fleshy, layered fruit core supported by a subtle touch of gastronomic bitterness. The finish is long, intensely sapid and saline, leaving a vivid impression of chalky dry extracts. Aged for eight months in a combination of wine globes (40%) and large barrels (60%), this distinctive cuvée is bottled exclusively in magnums.

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

About the estate:

Since his beginnings in 1989, François Chidaine has become a major player in the Loire Valley white wine scene, an outstanding winemaker now revered by many other vintners. He is one of those who brought Montlouis, his original stronghold, to prominence. In the early 2000s, he expanded into Vouvray, notably taking over the Clos Baudoin estate from the Poniatowski family. With the help of his wife Manuela, François has continuously refined his winemaking and aging techniques, carrying out highly demanding work in the vineyards, which have been 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 which, as they are vinified outside their appellation zone, cannot claim this designation. The range consists of blends from different plots (Choisilles, Argiles, Tuffeaux, Moelleux) and unique lieux-dits (Clos du Breuil, Les Bournais, Clos Habert, Baudoin). The sparkling fruitiness of these wines requires a few years of cellaring to open up and reveal their full potential. This estate is a must for any lover of the great expressions of Chenin from the Loire Valley. The transition to his children Pierre and Alice is going smoothly.