Domaine François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Tuffeaux 2023
Domaine François Chidaine
Chidaine's biodynamic farming and limestone cave aging let this Chenin Blanc speak with uncommon clarity. Les Tuffeaux is about subtraction — no barrel influence, no malolactic richness, just the grape and the tuffeau stone beneath the vines. The hollow between its acidity and its sweetness is narrow and thrilling.
Nose
White flowers and green apple are immediate, joined by a chalky minerality that defines the tuffeau terroir. Honeyed notes sit in the background, restrained and clean, with a faint hint of citrus zest.
Palate
Precise and taut, with green apple and citrus acidity driving the palate. A subtle honey sweetness rounds the mid-palate without any residual sugar feel. The mineral tension — almost like wet stone — gives the wine its distinctive backbone.
Finish
Long and refreshing, with lingering apple, a chalky dryness, and a whisper of floral character on the fade.
- Varietal
- Chenin Blanc
- Blend
- 100% Chenin Blanc
- Vineyards
- Les Tuffeaux, tuffeau limestone soils, Montlouis-sur-Loire
- Alcohol
- 13.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
A fresh Loire Valley goat cheese with chives and tarragon mirrors the wine's mineral backbone and green apple acidity, while the cheese's tanginess provides a creamy counterweight.
François Chidaine, one of the Loire's most respected biodynamic vignerons, farms Chenin Blanc vines on the tuffeau limestone plateau of Montlouis, vinifying in underground caves carved from the same stone that feeds his roots.
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