Domaine Francois Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil 2023
Domaine François Chidaine
Chidaine's Clos du Breuil is Chenin Blanc at its most electric. The 2023 vintage captures the variety's unique ability to be simultaneously generous and austere. Biodynamic farming and meticulous cellar work yield a wine of startling clarity — this is the space between sips made literal, a wine that's always arriving, never quite finished revealing itself.
Nose
White flowers and ripe quince open to reveal green apple and a striking flinty minerality. A subtle honeyed quality lurks beneath, balanced by fresh-cut grass and the barest hint of chamomile. The aromatics are taut, suggesting energy held in check.
Palate
Dry and laser-focused on entry, with citrus and green apple acidity providing the spine. The mid-palate broadens into honeyed stone fruit and a waxy textural quality that adds weight without sweetness. A chalky, mineral thread runs throughout, giving the wine its essential tension.
Finish
Long and vibrating, with citrus peel and minerality persisting well after the swallow. The finish is almost saline, pulling you back for another sip.
- Varietal
- Chenin Blanc
- Blend
- 100% Chenin Blanc
- Vineyards
- Clos du Breuil, Montlouis-sur-Loire
- Alcohol
- 12.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
- Skin Contact
- No
Food Pairing
Fresh goat cheese with herbs, or grilled white asparagus with hollandaise
François Chidaine farms 40 hectares of biodynamic vineyards across Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray, having converted entirely to biodynamics in 2009, his Clos du Breuil parcel sitting on clay-flint soils that lend his Chenin Blanc its characteristic mineral electricity.
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