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François Chidaine Update, February 2010

Many of us have I suspect, at one time or another, discovered what it is like to be an outsider. The distinction between ourselves and our surroundings might be philosophical, religious, intellectual or cultural, but whatever the nature of the defining difference it in some way sets us apart. It is an experience that can be disconcerting or even distressing, or on the other hand it can be rewarding and informative. On occasions it can even be all of these things. Happily I have never found myself set apart from my peers or my environment on the basis of any deeply rooted beliefs, but I have certainly held the outsider's perspective in some situations. Inter-city rivalry is alive and strong in the UK; I have seen how Liverpudlians view Mancunians and experienced how Mancunians react to the inhabitants of Liverpool first hand, having once lived in the latter city and worked in both. And cross-border enmity can be even more apparent; the most memorable interview question ever fired in my direction was from an aged Edinburgh academic who, having looked me up and down, enquired as to what the "locals" might make of someone "from south of the border" if I were appointed to the post. It was an interview I had prepared well for, but I hadn't seen that one coming.

François Chidaine also has a good knowledge of such rivalry. Only here the divide is not a few of Lancashire's fields, or the border between Scotland and England, but the Loire itself, which draws a meandering boundary between the two Touraine outposts of Montlouis and Vouvray. On the left bank sleepy Montlouis, where François and his wife Manuela run La Cave Insolite, perhaps the Loire's best wine-shopping destination; on the right bank, conservative Vouvray, its fine expanse of vineyards and its attractive church (below), with its spire just peeking out above the vines. The Chidaine family had long tended vines in the former of these two appellations, to the south of the river, François having followed his father Yves into the family business. But whereas Yves, like every other Montlouis vigneron, restricted his activities to Montlouis, François has branched out, taking on the old Poniatowski vineyards across the river in Vouvray. And this makes him almost unique; Jacky Blot also has a foothold in both appellations of course, but the difference here is one of origin I think. Blot was undeniably an outsider, a négociant from Tours, but Chidaine was from Montlouis. Montlouis born and bred in fact, and his acquisition of Clos Baudoin and other prestigious vineyards was seen by some of the inhabitants of Vouvray as an affront, a reaction akin to that expected from my Edinburgh academic on learning that a conglomerate of English businessmen had swooped in overnight to buy up Edinburgh Castle, the Wallace Monument and Loch Ness in a three-for-two deal.

Whether Chidaine experienced any real frostiness from his Vouvrillon neighbours I do not know, but if he did it doesn't seem to have been translated into the wines. Not only does Chidaine now continue to make wines that define the very top tier of the Montlouis appellation, he is now also responsible for some of the best examples of Vouvray that can be found, surpassing the already decent efforts of the Polish prince Poniatowski. And so at this year's Salon I kept my date with him and his stand to taste through the range. It is always a marathon tasting, matched only by Jacky Blot's La Taille aux Loups and Domaine de la Butte combo in terms of number of wines served, and perhaps only by Huet in terms of quality.

We kicked off with the Touraine Sauvignon and Rosé, two minor commercial wines from 2009, before launching into the 2007 vintage, following up with barrel samples from 2008. Starting here with 2008, however, the tasting showed this to be a good vintage compared with 2007, although my opinion here might be influenced by the fact that the wines are just a touch more accessible at present; in general there is more residual sugar in 2008 than in 2007 (although it is still not a moelleux-rich vintage) but it does make the wines that much more palatable at this early stage, and it helps them to stand out in a marathon line-up. The 2007 vintage, however, yielded an array of delightful dry and off-dry wines and these certainly should not be ignored. In fact the star wines were unified not by vintage but by origin, by terroir if you will. The truest delights in all these wines came from Clos Habert, a vineyard characterised by clay and limestone, and populated by 60-year old vines. The 2007 showed an ethereal swirling of citrus fruits and vanilla cream, although this was surpassed by the 2008, which combined such airy flavours with a divine, spine-tingling texture.

Having focused on just a few wines above, my final thought here is a somewhat broader one. It is clear to me that across the board Chidaine continues to fashion a brilliant range of wines. Whether in his homeland of Montlouis, or in the foreign clime that is Vouvray, François Chidaine remains a go-to domaine for wines of brightness, precision, texture, minerality and sheer intensity of flavour. Availability seems somewhat limited, as so few merchants in the UK and USA seem to be able to see past Huet to other domaines of comparable standing such as Chidaine, Jacky Blot or indeed Bernard Fouquet. Nevertheless finding these wines is certainly worth the effort. (25/5/10)

François Chidaine, February 2010 - Tasting Notes

These wines were tasted in Angers in February 2010. I have presented my notes in reverse vintage order, although on the day I tasted the 2008s after the 2007s. Within each vintage the wines are also presented in order of tasting, hence the mix of Vouvray and Montlouis notes. All my notes on the wines of François Chidaine, including those below, are collated under my François Chidaine profile. Click to locate stockists.

François Chidaine Touraine Sauvignon 2009: Very fresh but gentle fruit on the nose here, notes of yellow plum, certainly an appealingly ripe style which is welcome. A good character, fresh, with lots of bite. A nice zip and depth on the finish, quite sappy and structured in terms of style. Overall, good, especially when one considers the appellation and its peers. 15/20

François Chidaine Touraine Rosé 2009: This is a blend of Gamay, Grolleau and Pinot Noir, comprising one-third of each. A very fine, pale hue in the glass, and fresh raspberry fruit on the nose. Bright, quite characterful and well defined. Stony rather than creamy, a good dry style, with a little flesh but no overt signs of unwelcome residual sugar. A good effort. 15/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Clos du Breuil 2008: This cuvée is always vinified until dry. Flinty soils, residual sugar 5 g/l. A fresh and open nose here, a good crisp style of fruit, showing an appealing purity. Very supple in terms of style, lovely acidic core, linear with straight-edged flavours. Classically styled, perhaps a touch more so than the 2007. 16-17+/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Les Argiles 2008: An assemblage of several parcels, the vines having an average age of 40 years. Residual sugar 6 g/l. This wine has a very linear nose, with clean and defined fruit. It has an amazingly silky texture for the level of sugar, cut through by plenty of clean acidity at the core. The palate carries a wave of gently polished stony white fruit, exhibiting beautiful purity and style as it does so. A very good wine, with a long finish too. 16-17+/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Clos Baudoin 2008: A south-facing site, 3 hectares in size, with clay over limestone or tuffeau as it is known locally. Very restrained white fruit on the nose here, a fine structure, handsomely composed. It presents a structure resembling a polished shell, inside a densely coiled character which is not ready to be revealed, all around it a seam of acidity. Intense, grippy, huge substance but well polished, this is a wine of great potential which needs to be left well alone in the cellar for a few years. 17-18+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Choisilles 2008: This cuvée usually includes fruit from Clos Renard and Les Epinais when the vintage does not favour the production of a moelleux cuvée. A minerally nose here, otherwise it comes across as very restrained. The palate shows a remarkable presence of flesh, a fine acidity, with lots of polished substance. Gentle, elegant character here, although it yields to a tighter grip towards the end of the palate. Could be lovely. 16-17+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Bournais 2008: Whether this cuvée is dry or sweet depends on the vintage; as in 2007 it is towards the drier end although I do sense a little residual sugar here I think. Smoky fruit on the nose, with open and expressive character. A very fine palate, beautifully delineated texture, this is a wine that just glides across the mouth, displaying an excellent composition of fruit and polish but also a powerful structure and a keen acidic core. Although this is lovely now, the grip that flanks the finish, and also the laser-like acidity here, will keep this healthy for years and years. 17.5-18+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Bournais Franc de Pied 2008: The same vineyard, but from a small selection of ungrafted vines. Whereas I often find minor differences between matching cuvées here the distinctions in style are striking; this is a very different wine to that made from vines on American rootstock. The nose is elegant, with notes of flowers and white stone. This same beauty comes through on the palate, with even greater finesse, around a surging core of minerals and stone. Broad, concentrated, with amazing grip and great length. A real treat to taste. 17.5-18.5+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert Demi-Sec 2008: The soils here are limestone and clay, the vines 60-years old, and the wine usually a demi-sec, with 15.5 g/l residual sugar here. the nose in this vintage is precise, with nuances of citrus fruits, cream and vanilla flowers. A divinely textured palate follows on, so vigorous and energetic, creamy and yet defined. This is astonishing wine, so perfectly composed I struggle to find an adequate description. I am sure this will keep well in the cellar, but I don't think I could resist drinking it now for the sheer joy it brings. 18-19+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Tuffeaux 2008: This is a non-site specific cuvée, taking fruit from across all sites, usually gently sec tendre to demi-sec or thereabouts, in this vintage firmly demi-sec at 19 g/l residual sugar. White fruits and flowers on the nose, typical young Chenin Blanc, presented in an ethereal fashion. The wines itself is a model of restraint on the palate compared with the evocative Clos Habert, its fine core of acidity building firmly in the midpalate giving it a great vigour, but without so much exuberant aroma. Good purity though, lovely citrus and cream and mineral elements on the palate, a vigorous finish, and great length. This is a wine of beauty. 17.5-18.5+/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet 2008: This cuvée is generally sweet, demi-sec or moelleux, and is sourced from 50-year old vines on clay-limestone terroirs. A fresh and ethereal character on the nose, citrus and cream, and a much firmer style than the two Montlouis demi-secs in this vintage. Notes of stone, lightly sprinkled with flower petals. Firm, beautifully textured, vibrant and tingly. A vigorous wine with wonderful character and great potential. 17-18+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Brut Méthode Traditionelle 2007: This is a non-dosé cuvée. A fine minerality on the nose, intense, with pungent stony fruit. On the palate the depth of fruit isn't quite what I expected considering the quality on the nose, nevertheless it has a great structure, some creamy minerality and a sappy acid style. Firm, linear, dry and well composed. 16/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Clos du Breuil 2007: The vines range from 30 to 90 years of age here. Yield 35 hl/ha, residual sugar less than 1 g/l. This cuvée is always vinified until dry. Flinty soils. An appealing nose here, polished yellow-golden fruits, pure and stony-subtle rather than overtly expressive. A gentle polish, a nice linear character, with a gentle flesh. Very mineral, appealingly styled, just moderate concentration. An admirable and eminently approachable wine. 16.5/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Les Argiles 2007: An assemblage of several parcels, the yield 31 hl/ha, the vines 40-years old. This cuvée is always vinified until dry, and the residual sugar is 2.8 g/l. A more appealing nose here than the Clos du Breuil, a little touch of honey and some well-framed fruit. More open than my last tasting. Soft and rounder texture on the palate, but still very fresh and stylish. Nicely poised, great firm acidity, and a good minerally character alongside the fruit. Lots of appeal here. 17+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Choisilles 2007: This cuvée usually includes fruit from Clos Renard and Les Epinais when the vintage does not favour the production of a moelleux. The vines are 30 to 90 years of age. This has only 5.1 g/l residual sugar, a fact I would never have guessed from my tasting of the wine, which has such toothsome panache. Polished, sweetly-ripe fruit here, with a fine, needle-like core of minerals within. A finely composed character, fleshy, a slightly richer style than the preceding wines, with a lovely sheen to it. Framed, defined and delicious, with bright fruit and lively minerality, and most striking of all a beautiful texture. Lovely. 17-17.5+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Bournais 2007: A clay-limestone terroir here, hence bournais, a name for this type of stone. Whether this cuvée is dry or sweet depends on the vintage; in this vintage it is firmly towards the drier end. The vines are 60 years old, the yield 37 hl/ha, residual sugar 4.8 g/l. Young vines too, just ten years old. An enticing nose here, a melange of pure vanilla ice cream swirled with citrus fruits. Again, like Les Choisilles, a beautifully rich and polished palate, with a great acid core. Minerally too, delicious midpalate style, tighter at the edges but also grippy at the core. This is splendid, evocative yet elegant wine. Great potential here. 17.5+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert Demi-Sec 2007: The soils here are limestone, the vines 60 years old, and the wine usually a demi-sec, in this vintage true to form with residual sugar sitting at 12.1 g/l. The yield is lower than some at 29 hl/ha. The fruit character has evolved into citrus and peach on the nose, a wonderfully vibrant and creamy wine, a swirl of mango and mineral. A gliding, elegant palate, lots of interest here. A very balanced form, the acidity enhancing the finesse and harmony of the wine. This is very supple, restrained, with complex fruits as on the nose, and a good length too. Great wine. 17.5-18+/20

François Chidaine Montlouis Les Tuffeaux 2007: This is a non-site specific cuvée, taking fruit from across all sites, usually gently sec tendre to demi-sec or thereabouts. The vines are 30 to 90 years old, the yield 43 hl/ha. In this vintage it is more demi-sec at 14.9 g/l residual sugar. It actually seems a little tighter than the Clos Habert on the nose, although it is no less interesting in terms of aroma, elements of peach mixed with vanilla. Quite tense on the palate, a finer composition here, plenty of finesse. Perhaps less rounded but still a very polished, well-defined style. Fine. 17.5+/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet 2007: This cuvée is generally sweet, demi-sec or moelleux, and is sourced from 50 year-old vines on clay-limestone terroirs, although in this vintage it has only 15.8 g/l residual sugar. All the same, it has a beautiful honeyed edge, great definition, ripe and yet so fresh. There is sweetness, although offset by a vibrant, laser-like acidity. A beautiful flesh and definition, overall great vigour. Delicious wine, although at the very bottom end of the moelleux scale in terms of impact on the palate. But wine is about more than impact! 17.5+/20

François Chidaine Vouvray Pétillant Méthode Ancestrale 2004: Wow! This has a really intense minerality on the nose, a rocky pungency swirled with smoky fruit giving this wine an enthralling character. The palate is restrained, showing a very typical light pétillance which does not detract from the wine's admirable qualities. A very dry style with plenty of punch. Lovely. 18/20