François Chidaine: Vineyards
François Chidaine now has 37 hectares of vineyards to his name, with many of his plots rich in older vines, most aged between 40 and 80 years old. They are mostly planted with Chenin Blanc, only natural considering the appellations at hand, but there are some other varieties planted beyond the Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire boundaries. As already indicated the vines are cared for along strictly biodynamic lines, with Biodyvin certification. As a consequence of the biodynamic philosophies yields are low, typically 35 hl/ha across the domaine, although this varies according to the vintage. Without recourse to chemical means of protecting the vines, difficult growing seasons – such as 2012 – see him battling against mildew with only wettable sulphur, copper sulphate and other non-chemical treatments. This is why, in such a vintage, yields may be as low as 12 hl/ha. The harvest, when it eventually comes, is entirely by hand, and usually gets underway mid-October.
Of the 37 hectares of vines, which François manages with the help of a small team including his wife Manuela and his cousin Nicolas-Martin, 20 hectares are within the confines of the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation, 18 hectares owned by François and 2 hectares en fermage. Of the remaining 17 hectare, about 10 hectares – quite a significant holding – are in the Vouvray appellation, whereas the final 7 hectares are Touraine. Below I look at where the Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray vineyards are located.
Please log in to continue reading: