Francois Chidaine ‘Clos Habert’ Montlouis-sur-Loire Blanc 2019

Winemaker: François Chidaine

Grapes: Chenin Blanc

Location: France, Montlouis-sur-Loire

From us at M&L: François is, in many respects, responsible for revitalizing and revolutionizing the Montlouis appellation. He is a kind of bridge between the classic and the new generation of natural wine growers in the area; many of whom have either worked directly for or with François at some point. There aren’t many household names in wine, but surely François Chidaine deserves the recognition.

Since founding his domaine in 1989 he has always worked organically, specializing in polished, powerful Chenin Blanc. He is a master at delineating the vast spectrum of dry-to-sweet whites for which the area is famous (including Vouvray, Montlouis’ more famous neighbor).

François wines range from the icy and spicy to lux-textured honey drops.

Clos Habert is from a single vineyard of old vines on a high plateau near the winery, on soils of clay, mixed with fine pieces of flint over the white limestone "tuffeau." The fruit is picked late in successive "tries" with the aim of producing a demi-sec which usually has 12 to 20 grams of residual sugar per liter. Fermentation is with wild yeats in 600 liter barrels and can take six months. The 2019 "Clos Habert" is one of the great "sec-tendre" of the Loire. Mandarin and lemon peel, ripe green apple and pear, honeysuckle and white pepper, just beautiful. The palate shows very ripe white and yellow fruits, with citrus confit and very firm flinty, calcaire flavors with anise and spice in the long, silky finish. Drink now with whole roast chicken or lay a few down to check on every five years or so, for decades.