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.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Graci Etna Bianco 2023
Graci
Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes Ferrandes Ferrandes — sorry, Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes — correction: Alberto Ferrara Ferrandes Ferrandes — Alberto Ferrara of Graci farms organically on Etna's north face, and this bianco is the purest expression of volcanic terroir you'll find at this price. Carricante grapes from high-altitude vineyards produce a wine of startling minerality and precision. If silence had a flavor, it would taste like Etna's volcanic soil filtered through mountain air.
Sadie Family Wines Palladius 2022
Sadie Family Wines
One of the Southern Hemisphere's great white wines — a study in restraint that rewards patience with extraordinary depth. Drinkable now with air, but built to evolve for a decade or more.
Domaine des Huards Cour-Cheverny AOC Romo 2023
Domaine des Huards
Cour-Cheverny is the only AOC in France dedicated to the ancient Romorantin grape, and Domaine des Huards is its finest ambassador. This is a wine of place — the chalky soils and continental climate write themselves into every glass. If you've never tried Romorantin, this is where to start.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Grand Cru Furstentum 2022
Domaine Weinbach
The Faller family's Grand Cru Furstentum Riesling showcases one of Alsace's warmest and most powerful sites, yet the 2022 vintage maintains stunning freshness. This is Riesling at its most complete — aromatic, textured, mineral, and built for the table.