It may be a cliché, but that doesn’t make this statement any less true: Great wine is made in the vineyard. Lots of winemakers talk this talk, but Loire Valley icon François Chidaine is one of those who really walks the walk—and, wow, does it show in this prismatic, tension-packed dry Vouvray. “Les Argiles” is Loire Chenin Blanc at its most electric, most mineral, most thrillingly pure...it teems with the kind of energy only the most conscientious farming can create. Chidaine has set a new Gold Standard for precision and quality in the Loire Valley through his advocacy for regenerative agriculture: vines intermingle and struggle with other crops, soils are left unadulterated and undisturbed, and a comprehensive biodynamic philosophy reigns supreme. In the manner of a blockbuster film, Chidaine is saving the planet one bottle at a time!
His 2018 “Les Argiles” hails from five deep-soil plots that sit mere meters from one of Vouvray’s most storied sites, “Clos Baudoin.” It is powerfully dry and focused, with a level of precision that commanded an awed silence in the middle of our busy tasting. It’s also the very first time we’ve been able to offer a wine from Chidaine, as these one-with-nature bottlings have exponentially grown in demand in just a few years' time. If you have yet to experience Chidaine, this world-class Chenin Blanc is a fantastic, and limited, opportunity to acquaint yourself with his genius.
François is the second generation to oversee his family’s estate in Montlouis, perched on a promontory between the Loire and the Cher rivers. He’s best known as a leader in natural viticulture, championing a strict ‘no-till’ farming technique and choosing to leave permanent cover crops year round to encourage the growth of the robust fungal network that passes sugars, minerals, and nutrients back and forth between the vines. The resulting fruit is the most honest and concentrated Chenin possible, intimately connected to the cool clay and chalk soils that give the best Vouvrays their signature intensity. He’s undoubtedly become one of the most exciting white winemakers in the Loire, having carefully developed the trifecta of ingredients necessary for life-changing wine: old vines in the best plots; rigorous, observation-based natural farming; and gentle, hands-off winemaking.
The vines for ‘Les Argiles’ come from a variety of satellite plots orbiting Clos Baudoin, among the most celebrated Chenin vineyards in the world. The Clos and many of its surrounding parcels are now owned by the Chidaines, farmed in their diligently regenerative methods for maximum flavor and minimum impact on the surrounding ecosystem. The winemaking is deliberately hands-off: whole bunches are pressed into stainless steel and fermented with wild yeasts, which could take up to six months without any rush on the part of the winemaker. ‘Les Argiles’ is then fermented on lees in giant demi-muid barrels for eight months, waxing to staggering texture and complexity before an unfiltered bottling.
[NOTE: Although this wine strictly comes from plots within Vouvray, the Chidaines must label it “Vin de France” since their cellar is in the neighboring town of Montlouis-sur-Loire.]
In François’ inimitable style, Les Argiles erupts with unbridled energy. Vivid fruits and florals cascade out of the glass in the form of apple blossoms, underripe peach, honeysuckle, lime leaf, and the crunchy snap of a firm Granny Smith apple. Richer notes of lees, beeswax, and fresh cream are juxtaposed by a bracing freshness of crushed rock and chalk. That exceptional minerality lingers on the finish, mingling with enough acidity to make your mouth water long after the last sip disappears. This is expertly chiseled, dry, high-intensity Chenin Blanc! I suggest drinking with a light chill, around 50-55 degrees, ideally after a full hour of decanting. I’d serve it with a classic salade Niçoise laden with umami flavors from the finest Spanish tuna you can find at your local delicatessen. Indulge in this liquid laser beam and keep in mind that it will continue developing over the next 5-10+ years. At the very least, you’re going to want more than the single bottle to stave off these looming winter blues!
