2023 · Clos du Breuil

Domaine François Chidaine is a family-run, second-generation estate based in Montlouis-sur-Loire in the Loire Valley, with vineyards in Montlouis, Vouvray and Touraine. Founded by François Chidaine in 1989 and now run with his wife Manuela and the next generation of the family, the domaine is best known for Chenin Blanc grown on flinty clay and clay-limestone soils. The vineyards have been farmed organically since 1992 and biodynamically since 1999, with soil-conservation practices including cover crops, biodiversity plantings and eco-grazing with Solognote sheep. Harvests are manual, and cellar work is low-intervention: slow pressing, indigenous-yeast fermentations in demi-muids, no sought-after malolactic fermentation, and lees ageing to preserve freshness and site expression.