Domaine François Chidaine - Les Argiles 2023
Located between Montlouis sur Loire and Vouvray, Domaine François Chidaine has become an essential reference for great Loire Chenins. The vineyard is managed with organic and biodynamic farming, with meticulous soil work and deliberately controlled yields. Each plot is treated as a distinct cru, focusing on precision rather than power. The wines stand out for their purity, energy, and remarkable aging potential. Les Argiles 2023 follows this philosophy, as a clear and slender expression of Ligérien Chenin.
Les Argiles 2023 comes from Chenin vines planted on clay-limestone and clay-siliceous terroirs, which bring both relief and tension to the wine. The 2023 vintage, bright but not excessive, allowed for just the right maturity, with healthy and aromatically concentrated grapes. The harvest is done by hand, with precise sorting directly in the vineyard. The grapes are pressed slowly and gently, then the juices are fermented using only indigenous yeasts, without oenological artifices. Aging takes place in tanks and demi-muids, on fine lees, to refine the texture while preserving the wine's uprightness. The result is a dry terroir white wine, precise, vibrant, and already very approachable.
On the nose, the wine evokes ripe lemon, grapefruit, fresh pear, and yellow apple, enhanced by notes of white flowers and a touch of damp chalk. On the palate, the attack is straight and salivating, supported by a fine acidity that stretches the wine without hardening it. The mid-palate blends zesty citrus, white fruits, fine herbs, and a marked mineral framework that adds great relief. The finish is long, clean, with noble bitterness of lemon peel and a slightly saline sensation that immediately invites another sip. At the table, Les Argiles 2023 pairs wonderfully with grilled or ceviche fish, seafood, seasonal plant-based cuisine, simply roasted poultry, and Loire goat cheeses.
Grape varieties: 100% Chenin Blanc
