NV Chidaine - Montlouis Brut Tradition

François Chidaine took over his father Yves's four hectares of rented vines in Montlouis in 1989, after finishing viticultural school and working alongside him for several years. From that modest start he built one of the Loire Valley's most respected estates, expanding his holdings and converting his vineyards to biodynamic farming along the way. His wife Manuéla joined the domaine in 1999, opening a tasting room and wine shop, and today Chidaine is widely regarded as one of the region's foremost interpreters of Chenin Blanc.

Montlouis-sur-Loire sits at the junction of the Loire and Cher rivers, a small appellation of roughly four hundred hectares planted almost entirely to Chenin Blanc. The Brut Tradition undergoes its initial alcoholic fermentation in large demi-muids for several months, allowing the wine to develop texture and depth before the traditional method second fermentation takes place in bottle. The wine then rests on its lees for about a year, a process that builds fine, persistent bubbles and adds subtle bread and pastry notes to the finished sparkler.

The result is a bone-dry, taut wine with lively acidity and a fine, cleansing mousse. Rich apple and orchard fruit flavors sit alongside chalky minerality and delicate savory notes drawn from time on the lees. Its crisp, refreshing style makes it a natural aperitif, and it pairs equally well with fresh shellfish, a soft washed rind cheese, or a simple almond tart.