Only bottled in magnum. Pierre Chidaine, the son of Montlouis star François Chidaine, makes this scintillating Chenin Blanc. This small plot of old Chenin vines is in the lieu-dit of Les Epinays, near the hamlet of Husseau. The 60-year-old vines are rooted in the local aubuis clay soils littered with large flint on the surface and the roots penetrate the cool and humid depths of the tuffeau subsoils. The southern exposure of the plot helps to give this wine its natural richness and beautiful aromatic concentration—even in a rather cool and late vintage like 2021.
Pierre raises this cuvée in a combination of glass Wineglobe and old oak barrels. It is a refined, crystalline and invigorating wine that combines orange blossom, pollen and anise with livewire tension and vibrating, mouthcoating texture. The tapering finish offers tremendous detail and mouthwatering energy before a closing lick of rocky minerality, saltiness and spice (and all things nice). Pure, long and focused. Wow. It seems like Pierre is chip off the old rock.