Domaine François Chidaine Montlouis Clos Habert 2019

This domaine has a number of cuvées that often fall into what would traditionally be called demi-sec territory. However, Chidaine prefers to call these wines tendre, or ‘gently dry’. This is because the level of sweetness can fluctuate widely depending on the vintage. Like the greats of the Mosel, these are wines where the sugar/acid balance is more important than residual levels. They are powered by their ripeness rather than sweetness, and always finish tangy and fresh.

This three-hectare clos sits just above the Clos de Breuil, on a plateau where the silex (flint) gives way to broken chalk and clay. It’s home to 60-year-old guyot and bush-trained vines that are hand-harvested in tris with very low yields (circa 30 hl/ha). The 2019 was raised in large format barrel.