TN 2005 François Chidaine "Les Tuffeaux" Montlouis Sur Loire

TN 2005 François Chidaine “Les Tuffeaux” Montlouis Sur Loire. Very much a demi-sec. In fact, sweeter and more unctuous than I prefer. Still, that’s a matter of preference and I do not mean to suggest this tasty treat is in any way cloying. Thick honeycomb. More than a bit of chenin blanc bite on the end and just enough acidity. This would counter some nice spicy Chinese or even Thai. Enjoyable, but, in the end, it begins to tire my palate with the second glass. $25. 90 points for me.

drank 2008 a few days ago. Same impression as you. Didn’t hold my interest.

'05 was a pretty ripe year, so there’s a bit more ripeness and a bit less acidity than usual. Additionally, imo, you’re never going to get as much verve from a Montlouis as you do from a Vouvray.

I’ve always been a fan of the Tuffeaux bottling as an off-dry example, especially for the price. Have not had the '05, so thanks for sharing the note

Chidaine is great, and even greater when you consider value.

Why do you think this is? Harvest decisions? Yields? Something else?

I’ve lost my taste for Tuffeaux and aside from a single bottle of 08 and 10 left, I stopped buying it. I know there is some preference around here for the demi cuvees but I’m buying just the Secs these days.

Does anyone have a link to or photo of the back label of recent Chidaine bottles? I had a 14 last month that had an interesting depiction of the range of their wines, from dry to sweet, but it has long been recycled.

I used to buy more Chidaine, but I’m in the same camp as Drew and Alan. I much prefer the Vouvray or Chinon blanc style to Montlouis, but do keep them handy for gatherings as Chidaine is a crowd pleaser.

Thanks, David. Very helpful.

Just don’t get caught!

Wise guy. You’re just jealous that my cellar has more Secs than yours.

Interesting, the common wisdom I’ve read is that Vouvray in general tends to have a little more richness than Montlouis. At least with Chidaine, I’ve found his Montlouis wines to have slightly more verve, so to speak, than his Vouvrays, holding all other things equal. Of course, it’s never that simple, especially given the many different styles of wine he makes (and that come out of these regions).

Montlouis tends to be more clay and flint (silex) whereas Vouvray at tends to be more clay and limestone. As a result, It’s frequently argued that Vouvray tends to have both more power and finesse. To my tastes, I tend to find Montouis a bit more ponderous and dull, generally speaking. I also tend to prefer Chenin in Vouvray that’s grown on Limestone, rather than Silex, but I also prefer Vouvray on Silex over Montlouis Silex.