For Doug Schulman! TN: 2010 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos Habert

Doug, we were talking about Chidaine and chenin blanc last week (see here>>> 2 Chenin TNs: 2011 Huet Haut-Lieu and 2010 Chidaine Les Tuffeaux - WINE TALK - WineBerserkers ) and I told you I would open an Habert this week. So good, Doug. Paired this with a 7 course tasting menu, a couple photos are below. I put the bottle against the photo of the last course, which was a free range chicken but where it excelled was with the salmon and moroccan spices with couscous. I paid $25 for these 2010 Habert and now have 2 left and will cross my fingers for Wine Searcher to see if I can find more. Acid, fruit, price…killer.

• 2010 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos Habert - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (5/13/2014)
  This is money, a winner. Nectrarine skin, lime, peach and spicy acidity. There was some impression of RS, demi-like but with proper chill and what seemed more important, was good air, this really evolved into fantastic chenin. Going to find more, as having 2-3 more bottles of this on hand is going to work just fine.

Posted from CellarTracker

Love love love this wine.
Stocked up, but of course one can never have enough of it.
Not sure where you are going to find more Frank…but let me know if you find more.

I feel strongly that the MA wholesaler has a few cases of this wine remaining.

Great notes, Frank, and glad to see you living it up on your travels.

I need to keep expanding my repertoire of good Loire chenin, particularly with some worrisome (though far from conclusive yet) signs coming from stalwart Huet.

There seems to be some of this back east, Dan. However, some good fortune today, in that Greg @ Envoyer offered some more of the 2007 Le Bouchet. If I am going to go demi, might as well buy into something that has some age and also avoid the shipping.

You have to go to NY for Chidaine? Let me know if you locate some of this. I found Huet, but it is the '12 (which sucks - right?)

I’m just trying to find some of this to compare with humble CA Chenin.

Love chasing French wine!

Mike, you do not. However, it depends on the cuvee and vintage. Greg @ Envoyer has some things being offered and coming so this would be one closer choice, Mike. Chidaine makes about a dozen cuvees so it gets a little complex. Here is a roll-up that Jim Diven posted this year, which should help.

Chidaine Vouvray:
Les Argiles = Sec.
Clos Baudoin = Sec
Le Bouchet = Demi-Sec

Chidaine Montlouis:
Clos du Breuil = Sec
Les Tuffeaux = Demi-Sec
Clos Habert = Demi-sec
Les Choisilles =Sec
Les Bournais = Sec
Les Lys = Moelleux

Mike,
Give this one a try.
2010 Les Bournais
http://www.klwines.com/detail.asp?sku=1141635

We had the 2007 Les Tuffeaux a few weeks ago and it was just killing it. Outshined some nice French and American chardonnays at the event.

And my first Chidaine Rosé a week ago, the 2012 (though the 2013 is out). It was a superb rosé with a really fine pebbly texture that was wonderful.
I’ve not had a Clos Habert. Sounds like I should.

Yeah, but that dang cross country shipping.
I was hoping local retailers would have some.

I’ve had the 2010 Les Bournais. Loved it.

2010 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Bournais (France, Loire Valley). 3/13/2014. rsbeck 93
Pop and pour, wonderful aromatics pour forth and the show continues on the palate. Layers of citrus, orchard fruits, soil, and saline/stone minerals rounded with what tasted like a little touch of oak spice. Lovely.

Looks like K&L is now sold out if it. Glad I got a few more bottles before it went. Hope some of you got a few, too.

BJ thanks - sold out, but I signed up for the waiting list.

Hey, it’s French, no inconvenience is too great!

Frank - as you know I really enjoy Chidaine wines as well. I have not broken into my '10 stash, but the '08s have been fantastic. With several poor Loire vintages I highly recommend exploring Riesling. The '12 vintage appears to be a great one.

Thanks, Frank! This wine with that salmon dish must have been perfect. I’m glad you enjoyed the wine, maybe as much as I do. I should really stock up on some while I can. Of course it depends on preference to an extent that this almost doesn’t make sense, but I really don’t think wine gets better than this for $25.

I’ve been told that the sweetness of at least one of the Montlouis bottlings can vary based on vintage. I don’t remember which.

Opened one of these just now, because I need something to drink, and because I need a splash of wine for my gravy tomorrow. Might only be a splash left, because this is pretty tasty. Pours with a little color, but seems to have lightened in the glass as it warms and airs to a light honey gold; nose shows some lovely, savory, spicy notes; medium intensity on the palate, plenty of flavor but not overpowering, almost elegant for this wine, with some of that spice lurking in the background, a hint of sweetness (but just a hint), and a nice slow transition to a limestone mineral finish.

Definitely fits into the hierarchy of RS, just barely a demi. Good stuff.

That sounds fantastic. What do you think about current maturity (sounds like it has evolved a bit in the past couple of years) and further development? There’s been some question about the aging curves of these wines lately. They’re so wonderful on release that I haven’t held on to any.

Doug, this bottle is very youthful, but in a great place for my palate. I wouldn’t hesitate to drink now, or hold for several years.

That’s good to hear, thanks.