Domaine François Chidaine Vin de France (Vouvray) Les Argiles 2020
Most readers will already know that although this wine is 100% from Vouvray, it is not permitted to be labelled as such because it is fermented and aged across the river in Montlouis. It’s therefore labelled as Vin de France, a change in circumstance that has not bothered Chidaine’s clients one jot.
As always, this magnificent bottling is drawn from a series of clay-rich Vouvray sites (argiles = clay) that surround the Clos Baudoin. These include L’Espagnole, La Chatterie, L’Homme, La Reugnières and Le Haut Lieu (of Huet fame). Set away from the river, these sites are mostly populated with 40-year-old bush vines, which grow on deep, chalky clay over a subsoil of limestone. All these vineyards are managed biodynamically and with regenerative agriculture. Les Argiles is hand-harvested with multiple passes through the vineyards. Fermentation occurs with indigenous yeasts and aging is on lees in 600L demi-muids for around 11 months.
The combination of a warm and dry vintage with Chidaine’s precise, old-school winemaking has conveyed a predictably top-flight Chenin Blanc. The first rule of Les Argiles 2020: big is beautiful. A powerful surge of flavour leaps from the glass, with pêche de vigne, white honey and orange citrus at the forefront. The palate is dense and succulent with those rich flavours toned by sappy acidity and thunderclap of phenolic energy. This is flat out gorgeous; Les Argiles on steroids (without the side-affects).
“From deep clay soils, there’s a richness on the mid-palate and rounded edges that are further shaped and curved by fermentation and maturation in demi-muids. It’s a mid-weight style that offers plentiful concentration, remarkable freshness and mouthcoating grip. The finish is gourmand and textural with subtle apple pie notes lingering.” 91 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous