2020 Francois Chidaine Clos Habert Montlouis, Loire Valley

François Chidaine Clos Habert Montlouis from the Loire Valley is a deeply expressive and elegantly textured Chenin Blanc that showcases the quiet brilliance of Montlouis-sur-Loire. Made from old vines rooted in clay and limestone soils, this wine reflects both the minerality of its terroir and the gentle hands of one of France’s leading biodynamic producers.

François Chidaine is revered for his sensitive approach to Chenin Blanc, farming all his vineyards biodynamically and making wines that are driven by place rather than winemaking trickery. Clos Habert is one of his signature plots—planted with mature vines that deliver fruit of intensity and poise. In typical fashion, the wine is made with minimal intervention, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in large neutral oak barrels on fine lees to develop mouthfeel and savoury complexity.

Clos Habert is often made in a slightly off-dry style, with a whisper of residual sugar that amplifies fruit richness without ever feeling sweet. The result is a wine that walks a tightrope of flavour and freshness, richness and precision.

In the glass, it shows aromas of baked quince, pear, white peach, chamomile, honeycomb, and crushed limestone. The palate is layered and silky, with orchard fruit, lemon balm, and a chalky mineral thread running through to a clean, lifted finish. It is both generous and structured, with vibrant acidity keeping everything in perfect balance.

This wine pairs beautifully with roast duck, pork and apple, aged goat cheese, or spiced tagine. It also rewards cellaring, evolving into a beautifully complex and golden expression of Chenin over time.