2022 Francois Chidaine Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, Loire Valley

François Chidaine is revered for his pristine Chenin Blancs from Montlouis and Vouvray. For a fraction of the price of those wines, here is a touch of Chidaine magic in the form of a Sauvignon cropped from vines in Chissay-en-Touraine and Saint-Julien-de-Chédon. These vineyards lie in the heart of the Touraine appellation, less than 10km upstream from Montlouis, and the viticulture is strictly organic and biodynamic. Alongside his own vineyards, Chidaine now also sources fruit from his grower son-in-law, Jean-Baptiste Bonnigal, in Limeray.
 
Fermented with a high degree of solids before maturation on lees—a little barrel-aged fruit adds complexity—you'll find engaging zesty citrus character here, along with a delicious touch of white flower and peach skin. As always with Chidaine, you get terroir first and varietal second. The palate is ripe and fleshy, crammed with stone fruits and chalky drive rather than the stereotypical characters we often associate with the variety. One of the keys to the Loire Valley’s outstanding 2022 vintage is the marriage between fleshy fruit texture and mouthwatering freshness. You’ll find all that here, alongside a snaking finish kissed by tangy, salty lemons. We can’t remember a more exciting release under this label.