Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninlow
Acidityhigh
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oakbarrel aged

Drinking window

Latest scored vintage 2022: best 2024 to 2032.
vintage2 yrs10 yrs12 yrs

Critic scores

CriticVintageScore
Wine Advocate reviewed 2024202291/100

Scores as published by each critic for the vintage shown.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedLow tanninHigh acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: lemon, white peach, chalk, white flower

Palate: citrus, wet stone, creamy lees, saline mineral

Chidaine's flagship Montlouis blend across multiple plots. Dry and mineral with good clarity of fruit and a long, chalky finish.

What it pairs with

  • Sole grenobloise
    Caper-and-lemon brown butter sauce meets the wine's chalky citrus signature.
  • Goat cheese tart
    Loire chèvre meets Chenin's chalky drive; lifted aromatics handle the puff pastry.
  • Pike-perch with beurre blanc
    Loire freshwater fish in butter sauce meets a Chenin with creamy lees and acidity.
  • Lobster ravioli
    Shellfish sweetness meets the wine's lees creaminess and saline-mineral lift.

History

François Chidaine founded the domaine in 1989 with four hectares of scattered parcels in Montlouis. Les Choisilles is his flagship blended dry cuvée and was an early bottling.

  1. 1989: François Chidaine founds the domaine in Montlouis
  2. 2002: Chidaine acquires Clos Baudoin in Vouvray, extending his Chenin holdings

Facts

Producer
Domaine François Chidaine · visiting guide
Grapes
Chenin Blanc (100%)
Classification
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC
Oak
Vinified in older oak barrels and tank; aged around 12 months on fine lees
ABV
13.0%
Price
EUR 20 to 32 at retail
Drinking window
2-10 from vintage
First vintage
1989
Biodynamic
Biodynamic Practicing
Organic
ECOCERT
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Choisilles

What does Chidaine Les Choisilles taste like?

Lemon, white peach, chalk and white flower on the nose; citrus, wet stone, creamy lees and saline mineral on the palate. Medium-bodied with high acidity and a long chalky finish.

When should I drink Chidaine Les Choisilles?

Drink between 2 and 10 years from vintage. The biodynamic farming and 12 months of lees ageing give the wine textural depth that rewards 3 to 5 years in bottle.

Where is Les Choisilles grown?

Across multiple parcels in Montlouis-sur-Loire, biodynamically farmed by François Chidaine since the early 2000s.

Is Chidaine Les Choisilles vegan?

Yes. The estate is biodynamic and uses no animal-derived fining agents.

Tags

biodynamic chenin blanc dry high acid medium body medium term mood elegant mood refreshing occasion aperitivo occasion dinner party occasion weeknight old world organic pairs with shellfish pairs with soft cheese pairs with white fish price trade up still white value pick vegan

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