Francois Chidaine Montlouis Les Bournais 2018

100% Chenin Blanc. François Chidaine worked alongside his father Yves for many years before setting out on his own in 1989. Convinced of the potential of the teroirs of Montlouis and Vouvray, he purchased assorted parcels and expanded the estate to today's total of 30 hectares of Chenin Blanc, many of which are dominated by old vines of 40 to 80 years of age. During these years of growth, Chidaine earned a reputation as a leading natural viticulturalistin the region. Today, he is devoted to what is referred to in the U.S. as "regenerative agrcitulture" which includes no-till farming and sowing 25 species of cover crops in-between the vines to mimick nature. At the domaine, François is a true champion of the Chenin Blanc grape and touts its ability to produce vibrant wines that age gracefully. The Montlouis Les Bournais is a vineyard that Chidaine refers to as "a magical place". It had been abandoned for some time, but Chidaine was convinced that it was one of the very best sites in Montlouis. It sits on a limestone plateau overlooking the Loire River and is a dry, powerful, full-body wine that is probably the closest to Vouvray in profile out of all Chidaine's wines. With such special care given to every step of the process, it’s no wonder that Chidaine's wines sell out within just a few months of bottling.