Domaine François Chidaine Vin de France Moelleux 2018 Vouvray

This is a sweet Chenin Blanc from François Chidaine's Vouvray vineyards, released only in the seasons when the balance allows.

Chidaine farms in Montlouis-sur-Loire and, for two decades now, across the river in Vouvray as well. The fruit comes from his clay-limestone Vouvray sites — Le Bouchet, L'Espagnole, L'Homme and La Chatterie among them — and the wine is made in the same way as Les Tuffeaux, with natural fermentation and no attempt to force the style. A moelleux is bottled only when ripeness and acidity arrive together, which is not every year. The residual sugar finished in the 20 to 30 grams per litre range, though the wine carries it lightly: the sweetness sits well behind the line of acidity, so it reads closer to a ripe, luscious dry white than a dessert wine. Because it was fermented and aged in the Montlouis cellar rather than in Vouvray, it is labelled Vin de France, as all of Chidaine's Vouvray wines have been since 2014.

Lovely now and capable of decades in bottle. Serve at 8 to 10°C as an aperitif, or with foie gras, blue cheese or a fruit tart.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.