François Chidaine

François Chidaine took over the family domaine in Husseau, Montlouis-sur-Loire, in 1989 when his father Yves retired - three hectares of family vines plus 1.5 he bought himself. His wife Manuéla joined the operation a decade later, in 1999. Today the estate runs to roughly 30-37 hectares split across three appellations: around 20 in Montlouis, 10 in Vouvray (since 2002), and 7 in Touraine. He is widely credited with putting Montlouis back on the map as a serious Chenin appellation.

Organic conversion began in 1992, biodynamic from 1999, Biodyvin-certified since the early 2000s; recent work has moved toward regenerative viticulture - no tillage, permanent cover crops, the Maria Thun calendar - with Chenin Blanc as the spine and smaller quantities of Sauvignon Blanc, Côt and Cabernet Franc in the Touraine range.

Montlouis is the heartland. Les Choisilles is the old-vine dry blend; Les Tuffeaux the tendre off tuffeau; Clos du Breuil dry; Clos Habert tendre (around 20 g/L residual); Les Bournais, dry from clay-limestone, the cuvée closest in feel to Vouvray; and Les Lys, the moelleux from botrytised fruit in the right years. The Vouvray parcels are Les Argiles, Le Bouchet, and the 2.7-hectare south-facing Clos Baudoin - leased from Prince Philippe Poniatowski in 2002 and fully acquired by the end of 2006. Sparkling runs to a Montlouis Brut Nature (12 months on lees) and a Montlouis Pétillant (36 months on lees), plus pét-nats. Touraine is the entry-level range - Clos de la Grange Sauvignon, a Rosé and a Rouge.

Style is consistently drier and more precise than the Vouvray norm, no-dosage sparkling, rigorous dry stills, strong terroir signatures - a reference point for serious Loire Chenin alongside Huet, Foreau / Clos Naudin, Pinon, Carême, and Jacky Blot at Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups.