Domaine François Chidaine : Clos Habert 2020

Tasting notes and recommendations for Clos Habert 2020 from Domaine François Chidaine

Tasting

Appearance

The wine shows a lovely pale gold color, clear and bright.

Nose

The nose opens with delicate aromas of white fruits, notably Williams pear and white peach. With aeration, more complex notes emerge: white truffle, honey, quince jelly, citrus zest, and a chalky minerality characteristic of the terroir.

Palate

The attack is generous and fleshy, brimming with ripe fruit. This initial roundness is immediately balanced by a distinct mineral thread that structures the whole. Honeyed aromas and candied citrus unfold gradually, supported by lively acidity that brings freshness and vibrancy. The finish, both lively and fresh, lingers elegantly on mineral notes and refined, noble bitters. A remarkable balance between richness and freshness defines this demi-sec wine.

Food and wine pairings

Clos Habert 2020 is particularly versatile at the table. It pairs beautifully with poultry in cream sauce, sweet-and-savory dishes such as Asian-style chicken, shellfish—especially grilled lobster or lobster risotto. Delicate fish dishes such as monkfish in coconut milk find an ideal partner in it. It also matches well with creamy cheeses, Comté, Beaufort, and goat cheeses. Lightly spiced cuisines, notably Indian or Asian, as well as dried-fruit tagines, also make excellent pairings.

Serving and cellaring

Clos Habert 2020 is ideally enjoyed at a temperature of 11 to 12°C. Decanting before serving allows its complex aromas to fully open up. This wine has remarkable aging potential and can be cellared until around 2040, or even beyond.

A Montlouis-sur-Loire chenin blanc of richness and rare vibrancy

The estate

While working as a farm laborer on the family holding, François Chidaine decided in 1989 to plant a few hectares of vines and create his wine estate located in Montlouis-sur-Loire in the heart of Touraine. Mindful of his environment and the balance between nature and human work, François Chidaine has managed his vineyard under organic farming since 1992 and then biodynamics since 1999.

Recognized for their quality and authentic expression of terroir, the wines of Domaine François Chidaine are among the benchmark references for Loire wines. Domaine François Chidaine oversees a vineyard gradually developed to reach 37 hectares (including 20 in the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation, 10 in Vouvray, and 7 in the Touraine appellation). This winegrowing terroir is rooted in a mosaic of soils composed of clay, flint, and limestone, which shape the style of its Loire wines, authentically expressing the specific characteristics of each original terroir.

The vineyard

Clos Habert comes from a single-terroir three-hectare plot located in Montlouis-sur-Loire. The vines, aged from five to one hundred years, grow on clay-and-flint soils with a subsoil of white tuffeau, the soft limestone rock typical of Touraine. This geological composition gives the wine its distinctive mineral signature and characteristic chalky notes. The vineyard benefits from a temperate oceanic climate with continental influence. Farmed under certified Biodyvin biodynamics, the vineyard is worked without any chemical plant-protection products. The soils are strategically grassed with melliferous plants and legumes that promote biodiversity. Harvesting is exclusively by hand, with several successive sorting passes to select grapes at optimal ripeness.

The vintage

The year 2020 was marked by generally warm weather, with heatwave episodes in late June and late July, causing significant water stress for the vines. These high temperatures continued during the harvest period, contributing to a rapid rise in potential alcohol levels. Fortunately, timely rainfall brought a beneficial balance between the grapes’ natural acidity and sugar concentration, enabling a good-quality harvest with healthy grapes.

Winemaking and aging

After slow pressing in a pneumatic press, Clos Habert 2020 fermented exclusively with indigenous yeasts in 620-liter demi-muids. The alcoholic fermentation, which could last up to six months, took place without seeking malolactic fermentation in order to preserve natural acidity. Aging on fine lees in demi-muids continued for eleven months, allowing gradual integration and the development of the wine’s aromatic complexity.

Grape variety

100% chenin blanc