Chenin Blanc is a white grape that can be found in most New World countries, but whose ancestral home is the Loire Valley of France. It is in the Middle Loire that Chenin truly shows its versatility, producing magical dessert wines, sparkling wine, and table wines, both demi-sec (off-dry/semi-sweet) and sec (dry). Some of the greatest examples of these table wines come from Vouvray and neighboring Montlouis right across the Loire River, and one of the finest producers of these wines is Francois Chidaine.
Montlouis was actually part of Vouvray until 1938, and though both have similar soil compositions, Montlouis is believed to contain a higher percentage of sand and considered less prestigious. However, a vigneron that properly understands this terroir should arguably be able to produce an excellent example of a dry wine, and Francois Chidaine is just such a person.
Hiss always made in a dry style and usually the least expensive in his portfolio. It therefore could be considered his intro wine from Montlouis, that being said it is far from ordinary. Created from a handful of plots throughout the biodynamic vineyard, with vines averaging 40 years of age and the oldest being 80, this is one of my favorite dry Chenins of the region.
I recently enjoyed a 2010 at lunch this winter. He suggests pairing it with grilled chicken or chevre, but it worked pleasantly with my wife's warm couscous salad with shrimp. It had a bouquet of white flowers, orchard fruits, lanolin, and subtle hints of both pine and brioche. The entry was dominated by poached pear and green apples. It then evolved into lime and star fruit, yet finished zesty like ginger with solid grip. A textbook dry Chenin, it had a vein of crisp refreshing acidity that offset its viscous texture. All this for only $23.99.
John Gilman reviewed this wine a year ago giving it 94 points, emphasizing its youthfulness and giving it a maturity to 2040+. The 2011 has recently hit the market so I suggest grabbing up the remainder of the 2010 while you can. That being said, I look forward to tasting the newer release and can't emphasize enough how wise it is to sample all of Chidaine's wines, whether from Montlouis or Vouvray, both sec and demi-sec. He is a wonderful producer.