François Chidaine

Nestled on the south bank of the Loire River in Montlouis-sur-Loire, Domaine François Chidaine stands as one of the Loire Valley's most respected producers of Chenin Blanc. The estate's modern winery is located in the village of Husseau, with vineyards stretching across three appellations: around 20 hectares in Montlouis-sur-Loire, 10 hectares in Vouvray (north of the river), and 7 hectares in the broader Touraine zone for reds, rosés, and Sauvignon Blanc—totaling about 37 hectares of biodynamically farmed land.

François Chidaine, a local born and raised in a vigneron family, struck out on his own in 1989. Starting with just a handful of rented and owned hectares from his retiring father, he immediately embraced sustainable practices, converting to full organic certification in the early 1990s and biodynamics by 1999—one of the region's trailblazers.Growth accelerated in 2002 when François, alongside cousin Nicolas Martin, took over the iconic Clos Baudoin in Vouvray from the retiring Prince Poniatowski family, fully purchasing it by 2006. Today, he runs the domaine with his wife Manuela (who also operates their acclaimed wine shop, La Cave Insolite, right on the Loire's edge) and increasingly involves their children.

Chidaine played a pivotal role in elevating Montlouis from Vouvray's overlooked shadow—once lumped together until their 1930s separation—into a star appellation for tense, age-worthy Chenins. A controversial 2010s rule change forced his Vouvray-sourced wines (vinified in Montlouis) to drop the appellation name from 2014 onward, but it hasn't dimmed their reputation. His lineup—from razor-sharp secs and demi-secs to luscious moelleux and elegant sparklers—remains a benchmark for purity and terroir expression in the Loire. 

Buy François Chidaine wine below.