Winemaker Notes
Chidaine's estate grown Vouvray produced from parcels throughout the great vineyards of the Clos Baudoin property, Les Argiles is normally vinified dry. Notes of honey, citrus, pear and apple are present in the nose with just a hint of caramel. Full-bodied in the mouth, but fresh with lively acidity, this is world class Chenin at an unbeatable price.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2022 Vin de France Les Argiles is a graceful and ethereal wine. It opens with delicate aromas of ripe pear, white flowers and subtle spices. Medium- to full-bodied, it is pure and weightless yet possesses notable depth at the core and an elegantly structured and mineral mid-palate, concluding with a long, saline finish. Poised and precise, this wine is built to evolve beautifully over the next decade and beyond.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
A small category representing the wines that either fall outside of appellation lines or don’t subscribe to the law and traditions set forth by the French government within certain classified appellations, “Vin De France” is a catch-all that includes some of the most basic French wines as well as those of superior quality. The category includes large production, value-driven wines. It also includes some that were made with a great deal of creativity, diligence and talent by those who desire to make wine outside of governmental restrictions. These used to be called Vin de Table (table wine) but were renamed to compete with other European countries' wines of similar quality.