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You may notice a certain resemblance with our August 2018 email announcing the 2015: "another perfect Chinon 'La Croix Boissée'" but it's true that the current release of the wine, after a longer élevage than the 2015, is another superb and elegant Chinon, certainly among the most beautiful of all Loire Valley reds. The Baudrys called the 2016 vintage "a challenge," quite difficult with a bad frost on April 27th followed by rain and mildew through July. Fortunately August through October were beautiful, with just enough rain to ensure good ripening, giving a vintage with low yields but beautiful concentration and acidity with deep, vibrant fruit and excellent structure for aging. For those with cellars, this is a prime candidate for long-term aging, but it will certainly be delicious after 5 to 8 years for those who prefer a more youthful experience. The low yields mean less wine, so don't delay. (wine arrives May 1st, about 8 cs are available)
The 2017 Baudry "Les Grézeaux" will please those who appreciate a lighter, earthy and more fragrant style of Chinon. The fruit is less forward than in the previous three vintages with more delicate, floral raspberry and black raspberry aromas. The palate is earthy and bright with pretty raspberry/strawberry fruit. Perfection served cool with roast chicken over the next ten years...(arrives Wed 4/17)
One of the big favorites at last fall's Loire red tasting at Racines was the dense and earthy 2014 Château de Coulaine Chinon "Clos de Turpenay" and we are happy that the domaine released another 60 bottles for Chambers Street. This long-time organic and biodynamic estate is one of our favorite producers in Chinon. 2014 is a beautiful vintage for the Clos de Turpenay, a vineyard of clay/limestone on a well-exposed slope that has been in vines since the 13th century. The current vines were planted in massale selection about 50 years ago and generally give a very structured wine that ages well. As with the best of the 2014 Chinons, The Clos de Turpenay shows a beautiful combination of supple ripe fruits, freshness, and great terroir expression.
We also love the Coulaine 2015 Chenin "Les Picasses" from a parcel at the top of the vineyard with southern exposure, on the classic clay/limestone "tuffeau" in Beaumont-en-Veron. This is a dense and powerful Chinon that will age beautifully, but will drink well young, having the deep, sappy and a bit softer fruit of the 2015s. Something quite special from Château de Coulaine is their delicious 2015 Chinon Franc de Pied. Grown on a 1/4 hectare parcel on a slope of clay over limestone where there is enough sand to discourage phylloxera, the vines are now 15 years-old and produce this distinctive wine, quite saline and with intriguing complexity. Drink this lovely Chinon, served cool, over the next five years, and keep your fingers crossed that the vines survive!
And now for something completely different, Château de Coulaine is producing a ripe and vibrant Chenin Blanc from a south-facing slope just across the Vienne from Coulaine (AOC Touraine) with interesting terroir of granitic gravel and fossils over white limestone. The 2016 "Les Pieds Rotis" is a dry but very ripe and full-bodied Chenin, with beautiful white fruit, earth and citrus flavors. It's a great apéritif or serve with white meats, Asian food and mild cheeses. (Château de Coulaine wines arrive by Thurs 4/11)
Baudry 2016 Chinon La Croix Boissée
(Last of stock of this classic Chinon) We've had the good fortune to taste the 2016 La Croix Boissée from vat or barrel three times - the first time showed vibrant lush deep black fruits and fabulous length which was confirmed in 2019 with the aromas a bit subdued by the élevage, showing floral black fruits and sensational length and elegance on the palate with cool red and black fruits, earth and mineral flavors. This will be a sensational mature Chinon, try to wait 8 years then drink until 2049 - yikes, I'll be 100 years old!
Baudry 2017 Chinon Les Grézeaux
One of the great red wines of the Loire Valley, the Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux is from a unique parcel of old vines near the bottom of the slope in Sonnay (near Cravant-les-Coteaux) on a bed of gravel over a base of clay, sand and limestone. (Harvested by hand, fermented with wild yeasts and aged in 3 to 5 year-old casks.) Les Grézeaux always has an elegant silky texture and wonderful freshness, combined with the ability to age beautifully in good vintages. While not as big as 2015 and 2016, the 2017s at Baudry have wonderful purity and freshness in a medium-bodied frame that accentuates the beauty of the fruit and the underlying minerality. The 2017 Les Grézeaux has lovely raspberry and strawberry fruit with earth, musk and spice. Pretty floral red fruits on the palate with vibrant acidity framed by flavors of graphite and stone. Becomes deeper and velvety with a few days open — really a lovely blend of fruit and terroir with nice balance. Enjoy it now or in 10 to 15 years...DL
Coulaine 2014 Chinon Le Clos de Turpenay
2014 is a beautiful vintage for the Clos de Turpenay, a vineyard of clay/limestone on a well-exposed slope that has been in vines since the 13th century. The current vines were planted in massale selection about 50 years ago and generally give a very structured wine that ages well. As with the best of the 2014 Chinons, The Clos de Turpenay shows a beautiful combination of supple ripe fruits, freshness, and great terroir expression. The aromas are complex and pretty - black raspberry, cassis and strawberry, quite fresh, with earth, pepper, rose and citrus. The palate is a lovely mix of red and black fruits with earth, sous-bois, citrus and chalky mineral flavors that continue in the long sappy finish. This is a subtle and elegant Chinon - carafe 1 to 2 hours in advance or cellar 15 to 20 years. Serve with stews, Guinea hen with peaches (!), salade magret de canard, roast chicken.
Coulaine 2015 Chinon Les Picasses
This is a superb "les Picasses" from Jean, Etienne and Pascale de Bonnaventure at Chateau de Coulaine, who have been practising organic and biodynamic agriculture since taking charge in 1988. The parcel is at the top of the vineyard with southern exposure, on the classic clay/limestone "tuffeau" in Beaumont-en-Veron. This quite dense and powerful Chinon is aged in one-third new barrels and barrels of one and two wines.The wine shows a dark red/black color with beautiful aromas of ripe strawberry and black-raspberry with earth, citrus and spice, really deep and pretty. The palate is quite dense and a bit more round and open than the more austere 2014, with dark berry fruits framed in a touch of oak. The fruit is elegant and deep and the wine finishes with black fruits, earth, firm acidity and elegant tannins. This is a "serious" Chinon of terroir that will drink well young and will age beautifully as well, best 2022 to 2040.
Coulaine 2015 Chinon Franc de Pied
Grown on a 1/4 hectare parcel on a slope of clay over limestone where there is enough sand to discourage phylloxera, the vines are now 15 years-old and produce this distinctive wine, quite saline and with intriguing complexity. Drink this lovely Chinon, served cool, over the next five years.
Coulaine 2016 Touraine Les Pieds Rotis Blanc
Chateau de Coulaine is producing a ripe and vibrant Chenin Blanc from a south-facing slope just across the Vienne from Coulaine (AOC Touraine) with interesting terroir of granitic gravel and fossils over white limestone. The 2016 "Les Pieds Rotis" is a dry but very ripe and full-bodied Chenin, with beautiful white fruit, earth and citrus flavors. The wine went through malolactic fermentation, and finished quite dry at only 1.8 grams RS. Aging is in 2 to 8 year-old 400 liter foudres and minimal SO2 is used. It's a great apéritif or serve with white meats, Asian food and mild cheeses.