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We're happy to announce the arrival of two beautiful Chinons from Bernard and Matthieu Baudry!
2022 Chinon "Le Rosé"
As always, this is one of the most elegant and delicious of all French rosés, a reflection of the Baudry's superb organic vineyard work and the great terroir, as well as their great talent in vinifications with minimal added SO2. The Cabernet Franc grapes are primarily sourced from a small plateau vineyard just above "La Croix Boisee" called "Les Balais," with stony clay/silex soils over limestone. This terroir brings a unique backbone of acidity and mineral flavors to the lovely fruit. The grapes are hand-harvested of course, pressed gently and slowy fermented in un-lined cement vats with wild yeasts (with no added SO2) until dry - less than 2 grams/liter residual sugar. A very small amount of SO2 is added before bottling, with the low level of sulfites contributing to the crystalline purity of this wine. Tasted at the winery in January, the wine showed subtle, very pretty aromas of raspberry, wild strawberry and citrus, with a silky, beautifully balanced palate with red currant and berry fruit and a long, crisp, almost bitter finish with firm acidity and saline minerals. We found a great combination of ripeness and freshness in the wine - "but with less alcohol" said Matthieu, "and not as heavy as 2018 or 2019" making this an excellent vintage for "Le Rosé." 6-bottle maximum, please.
2021 "Les Grézeaux"
"2021 is a late harvest vintage in the context of recent very warm years; the harvest ended on October 9 under excellent conditions. 2021 was a real obstacle course. Several spring frosts and the pressure due to mildew left us little breathing space. In my view, it’s been the most difficult year we’ve seen up to now. However, the Cabernet Francs did not suffer much from the frost and offered a generous harvest. The beginning of Summer was complicated because of mildew control, but the berries benefited from moderate rains at the end of the season, with lots of sunshine in late September and early October. Considering the difficult weather conditions, the grapes harvested were rather healthy. The berries were full and quite ripe (between 12 and 13 % alcohol). The wines are supple and fruit-forward with lovely colors. Though it may not compare to 2018 - 2020, 2021 is a very well-balanced Loire-style vintage. The wines are generous and may probably be enjoyed before the more solar recent years." (Baudry website) Which brings us to the lovely 2021 "Les Grézeaux!" The wine shows beautiful floral, red fruit and herbal aromas with a fresh and very pretty mid palate, sapid and medium-boded with a melange of red fruits and minerals in the long finish. Serve this cool over the next ten years, but as "lighter" vintages of Loire Cab Franc often cellar beautifully, perhaps forget a few in the cellar for 20 years. Wish I had some 2002...
2020 Baudry "Cuvée Domaine"
The Domaine cuvée is a blend of 75% from a parcel in St. Louans, where the thin clay over limestone soils give earthy well-structured wines, with 25% from gravel soils near Cravant. This wines is getting better and better - serve cool at picnics and barbecues this summer, or cellar 8 to 10 more years...
2021 Patrick Lambert Chinon Rosé
This delightful Chinon Rosé comes from Patrick Lambert's 6 hectares of organic vines in Cravant, around the corner from his friend and mentor, Bernard Baudry. Hand harvested from 25-year-old Cabernet Franc vines on gravel and sandy clay soils. The 2021 shows lovely aromas of ripe berry fruits, citrus and rose; the palate is silky and ripe with raspberry, cherry, citrus and stone flavors with nice density and texture, with juicy acids, berry flavors and saline minerals in the finish. This is drinking beautifully now and will open up nicely through the summer and into 2024.
Wines arrive Friday 4/28, net priced, no further discount.
Baudry, Bernard 2022 Chinon Rosé
(Arrives 6/13) Tasted at the winery in January, the 2022 "Le Rosé" showed subtle, fresh aromas of raspberry, wild strawberry and citrus, with a silky, beautifully balanced palate with red currant and berry fruit and a long, crisp, almost bitter finish with firm acidity and saline minerals. We found a great combination of ripeness and freshness in the wine - "but with less alcohol" said Matthieu, "and not as heavy as 2018 or 2019" making this an excellent vintage for "Le Rosé."
Baudry 2020 Chinon Cuvée Domaine
Back in stock, not much left! The Baudry Chinon "Domaine" is always one of our favorite reds from the Loire Valley and it's a sensational value as well. All Cabernet Franc of course, a blend of 75% from a parcel in St. Louans, where the thin clay over limestone soils give earthy well-structured wines, with 25% from gravel soils near Cravant, giving supple fruit and freshness. Organic farming, wild-yeast fermentation, aging in 5 to 10 year-old wooden vats and cement with almost no added SO2. The 2020 shows a pretty red/black color with bright rim. The aromas are quite floral and bright, a pretty melange of boysenberry, black raspberry and tart cherry, very pure with hints of earth and pepper. The palate is supple, sapid and ripe and the tannins are firm. At 13% alcohol, the balance seems perfect. Firm acidity and mineral flavors are mostly hidden under the beautiful melange of ripe red and black fruits. This is a beautiful "Cuvée Domaine" that is sensational now, served slightly cool, and that will cellar ten years and more due to the firm acidity. We loved the rather brawny 2019 which needs a few more years to drink at its best - drink the 2020 while you wait but put some away as well. Very highly recommended, and thanks to the Baudrys for producing such honest and soulful wines. David Lillie
Lambert, Patrick 2021 Chinon Rosé
(Arrives 4/28) This delightful Chinon Rosé comes from Patrick Lambert's 6 hectares of organic vines in Cravant, around the corner from his friend and mentor, Bernard Baudry. Hand harvested from 25-year-old Cabernet Franc vines on gravel and sandy clay soils over limestone. The 2021 shows lovely aromas of berry fruits with citrus and rose; the palate is silky and ripe with raspberry, cherry, citrus and stone flavors with nice density and texture, with juicy acids, berry flavors and saline minerals in the finish. This is drinking beautifully now and will be delicious through the summer and into 2024. This is a fabulous value and highly recommended. David Lillie