11/15/25 - 

Domaine Bernard and Matthieu Baudry

It's always a pleasure to offer new arrivals from our friends at Domaine Baudry in Chinon - today we're very happy to offer the beautiful 2022 La Croix Boissée Rouge, certainly one of the finest reds of the Loire (if not the whole world)! "La Croix Boissée" is a superb vineyard on thin sandy clay soils over limestone (Middle Turonian calcaire micacé) high on a south-facing slope above Cravant. 25 to 55 year-old vines.  20-day fermentation in tronconic wooden vats, 24 months of aging in 1 to 4 year-old Burgundy barriques, 9 months in cement. Zero SO2 added until a small dosage at assembly, 10 to 20 mg/L, bottled unfiltered. 
"Our 2022 reds are very concentrated and present vivid and intense colors" say the Baudrys. "The generosity of fruit and the juicy character of the vintage are remarkable. The 2022s will age beautifully, especially those from limestone soils. 2022 belongs with the great recent vintages, 2010, 2018 and 2020."  I would add that there seems to be is a bit more freshness in 2022, giving "La Croix Boissée" a wonderful elegance and brightness. 
2024 Chinon Blanc "Domaine"  While no one will say that 2024 belongs with the great recent vintages, the tiny yields of Chenin Blanc (including the fruit from "La Croix Boissée) gave a vibrant, light-bodied and very terroir-expressive Chinon Blanc. At only about 11% alcohol, the wine is crisp, precise and delicious!
2022 Les Grézeaux  - One of the most pleasurable red wines of the Loire Valley, the Baudry Chinon "Les Grézeaux" is from a unique parcel of sixty year-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. A beautiful wine in the 2022 vintage, drink now or in 2035...
2023 Les Granges  Only 16 (?) botles left of this joyous drink-now Chinon!
 
New Arrivals from Stéphane Guion in Bourgueil!
These are absolutely the best red wine values in the Loire and we're happy to have some of our favorites back in stock! (The estate is now celebrating 50 years of certified organic farming!)
2022 Candide - Only 3 cases left of this miraculous bargain, drink over the next 5 - 8 years.
2019 Authentique - The wine formerly known as "Prestige" from older vines on great clay-limestone terroir.
2018 "Deux Monts" - From two great vineyards high on the slope, insanely delicious in the 2018 vintage.
2020 "Grand Mont" - From the greatest vineyard in Bourgueil, a wine that will need time to reveal its secrets!
2023 Crémant de Loire - Stéphane's new sparkling Blanc de Noir, creamy and delicious!
2023 Bourgueil Rosé - Wow, a new vintage of Stéphane's very serious rosé - drink over the next 3 years...

Domaine de La Chevalerie, Bourgueil (Since 1640, for thirteen generations!)
The Caslot family at Chevalerie, like the Baudrys in Chinon or the Gonons in Saint-Joseph, possesses the skill, intelligence, commitment and just plain magic that captures their beautiful terroir and great Biodynamic farming in the bottle for our enjoyment. Our friend Pascaline Lepeltier (across the street at Chambers) is a big fan: "the Caslots produce  some of the most delicious and sincere Cabernet Franc in the world, and at a fantastic price!  Every time I open a bottle of Domaine de la Chevalerie, I can’t help but smile.  So treat yourself, not by the bottle but by the case, as these wines are as highly addictive and delicious today as they will be with age!"
We're happy to offer the last few cases of 2015 "Les Galichets," 2015 "Bretêche" and 2018 "Les Galichets," along with two of their best wines - 2019 "Chevalerie" and 2019 "Busardieres!"
 
Domaine Olga Raffault, Chinon
I remember my first visit to Domaine Olga Raffault, around 33 (?) years ago, when winemaker Ernest Zeinninger kept going into the cellar for older and older vintages of their earthy and beautiful Chinons. It was an extraordinary experience - here is the very age worthy 2019 "Les Picasses" for your current and future enjoyment...
 
Wines That Are Not All Cabernet Franc!
The remaining wines in today's offer (from Noëlla Morantin, Domaine Bellivière, Pierre-O Bonhomme and Clos du Tue-Boeuf) are made with Gamay, Pinot Noir and Pineau D'Aunis. Sorry, no Cot!

-David Lillie

>>>VIEW THE WINES<<<