Baudry, Bernard 2022 Chinon 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. The grapes are harvested by hand of course and fermented with wild yeasts with zero SO2 added during vinification. Beginning in 2017, the wine ages in large cement vats by Nico Velo, which are slightly porous. Les Grézeaux always has an elegant silky texture and wonderful freshness, making it delicious as a young wine, combined with the ability to age beautifully for 20 years and more in good vintages. Tasted in Cravant in February 2023, the 2022 “Les Grezeaux” showed a bright deep black/red color – “jus de viande” said Matthieu, with beautiful density of fruit, vibrant and mineral with fabulous sapid length. Intense and concentrated as a young wine, and with firm tannins, this will drink beautifully for at least 15 to 20 years – well worth buying by the case! Please decant or open the day before if drinking now.