Ripe fruit and good concentration.Needs at least two hours of decanting to come alive, was rely mute the first night, but really good the second night.
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Opened as a back-up bottle and man is it intense. Really deep cherry and dark berry fruit. Has that seam of limestone minerality through the middle. Still a good bit of structure. Deep dark earth. The texture really screams limestone. Leave for 2-4 years before opening another bottle.
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Still very primary on the palate but the tannins are (almost) fully integrated, presenting a wine that seems to be at peak but still drinks young and will probably continue to evolve and gain nuance over another two decades. I love all the Baudry wines and La Croix Boissee always stood out as being the most elegant and complex. Lots of juicy red fruits, the acidity hints at cranberry but it's more like ripe strawberry/raspberry/pomegranate. With airtime the midpalate develops some bittersweet chocolate notes. You can tell it's cab franc but the usual cues are less overt given the ripe vintage. This is drinking great right now although I preferred the in-your-face profile from the bottle I had soon after release. Will revisit in 5 years.
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Loire Tasting (Mathilda Bistro, San Francisco): Pretty, classic Chinon nose notes of red bell pepper, black pepper, dark fruit, cherries, and leather. Good acidity with slightly richer notes on the palate of cherries, cassis, forest floor, and pepper. The tannins are quite integrated at this point but still provide good structure. Nice finish. I really enjoyed this and the wine probably drinks close to peak right now.
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Berserker Offline (Mathilde Bistro - SF): Terrific Baudry, still very young. Very classy and a bit more feral and burly than the Rougeard Bourg. Shows nuanced layers of dark cherries, crushed dark flowers, pipe tobacco, and a bit of green olive. Wonderfully fresh, with juicy acid and a streak of stony minerals. Tannins just a shade on the rustic side, and still needs 5-10 years to peak. 93+
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October 2023 Loire Dinner (Mathilde - SF): Very interesting to drink this side by side with an '09 Clos Rougeard Le Bourg. While the Bourg was silky, powerful, yet elegant, with a long finish, the Baudry had more complexity and texture at the front end. A little more funk, a little roughness around the edges. Both were fantastic, though the Baudry could probably use some more time to smooth out the edges. Yum.
Loire Wines of North London (Must & Lees): Slightly Bretty on both nose and palate, but there's plenty of pure, juicy strawberryish fruit too despite the wine's age and its savoury qualities. Slightly short finish. A good wine, but also a bit middle of road compared to the thrilling Joguet.
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TWS North London; Loire at Must & Lees (Must & Lees, N1): Amazing colour. Less intense nose than the 2011 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos de la Dioterie tasted subsequently – actually, its less intense full stop. Similar violets/blackberry/plumb aromatics and tastes, but all quite subdued. A bit bretty. Good, but overshadowed by the Joguet.
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TWS North London - Loire (Must & Lees, N1): A bit of a comedown after the Joguet. I found this stocky, grumpy and heavy. Really quite bretty, extracted with a savoury and meaty character that felt at odds with what the appellation does at its best. Didn't really see the point, nor did I much enjoy drinking it.
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Pop and pour, then decanted. Drunk over a few hours with a last glass the next night
The brett on the nose is pretty prominent at first, but underneath it is lovely stone fruit, bell pepper, and some savory ferrous notes. Mid plus weighted, structured and stony, yet it somes across seamlessly and with a sense of balance and effortless intensity. As the brett fades, there is more fruit, soil, and pepper notes. Finishes with fine tannins. This is early peak for me and is pretty delicious once the brett blows off.
On day two there's more leafiness and better clarity of fruit. A beautiful balance of fruit, savory, and soil. A classic, youthfully delicious wine.. 93
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From a small capped bottle (wine divided for zoom tasting).
Day 1: Nose of deep red cherries and a core of stony cherry pits.
Day 2: the nose on this is clearly sweeter and riper than the 08 with a bit of exotic and creamy on the nose - cassis and marzipan, along with a dark cherry core. Cherry orchards and cherry blossoms, velour and velvet. A hint of pipeweed. The palate is excellent with the dark sweet cherry fruit, Cherry blossoms, deep minerals and a hint of tobacco. Amazing balance and poise - silky and poised. When trilled and as the palate progresses it shows reserves of depth and power. Finish is dusty w tart cherry and a bit of tobacco. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 4.5-5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16-17.5/20.
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An embarrassment of steak riches (Chez G): this is probably a bit late in the evening to start trying to get my head around a new type of wine. This is lovely though - grippy, savoury, lovely structure in the mouth. I’d seek this out to try again.
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Nothing overtly wrong with this, but very much lacking any depth and kind of dull. I’ve had enough CB from other vintages to think that something was likely off.
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Consistent with previous notes. In a good window now, and definitely best with food. We paired with mustard vinaigrette pork chops off the grill, and it was lovely. Drink 2022-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 91.
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Decanted for 1-2 hours before dinner, served this to 3 other couples so never really got to spend a lot of time here to fully appreciate the wine. Also a mistake that Alban Reva open on table at same time and obviously totally different animals. This is clearly more herbal with classic cab franc characteristics....need to spend more time with remaining 2 bottles
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This bottle was lovely. A real bouquet, mixing sous bois (forest floor), olive, and black currant--very savory proto Cab Franc, really striking a great, precise varietal and region-accurate balance. There is a rare suppleness and mid-palate elegance--not just for Chinon but really any wine--on top of the very typical fresh black fruit, minerality and earth flavors. Medium bodied. Tannins are on path to resolution, not quite there yet, and are ripe, fine and silky. Drinking beautifully now, though no rush to open and worth sampling over the next decade.
Kudos to the 2012 version of myself for acquiring and patiently cellaring this and other late aughts Baudry Chinons :)
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Same bottle as JVIZ served blind the following night. Tools some air to show varietal character but eventually showed some typical cab franc character with polished leafy elements. Palate shows an unexpected roundness and ripeness, probably showing the vintage, but everything in balance and still showing well on night 2. Not a bottling I’m familiar with, definitely one to seek out.
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Dark ruby-purple core. Plum, cherry and warm spices on the nose. Dry, with balanced acidity and just a hint of fine, soft tannins. Smooth as silk on the palate, ripened to perfection and elegant to a T, this incorporates all of the best elements of Cab Franc, with none of the greenness. Superb.
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Beautifully expressive on opening, shows a little more maturity than I might expect from a 2009. This had some high toned floral (violet, lavender) perfume with a light green pepper streak. Very elegant but with substantive body and length. In a popular thread, someone suggested that these wines compete with Rougeard in quality. Based on this, I don’t see that as an outlandish claim
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The flagship Chinon of Bernard Baudry, coming from a 15-40 yo vineyard planted on chalky soil. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 20 days in oak vats and then aged for 24 months in 1-3 yo oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Moderately deep and somewhat translucent dark blood-red color with a rusty hue. Savory, quite markedly bretty and still wonderfully seductive nose with complex, rustic aromas of barnyard, wizened blackcurrants, some sweet plummy fruit, light autumnal notes of dried leaves, a little bit of pink peppercorn, a hint of new leather and a smoky touch of phenolic spice. The wine is ripe, firm and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of ripe blackcurrants, leathery funk, some smoky phenolic tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light peppery notes of crushed pink peppercorns, a bretty hint of barnyard and a touch of crunchy dark fruit. The wine shows quite a bit of ripeness for a Chinon, yet instead of being sweetly-fruited and big, the wine is dry, quite lean and textural. The overall feel is quite structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and quite ample, grippy and chalky tannins. The dry finish is long, complex and quite tannic with savory flavors of ripe blackcurrants and red plums, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of leathery funk, light smoky notes of phenolic spice, a hint of crushed peppercorns and a bretty touch of barnyard.
Although coming from the hot 2009 vintage, this wine manages to avoid all the pitfalls of a very warm vintage and instead comes across as a quintessential top Chinon. One can taste the solar qualities in how ripe the wine feels and how the herbaceous notes of pyrazines really don't bring much or at all bell pepper character to the wine, instead lending only a subtle undercurrent of crushed peppercorns to the flavors. The overall feel is markedly bretty - true to the Baudry style - with a healthy dose of merde complementing the bright and crunchy fruit flavors. What's most notable here, however, is the freshness, sense structure and the lack of sweetness here: although the 2009 has left its imprint here, the acidity has not suffered at all and the overall flavors incline towards dryness instead of the sweet-toned ripeness. Although the wine is in a mighty wonderful phase right now, it is obvious that the wine is still on an upward trajectory and will continue on that path for at least another decade. Outstanding stuff, very highly recommended.
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94 Extraordinario vino. Se muestra cerrado al principio, pero con tiempo desarrolla aromas varietales, de pimiento verde, pero también de especias y de crianza. En boca es un espectáculo, con acidez, con cuerpo. Muy largo, equilibrado y en su punto de consumo. Grande.
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Much more accessible than past tastings. Has gained fat, weight, and a sweet dark cherry streak on the palate. Nicely perfumed on the nose but the finish is still quite firm. Drink 2020-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
Opaque dark violet. Nose blackberry, hint of tobacco leaf, hint of violet, deep and lovely. Palate slightly ashy tannins on finish. Nicely balanced black fruit, slight tobacco and green pepper but not unripe in the least. Very nice density of fruit and complexity, herbal.
Very classy, outstanding value, very good with kebabs.
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Tasted over 2 hrs -med dark red purple no clearing -muted ripe dark fruit apple peel -med acidity, med weight focused mineral dominant with faint black raspberry finishes long with a bitter note and med/med- tannins -most of the fruit has faded but this is still polished for a Chinon and has a lot of mid-palate density and structure left to continue to evolve
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Took a bit longer to open than the Clos Guillot but really sang when it did. Absolutely electric wine. Piercing notes of limestone and minerals weave through ripe cherry and berry fruit with perfect notes of violets. It's hard to explain how precise and deft everything is with this wine. The texture and shape of the structural elements combined with complex notes from all parts of the aroma wheel. This still has a great life ahead of it but it is on a first plateau, if you are so inclined.
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Good solid ruby color with a silky, saturated texture and delicious, juicy flavors of dark red berries and floral spice. I love the taut, chalky finish with notes of tobacco, minerals and a hint of bacon-fat. Still so youthful but well-integrated and growing in volume. This is a racy, pure and authentic Chinon. 92+
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This is my first bottle in 5 years. I think the wine has smoothed considerably in that time and lost some of its angular acidity, which is a bit of a shame. The aromas are creamy and fruity, soft and smooth. There's some graphite poking Italian plum meat aromas on the nose too. Palate is quite smooth and integrated at this juncture. Soft and round in the mouth, showing some acidity start to build after 5 seconds, and only then does the wall of tannins attack. Mainly it's about the texture as the flavors are soft and plum in nature, but nothing about this feels over ripe. Good acidity and tartness attack on the finish, and again after that does the wall of tannins begin. More Italian plum on the finish, with lingering acidity and minerals. This wine is certainly elegant in its approach, but it's not in your face so it could also pass you by without paying close attention. With close attention it reveals a nice, elegant nature. I'm not sure where it's headed now... I still have over a case left so I think it's time to start cracking into these in more earnest. It may be at a plateau of fruit and structure integration, though I do actually miss some of its youthful angularity.
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Finally climbing out of its slumber. Much improved over three years ago. Decanted four hours ahead of baked pork loin. Some green olive notes lead into ripe red cherries, rich tobacco, dark chocolate, and some leafy wild herb and green pepper notes. Extremely well framed, balanced, and concentrated. Rustic feel provides a distinctive elegance and charm, like this was pulled from a deep, dark cave in Loire. Best with food. Drink 2021-2028. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 91.
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surprisingly ready to drink. I suspect some air--or 5 more years--will improve it even further, and, even though it's a 2009, the acid will keep this fresh for at least another 15 years. Wonderful Loire liquid gold. The 2016s are selling for > $50, so this is approaching serious money for a bottle. But it's probably worth twice that (or more!) compared to Cab Franc heavy Bordeaux.
Really delicious and drinking absolutely on point - this was a brilliant Chinon. The nose was a beguiling, high-toned melange of smoky herbs, dark berries, earth and spice, all tied together by a little twist of Cab Franc’s bramble chacracter. The palate, while still nicely structured by filligreed tannins and bright acidity, had mellowed nicely into round, juicy, absolutely translucent mouthful of delicious dark berry flavours laced with notes of spice, earth and bramble. A study in effortless elegance, this was brilliantly balanced and perfectly poised and effortless elegance. Really nice finish too, perfectly round and integrated, and carrying that same clarity of expression and lightness of feet as the wine glided through the back-palate on a bed of stony minerality. Yummy.
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This is delicious and not a word I usually use to describe a Cab Franc from the Loire. It is juicy with ripe fruit, but also minerals, bright acidity and just the barest vegetal streak running through it. Tannins appear at the end.
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Zalto Universal glass @ 18 deg. C. Color: cherry red with some evolution. Nose: complex nose of tobacco, some oak, leather, floral (lavender and violets), notes of forest floor, pepper, minerality (graphite, some charcoal) and of course rich fruits (mainly black). No bell pepper !! Mouth: lots of red and black fruits, earthy and mineral - cool climate taste, layered, perfect acidity, very elegant, medium body, medium+ finish, integrated tannins. Not a power wine but I love the weightlessness, finesse and structure in this wine. This will last another decade - at least. Just excellent. 93 pt.
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Quite ripe and full. Not much bell pepper. Entering early maturity. Great texture and taste. Very happy to have a few more of these to check in on. No rush.
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Mine. Gamey and ripe black fruit nose, meaty/animal notes on the palate. Huge body and sturdy tannins. Not at all typical Loire CF but fun for what it is and popular at the table.
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Medium to full bodied wine. Medium dark reddish. Don't tend to drink Cab Franc all that much. This was quite nice. An hour into it I liked some of the tobacco and green pepper notes a little less. Bright and fresh wine.
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A lost Friday afternoon gathering – Mostly Burgundy (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Big scale expressive nose displaying rich black fruit, crushed blackberry, blackberry liqueur, ink, lavender, a hint of dry herbs and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered intense black fruit, unctuous, medium acidity, nicely integrated tannins a long intense black fruit and lavender driven finish. Excellent showing. This is the first time trying this wine and I am impressed. I slightly prefer the Poyeux for the perfume nose and finesse.
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Still very youthful as evidenced by deep purple hues with no signs of ageing. Briary forrest berries with forrest floor coming through. Lifted notes of orange peel. Palate similar to nose with some chalky tannines. Needs lots of air at this stage, still relatively tight. Orange peel finish with a hint of volatility and barnyard flavours. Promises much more to come...
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Excellent. Fantastic, addictive aromatics that only Cab Franc can deliver. Both smooth but still tangy and vibrant. Deep and complex. Maybe this could have just a bit more concentration to be absolute top league. Will drink my remaining bottle in 3-5 years.
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PnP. Finally a clean bottle without brett. Funky nose of Cab Franc from Loire. Dungeon, black olives, and flowers. Expressive but not intense nose. Sweet and smooth tannins, certainly approachable now, decent structure and length. ABV 13.5% without any heat, good balance. Very enjoyable bottle and should continue to evolve. Definitely much better than previous bottles. Probably a lot of bottle variations for this vintage.
Was curious to peek in and see how this is faring, and it didn't disappoint. Still very youthful, but by no means closed or unyielding. There's plenty of bright dark berried fruit at its core accented by the familiar Loire cab franc tobacco, and herbal accents, and time brings out more savoury, low toned earthy and tree bark-like notes. Very elegant and easy to drink, though it's still primary and there's lots of upside here. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of this case fares with age.
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Taking a cue from Florida Jim Cowan who recently expressed his preference for younger Chinon that didn’t need to age (or die in the process of waiting for the tannins to abate), I pulled this wine to see how it might stack up against the enjoyment factor of the previously consumed 2001. I gotta say, I enjoyed this more for its fresher fruit of plum, cranberry, cherry, sandalwood and (on the finish) black pepper. The nose didn’t just invite, it enthralled. The nose and palate moved seamlessly from one to the other. The mouthfeel is medium with a good balance of acid, fruit and tannins. While rather pleasant now, I suspect it will continue to improve. Will the fruit hold? Will the tannins abate? Not a clue. Pull a cork and enjoy. Throwing an abundance of chunky sediment just now. 13.5% alc. With assorted blue cheeses and crusty bread. Recommended.
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Medium-purple color. Pretty explosive notes of barnyard, horse saddle, cassis/black currant, graphite/lead pencil, also some sweet spices. On the palate there is also a touch of green bellpepper. It's medium+ bodied and dense, with good mid-palate weight but feels weightless at the same time (if that makes sense...). Has medium+ acidity and medium+ silky tannin. Very good length. A complex, weightless and classic Chinon that is fascinating in its flavor profile... Too bad it's my last bottle of 2009.
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Remains deep; an initial whiff of brett, gamey, iron tannate, plumskins; softening, with a core of ripe, chewy tannin & dark, rounded fruits. This has a depth, balance & concentration to age a further 10 years. Yet to peak.
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Very compact and concentrated, and overall, still very austere. Powerful acidic frame and dusty tannins on the finish. Little fruit, even after a 4-hour decant, but its strength is in its angularity. I won't touch another one until after 2020.
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very nice right now. I don't think it's going to develop further--at least if I judge from this bottle--but should hold for several years; good acidity.
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Still young. good nose with black fruit and some earthy tones. Fresh palate with some sharpness and red fruit. Will be enjoyable for the years to come.
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Decanted for 3 hours before pouring. This wine smells the funkiest of any of the wines I have opened so I was a little worried about it. That funk was the only thing dominating the nose, not really showing any of it's typical elegance or beauty. However, those things did show up elsewhere. The palate was very rich and vibrant dark fruits dominated. It was luscious but beautifully balanced with bracing acidity. Really amazingly balanced on the the palate. Wow, huge delicious puckering acidity when you swallow. Really richly fruited here too, with notes of blueberry. The thing I love about this wine is how elegant and racy with its acidity despite it being so voluptuously fruited yet not extracted. Despite the nose, this was a really lovely showing.
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Per ROCKNROLLER, slow o'd for 8 hours. The nose on this wine was great and complex. Everyone agreed it was a funky Bordeaux nose. The palate is a bit thin and rather green. In fairness, it was less green and had MORE body than most other Loire Cabernet Franc I've had. Still, rather disjointed, and firm tannins. I would like to drink this again in 5 years.
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Certainly will not be seeking out any more Chinon wines especially for the price of this one. Earth, bit thin, sour cherry and acidic. Not for my palate but drinkable.
Riesling and Some Reds: Lovely deep purple hued red color. Slow-O for about 8 hours. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. I loved the nose, "Bordeauxesque", damp earthy, gorgeous dark fruits of cassis, black raspberry and saddle leather. The palate is medium bodied, dusty minerals, tobacco, brambly dark berries and cassis with a firm tannic finish. This is still quite young and despite 8hrs open could have used some additional decanting. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but i think its fantastic juice. 92 (+)pts. My and group #2 RWOTN.
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Different experience than many of the recent notes here. This seems to have moved into an awkward place in which the green and slightly unclean soil notes have taken on an unwelcome prominence. To be fair we didn't give it much time to open and it was on the table with a very nice old school Napa Cab.
The second day is a different story. No one liked this wine last night - not even the young server who was sprayed by my 30 year old refermented Science Closet wine. (We let her taste all of our wines and scored a couple of free deserts in return) This afternoon it is balanced and totally enjoyable with black fruit, dark herbs, clean earth and minerality. Just goes to show what this old country boy doesn't know about French semi-hipster wines.
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Just a bit reserved tonight compared to the bottles in my cellar but this is still excellent with crisp dark cherry and blue fruits leading to a full mid-palate with a silky, fine-grained texture. The finish is tight but the chalky minerals are very present and the wine shows a nice complexity with notes of smoky violets and spice. Yum but needs more time. At Pearl & Ash. 92+
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Die Notiz kann ich eigentlich nur leicht ergänzen,dreht am zweiten Tag enorm auf,inkl. leichter Fruchtsüsse und runder als dazumal,aber immer noch extrem schwarzfruchtig und voller Körper. Dunkles Lila-Rot. Leder,Holzwürze,Brombeeren,süsslich Cassis,würzig,Bleistift,leicht rauchig,kalkig,herrlich samtige Struktur,saftig,tief,Hauch Tabak,zwischendurch aetherisch floral, komplex,unheimlich trinkig,Tannine integriert. Langer schwarzfruchtiger Abgang.
dark purple red leather, spicy,blackberries,cassis,limy,smoky. gorgeous velvety structure,deep,complex,little tobacco. long black fruits aftertaste.
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Similar to previous bottle, hint of Brett just not as obvious. Shows better on the 2nd day, but still prefer the Petite Cave from Yannick Amirault. (B)
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Slow-o’d for 6 hours. Medium purple color. Complex nose of horse saddle, dark berries, cassis, stony minerality, sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves). On the palate there is cassis again, black cherries, minerals, a touch of green bellpepper (without anything unripe), tobacco and some sweet spices, marzipan. It’s medium-full bodied and dense, but without any kind of heaviness. It has medium+ tannin that is super ripe and medium+ acidity providing freshness. Great length. It’s at the beginning of its drinking window but still has many years ahead. What a beautiful wine!
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Notes from day 2. N black cherry, black currant, green pepper, smoke, spice P black cherry, currant, green pepper, tobacco, spice F was above average in length, nice grippy tannins and mouthfeel Really nice bottle of cab franc and solid value.
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Dark purple color. Fabulous nose of dusty cherries, smoke, deep spices and a hint of tobacco leaf. I let this breathe for several hours as it is still dry and tannic on the finish. Then it began to show absolutely gorgeous flavors of cherries and violets in a sleek silky package. It has so much fresh acidity to go with the succulent fruit that the wine simply perks up with food. The finish is incredible with this deep complex spiciness along with notes of ripe red berries and minerals. While still young and in need of food, this is the wine of a genius for under $40 a bottle.
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This continues to be fantastic. It's a bit reticent and tannic at first, but quickly opens out with some time in a decanter and shows a lovely array of dark fruited flavours, savoury tobacco and earthy elements, and higher toned green herbal accents. On the palate it's a combination of power and elegance with a round, polished mouthfeel and good length, a superb wine right now but it has the depth, balance and structure to suggest it'll only get better with time. Glad the rest of my bottles are offsite.
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Was my contribution to the Phenol55 Cab Franc tasting and held up well. Smell/taste is consistent with my previous notes. Still needs a few more years to settle down and round out.
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After hearing so many wine enthusiasts raving about this producer, decide to order some to try out. Since I can't afford Cheval Blanc anymore, the 100% pure Cabernet Franc from Chinon may be the way to go in the future. Floral nose but not very clean with hint of wood/brett. Notes of forest floor, brett, sweet plum, and oak. Sweet on entry with very firm mid-palate and plenty of tannins around. Despite the label indicated only 13% alcohol there is slight heat at finish. Good and firm structure now with potential to develop into a wine with complexity. Except for the slightly annoying brett, pretty good wine. Keep a glass for the 3rd day, not showing as well. 90 points now but if the brett somehow fade away will probably deserve an upgrade in score. Buy more? Maybe.
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One Last 2013 Dinner (Sydney, Australia): Served blind. Truffle, earth, cloves and some tobacco and dark chocolate. Fine tannic grip, with fruit that is restrained but still provides a nice fresh lift. Very good length and left me wanting more after the first glass.
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Decanted 4 hours and served with red wine/garlic beef brisket, potatoes, and mixed veggies. Tar, purple color that trends to violet on the surface. Nose of green pepper, onion, feint fruit, clay, and tar. Palate hits with dark raspberries, sour grapes, menthol, lime, and earthy moss. Finish is dusty but soft with mushrooms and herbs. Overall, very well structured and delineated wine that will age nicely. I won't touch again until 2015.
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Dark colour. Dark fruit and earth on the nose, with a modest bit of herbaceous qualities; perhaps a hint of cough syrup as well. On the palate, this has incredible minerality, with a lot of subtle dark fruit inflections. Perhaps leaning towards the austere side (this is a pop and pour). Some raspberry flavours on the midplate and relatively soft tannins for such a young wine. Plush and mineral might be a good way to put this.
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Delicious. Ripe in an old world frame. Sour, bright cherry. Cranberry. Underbrush, gobs of minerality, chalk like tannins. I expect this to develop beautifully.
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Absolutely stunning Chinon. Heady, rich nose showing tremendous depth and complexity followed by a lithe, elegant mouthfeel with grippy, but chalky-fine tannins on the backend. Lots of warm fruit but nothing cloying, nothing hot, and with plenty of underlying acidity. Even after two days, the structure remained a bit imposing. I'll be excited to try my next bottle in several years.
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Rubied; fresh, fragrant with a warm undertow, touch of framboise, tobacco & lead pencils; supple, quiet warming fruit, understated, fine-boned, refreshing acidity; some unresolved tannins on an inviting mid palate. V. good now: a supple, cunning finish, with more to offer.
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Notes from day 2. Purple in color. Nose of black cherry, currant, green pepper, spice. Palate of black cherry, ripe cranberry, currant, green pepper, tobacco, spice. The finish was long in length, nice mouthfeel, good structure as well. Overall this was a fantastic wine that really started to open up on the second night, wish I had bought a lot more. Hold: 50+5+12+18+8 4
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First from a case. This is complex cab franc, but requires more bottle age! tannic structure is beatiful but too much at the forefront right now and the wine seems closed down. The clos guillot is a lot more expressive at this point intime. An absolute bargain at around 20 eur.
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Ouverte sans moi, mais bu le deuxième jour: le vin est encore en forme, même s'il devait être plus dynamique à l'ouverture. On pourra le boire dans deux ans.
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Casual Friday night drinks (Coventry, CT): This seems to be closing down a little - even with some time in the decanter it doesn't show the amazing fragrance it had right on release, but it's still showing the same purity and depth of flavour I remember, with fantastic balance and length. I'll let the rest of my bottles rest for some time now.
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Powerful nose of pepper, cassis, green tobacco and black plums. An austere, juicy wine with flavors of black and red fruits, black spices and a hint of green pepper. Really kicks in on the finish with excellent intensity and high acids with complex notes of spices and minerals. This is dense and classy Cab Franc but make no mistake that it needs a few more years in the cellar to really shine. 91+
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Double decanted 4 hours in advance of dinner. My favorite wine of the night in a fairly stacked line-up that included an Allemand Cornas and a Williams Selyem pinot. This was in a really lovely place with a perfect mix of floral and herbal/savory notes. Showing leather, provencal olive, tobacco, capsicum, black currant and rose petal flavors. Showing the richness of the vintage, but balanced by ample tannin and acid. This was in a great place but also shows great promise.
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Pure nose of ripe Cab Franc. Red fruits not overwhelmingly jammy or baked. Great acidity and pleasant tannins. Good concentration and nerve. Got better the next day. Balanced medium+ finish This will age nicely and gain complexity.
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Clear purple in color. Clean nose of floral, and blueberry. Dry, med acidity, med body, nice tannins, on palate floral, red fruit, some minerality. Nice finish. Love Cab Franc on its own when done well.
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Very tasty indeed, deep and complex, but deep asleep. Huge potential, this clearly deserves time. As enjoyable as it is, it's a shame to drink this now. My first Baudry, and it's an eye-opener.
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Alle elementen zijn aanwezig in deze wijn om uit te groeien tot een ware crowdpleaser. Intensieve karafage van 8 uur. Nog paarsrode kleur. In de neus meteen veel concentratie van fruit waar te nemen. Ook een lichte lactische toets die niet stoort en een bloemenaroma komt om de hoek kijken. Na een hele tijd komt het kenmerkende aroma van groene peper ook tevoorschijn. In de mond krijg je een heel evenwichtige wijn die volledig foutloos is en eindigt met en licht zuurtje. Het fruit dekt op dit moment de tannines mooi toe. 92+
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Tasted in Chinon. Very fruit forward for a traditionally made Chinon. Soft tannins and moderate acids lead me to believe this is a wine to be consumed much younger than most of Baudry's vintages. Delicious now but still improving- it needs another two years to integrate. Drink by 2022.
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Still stellar. Nothing to add to my previous thoughts, but I'm still amazed at how much complexity, finesse and grace is evident even though it's such a young wine.
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Decanted for three hours before first sip. Impressive, deep hue. Very rich and deep aromas offering charcoal, crushed gravel, graphite, green briar, and very deeply fruited, with still a hint of brightness there. Wow does this smell good, and as it opens up, I begin getting some vegitables, but it's balanced with massive, soft dark red fruits. Later I get blueberry covered cacoa. Massive palate entry, and incredibly smooth and graceful; wow, what texture! Incredible texture and acid for days coupled with a pleasing mouth coating nature. Yes, there's some sweaty sock here, tart fruit, and soft, really sweet tannins begin building and definitely take over the palate, but they are so softly textured that I barely mind. The red strawberries here are intense, and they are FULL ripe, very dark red in flavor. Every sip is delicious and I just can't put my glass down. This isn't a wine that brutalizes in its youth; it's actually so delicious right now I hardly have any reason to lay them down, though there is no doubt it will age for decades. Perhaps one case to rest and one to drink now?
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Smoky, savoury earthy, floral and deep red and dark fruited scents lead into a palate that still feels incredibly primary and tannic, but at the same time shows incredible depth already. With time the tannin smooths out a little and it unravels further showing more herbal and peppery fragrances. It's certainly bigger and riper than Croix Boissée has been in most years, but there's impeccable balance here, great finesse and I'm excited to see what happens to the rest of this case with time.
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This is a very different expression of Chinon than the Grezeaux but just as "good", if not better. Decanted for a few hours, very young, with a subdued nose, but the intensity and depth of material is quite evident. Very polished and smooth with nice flavor impact and well integrated tannins. This is a great example of the Baudry style: really pushing the elegance and fruit without leaving behind the fact that this is cabernet franc from the Loire valley. I'm glad I have both in the cellar, this is worth trying now, but I think the Grezeaux provides more enjoyment at this early stage.
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Fantastic stuff. Savoury earthy, floral, herbal and red fruited scents combining into a beautiful aroma that builds with air; on the palate it's powerful and more deeply fruited than usual, but still showing the purity and finesse I always find in Baudry's wines with the tannins fine grained and bright acidity underneath keeping it very refreshing and elegant. I expect this will be incredible with time.
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It's probably not a news flash that this is a great Croix Boissée, then again maybe it is, with all the folks determined to knock the 2009 vintage. This is rich and ripe but not over-the-top and without any coloring out of the lines. It features pretty reddish/blackish fruit and an evocative cracked-pepper scent. Sometimes I find Baudry's wines more Bordeaux-like than other Loires but this is Chinon all the way. It's clearly built to last, with a seriously interesting tannic structure, silky on the front end but quickly flexing its muscle.
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DC Wine Bloggers Tasting (Weygandt Wines - Washington, D.C.): This is an incredibly young wine that has a long life ahead of it. Even now, though, it's delivering. The aromas are dark, with black cherry and currants, along with a hint of pepperoni. With time and air, the aromas opened up, and I think the aromatic potential of this wine is very high in the long-term. The palate has gritty tannins, tangy acid and rich dark fruit. The mouthfeel is huge, but it somehow maintains balance. I enjoyed the plum, loam and green pepper flavors. Long, tannin-filled finish. This could use a decant, or ten years in the cellar.
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Rich red fruited nose with undertones of brambles, minerals and lilacs. It has dense red fruit on the palate, moderate tannin, tart cranberry and a good deal of acidity. Should have a long life ahead of it - be sure to decant if you're drinking it young.
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Silky smooth vin de garde with more overt oak influence. Dried black cherry, tabac, vanille and limestone. Chalky tannins. This is really structured. Medium-full bodied. This could last 10 years easily.
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4/12/2024 - Winiac wrote: 92 Points
Ripe fruit and good concentration.Needs at least two hours of decanting to come alive, was rely mute the first night, but really good the second night.
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2/16/2024 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 91 Points
Opened as a back-up bottle and man is it intense. Really deep cherry and dark berry fruit. Has that seam of limestone minerality through the middle. Still a good bit of structure. Deep dark earth. The texture really screams limestone. Leave for 2-4 years before opening another bottle.
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11/22/2023 - d'Yquembe Mutombo Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very primary on the palate but the tannins are (almost) fully integrated, presenting a wine that seems to be at peak but still drinks young and will probably continue to evolve and gain nuance over another two decades. I love all the Baudry wines and La Croix Boissee always stood out as being the most elegant and complex. Lots of juicy red fruits, the acidity hints at cranberry but it's more like ripe strawberry/raspberry/pomegranate. With airtime the midpalate develops some bittersweet chocolate notes. You can tell it's cab franc but the usual cues are less overt given the ripe vintage. This is drinking great right now although I preferred the in-your-face profile from the bottle I had soon after release. Will revisit in 5 years.
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10/7/2023 - glou.sf Likes this wine: 93 Points
Loire Tasting (Mathilda Bistro, San Francisco): Pretty, classic Chinon nose notes of red bell pepper, black pepper, dark fruit, cherries, and leather. Good acidity with slightly richer notes on the palate of cherries, cassis, forest floor, and pepper. The tannins are quite integrated at this point but still provide good structure. Nice finish. I really enjoyed this and the wine probably drinks close to peak right now.
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10/7/2023 - ohne_musik wrote: 93 Points
Berserker Offline (Mathilde Bistro - SF): Terrific Baudry, still very young. Very classy and a bit more feral and burly than the Rougeard Bourg. Shows nuanced layers of dark cherries, crushed dark flowers, pipe tobacco, and a bit of green olive. Wonderfully fresh, with juicy acid and a streak of stony minerals. Tannins just a shade on the rustic side, and still needs 5-10 years to peak. 93+
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10/7/2023 - ylkim30 Likes this wine:
October 2023 Loire Dinner (Mathilde - SF): Very interesting to drink this side by side with an '09 Clos Rougeard Le Bourg. While the Bourg was silky, powerful, yet elegant, with a long finish, the Baudry had more complexity and texture at the front end. A little more funk, a little roughness around the edges. Both were fantastic, though the Baudry could probably use some more time to smooth out the edges. Yum.
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7/20/2023 - NickA Likes this wine: 92 Points
Loire Wines of North London (Must & Lees): Slightly Bretty on both nose and palate, but there's plenty of pure, juicy strawberryish fruit too despite the wine's age and its savoury qualities. Slightly short finish. A good wine, but also a bit middle of road compared to the thrilling Joguet.
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7/20/2023 - Jamieson12o Likes this wine: 92 Points
TWS North London; Loire at Must & Lees (Must & Lees, N1): Amazing colour. Less intense nose than the 2011 Charles Joguet Chinon Clos de la Dioterie tasted subsequently – actually, its less intense full stop. Similar violets/blackberry/plumb aromatics and tastes, but all quite subdued. A bit bretty. Good, but overshadowed by the Joguet.
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7/20/2023 - Joshvoulters Does not like this wine: 84 Points
TWS North London - Loire (Must & Lees, N1): A bit of a comedown after the Joguet. I found this stocky, grumpy and heavy. Really quite bretty, extracted with a savoury and meaty character that felt at odds with what the appellation does at its best. Didn't really see the point, nor did I much enjoy drinking it.
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7/14/2023 - cct wrote: 93 Points
Pop and pour, then decanted. Drunk over a few hours with a last glass the next night
The brett on the nose is pretty prominent at first, but underneath it is lovely stone fruit, bell pepper, and some savory ferrous notes. Mid plus weighted, structured and stony, yet it somes across seamlessly and with a sense of balance and effortless intensity. As the brett fades, there is more fruit, soil, and pepper notes. Finishes with fine tannins. This is early peak for me and is pretty delicious once the brett blows off.
On day two there's more leafiness and better clarity of fruit. A beautiful balance of fruit, savory, and soil. A classic, youthfully delicious wine.. 93
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6/29/2023 - Seth Rosenberg Likes this wine: 94 Points
From a small capped bottle (wine divided for zoom tasting).
Day 1: Nose of deep red cherries and a core of stony cherry pits.
Day 2: the nose on this is clearly sweeter and riper than the 08 with a bit of exotic and creamy on the nose - cassis and marzipan, along with a dark cherry core. Cherry orchards and cherry blossoms, velour and velvet. A hint of pipeweed. The palate is excellent with the dark sweet cherry fruit, Cherry blossoms, deep minerals and a hint of tobacco. Amazing balance and poise - silky and poised. When trilled and as the palate progresses it shows reserves of depth and power. Finish is dusty w tart cherry and a bit of tobacco. Nose - 5-5.5/6, Palate - 5.5/6, Finish - 4.5-5/6, Je ne Sais Quoi - 1-1.5/2 = 16-17.5/20.
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6/14/2023 - chbeaumont wrote: 94 Points
An absolute stunner, on top form. Will comfortably age for a further 5 years.
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12/8/2022 - lozatron Likes this wine:
An embarrassment of steak riches (Chez G): this is probably a bit late in the evening to start trying to get my head around a new type of wine. This is lovely though - grippy, savoury, lovely structure in the mouth. I’d seek this out to try again.
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7/5/2022 - winchester-xi wrote: flawed
Nothing overtly wrong with this, but very much lacking any depth and kind of dull. I’ve had enough CB from other vintages to think that something was likely off.
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6/4/2022 - chbeaumont wrote: 94 Points
A superb bottle in tip top condition. At its peak. Tremendous depth.
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2/13/2022 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Consistent with previous notes. In a good window now, and definitely best with food. We paired with mustard vinaigrette pork chops off the grill, and it was lovely. Drink 2022-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 91.
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2/5/2022 - chbeaumont wrote: 91 Points
Another cracking bottle. Classic BB. Drink now & next decade.
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10/25/2021 - Mr T wrote:
Decanted for 1-2 hours before dinner, served this to 3 other couples so never really got to spend a lot of time here to fully appreciate the wine. Also a mistake that Alban Reva open on table at same time and obviously totally different animals. This is clearly more herbal with classic cab franc characteristics....need to spend more time with remaining 2 bottles
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4/24/2021 - Cabfrancophile Likes this wine: 95 Points
This bottle was lovely. A real bouquet, mixing sous bois (forest floor), olive, and black currant--very savory proto Cab Franc, really striking a great, precise varietal and region-accurate balance. There is a rare suppleness and mid-palate elegance--not just for Chinon but really any wine--on top of the very typical fresh black fruit, minerality and earth flavors. Medium bodied. Tannins are on path to resolution, not quite there yet, and are ripe, fine and silky. Drinking beautifully now, though no rush to open and worth sampling over the next decade.
Kudos to the 2012 version of myself for acquiring and patiently cellaring this and other late aughts Baudry Chinons :)
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12/5/2020 - Nutty08 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Same bottle as JVIZ served blind the following night. Tools some air to show varietal character but eventually showed some typical cab franc character with polished leafy elements. Palate shows an unexpected roundness and ripeness, probably showing the vintage, but everything in balance and still showing well on night 2. Not a bottling I’m familiar with, definitely one to seek out.
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12/5/2020 - Guy Des Rosiers Likes this wine: 92 Points
Dark ruby-purple core. Plum, cherry and warm spices on the nose. Dry, with balanced acidity and just a hint of fine, soft tannins. Smooth as silk on the palate, ripened to perfection and elegant to a T, this incorporates all of the best elements of Cab Franc, with none of the greenness. Superb.
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12/5/2020 - jviz wrote: 93 Points
Beautifully expressive on opening, shows a little more maturity than I might expect from a 2009. This had some high toned floral (violet, lavender) perfume with a light green pepper streak. Very elegant but with substantive body and length. In a popular thread, someone suggested that these wines compete with Rougeard in quality. Based on this, I don’t see that as an outlandish claim
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11/20/2020 - forceberry wrote: 95 Points
The flagship Chinon of Bernard Baudry, coming from a 15-40 yo vineyard planted on chalky soil. Fermented spontaneously, macerated with the skins for 20 days in oak vats and then aged for 24 months in 1-3 yo oak barrels. 13,5% alcohol.
Moderately deep and somewhat translucent dark blood-red color with a rusty hue. Savory, quite markedly bretty and still wonderfully seductive nose with complex, rustic aromas of barnyard, wizened blackcurrants, some sweet plummy fruit, light autumnal notes of dried leaves, a little bit of pink peppercorn, a hint of new leather and a smoky touch of phenolic spice. The wine is ripe, firm and harmonious on the palate with a medium body and savory flavors of ripe blackcurrants, leathery funk, some smoky phenolic tones, a little bit of savory wood spice, light peppery notes of crushed pink peppercorns, a bretty hint of barnyard and a touch of crunchy dark fruit. The wine shows quite a bit of ripeness for a Chinon, yet instead of being sweetly-fruited and big, the wine is dry, quite lean and textural. The overall feel is quite structure-driven, thanks to the high acidity and quite ample, grippy and chalky tannins. The dry finish is long, complex and quite tannic with savory flavors of ripe blackcurrants and red plums, some ferrous notes of blood, a little bit of leathery funk, light smoky notes of phenolic spice, a hint of crushed peppercorns and a bretty touch of barnyard.
Although coming from the hot 2009 vintage, this wine manages to avoid all the pitfalls of a very warm vintage and instead comes across as a quintessential top Chinon. One can taste the solar qualities in how ripe the wine feels and how the herbaceous notes of pyrazines really don't bring much or at all bell pepper character to the wine, instead lending only a subtle undercurrent of crushed peppercorns to the flavors. The overall feel is markedly bretty - true to the Baudry style - with a healthy dose of merde complementing the bright and crunchy fruit flavors. What's most notable here, however, is the freshness, sense structure and the lack of sweetness here: although the 2009 has left its imprint here, the acidity has not suffered at all and the overall flavors incline towards dryness instead of the sweet-toned ripeness. Although the wine is in a mighty wonderful phase right now, it is obvious that the wine is still on an upward trajectory and will continue on that path for at least another decade. Outstanding stuff, very highly recommended.
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10/30/2020 - gallu wrote: 94 Points
94 Extraordinario vino. Se muestra cerrado al principio, pero con tiempo desarrolla aromas varietales, de pimiento verde, pero también de especias y de crianza. En boca es un espectáculo, con acidez, con cuerpo. Muy largo, equilibrado y en su punto de consumo. Grande.
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10/25/2020 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Much more accessible than past tastings. Has gained fat, weight, and a sweet dark cherry streak on the palate. Nicely perfumed on the nose but the finish is still quite firm. Drink 2020-2028. Technical score: 92. Enjoyment score: 92.
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10/3/2020 - fred o. Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opaque dark violet. Nose blackberry, hint of tobacco leaf, hint of violet, deep and lovely.
Palate slightly ashy tannins on finish. Nicely balanced black fruit, slight tobacco and green pepper but not unripe in the least. Very nice density of fruit and complexity, herbal.
Very classy, outstanding value, very good with kebabs.
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8/8/2020 - Cote d'Or wrote:
Tasted over 2 hrs
-med dark red purple no clearing
-muted ripe dark fruit apple peel
-med acidity, med weight focused mineral dominant with faint black raspberry finishes long with a bitter note and med/med- tannins
-most of the fruit has faded but this is still polished for a Chinon and has a lot of mid-palate density and structure left to continue to evolve
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6/10/2020 - vulgar little monkey wrote: 95 Points
Took a bit longer to open than the Clos Guillot but really sang when it did. Absolutely electric wine. Piercing notes of limestone and minerals weave through ripe cherry and berry fruit with perfect notes of violets. It's hard to explain how precise and deft everything is with this wine. The texture and shape of the structural elements combined with complex notes from all parts of the aroma wheel. This still has a great life ahead of it but it is on a first plateau, if you are so inclined.
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5/5/2020 - bags wrote:
this seems ready to drink, though probably tertiary flavors developing over the next decade or more.
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4/22/2020 - dream wrote: 92 Points
Good solid ruby color with a silky, saturated texture and delicious, juicy flavors of dark red berries and floral spice. I love the taut, chalky finish with notes of tobacco, minerals and a hint of bacon-fat. Still so youthful but well-integrated and growing in volume. This is a racy, pure and authentic Chinon. 92+
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3/24/2020 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
This is my first bottle in 5 years. I think the wine has smoothed considerably in that time and lost some of its angular acidity, which is a bit of a shame. The aromas are creamy and fruity, soft and smooth. There's some graphite poking Italian plum meat aromas on the nose too. Palate is quite smooth and integrated at this juncture. Soft and round in the mouth, showing some acidity start to build after 5 seconds, and only then does the wall of tannins attack. Mainly it's about the texture as the flavors are soft and plum in nature, but nothing about this feels over ripe. Good acidity and tartness attack on the finish, and again after that does the wall of tannins begin. More Italian plum on the finish, with lingering acidity and minerals. This wine is certainly elegant in its approach, but it's not in your face so it could also pass you by without paying close attention. With close attention it reveals a nice, elegant nature. I'm not sure where it's headed now... I still have over a case left so I think it's time to start cracking into these in more earnest. It may be at a plateau of fruit and structure integration, though I do actually miss some of its youthful angularity.
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1/7/2020 - bags wrote:
This will probably continue to get better with age, but I won't. Delicious and drinking now.
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9/21/2019 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Finally climbing out of its slumber. Much improved over three years ago. Decanted four hours ahead of baked pork loin. Some green olive notes lead into ripe red cherries, rich tobacco, dark chocolate, and some leafy wild herb and green pepper notes. Extremely well framed, balanced, and concentrated. Rustic feel provides a distinctive elegance and charm, like this was pulled from a deep, dark cave in Loire. Best with food. Drink 2021-2028. Technical score: 93. Enjoyment score: 91.
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4/8/2019 - bags wrote:
surprisingly ready to drink. I suspect some air--or 5 more years--will improve it even further, and, even though it's a 2009, the acid will keep this fresh for at least another 15 years. Wonderful Loire liquid gold. The 2016s are selling for > $50, so this is approaching serious money for a bottle. But it's probably worth twice that (or more!) compared to Cab Franc heavy Bordeaux.
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4/6/2019 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
Really delicious and drinking absolutely on point - this was a brilliant Chinon. The nose was a beguiling, high-toned melange of smoky herbs, dark berries, earth and spice, all tied together by a little twist of Cab Franc’s bramble chacracter. The palate, while still nicely structured by filligreed tannins and bright acidity, had mellowed nicely into round, juicy, absolutely translucent mouthful of delicious dark berry flavours laced with notes of spice, earth and bramble. A study in effortless elegance, this was brilliantly balanced and perfectly poised and effortless elegance. Really nice finish too, perfectly round and integrated, and carrying that same clarity of expression and lightness of feet as the wine glided through the back-palate on a bed of stony minerality. Yummy.
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3/24/2019 - Diane (LI) wrote:
This is delicious and not a word I usually use to describe a Cab Franc from the Loire. It is juicy with ripe fruit, but also minerals, bright acidity and just the barest vegetal streak running through it. Tannins appear at the end.
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3/9/2019 - aknot13 wrote: 93 Points
Zalto Universal glass @ 18 deg. C. Color: cherry red with some evolution. Nose: complex nose of tobacco, some oak, leather, floral (lavender and violets), notes of forest floor, pepper, minerality (graphite, some charcoal) and of course rich fruits (mainly black). No bell pepper !! Mouth: lots of red and black fruits, earthy and mineral - cool climate taste, layered, perfect acidity, very elegant, medium body, medium+ finish, integrated tannins. Not a power wine but I love the weightlessness, finesse and structure in this wine. This will last another decade - at least. Just excellent. 93 pt.
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11/16/2018 - Costa Gavaris Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite ripe and full. Not much bell pepper. Entering early maturity. Great texture and taste. Very happy to have a few more of these to check in on. No rush.
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10/15/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Mine. Gamey and ripe black fruit nose, meaty/animal notes on the palate. Huge body and sturdy tannins. Not at all typical Loire CF but fun for what it is and popular at the table.
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6/10/2018 - americanstorm Likes this wine: 91 Points
This was nice and well liked by the group. lots of wine so not much in the way of notes. Nice nose and easy drinking.
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5/26/2018 - MJReb wrote: 92 Points
Black fruit, tobacco, salinity, earthy, dense, every drop is a pleasure. Unfortunately it was my last one.
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5/19/2018 - kenthargis wrote: 89 Points
Medium to full bodied wine. Medium dark reddish. Don't tend to drink Cab Franc all that much. This was quite nice. An hour into it I liked some of the tobacco and green pepper notes a little less. Bright and fresh wine.
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4/13/2018 - dcwino wrote: 93 Points
A lost Friday afternoon gathering – Mostly Burgundy (Blacksalt, Washington DC): Big scale expressive nose displaying rich black fruit, crushed blackberry, blackberry liqueur, ink, lavender, a hint of dry herbs and limestone. Excellent concentration, nicely layered intense black fruit, unctuous, medium acidity, nicely integrated tannins a long intense black fruit and lavender driven finish. Excellent showing. This is the first time trying this wine and I am impressed. I slightly prefer the Poyeux for the perfume nose and finesse.
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12/17/2017 - Capt Cutlass Likes this wine: 92 Points
Still very youthful as evidenced by deep purple hues with no signs of ageing. Briary forrest berries with forrest floor coming through. Lifted notes of orange peel. Palate similar to nose with some chalky tannines. Needs lots of air at this stage, still relatively tight. Orange peel finish with a hint of volatility and barnyard flavours. Promises much more to come...
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5/31/2017 - ekallio wrote:
Excellent. Fantastic, addictive aromatics that only Cab Franc can deliver. Both smooth but still tangy and vibrant. Deep and complex. Maybe this could have just a bit more concentration to be absolute top league. Will drink my remaining bottle in 3-5 years.
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5/9/2017 - pclin wrote: 92 Points
PnP. Finally a clean bottle without brett. Funky nose of Cab Franc from Loire. Dungeon, black olives, and flowers. Expressive but not intense nose. Sweet and smooth tannins, certainly approachable now, decent structure and length. ABV 13.5% without any heat, good balance. Very enjoyable bottle and should continue to evolve. Definitely much better than previous bottles. Probably a lot of bottle variations for this vintage.
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3/15/2017 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Was curious to peek in and see how this is faring, and it didn't disappoint. Still very youthful, but by no means closed or unyielding. There's plenty of bright dark berried fruit at its core accented by the familiar Loire cab franc tobacco, and herbal accents, and time brings out more savoury, low toned earthy and tree bark-like notes. Very elegant and easy to drink, though it's still primary and there's lots of upside here. I'm looking forward to seeing how the rest of this case fares with age.
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1/7/2017 - timewithwine wrote:
Taking a cue from Florida Jim Cowan who recently expressed his preference for younger Chinon that didn’t need to age (or die in the process of waiting for the tannins to abate), I pulled this wine to see how it might stack up against the enjoyment factor of the previously consumed 2001. I gotta say, I enjoyed this more for its fresher fruit of plum, cranberry, cherry, sandalwood and (on the finish) black pepper. The nose didn’t just invite, it enthralled. The nose and palate moved seamlessly from one to the other. The mouthfeel is medium with a good balance of acid, fruit and tannins. While rather pleasant now, I suspect it will continue to improve. Will the fruit hold? Will the tannins abate? Not a clue. Pull a cork and enjoy. Throwing an abundance of chunky sediment just now. 13.5% alc. With assorted blue cheeses and crusty bread. Recommended.
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12/17/2016 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Medium-purple color. Pretty explosive notes of barnyard, horse saddle, cassis/black currant, graphite/lead pencil, also some sweet spices. On the palate there is also a touch of green bellpepper. It's medium+ bodied and dense, with good mid-palate weight but feels weightless at the same time (if that makes sense...). Has medium+ acidity and medium+ silky tannin. Very good length. A complex, weightless and classic Chinon that is fascinating in its flavor profile... Too bad it's my last bottle of 2009.
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6/17/2016 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Remains deep; an initial whiff of brett, gamey, iron tannate, plumskins; softening, with a core of ripe, chewy tannin & dark, rounded fruits. This has a depth, balance & concentration to age a further 10 years. Yet to peak.
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6/14/2016 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 91 Points
Very compact and concentrated, and overall, still very austere. Powerful acidic frame and dusty tannins on the finish. Little fruit, even after a 4-hour decant, but its strength is in its angularity. I won't touch another one until after 2020.
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2/26/2016 - bags wrote:
very nice right now. I don't think it's going to develop further--at least if I judge from this bottle--but should hold for several years; good acidity.
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2/18/2016 - Kriz wrote: 90 Points
Still young. good nose with black fruit and some earthy tones. Fresh palate with some sharpness and red fruit. Will be enjoyable for the years to come.
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1/2/2016 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 93 Points
Wie beim letzten Mal,kommt er mit reichlich Luft immer bessser(runder,fruchtiger,dichter).
Aromenmässig nicht verändert zu den letzten Malen.
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9/5/2015 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 3 hours before pouring. This wine smells the funkiest of any of the wines I have opened so I was a little worried about it. That funk was the only thing dominating the nose, not really showing any of it's typical elegance or beauty. However, those things did show up elsewhere. The palate was very rich and vibrant dark fruits dominated. It was luscious but beautifully balanced with bracing acidity. Really amazingly balanced on the the palate. Wow, huge delicious puckering acidity when you swallow. Really richly fruited here too, with notes of blueberry. The thing I love about this wine is how elegant and racy with its acidity despite it being so voluptuously fruited yet not extracted. Despite the nose, this was a really lovely showing.
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8/4/2015 - galewskj wrote: 90 Points
Per ROCKNROLLER, slow o'd for 8 hours. The nose on this wine was great and complex. Everyone agreed it was a funky Bordeaux nose. The palate is a bit thin and rather green. In fairness, it was less green and had MORE body than most other Loire Cabernet Franc I've had. Still, rather disjointed, and firm tannins. I would like to drink this again in 5 years.
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8/1/2015 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 88 Points
Certainly will not be seeking out any more Chinon wines especially for the price of this one. Earth, bit thin, sour cherry and acidic. Not for my palate but drinkable.
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8/1/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Riesling and Some Reds: Lovely deep purple hued red color. Slow-O for about 8 hours. 2.5oz pour over 40 minutes. I loved the nose, "Bordeauxesque", damp earthy, gorgeous dark fruits of cassis, black raspberry and saddle leather. The palate is medium bodied, dusty minerals, tobacco, brambly dark berries and cassis with a firm tannic finish. This is still quite young and despite 8hrs open could have used some additional decanting. May not be everyone's cup of tea, but i think its fantastic juice. 92 (+)pts. My and group #2 RWOTN.
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6/20/2015 - Roughl Likes this wine: 93 Points
One of the greatest values in my cellar. Perfumed cab franc from a warm vintage. Still young
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5/4/2015 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Initial brettiness; very impressive next day, this was a lovely to drink. Fulsome, real depth; clearly has loads of time in hand.
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4/18/2015 - greenblanket wrote:
Different experience than many of the recent notes here. This seems to have moved into an awkward place in which the green and slightly unclean soil notes have taken on an unwelcome prominence. To be fair we didn't give it much time to open and it was on the table with a very nice old school Napa Cab.
The second day is a different story. No one liked this wine last night - not even the young server who was sprayed by my 30 year old refermented Science Closet wine. (We let her taste all of our wines and scored a couple of free deserts in return) This afternoon it is balanced and totally enjoyable with black fruit, dark herbs, clean earth and minerality. Just goes to show what this old country boy doesn't know about French semi-hipster wines.
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4/16/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 92 Points
Just a bit reserved tonight compared to the bottles in my cellar but this is still excellent with crisp dark cherry and blue fruits leading to a full mid-palate with a silky, fine-grained texture. The finish is tight but the chalky minerals are very present and the wine shows a nice complexity with notes of smoky violets and spice. Yum but needs more time. At Pearl & Ash. 92+
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1/25/2015 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 93 Points
Die Notiz kann ich eigentlich nur leicht ergänzen,dreht am zweiten Tag enorm auf,inkl. leichter Fruchtsüsse und runder als dazumal,aber immer noch extrem schwarzfruchtig und voller Körper.
Dunkles Lila-Rot.
Leder,Holzwürze,Brombeeren,süsslich Cassis,würzig,Bleistift,leicht rauchig,kalkig,herrlich samtige Struktur,saftig,tief,Hauch Tabak,zwischendurch aetherisch floral,
komplex,unheimlich trinkig,Tannine integriert.
Langer schwarzfruchtiger Abgang.
dark purple red
leather, spicy,blackberries,cassis,limy,smoky.
gorgeous velvety structure,deep,complex,little tobacco.
long black fruits aftertaste.
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1/21/2015 - vinum bonum wrote:
Bue trop tôt à mon goût : beau potentiel, mais les tanins accrochent encore beaucoup. Attendre 3/4 ans et revoir.
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1/19/2015 - pclin wrote: 90 Points
Similar to previous bottle, hint of Brett just not as obvious. Shows better on the 2nd day, but still prefer the Petite Cave from Yannick Amirault. (B)
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12/21/2014 - NostraBacchus Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow-o’d for 6 hours. Medium purple color. Complex nose of horse saddle, dark berries, cassis, stony minerality, sweet spices (cinnamon, cloves). On the palate there is cassis again, black cherries, minerals, a touch of green bellpepper (without anything unripe), tobacco and some sweet spices, marzipan. It’s medium-full bodied and dense, but without any kind of heaviness. It has medium+ tannin that is super ripe and medium+ acidity providing freshness. Great length. It’s at the beginning of its drinking window but still has many years ahead. What a beautiful wine!
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10/30/2014 - Kriz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely Cab. Franc. A little tough and green but I love it. Will age very well. Very good wine. Grip, acidity and full bodied.
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9/1/2014 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2.
N black cherry, black currant, green pepper, smoke, spice
P black cherry, currant, green pepper, tobacco, spice
F was above average in length, nice grippy tannins and mouthfeel
Really nice bottle of cab franc and solid value.
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7/3/2014 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Dark purple color. Fabulous nose of dusty cherries, smoke, deep spices and a hint of tobacco leaf. I let this breathe for several hours as it is still dry and tannic on the finish. Then it began to show absolutely gorgeous flavors of cherries and violets in a sleek silky package. It has so much fresh acidity to go with the succulent fruit that the wine simply perks up with food. The finish is incredible with this deep complex spiciness along with notes of ripe red berries and minerals. While still young and in need of food, this is the wine of a genius for under $40 a bottle.
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5/12/2014 - chbeaumont wrote: 89 Points
Advanced colour; elegant, fragrant; a certain rusticity on palate, fulsome; grippy, assertive finish. In an awkward phase? Leave alone for 12 months.
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3/30/2014 - salil wrote: 92 Points
This continues to be fantastic. It's a bit reticent and tannic at first, but quickly opens out with some time in a decanter and shows a lovely array of dark fruited flavours, savoury tobacco and earthy elements, and higher toned green herbal accents. On the palate it's a combination of power and elegance with a round, polished mouthfeel and good length, a superb wine right now but it has the depth, balance and structure to suggest it'll only get better with time. Glad the rest of my bottles are offsite.
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2/27/2014 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Was my contribution to the Phenol55 Cab Franc tasting and held up well. Smell/taste is consistent with my previous notes. Still needs a few more years to settle down and round out.
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1/10/2014 - pclin wrote: 90 Points
After hearing so many wine enthusiasts raving about this producer, decide to order some to try out. Since I can't afford Cheval Blanc anymore, the 100% pure Cabernet Franc from Chinon may be the way to go in the future. Floral nose but not very clean with hint of wood/brett. Notes of forest floor, brett, sweet plum, and oak. Sweet on entry with very firm mid-palate and plenty of tannins around. Despite the label indicated only 13% alcohol there is slight heat at finish. Good and firm structure now with potential to develop into a wine with complexity. Except for the slightly annoying brett, pretty good wine. Keep a glass for the 3rd day, not showing as well. 90 points now but if the brett somehow fade away will probably deserve an upgrade in score. Buy more? Maybe.
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12/27/2013 - CamWheeler wrote: 92 Points
One Last 2013 Dinner (Sydney, Australia): Served blind. Truffle, earth, cloves and some tobacco and dark chocolate. Fine tannic grip, with fruit that is restrained but still provides a nice fresh lift. Very good length and left me wanting more after the first glass.
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11/9/2013 - Jeanda wrote:
Nez brouillon avec des notes d'écurie à l'ouverture. Bouche pas en place, dense mais très fermée. Impossible à juger en l'état. À revoir.
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9/30/2013 - winelegends.net Likes this wine: 93 Points
93+
Dunkles Lila-Rot.
Leder,Holzwürze,Brombeeren,Cassis,würzig,Bleistift,leicht rauchig,kalkig,herrlich samtige Struktur,tief,Hauch Tabak,
komplex,unheimlich trinkig,Tannine integriert.
Langer schwarzfruchtiger Abgang.
dark purple red
leather, spicy,blackberries,cassis,limy,smoky.
gorgeous velvety structure,deep,complex,little tobacco.
long black fruits aftertaste.
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7/5/2013 - jlhkiss Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted 4 hours and served with red wine/garlic beef brisket, potatoes, and mixed veggies. Tar, purple color that trends to violet on the surface. Nose of green pepper, onion, feint fruit, clay, and tar. Palate hits with dark raspberries, sour grapes, menthol, lime, and earthy moss. Finish is dusty but soft with mushrooms and herbs. Overall, very well structured and delineated wine that will age nicely. I won't touch again until 2015.
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5/20/2013 - acyso wrote: 93 Points
Dark colour. Dark fruit and earth on the nose, with a modest bit of herbaceous qualities; perhaps a hint of cough syrup as well. On the palate, this has incredible minerality, with a lot of subtle dark fruit inflections. Perhaps leaning towards the austere side (this is a pop and pour). Some raspberry flavours on the midplate and relatively soft tannins for such a young wine. Plush and mineral might be a good way to put this.
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4/8/2013 - texaswinelover wrote: 94 Points
Delicious. Ripe in an old world frame. Sour, bright cherry. Cranberry. Underbrush, gobs of minerality, chalk like tannins. I expect this to develop beautifully.
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3/25/2013 - Billigan Likes this wine: 94 Points
Absolutely stunning Chinon. Heady, rich nose showing tremendous depth and complexity followed by a lithe, elegant mouthfeel with grippy, but chalky-fine tannins on the backend. Lots of warm fruit but nothing cloying, nothing hot, and with plenty of underlying acidity. Even after two days, the structure remained a bit imposing. I'll be excited to try my next bottle in several years.
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2/8/2013 - chbeaumont wrote: 92 Points
Rubied; fresh, fragrant with a warm undertow, touch of framboise, tobacco & lead pencils; supple, quiet warming fruit, understated, fine-boned, refreshing acidity; some unresolved tannins on an inviting mid palate. V. good now: a supple, cunning finish, with more to offer.
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1/19/2013 - manonthemoon wrote: 93 Points
Notes from day 2.
Purple in color.
Nose of black cherry, currant, green pepper, spice.
Palate of black cherry, ripe cranberry, currant, green pepper, tobacco, spice.
The finish was long in length, nice mouthfeel, good structure as well.
Overall this was a fantastic wine that really started to open up on the second night, wish I had bought a lot more.
Hold: 50+5+12+18+8
4
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12/28/2012 - Roughl wrote:
First from a case. This is complex cab franc, but requires more bottle age! tannic structure is beatiful but too much at the forefront right now and the wine seems closed down. The clos guillot is a lot more expressive at this point intime. An absolute bargain at around 20 eur.
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12/13/2012 - vinum bonum wrote:
Ouverte sans moi, mais bu le deuxième jour: le vin est encore en forme, même s'il devait être plus dynamique à l'ouverture. On pourra le boire dans deux ans.
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12/7/2012 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Shabbat (Coventry, CT): Silky, fragrant, and fruit-forward. Yes, it is a 2009, but that's not a bad thing.
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12/7/2012 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Casual Friday night drinks (Coventry, CT): This seems to be closing down a little - even with some time in the decanter it doesn't show the amazing fragrance it had right on release, but it's still showing the same purity and depth of flavour I remember, with fantastic balance and length. I'll let the rest of my bottles rest for some time now.
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11/23/2012 - dream wrote: 91 Points
Powerful nose of pepper, cassis, green tobacco and black plums. An austere, juicy wine with flavors of black and red fruits, black spices and a hint of green pepper. Really kicks in on the finish with excellent intensity and high acids with complex notes of spices and minerals. This is dense and classy Cab Franc but make no mistake that it needs a few more years in the cellar to really shine. 91+
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11/22/2012 - GrapeScott wrote: 93 Points
Double decanted 4 hours in advance of dinner. My favorite wine of the night in a fairly stacked line-up that included an Allemand Cornas and a Williams Selyem pinot. This was in a really lovely place with a perfect mix of floral and herbal/savory notes. Showing leather, provencal olive, tobacco, capsicum, black currant and rose petal flavors. Showing the richness of the vintage, but balanced by ample tannin and acid. This was in a great place but also shows great promise.
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11/19/2012 - gallu wrote: 93 Points
93 Espléndido vino. Nariz de fruta roja, cerezas. Especiado. Boca aún joven pero con mucho nervio y volúmen. Buena acidez y tanino firme
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10/29/2012 - Lombardi wrote: 92 Points
Pure nose of ripe Cab Franc. Red fruits not overwhelmingly jammy or baked. Great acidity and pleasant tannins. Good concentration and nerve. Got better the next day. Balanced medium+ finish This will age nicely and gain complexity.
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10/17/2012 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
Sensational bottle of wine. Earthy and pure palate, soft tannins and a long elegant finish. A wine with soul!
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9/2/2012 - rexmerlot wrote: 90 Points
Clear purple in color. Clean nose of floral, and blueberry. Dry, med acidity, med body, nice tannins, on palate floral, red fruit, some minerality. Nice finish. Love Cab Franc on its own when done well.
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8/6/2012 - Beerzebub wrote:
Very tasty indeed, deep and complex, but deep asleep. Huge potential, this clearly deserves time. As enjoyable as it is, it's a shame to drink this now. My first Baudry, and it's an eye-opener.
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7/29/2012 - cadel wrote: 92 Points
Alle elementen zijn aanwezig in deze wijn om uit te groeien tot een ware crowdpleaser.
Intensieve karafage van 8 uur.
Nog paarsrode kleur.
In de neus meteen veel concentratie van fruit waar te nemen. Ook een lichte lactische toets die niet stoort en een bloemenaroma komt om de hoek kijken. Na een hele tijd komt het kenmerkende aroma van groene peper ook tevoorschijn.
In de mond krijg je een heel evenwichtige wijn die volledig foutloos is en eindigt met en licht zuurtje. Het fruit dekt op dit moment de tannines mooi toe. 92+
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5/17/2012 - PSirah Tampa wrote: 93 Points
Tasted in Chinon. Very fruit forward for a traditionally made Chinon. Soft tannins and moderate acids lead me to believe this is a wine to be consumed much younger than most of Baudry's vintages. Delicious now but still improving- it needs another two years to integrate. Drink by 2022.
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5/16/2012 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Still stellar. Nothing to add to my previous thoughts, but I'm still amazed at how much complexity, finesse and grace is evident even though it's such a young wine.
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5/3/2012 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for three hours before first sip. Impressive, deep hue. Very rich and deep aromas offering charcoal, crushed gravel, graphite, green briar, and very deeply fruited, with still a hint of brightness there. Wow does this smell good, and as it opens up, I begin getting some vegitables, but it's balanced with massive, soft dark red fruits. Later I get blueberry covered cacoa. Massive palate entry, and incredibly smooth and graceful; wow, what texture! Incredible texture and acid for days coupled with a pleasing mouth coating nature. Yes, there's some sweaty sock here, tart fruit, and soft, really sweet tannins begin building and definitely take over the palate, but they are so softly textured that I barely mind. The red strawberries here are intense, and they are FULL ripe, very dark red in flavor. Every sip is delicious and I just can't put my glass down. This isn't a wine that brutalizes in its youth; it's actually so delicious right now I hardly have any reason to lay them down, though there is no doubt it will age for decades. Perhaps one case to rest and one to drink now?
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3/30/2012 - jimkay21 wrote: 90 Points
Vegetal nose, dense, acidic, chalky. Decanted 5 hours ago.
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2/26/2012 - TheSauerKraut wrote:
Not ready. Suspect it will be very nice in a few years.
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2/18/2012 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Smoky, savoury earthy, floral and deep red and dark fruited scents lead into a palate that still feels incredibly primary and tannic, but at the same time shows incredible depth already. With time the tannin smooths out a little and it unravels further showing more herbal and peppery fragrances. It's certainly bigger and riper than Croix Boissée has been in most years, but there's impeccable balance here, great finesse and I'm excited to see what happens to the rest of this case with time.
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12/19/2011 - Chris Newport wrote:
This is a very different expression of Chinon than the Grezeaux but just as "good", if not better. Decanted for a few hours, very young, with a subdued nose, but the intensity and depth of material is quite evident. Very polished and smooth with nice flavor impact and well integrated tannins. This is a great example of the Baudry style: really pushing the elegance and fruit without leaving behind the fact that this is cabernet franc from the Loire valley. I'm glad I have both in the cellar, this is worth trying now, but I think the Grezeaux provides more enjoyment at this early stage.
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12/4/2011 - salil wrote: 92 Points
Fantastic stuff. Savoury earthy, floral, herbal and red fruited scents combining into a beautiful aroma that builds with air; on the palate it's powerful and more deeply fruited than usual, but still showing the purity and finesse I always find in Baudry's wines with the tannins fine grained and bright acidity underneath keeping it very refreshing and elegant. I expect this will be incredible with time.
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11/30/2011 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 94 Points
It's probably not a news flash that this is a great Croix Boissée, then again maybe it is, with all the folks determined to knock the 2009 vintage. This is rich and ripe but not over-the-top and without any coloring out of the lines. It features pretty reddish/blackish fruit and an evocative cracked-pepper scent. Sometimes I find Baudry's wines more Bordeaux-like than other Loires but this is Chinon all the way. It's clearly built to last, with a seriously interesting tannic structure, silky on the front end but quickly flexing its muscle.
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11/17/2011 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 92 Points
DC Wine Bloggers Tasting (Weygandt Wines - Washington, D.C.): This is an incredibly young wine that has a long life ahead of it. Even now, though, it's delivering. The aromas are dark, with black cherry and currants, along with a hint of pepperoni. With time and air, the aromas opened up, and I think the aromatic potential of this wine is very high in the long-term. The palate has gritty tannins, tangy acid and rich dark fruit. The mouthfeel is huge, but it somehow maintains balance. I enjoyed the plum, loam and green pepper flavors. Long, tannin-filled finish. This could use a decant, or ten years in the cellar.
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11/17/2011 - tooch wrote:
Rich red fruited nose with undertones of brambles, minerals and lilacs. It has dense red fruit on the palate, moderate tannin, tart cranberry and a good deal of acidity. Should have a long life ahead of it - be sure to decant if you're drinking it young.
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5/25/2011 - shaftlet wrote: 92 Points
Silky smooth vin de garde with more overt oak influence. Dried black cherry, tabac, vanille and limestone. Chalky tannins. This is really structured. Medium-full bodied. This could last 10 years easily.
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