October 6, 2022 - PNP. Cork perfect. Color garnet. Nose shows tobacco dark cherry and plum. Some hints of dill but not strong. Swishing shows acid still and tannin softening and nearly integrated supporting a tart cherry fruit. Sipping shows great balance and integration. This was awesome tonight.
January 10, 2022 - A buried bottle that I had forgotten about. Light red. Dill and other green herbs. Light, lean, high acidity, and mineral. Not much fruit showing and really, not a lot of pleasure. Probably at the end of the line.
January 19, 2021 - This is mature and showing some secondary but still has primary fruit. The structure has softened and this is ready to go. Drinking beautifully. Will hold.
August 6, 2020 - Deep red. Lovely cherry fruit, olive, and light herb atop a clay soil base. So good and so enjoyable for a basic Chinon at age eleven.
February 14, 2020 - Even light ruby. Just on point, prototypical Loire valley Cabernet Franc-herbaceous and mineral with fine acidity and fruit playing a background supporting role, even in this ripe vintage. Very well made, no complaints.
October 6, 2019 - Mild barnyard, red and black cherries, and a hint of licorice. Not a ton of complexity , but really fresh, energetic, and pure flavors. Medium-light weight and a soft texture. Nothing tertiary; the main indication of age is the fact that the tannins are entirely resolved.
July 13, 2019 - Light ruby, some brown at the edge. Some barnyard and light herbs. Light weight. Dominated by earth with a whiff of cocoa and dark red fruit. Dry, grainy, tannic finish. Very good basic Chinon that probably should be consumed over the next few years lest it drop its remaining fruit.
October 1, 2018 - Had the same night as the 2008 Croix Boissée. Much more dark earth, like freshly tilled soil. Fruit on the darker plum and black cherry spectrum Tannins are gentle at this point and the wine is structured by its acidity. More rustic than the other Baudry reds (which aren't a rustic bunch) with a feral, ferrous streak.
April 5, 2018 - Brief note. this has a core of cherry lifesaver buried under the strcture. tannin is rough hewn and not integrated. nose has leafy tobacco and bell pepper to identify it as cab franc. good but i think will benefit from more time
February 15, 2018 - Second bottle from Benchmark, both of which have been a little odd. This one was better than the first. Most of what I love from this Wine is present, and it’s not overly ripe. It’s actually a bit of an acid / VA streak that keeps it from being too enjoyable. Curious to try my other bottle (purchased on release) to see how it compares.