2022 Bernard Baudry "Les Grézeaux" Chinon

Staff Reviews

KM

Keith Mabry

Keith Mabry

K&L Buyer

When importer Kermit Lynch long ago discovered the wines of Baudry, they quickly became the gold standard for traditional Chinon. The wines always have a deep savory edge, with dark fruit, saddle leather and herbaceous nuances that make them both intriguing and classic. The Grezeaux comes from a vineyard planted over gravel soils from vines averaging 65 years of age. It is brimming with notes of black cherry, blackcurrant, grilled rosemary, violets and olive tapenade. It is the smoky mineral edge, with a hint of fresh tilled earth that really lets the wine transcend, though. This is a bouquet that draws you further and deeper into the wine and why Cabernet Franc still ranks as one of my top red drinks.

CD

Carlo Delgado

Carlo Delgado

An elegant, delightful, well balanced Chinon. Flavors of dark berries, roasted red peppers, graphite, fresh basil leaves, and a touch of earth. On the palate, fresh plums, black olives, dark chocolate and delicate tannin on the finish. Prime example of Cabernet Franc bringing a lot of complexity for not a lot of money!

Notes

Bernard worked as an advisor to the Tours laboratory and studied in Beaune before returning to the Loire and starting his own project on just two hectares in 1975. Now holding 32 hectares throughout Chinon (about 90% of which are planted with Cabernet Franc, with the rest being Chenin), he produces some truly great wines. Les Grézeaux is grown just north of his Les Granges, separated by a river and near the bottom of the slope in Sonnay, on gravel and clay soil. It’s the oldest plot on the estate, with the vines being around 60 years old. The nose is wonderful, with notes of violet, raspberry, blackberry, and a rich cured meat quality that helps broaden it. The palate is remarkably vibrant, full of bright blackberry, raspberry, and aging violet, with a touch of pepper. The finish is spiced with notes of fennel and punctuated by an even more pronounced floral note that makes this wine long and luscious.