TN: 2018 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux

I had written a thread around a year ago expressing concerns over the 2018 vintage in a few french wine regions and one of them was Loire Cab Franc. While this wine is a bruiser with a load of punchy fruit I think classicists will still be pleased, especially if they give it a little age.

• 2018 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (1/18/2021)
  This pours youthfully light purple in the glass, though opaque at the core. A tad on the dark side for this cuvée from Baudry. The nose is deep, rich and complex focused on bright punchy fruit with plenty of secondary character in reserve. The moderate intensity nose shows very complex notes of violet, plum, black currant, dark chocolate, dry hay, new leather, gravel, peanut shells, and polished old furniture. The palate is concentrated replaying the punchy youthful fruit of the nose with medium plus acid, medium minus dusty tannin, and a long finish that replays much of the nose. The faintest hint of the 13.5% alcohol protrudes on the finish. All in all this is very much a Baudry Chinon. This vintage is certainly a bruiser with elevated alcohol, darker color, more extract, and concentrated fruit. For a classicist like me, this wine it still within acceptable limits and the power of the vintage is redeemed by fresh acid and notable secondary elements. In fact this is my highest rated since the 2015, so perhaps I like warmer vintage Baudry. Anyway, this is a fabulous bottle that will sit in its rightful place in the Baudry legacy. (93 pts.)

Thanks

I really liked this wine. Bought a case. Bought a case of the Les Clos Guillot as well.

I haven’t been following pricing on this, but Envoyer’s $22.99 today seems like a steal. Have a few on order from elsewhere, might need to get some more.

There was a Baudry offer from Envoyer today?!

I think, broadly speaking, that Loire cab franc does particularly well in the warmer/bigger vintages.

Not that the good producers don’t make good wine in many other vintages, as well, but I think the Loire CF seems to benefit from those warmer vintages without ever seeming to cross into too ripe, too much alcohol, loss of varietal typicity, etc.

Well, I definitely received one - came in just after noon Central.

I only got an email for a Cali Chardonnay today. If I go to the website, there’s no 2018 Baudry at all. I want to get on the same emails that James is getting.

I clicked on the Buy Now button and it takes me to a product page on the website, but shows as sold out. Guess that makes my decision easier

Envoyer just posted the Baudry '18 Guillot offer, for anyone interested that missed it. 31 bottles available after I grabbed mine.

Killer price, they sold out as I was on the app trying to order them, while in the car. Between stoplights.

Thanks for the note. Had the 2018 Baudry Domaine the other day and found it a bit flabby and one dimensional, likely from the hot vintage. Have a couple of Grezeaux in the cellar, so hopefully they’ve turned out a bit more balanced. Sounds like it from this note.

Appreciate the report.

It’s always of interest for me to read and catch up here on anything Baudry. Have yet to taste 2018’s, but will definitely do.

I do think these 2018 could be polarizing. They’re bigger than the 16s and 17s for sure. If you you want something light, elegant and drinking well today I think you’ll be a lot better off with those vintages. Having said that I’ve popped the '18 Granges and '18 Grezeaux recently and while the expression is darker, riper and more extracted I still find secondary notes like and I don’t find them overripe. Unlike some Loire Cab Franc that hit 14%-15%+ alcohol in '18 these at 13.5% just hang in there for me.

According to the website of one of my favorite retailers the 2018 Clos Guillot is 14.3% which I find worrisome.

Bummer on the Guillot. That and the $10 price jump to $38 might mean I pass this vintage.

Chris this is a really killer note, I’m on 1/2 of a bottle right now. This is a very ripe Baudry, teeters on too ripe, but lifting all those bold black fruits is some really good acid. I remember some 05s tasting like this, and actually have an 05 Grezeaux in the queue. I know this might sound odd, but has a powerful nose of metals that is reminiscent of some classic Northern Rhônes. Will be curious to see whether time fleshes out better some of the archetype Chinon characteristics that this wine normally shows, which to me is the most classic in the Baudry stable. Your score is on point for the pure pleasure of this wine. Glad I grabbed a sixer.

Opened one tonight, and while it is still recognizable as Loire Cab Franc, it is right on the edge. That said, I like where it is. The fruit is deep but in no way jammy, and there is still a hint of green, but more towards pine needle than bell pepper. I started with it at cellar temp, which was a touch too cold. Thirty minutes later it hit its stride. As I finish up the last of my glass we’re close to 75 degrees, which is current room temp, and it’s still not showing its alcohol. That’s good!

Overall I think this is at the limit of what I want in terms of ripeness (label says 13.5%), but another half percent of ABV won’t deter me.

I think we have been redeemed, David! Been drinking a bottle over the last two nights, it’s really showing well. I think some of the ripeness has receded a little bit and we are starting to get a little bit more of the rusticity that we like in Grezeaux. I prefer 2021 and 2014 but very happy to have this.