Baudry La Croix Boissée

So after reading through the Loire classification thread i decided to buy a few different vintages of Bernard Baudry’s La Croix Boissée.

Tonight i opened a 2014, and oh my is it delicious!

So my question is. Do they really benefit from much more aging compared to the 14 (at seven years of age)?

And how does the surrounding more solar vintages compare to the 2014? Are they very different or is Baudry very consistent in his expression? Julian’s post on the 2018 sounds like the cuvee is great in all vintages.

Baudry wines can age for quite a long time and LCB is Baudry’s most long-lived cuvée, so yes, it does benefit from further aging.

The cooler vintages are more herbaceous and the more solar vintages less so, but in my experience, Baudry’s style is always dry, crunchy and savory, even in warmer vintages. They don’t get excessively fruity, sweet or soft.

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Thanks Otto. It was this part i was looking for.

The local Loire Cab Franc geeks postponed a dinner early this month and now have slated in the next few days to drink some Baudry LCBs spread out from 1997 to 2010. Looking to pair it with other same-vintage Loire CF to get a good read. Look out for TNs here.

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An average Croix Boissée 2005 a few weeks ago, not very clean, ripe/austere. Cruel lack of elegance (the elagance that had the Rougeard Poyeux 2012).

Note : we also tasted a clearly unclean Emidio Pepe red Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2009 and a Clos Mogador 2014, affected by a high (even for a Piorat) volatile acidity.

The 2014 LCB is sensational, really one of my favorite vintages over what has been a pretty impressive 10+ year run. Even lean years like 2011 and 2013 have been fun, not great but still quite nice and interesting. In excellent years like 2014, at least give them 10, but note that they will likely continue to evolve and can run 20+ years easy. I should note, last time I had the 2014, it was damn nice and enjoyable even in its youth. I think Les Grez shuts down more to me, the 2010s need much more time.

Oh wow, really looking forward to the notes!

I opened a 1997 LCB about 4 or 5 years ago which was wonderful and in no danger of going over the hill anytime soon.

As Ramon mentioned we’ll get another look at it on Wednesday.

Awesome! Looking forward to read the TN’s

The 2014 really is amazing. Happy i have two more i can put into the cellar.

A very ripe vintage and I remember excellent wines at Baudry and Lamé-Delisle-Boucard (Bourgueil, some cuvées almost reaching 15°, and probably the same in 2018).

2014 is very ripe? Interesting, that’s what I would say about 2018, 2015 and 2005.

I think after 2011 and 2013, it seemed pretty ripe, when in fact it was perhaps just back to a modern “normal”.

It’s not so much about “very ripe” (your words) but good ripeness and also freshness.

You mentionned the useful comparison with the awful 2013, that I also tasted the same day at the domain.

As written :
_Les vins sont très séduisants avec des richesses proches d’années comme 2009 mais avec de plus belles acidités et des couleurs plus vives.
_
Very ripe, high alcohol, some freshness as well …
Tasted blind as I did with the wine in bottle, it is not obvious to stay in northern France … (so is it for the 2018)

Domain web site - excerpts :
2015 est le millésime le plus chaud enregistré par les stations météos depuis 50 ans.

2018 est un millésime complet et expressif dans toute la gamme, les équilibres sont magnifiques, les richesses en alcool sont contenues par une fraîcheur et une longueur de bouche sapide. Les volumes produits vont également donner de l’oxygène à de nombreux vignerons après les épisodes de gel de 2016 et 2017. Toutefois, une évidence s’impose à nous, depuis 30 ans (1988 -2018), les températures ont gagné plus d’1 degré entre Mars et Septembre, les richesses des raisins ont gagné 3% d’alcool et les acidités ont chuté de 4g/L (H2SO4). Le réchauffement climatique est une évidence, nous vendangeons de plus en plus tôt (1 à 2 semaines), nous vinifions des vins supérieurs à 13% plus régulièrement. Cela reste positif et je pense favorable aux belles expressions de Cabernets Francs mais bien plus préoccupant pour l’avenir et pour notre planète…

What is the ABV on the Baudry line-up in 2014? I’m normally sensitive to that and wines being “very ripe,” but I’m just not seeing that in the 2014 Loire CFs that I buy. I find it a very balanced, and as noted, fresh vintage.

That’s how I read it, and have perceived the 2914 Baudry wines, as well. I’d actually like to buy more.

2914 … high temperatures on earth … [cheers.gif]

2014 LCB is 13,5% abv. And it does not feel ripe in any way.