TN: 2017 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux

[Jason_T]

I’m all for exploring new categories, but you’ve really practiced the art of dissing wines you’re not familiar with (cf. German rieslings).

Pyrazines are really the signature of Loire cab franc (arguably, brett, too), and, as others have said, the Les Grézeaux is Baudry’s most “serious” bottling, needing some age. Of course, pyrazines have been demonized in California.

Like good red Burgundy, the best Chinons can develop into something lush and even fruity that is unimaginable in their youth – unless you’ve experienced their progression. If you want to learn about them, see if you can get ahold of an Olga Raffault '89 or '90 Les Picasses. Every few years, the winery releases a bit more and they come on the US market. A bottle of the '89 I bought retail last summer (~$80) was drinking superbly.

As Jayson said, the idea of the '17 Baudry cracking up over the course of the day at room temperature is very strange.

I’m also puzzled how this ends up in the hotel minibar. For someone to place a Baudry there indicates they know a little something about wine. Great to try and turn people on to things they may not have experienced before, but doing so with a wine that needs more time to shine, and with something like Loire Cab Franc that can be such an acquired taste? That’s not something for the minibar, but for the bar or restaurant downstairs.

[brianmcbrearty]

I’d be card carrying Baudry brigade if I were on WB more, but I’ve had some dull Grézeaux, in hotel rooms coincidently though I carried them in off the street in both cases. And I have taken the hype on new Grezeaux with a grain of salt till I try it. Everything in the line is different. I buy a case of domaine and generally skip les grange. And similarly pass over Guillot and load up on boisee. But I’d love to have the strength to sit on some of these for a long time and live long enough. I love em after just a few years, but grabbed a few 1989 and 90 Couly Dutheil’s from offers last year and they’re just gorgeous at 30.

[Michae1_P0wers]

I’d be card carrying Baudry brigade if I were on WB more, but I’ve had some dull Grézeaux, in hotel rooms coincidently though I carried them in off the street in both cases. And I have taken the hype on new Grezeaux with a grain of salt till I try it. Everything in the line is different. I buy a case of domaine and generally skip les grange. And similarly pass over Guillot and load up on boisee. But I’d love to have the strength to sit on some of these for a long time and live long enough. I love em after just a few years, but grabbed a few 1989 and 90 Couly Dutheil’s from offers last year and they’re just gorgeous at 30.

I don’t usually buy les granges either, but a recent '18 was excellent for a young Chinon. It would be a much better introduction to the category for those not familiar with these wines than a '17 Grezeaux.

Edited to correct the vintage on the les Granges, as it was actually the '18, while I’d originally stated it was the '19.

[Matt_Mauldin]

Popped and poured this wine tonight at home and enjoyed it. Classic Chinon, with nice vivid fruit and savory secondary notes in spades, medium body with good structure. I got this in my Kermit Lynch wine club shipment, and would definitely consider buying more and cellaring.

I’m wondering if the hotel stemware were unflattering and clashed with the wine. Hotels can definitely have good taste in wine, but bad choices in stemware… A few years back I stayed at a hip DTLA hotel with cool wines, but was served BTG at the bar in a thick ornamental goblet, and it ruined the wine… most egregiously bad stemware ever.