2007 Guion Bourgueil

D

Don Rice

Don Rice
This Stephane Guion 2007 "Cuvee Domaine" (a maker I didn't know about until Chambers Street brought some in) is going to be one of my under-employment wines.

Speaking of under, it was slightly under $10. Yet so well made. Last night it tasted of fresh strawberries and iron, framed and balanced brightly by a moderate tannic backbone. We'll see how it does after being open for a day.

It left me wanting more than the six bottles I have.

Will open the 2005 "Prestige" bottling later in the week. Any advance word on that?
 
Coincidently, I opened one of these last night myself. It paired beautifully with coal oven pizza and the tail end of the Yankee game. I actually had a hard time paying attention to the game as the wine and food combination was too distracting. The '07 is much more the fruity one compared to the '06. The '06 is much more like the '05 "Prestige".

The "Prestige" is a much amore complex and restrained or soft spoken wine compared to the "Domaine". The "Prestige" being more tannic, more mineral and just much more interesting. Lot's of forest floor, dried leaves, mushrooms, wet earth going on in the "Prestige". Give the "Prestige" some air and time, it is an amazing wine that delivers way beyond its price point.
 
How about that. We opened our bottle to go along with a homemade pizza as well.

Looking forward to the other cuvee.
 
I beginning to think this internet thing is just a way to meet people who are exactly like you. Like one big house of mirrors.
 
Don and Jason,
Have you tried the 2007 Baudry Les Granges?
I was curious as to how it would compare to the Guion.
The Granges is filling a similar role for me, affordable Cab franc that is enjoyable to drink now.
 
originally posted by Arjun Mendiratta:
Anyone know if these show up on the west coast?
Click to expand...
I could be wrong, but I think David brings these in himself. I'm sure CSW would ship.
 
originally posted by Marc D:
Don and Jason,
Have you tried the 2007 Baudry Les Granges?
I was curious as to how it would compare to the Guion.
The Granges is filling a similar role for me, affordable Cab franc that is enjoyable to drink now.
Click to expand...

I haven't had this yet and I missed tasting it at CSW - crowds were too big. But this gives me a reason to go buy some.
 
Haven't tried the Baudry yet, I'm a bit embarrassed to say.

Last time I was at CSW was last month, a couple days before this cuvee was slated to arrive
(and just prior to the March vigneron assault if memory serves)

Will have to remedy that.
 
We had a Bourgeuil tonight ourselves, the Breton 2002 Les Perrieres. Sublime. Really, wine doesn't get much better than this.

jb (who's sorry to hear about the underemployment)
 
originally posted by Don Rice:
2007 Guion BourgueilThis Stephane Guion 2007 "Cuvee Domaine" (a maker I didn't know about until Chambers Street brought some in) is going to be one of my under-employment wines.

Speaking of under, it was slightly under $10. Yet so well made. Last night it tasted of fresh strawberries and iron, framed and balanced brightly by a moderate tannic backbone. We'll see how it does after being open for a day.

It left me wanting more than the six bottles I have.

Will open the 2005 "Prestige" bottling later in the week. Any advance word on that?
Click to expand...
It should be a good time for this. It is starting to open up, to expand aromatically. It is fairly serious, with forthright tannins, which could use more time. But the flavour is good - dark stony mineral and dark red fruit. It is a fine example of Grand Mont, which is where it comes from.
 
originally posted by Marc D:
Don and Jason,
Have you tried the 2007 Baudry Les Granges?
I was curious as to how it would compare to the Guion.
The Granges is filling a similar role for me, affordable Cab franc that is enjoyable to drink now.
Click to expand...
It's not a fair comparison. The two are quite different, though I suppose you could say they are both quaffers. The Guion is a charming, rustic wine whereas Les Granges is all about purity of fruit, even in 2007. It makes the Guion seem a bit short and a bit rough by comparison. But the Guion is an honest wine, real wine at a fabulous price.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
originally posted by Marc D:
Don and Jason,
Have you tried the 2007 Baudry Les Granges?
I was curious as to how it would compare to the Guion.
The Granges is filling a similar role for me, affordable Cab franc that is enjoyable to drink now.
Click to expand...
It's not a fair comparison. The two are quite different, though I suppose you could say they are both quaffers. The Guion is a charming, rustic wine whereas Les Granges is all about purity of fruit, even in 2007. It makes the Guion seem a bit short and a bit rough by comparison. But the Guion is an honest wine, real wine at a fabulous price.
Click to expand...

They really are apples and oranges as the Baudry's across the board are consistently about expression of fruit, where the Guion is more an expression of dirt. I like dirt.

But speaking of bargains, the newly arrived Paybonhomme selections at Chambers Street are just that. Most of them could use a little time to settle down and recover from their journey but the Rose and the Grolet "G" showed very well yesterday.
 
originally posted by JasonA:
They really are apples and oranges as the Baudry's across the board are consistently about expression of fruit, where the Guion is more an expression of dirt. I like dirt.
Click to expand...

Well, I think that you might be mistaking a few things here. I think that the Baudry wines express their terroir as well as any wines I can think of. The Grzeaux is certainly a wine that shows a much earthier side.

I tend to find wine from Bourgueil to show more earth and leather type notes in general.

But speaking of bargains, the newly arrived Paybonhomme selections at Chambers Street are just that. Most of them could use a little time to settle down and recover from their journey but the Rose and the Grolet "G" showed very well yesterday.
Click to expand...

That ros is fabulous.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by JasonA:
They really are apples and oranges as the Baudry's across the board are consistently about expression of fruit, where the Guion is more an expression of dirt. I like dirt.
Click to expand...

Well, I think that you might be mistaking a few things here. I think that the Baudry wines express their terroir as well as any wines I can think of. The Grzeaux is certainly a wine that shows a much earthier side.

I tend to find wine from Bourgueil to show more earth and leather type notes in general.
Click to expand...

I completely agree concerning terroir here, that is why I expressly avoided using that term to differentiate the Guion from the Baudry. I probably should have said that the Guion tastes of dirt and the Baudry tastes of fruit - but that simplifies things too much.

I still don't think you can compare these wines to each other - they are just too different. I tend to compare the Baudry wines to those from C&P Breton and, now that I think about it, you could compare the Guion wines to those from Peybonhomme - well made, pair well with similar foods and very well priced.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
originally posted by Marc D:
Don and Jason,
Have you tried the 2007 Baudry Les Granges?
I was curious as to how it would compare to the Guion.
The Granges is filling a similar role for me, affordable Cab franc that is enjoyable to drink now.
Click to expand...
It's not a fair comparison. The two are quite different, though I suppose you could say they are both quaffers. The Guion is a charming, rustic wine whereas Les Granges is all about purity of fruit, even in 2007. It makes the Guion seem a bit short and a bit rough by comparison. But the Guion is an honest wine, real wine at a fabulous price.
Click to expand...
Thank you Jeff. Very helpful info.
Maybe the Breton Trinch! wine would be a fairer comparison for Guion.
 
Speaking of Baudry, the 2007 Domaine bottling includes juice from a new parcel in Saint Louans (sandy soil on limestone - origin of some of the earthiest Chinons) as well as from the usual gravel plot in Cravant. The fruit is very complex and a bit softer and better balanced than the 2006. Lovely stuff but small quantities come to the US, to K&L and someone in NY, I think.
 
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