Travels with DJ Steve Part 3, Cabernet Franc

Joe- thanks for the detailed report! I haven't had the good fortune to visit Baudry yet.

I like the diagram showing the vineyards - Sophie also posted that I believe (FB?)...I'm surprised the grezeaux is relatively flat, given the quality of the wines relative to the Clos Guillot, for instance? I've placed the wines 2nd in the hierarchy. Are the Guillot vines a lot younger? I understand the clay/limestone vs clay/gravel soils you pointed out.

-mark
 
originally posted by Mark Davis:
Are the Guillot vines a lot younger?
Yes.

Without being strict about a hierarchy, the Clos Guillot certainly is more structured. I confess to a sentimental fondness for the Grézeaux. But they do pour it before the Guillot. You can take that as an implied comment about structure or about quality as you like.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Mark Davis:
Are the Guillot vines a lot younger?
Yes.

Without being strict about a hierarchy, the Clos Guillot certainly is more structured. I confess to a sentimental fondness for the Grézeaux. But they do pour it before the Guillot. You can take that as an implied comment about structure or about quality as you like.

Structure more than quality. Latter depends on the vintage; gravel-rooted vines behave oddly.
 
originally posted by Yixin:
originally posted by SFJoe:
originally posted by Mark Davis:
Are the Guillot vines a lot younger?
Yes.

Without being strict about a hierarchy, the Clos Guillot certainly is more structured. I confess to a sentimental fondness for the Grézeaux. But they do pour it before the Guillot. You can take that as an implied comment about structure or about quality as you like.

Structure more than quality. Latter depends on the vintage; gravel-rooted vines behave oddly.
The VLM's multivariate model disagrees, I think. But I buy more Grézeaux.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Thanks for the wonderful reportage. Still working on my 04 Lenoirs, but understand the 05s are out already.
Yikes, save some of those 04s.

Also if anyone has any 02s you should stop drinking them. Jerome and Alain have stopped opening them and think that's a wine that can go another 20 years.
 
"Tough". I suspect we will be seeing the 07s before the 06s, and possible the 08s as well. Not 100% sure why the wine is so tight and I'm not sure Jerome is either, but they can wait it out. We did a huge vertical of most everything going back to 88 (except the 2002) and the 06 was definitely the least open. But they said the 95s were similiar, taking a good 15 years of cellar time to be approachable, and that was beautiful.

And I learned the really good stuff takes about 50 years to come around. So it goes.

The 03s are the ones to drink right now, wish I had some more for myself.
 
I don't have 50 years, I fear.

1995 Baudry Croix Boissee (not labeled that way) is a funny wine, sometimes just totally closed. I don't understand it.
 
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Thanks for the wonderful reportage. Still working on my 04 Lenoirs, but understand the 05s are out already.
Yikes, save some of those 04s.

Also if anyone has any 02s you should stop drinking them. Jerome and Alain have stopped opening them and think that's a wine that can go another 20 years.

Yikes, good to know about the 02s. Over the last few iterations they have indeed been less charming than the 01s, so I've been more inclined to open them. Out of god-knows-what sacrificial logic.
 
originally posted by MarkS:
... they have indeed been less charming than the 01s, so I've been more inclined to open them. Out of god-knows-what sacrificial logic.

Swine before pearls??

Something like that, shamefully life-unaffirming.

originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Would it be wasteful to open a 2007 Croix Boisée soon?

No. It is a good idea.

First two were too boisée, so have been waiting for the rest to become less so. Are they there yet, or are you pulling Ian's leg?
 
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
Yikes, save some of those 04s.

Also if anyone has any 02s you should stop drinking them. Jerome and Alain have stopped opening them and think that's a wine that can go another 20 years.

Thanks for the '02 advice. I have a magnum of it, too. Oy, I think that wine might outlast me.

Only have a single '01 and a couple of '03s. Wish I had more of both. I'm sure I'll drink those within a year and then I'll be out of Lenoir that doesn't need cellaring. Not a good thing.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
I don't have 50 years, I fear.

1995 Baudry Croix Boissee (not labeled that way) is a funny wine, sometimes just totally closed. I don't understand it.

Mine are gone. 1997 too.
 
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