Two young Chenins, one especially excellent

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Agree on Baudry, I had not found any particularly bretty until this one (though maybe I've become more sensitive or more aware).

Or maybe it's bretty, I just don't know. But I'm pretty attuned to brett (the winemaker I worked for as a young man was maniacal about cleanliness) and I don't get it from Baudry wines at nearly the rate it is reported and feel like someone has to stop the besmirching campaign.
 
originally posted by VLM:
[...]

I wouldn't dissuade you from any Baudry wine but if you've been sitting out for a while, I think breadth is the new depth. Fewer bottles of more wines.

Not that new, Maureen's been practicing this approach since forever; I've been following her example - mostly - for at least 10 years.

A few bottles of Baudry every year or two in the long-term cellar is just about right. Ditto for Vouvray and Nantes Muscadet. Interesting to discover, in fact, that most of my (modest) purchases these days are from Loire appelations.
 
As part of my ongoing Carême investigation, last night a 2016 Vincent Carême Vouvray Le Clos (Sec) 13.5% was aromatically as enticing as the 2017, but the palate was not quite as compelling, being closer to the 2017 Carême Vouvray Peu Morier, with it's slightly bitter honey note. Still yummy though, but I preferred the 2017, at least right now.

In sequence, a 2018 Ostertag Pinot Noir Les Jardins 13.0% was nowhere near as satisfying. Sweat/horsehair note and salient CO2 spritz, both of which failed to beguile.
 
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.
 
originally posted by VLM:
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.

Do you recall what are the differences between the regular and the CB whites? Age of vines, maceration time, élevage time, soil?
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
originally posted by VLM:
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.

Do you recall what are the differences between the regular and the CB whites? Age of vines, maceration time, élevage time, soil?

The CB vines are from the mid-90s with plantings up to the early 2000s. They're at the top of the vineyard in a part so chalky that the Cabernet Franc vines couldn't survive.

The Domaine bottling has had varied sources over the years, but I think it has stabilized. The vines are younger.

As an aside, they have a new to me and awesome website. Bravo, Domaine Baudry:
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
originally posted by VLM:
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.

Do you recall what are the differences between the regular and the CB whites? Age of vines, maceration time, élevage time, soil?

The CB vines are from the mid-90s with plantings up to the early 2000s. They're at the top of the vineyard in a part so chalky that the Cabernet Franc vines couldn't survive.

The Domaine bottling has had varied sources over the years, but I think it has stabilized. The vines are younger.

As an aside, they have a new to me and awesome website. Bravo, Domaine Baudry:

Great, thanks. Will check out the 2018 CB available from the local importer.
 
originally posted by VLM:

As an aside, they have a new to me and awesome website. Bravo, Domaine Baudry:

Attractive site; the little terroir graphic is nice. I didn't realize that Grezeaux is an old-vines wine. Makes sense.

No drinking window suggestion for the CB blanc.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by VLM:

As an aside, they have a new to me and awesome website. Bravo, Domaine Baudry:

Attractive site; the little terroir graphic is nice. I didn't realize that Grezeaux is an old-vines wine. Makes sense.

The oldest vines by a wide margin and also very distinctive (although all the single vineyard reds have their own personality).

It's down on the flats so locals don't consider it to be great terroir.

originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
No drinking window suggestion for the CB blanc.

Drink and hold.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
I didn't realize that Grezeaux is an old-vines wine. Makes sense.

The oldest vines by a wide margin and also very distinctive (although all the single vineyard reds have their own personality).

It's down on the flats so locals don't consider it to be great terroir.
And, yet, I like it and CB best.
 
The 2019 Huet Le Mont Sec is a beautiful wine, so full of energy and precision. I hear that the Clos du Bourg is maybe even better (waiting for delivery from Oregon now)...

I am one of those who maybe gave Chidaine less than full respect, but I think this was a mistake on my part. In 2018, they outperformed Huet maybe, and even their lower level wine Clos du Breuil Sec was very good...
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
originally posted by VLM:

As an aside, they have a new to me and awesome website. Bravo, Domaine Baudry:

Attractive site; the little terroir graphic is nice. I didn't realize that Grezeaux is an old-vines wine. Makes sense.

The oldest vines by a wide margin and also very distinctive (although all the single vineyard reds have their own personality).

It's down on the flats so locals don't consider it to be great terroir.

originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
No drinking window suggestion for the CB blanc.

Drink and hold.

Well, I mean, for the CB rouge, the fiche advises 2-20 years. For the blanc, no such suggestion.

Circling back to Cellartracker maturity predictions, by contrast, the one for the 2010 CB rouge extends to 2060 - I imagine from John Gilman again, with no evidence to back my surmise.
 
originally posted by VLM:
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.

Interestingly, the Baudry Blanc firmed up a bit after a day in the fridge. Finished the last bit last night. I still don't see the need to age it, though.
 
But I rarely buy it any more. I've had some good examples from Saumur (Pas St. Martin and Clotilde Legrand) lately. I've got Marc Plouzeau's Chinon Blanc teed up for a sip sometime soon.

Right now I'm having a few 95 Savennieres. Just pulled a couple cases from storage last week. The Baumard Clos du Papillon is almost too good. I get that there was a sulfur stick involved in the raising of this wine, but it is enchanting. The Closel Clos du Papillon is uncharacteristic of this wine, I'm told. It brings to mind something like a fine Bual or maybe a well-made Georgian amber wine. Not what it's supposed to be, but still a charmer. The d'Epire is more foursquare. Good, not exquisite; more bones than flesh. Unfortunately, the Clos des Perrieres is oxidized beyond enjoyment.

Sorry to get off topic. I hope everyone is healthy and safe.
 
originally posted by Bob Semon:
I love young cheninBut I rarely buy it any more. I've had some good examples from Saumur (Pas St. Martin and Clotilde Legrand) lately. I've got Marc Plouzeau's Chinon Blanc teed up for a sip sometime soon.

Right now I'm having a few 95 Savennieres. Just pulled a couple cases from storage last week. The Baumard Clos du Papillon is almost too good. I get that there was a sulfur stick involved in the raising of this wine, but it is enchanting. The Closel Clos du Papillon is uncharacteristic of this wine, I'm told. It brings to mind something like a fine Bual or maybe a well-made Georgian amber wine. Not what it's supposed to be, but still a charmer. The d'Epire is more foursquare. Good, not exquisite; more bones than flesh. Unfortunately, the Clos des Perrieres is oxidized beyond enjoyment.

Sorry to get off topic. I hope everyone is healthy and safe.

There were problems with Closel's '95 Clos du Papillon and Cuvee Special from the get go. It was an oxidized mess from release. In fact, the last time I was in the World Trade Center, at the Skurnik tasting in March of 2001, I spoke with Evelyne de Jessey (now Pontbriand) about it and she said it was "mal." For whatever reason, Coad never believed me.
 
originally posted by VLM:
originally posted by VLM:
Had the 2018 Baudry Chinon Blanc yesterday. Just a taste from Steph's glass and it was charming but in a manner for near term consumption. It's a different animal from the Croix Boissée Blanc.

Michael Lewis recently IGd a bottle of 2018 Croix Boissée Blanc so maybe he'll chime in.

Interestingly, the Baudry Blanc firmed up a bit after a day in the fridge. Finished the last bit last night. I still don't see the need to age it, though.

Oh hey, would you look at that? Here I am. Yes, I thought it made sense to pull the cork on one of my bottles of the 2018 Croix Boissee blanc. I think it was the early appeal of the 2017 that made me think it might be a good idea. Well, don't do it with the 2018. You have to work much harder to appreciate this vintage out of the gates. It is a more forceful wine on the palate and, if I am being honest, I thought the 13.5% showed a bit more than I remembered being the case for the 2017 (which may have been lower). But there is a lot of material lurking in the 2018 and I would wager that some time in the cellar will help.

Speaking of which, last year when we were visiting Baudry, a bottle of the 2000 Croix Boissee blanc magically appeared from the cellar. It was radiant, precise, and perfectly harmonious. There is no question that, at least when it never leaves their cellars, the wine can age (and not merely last, but change and improve).
 
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