Chinon AC is the essence of Loire valley red wines and Domaine Bernard Baudry has been one of the best estates in Chinon for decades.
Bernard Baudry’s Cabernet Franc wines are a study on the various terroirs of Chinon.
Bernard Baudry winery occupies 32 hectares of vineyards on different soils, in the valley and near the river, on the slopes and in the colder plateau above them. All vineyards are organic and each one (together with its corresponding soil type) is showcased through the estate’s single-vineyard vinifications. Baudry’s wines expose all of the varied Cabernet Franc facets. The “Le Clos Guillot” on yellow limestone is velvety and elegant. The “La Croix Boissée” from the Chinon slope is exceptionally well-structured and full. The “Les Grézeaux” from gravel soils near the river is more fierce and firm. No other producer can so clearly showcase the broad potential of this great variety. The ethereal combination of crispy fresh red fruits and spicy herbal aromas with the minerality of Cabernet Franc is a true “oasis” in an era of overly-ripe, intense Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Bordeaux or California. In the winery, Matthieu Baudry, son of Bernard, who took over in 2000, walks around between the huge cement tanks and the old barrels used for fermentation. Matthieu is more of a traditionalist as far as vinification is concerned and supports spontaneous alcoholic and malolactic fermentation, with no fining or filtration and low sulphite content. The overall objective is to be able to produce a label with all the elegance, balance and aromatic freshness of Cabernet Franc in harmony with the distinct terroirs and the peculiarities of each year. The secret is that wines like “La Croix Boissée” can age for 10 or 20 years quite easily. Next to those excellent wines we find bottles that can offer spontaneous pleasure regardless of when they are opened, like the straightforward and highly expressive “Domaine Bernard Baudry”. Cabernet Franc is an enchantingly versatile grape and Chinon is an awesome terroir.
