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2017 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard BaudryIf you ever visit Bernard Baudry and his son Matthieu in Chinon, you will notice some very useful tools around their cellar and winery that help you to better understand their six or so distinct terroirs. One is a cross-section map of the landscape that shows the elevation and soil changes of their plots as you move away from the Vienne river. Another is a series of terrariums, side by side, that contain soil samples from each of these terroirs. Looking at the map first, you will notice that Le Clos Guillot is their highest plot, located right outside the town of Chinon. Turning to the glass containers, you’ll see the striking color of the yellow limestone in Le Clos Guillot. It begins to make sense why this cuvée is markedly distinct from the others. Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse. Enjoy this bottle over a few nights if you can and follow how the complex flavors of dark berries and graphite open up and become more delicate. This will be a study, in miniature, in how well this wine will evolve over the next five to fifteen years.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2017 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Bernard Baudry |
Winemaker: | Matthieu & Bernard Baudry |
Vineyard: | 15 years, 4 ha |
Soil: | Sand, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged for twelve months in barrel; not fined or filtered |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
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2022 Chinon “Les Granges”
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Put a slight chill on it, pop the cork, and inhale its lively perfume: the floral fragrance and bright, juicy fruit—picture fresh-squeezed berries—are simply irresistible.
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A textbook Chinon like this merits simple, rustic cuisine such as roast game, baked potatoes, and sautéed porcini mushrooms.
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2022 Chinon Blanc
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A rare Chenin Blanc from the land of Cabernet Franc. Ultra fresh and brimming with citrus blossom and orchard fruit notes, it has a saline, mineral finish that leaves my palate simultaneously satisfied and begging for more. Try it with fresh trout, grilled whole topped with chimichurri or smoked and tossed into a Niçoise salad.
2021 Chinon
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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It fills the mouth with suspicions of honeysuckle and pulpy stone fruits, all while maintaining classic notes of iodine and sea breeze that make this the vinous equivalent of tidepooling.
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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Even though all of the wines hail from Chinon, the soil, elevation, and exposition all combine to make Le Clos Guillot their cuvée with the most finesse.
2022 Chinon Rosé
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Matthieu Baudry captures both youthful fruit and energizing mineral textures with this rosé.
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
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This is the grandest bottling of Cabernet Franc from one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers.
About The Producer
Bernard Baudry
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
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2018 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc
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2022 Sancerre
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2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
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2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
1989 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Rouge Grolleau
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Pouilly-Fumé “Vieilles Vignes”
Régis Minet France | Loire
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
Domaine des Roches Neuves France | Loire
2018 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312