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2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry
This is the grandest bottling of Cabernet Franc from one of Chinon’s most outstanding producers. While the wine is well concentrated, it has lift and freshness as the deeper notes of ripe cherry, graphite, and smoke are balanced by ethereal aromas of eucalyptus and cool fall air.
—Will Meinberg
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Bernard Baudry |
Winemaker: | Matthieu & Bernard Baudry |
Vineyard: | 5-15 years, 2.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, sand, white limestone |
Aging: | Aged 24 months in 1 to 3 years old barrels |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2021 Chinon
France | Loire
It is fresh and buoyant enough for casual fare yet has the stuffing to accompany heartier dishes, while its vivid raspberry fruit makes it extremely approachable today, notwithstanding its medium-term aging potential.

2023 Sancerre
France | Loire
An intense exotic nose lures you in before the minerality channels the lightning energy of this pure Sauvignon Blanc.

2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
France | Loire
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.

2023 Chinon “Les Granges”
France | Loire
Les Granges is the Baudry cuvée to drink in its youth, while the perfume of rose petals and brambly berries is at its most vivid and vibrant.

2023 Bourgueil “Cuvée Alouettes”
France | Loire
Vinified with a gentle, terroir-focused touch—few reds will slake your thirst with the ease and finesse of Cuvée Alouettes.

2023 Chinon Rosé
France | Loire
Matthieu Baudry captures both youthful fruit and energizing mineral textures with this rosé.

2022 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
France | Loire
January Club Rouge ~ A textbook Chinon like this merits simple, rustic cuisine such as roast game, baked potatoes, and sautéed porcini mushrooms.

2023 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
France | Loire
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.

2023 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
France | Loire
Brambly berries and lifted floral notes combine with an earthy coolness and touch of spice in this red whose low alcohol level makes it even easier to fervently slurp down.

2022 Chinon Blanc
France | Loire
Ultra fresh and brimming with citrus blossom and orchard fruit notes, it has a saline, mineral finish that leaves my palate begging for more.
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
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Chinon
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2023 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171