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2020 Chinon Blanc
Bernard Baudry
A rare white from an appellation of reds, Baudry’s Chinon Blanc is delightful with a Middle Eastern–spiced dish like roasted eggplant and curried yogurt. Outside-the-box ingredients such as black garlic and rose harissa or my colleague Caterina’s secret weapon, sumac, produce an umami pop when paired with the lush, waxy texture of the wine. Bold spices amp up its character rather than overpowering it, so have fun with it. And, if you discover a new “unlikely” pairing, send your recipe our way!
—Emily Spillmann
Madison's Pick
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.
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Chinon |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Bernard Baudry |
Vineyard: | 1 ha, 5-15 years |
Soil: | Clay, limestone |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13% |
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2023 Chinon Rosé
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2020 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
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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 Kimmeridgian 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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2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Sancerre Rosé
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2022 Sancerre Rouge
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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2023 Savennières
Château d’Epiré France | Loire
2024 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
Vouvray Brut “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2023 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Sancerre Rosé
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rouge
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Rouge “Le Martray”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2023 Savennières
Château d’Epiré France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
For the wines that I buy I insist that the winemaker leave them whole, intact. I go into the cellars now and select specific barrels or cuvées, and I request that they be bottled without stripping them with filters or other devices. This means that many of our wines will arrive with a smudge of sediment and will throw a more important deposit as time goes by, It also means the wine will taste better.