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2021 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry
Despite it being a challenging growing season, I’ve heard more than one vigneron from Chinon express a particular fondness for their 2021s, and when you taste an exceptional one like Baudry’s La Croix Boissée, it’s easy to see why. The nose takes a minute to open up, but when it does, the wine unfurls with plush, dark fruit and high-toned blood orange notes, autumnal woodsiness, and sleek tannins. It’s a classic Cabernet Franc with verve and a sense of place, built for the cellar. Vintages like 2021 serve as monuments to the wines that have defined Chinon for generations, like time capsules, giving pleasure to vignerons and wine drinkers alike.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
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: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2022 Chinon Blanc
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2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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Matthieu Baudry captures both youthful fruit and energizing mineral textures with this rosé.

2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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This divine red allies the power and finesse one would expect from this great terroir.

2022 Chinon “Le Domaine”
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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.

2024 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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The 2024 vintage has its trademark elegance, with notes of blackberries, forest, and graphite.

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Dry Champagne-method sparkler that delivers tremendous value.

2021 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
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At first, it is streamlined, saline, and full of lemon. Then the granite terroir kicks in...

2022 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
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Showing off Cabernet in its most delicate, charming form, rife with aromas of roses, damp earth, and little red berries.
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
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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2024 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
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2022 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
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2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
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2024 Sancerre Rosé
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2024 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2024 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Sancerre Rouge "Champs d’Alligny"
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2024 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Vin de France Blanc “Chenin Centenaire”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2024 Sancerre Rosé
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2024 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
If you're looking for value, look where no one else is looking.
Inspiring Thirst, page 211