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2021 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
Bernard Baudry

Vignerons can be sneaky people. Take Matthieu Baudry, who nonchalantly handed me a bottle—as if it were an afterthought—following an outstanding tasting at his family domaine near Chinon a few summers ago. He muttered something along the lines of “I do this on the side, for fun” as I stared at him inquisitively, the look on my face asking, Were you trying to hide this from me?!
The wine in question is a Grolleau produced from nine-year-old ungrafted—franc de pied— vines in a small sandy parcel on the banks of the Vienne, a tributary to the Loire that has carved out some of the finest terroirs in the great Chinon appellation. Once widely planted in its native Loire Valley, Grolleau can still be found in certain pockets, but requires the hand of a skilled vigneron to check its high-yielding nature. Matthieu ferments the Grolleau whole-cluster and ages it in tank, producing a juicy libation brimming with lively fruit marked by the silky, sensuous texture of an unfiltered bottling. 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.
While it does not carry the heft or nuance of Matthieu’s Chinon bottlings, this cuvée—served chilled, of course—has the irresistible, easygoing nature of top Beaujolais. He was able to spare ten cases of his “afterthought,” and we are thrilled to carry it.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Grolleau |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Bernard Baudry |
Winemaker: | Matthieu & Bernard Baudry |
Vineyard: | Vines 9 years old |
Soil: | Sand, yellow limestone |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 10% |
More from this Producer or Region

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2021 Chinon “Les Grézeaux”
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A textbook Chinon like this merits simple, rustic cuisine such as roast game, baked potatoes, and sautéed porcini mushrooms.

2022 Grolleau “Franc de Pied”
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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.

2020 Vin de France Rosé Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Les Arceaux”
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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 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 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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2021 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
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2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
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2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
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2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2021 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2017 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2021 Quincy
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches” Blanc
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Le Clos Guillot”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2020 Bourgueil “Nuits d’Ivresse”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
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.