TN: 2014 Domaine Baudry Chinon Croix Boissee [2015 vintage notes added 7.19.19]

Well, I’m not really a lunar guy, but it sure is purty… The moon at its perigee, a so-called “Super Moon”.

Sitting on the lounge chairs by the lake, leaves susurrating in the wind, the super moon glimmering off the water, a fine French red in my hand. Dogs sitting quietly, restfully, next to me. This is a good moment.

So decry that I popped an incredibly young 2014 Domaine Baudry Chinon Croix Boissee. But, I always enjoy checking on anything that I buy in quantity. And Baudry is one of those perennial quantity buys. The 2014 Clos Guillot cuvée was gorgeous, the 2014 Les Grezeaux was impenetrable. This cuvée is excellent, perhaps a notch below the Guillot at this point, but damn fine nonetheless. A fragrant red-fruited nose, smoke and earth, with a sense of minerality. The palate is medium-weight, crisp red fruits and some meaty darks. The mid-palate is more watery than I prefer. Chalky, clayish-like tannins, chewy finish.

Not at the level of 2010 but better than any vintage since. I wonder if this is a vintage like 2010 where the other cuvees out-perform. Time will tell.

Overall, Baudry slayed it in 2014.

luv '14 chinon

This vintage is the real deal for Chinon, very classic in structure, crisp acid, and while the fruit is ripe (ripe red fruit spectrum, most pronounced), it’s a leaner profile than the more recent 2015 vintage.

We had the beautiful moon stay with us this morning casting an otherworldly light in the wee hours. Almost never seen anything like it.


Had to look that one up. Cool word. Since this story is taking place in FLA, shouldn’t one of the lines read “…until that alligator rose from the pond like an evil swamp creature, causing the dogs into a wolf-like stance and their incessant barking knocking me off the easy chair, spilling my precious nectar.”

Funny you mention that, an occurrence similar to your hypothetical actually happened here in Central Florida a few years ago. A fine young man was having a lovely evening with straight liquor and crack. He apparently felt the need to feel the lakeside wind on his back, and proceeded to strip off all of his clothing, but never actually made it into the lake. He decided to take a little snooze on the bank. It was pitch dark, rather late. Later people on the house heard a man screaming and wailing. A friendly eight food gator saw the man, bit onto his upper-arm and torso, and dragged him into the lake. The crack must have given this man incredible energy, as the Gator could not drag him under. The cops showed and two very brave ones jumped into the water and dragged the guy and the Gator up onto the bank. I cannot recall what happened to the Gator, but the man did lose his arm. Gracefully for me, I have a 3-foot sea wall from my beach to the upper yard. However, I do recall Victor posting a picture of a Gator climbing a fence, so I will avoid the crack and butt-neked napping while down there.

I also have a vicious guard dog!

Has this wine been released locally already? If my memory is correct this is a Kermit wine right? Been searching for this locally in CA for a couple of months now but nada. Did I miss the boat or is it still coming soon?

‘Twas released via Bowler in the metro NYC area in August

I bought the 2014 in August 2017 (in New York) confirming an earlier post.

I had a separate question regarding the 2010 Croix Boissée that Robert mentioned: any rough sense of its drinking window? John Gilman has the 2009 going from 2016 to 2060! (Easily outliving me). Any thoughts on the longevity profile for the 2010?

I opened my last 1997 about 2 years ago at which time it was in a beautiful place. I could see it continuing to mature and develop for another 20 years easily though of course the character would shift to become more tertiary. 2010 is at least as good a vintage.

Agreed. Think of it how you would a right bank Bordeaux from a structured year, well, like 2010 or 2005. I popped one a few months back, and I think Buecker did a bit more recently, and here are my notes:

Coincidentally, I popped it with a 1990 Raffault, which was quite lovely. This 2010 Baudry will go longer and show better than that Raffault. It will go longer than the 2009 (Gilman’s 2060 date is a bit generous, but he’s the pro, not me). At least that’s my country-poke bet.

I haven’t touched my 2005 and 2010. 1 bottle of 97 left. It’s too bad backfill opportunities are slim. I’ve had better luck occasionally backfilling Breton.

Thanks for the note. I’ve 4 of these that I split from a case purchase with JC above. I haven’t opened, nor do I plan to open one soon. Good to note where it presently stands relative to 2014 Guillot (haven’t tasted) and Grezeaux. Although, my experiences with young Boissee rouge from earlier vintages sound like the TN, I also always find them to be in much less-than generous stage than similar vintages of Guillot.

I haven’t touched the 2010 in the last 3 years (afaicr), but my take on whether other cuvees of 2010 will out-perform the Boissee is that they will not. I think that the Croix Boissee rouge will still be the more complete wine at some future drinking time.

Nice thoughts, Ramon. I have also found the Guillot the most approachable of the 3 top cuvees. Too bad their Franc de Pied experiment ultimately succumbed to phylloxera. Was a really cool cuvee, I only have one stinkin bottle left.

So funny to see you post, I drank one late last week over 3 days, it was truly exceptional. I bought 6, have drank 2. I’ll probably let the other 4 go for a really long time.

Super clean and quite full, this should be killer down the road.

I would have loved to drink more of Baudry’s FdP. My only experience, both highly positive and each was a pour at different dinner-tastings about 3 years ago, was with the 2002 and the 2008.

We need to organize baudryathon at Racines each year and have RA, Salil, and Dr Jura fly up as our honorary members.

Yes!

Followed by Northern Rhone night!

Gotta bring my wife though, she loves NYC. Don’t worry, she hates our thin, weedy, green stuff. She’s happy with a simply Vatan.

Baudry is a wine that has zero presence on the west coast. You guys are so lucky on the east coast. Did I just say that?

Or, Northern Rhone night, followed by Baudry’s. Whatever order, I’m good.

Oh hey, I guess Faryan means me? I like Baudry a lot even though it does have one fundamental flaw: it’s not from the Jura. I could be talked into a Baudry night (or any kind of geek wine night) at Racines.

I think I still have a bottle of 2000 Croix Boissee laying around somewhere…