What are people’s thoughts on the 19 vintage and joguet dioterie in particular?
I had a 2010 handy, so I opened it.
Dark as night. Cassis and freshly tilled soil dominate the nose. Overall similar to your 2005, with fine acidity, but the palate is a bit hollow at this stage. Decanted, on day two, hasn‘t changed much. Highly enjoyable but the greatness has yet to manifest itself.
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I haven’t tried any Joguets from 2019. It’s certainly a fine vintage - my vague impression, from other wines tasted, is that 2019 is less candied and sweet than 2018, more sappy and more tannic, but perhaps others can confirm?
Thanks Maciej, that’s great to know as I have a bottle myself! I shall wait a bit longer, then.
Clos Roche Blanche — Closerie 1999
Quite dark ruby color with very slight bricking around the edges. Stewed blackberries and dark chocolate smell. Quite tannic still but the acidity is very light in comparison. A good array of berries showing the mix of grapes quite nice. Strawberries from the Gamay, black berries and currant from the Côt and Cab Franc. It’s on the slope downhill but I’ll just say that for an average run of the mill mix they decided to do, this is an astonishing longevity for such a bottle. CRB❤️
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Unicorn alert!
Coravined a short glass of my trial bottle of ‘22 Baudry Grezeaux. Aromatics are strong with lots of charred poblano, tobacco, red fruit and florals. The palate is a little bigger and rounder than I’d like, though there’s enough acid that the overall impression is reasonably fresh and holds together. Will withhold judgment til I pop the cork and have a chance to further evaluate. Curious if others have started tasting the 2022 Loire reds.
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One more left 
Sad that CRBs are now unicorns. I took them for granted and regret not stockpiling them when I had a chance.
But oddly enough, they only gained that status in the American market it seems. When they go on auction in Europe every now and then, they’re still only at 8-15€ a bottle.
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Tasted the 2022 Les Grézeaux at the domaine with Matthieu back in May. It’s a real bruiser. Will need 15 or maybe 20 years or more to come around for my palate (Matthieu thinks 20 for his).
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Fond memories of having a picnic in the vines at Clos Roche Blanche some years ago, circa 2013, at harvest time. I think that was the final time I visited Catherine and Didier. I don’t find the wines coming from the vines today prompt the same level of interest.
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How wonderful, Chris. Sounds like an amazing day.
I’ve often wondered about which parcels/grapes go into the wines of Noella Morantin and Laurent Saillard. Do you know?
Agreed. Some are very good, many are boring, none capture the magic of CRB
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No I don’t. I am afraid I have never been sufficiently inspired to investigate.
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Chris, on a similar note, have you tried the former Druet wines since Ampelidae took them over? I bought some Vaumoreau 2017 for a song out of curiosity - I found it to be not bad, but frustrating - I couldn’t help wondering what a more ambitious and dedicated young winemaker would have done.
No I haven’t. Believe it or not the last vintage I have any notes on is 2010.
I should not prejudge, but I never really anticipated great things would come from the absorption of the domaine into the massive operation that is Ampelidae.
On top of that Ampelidae has been in turmoil recently. There were rumours circulating a few years ago that would have been damaging if true (I have no idea if they were). Since then there has been a change at the top, Frédéric Brochet is now a minority partner, and an English family own it. The new base is Château Les Roches near Châtellerault. It’s not far from my place in the Loire (I just realised this year!!) so I may try to visit some time.
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Good to know. Really loving the 2021 Baudry range across the board. The Les Mollières bottling of particular note, sees no oak, just pure crunchy red fruit, chalky finish. The weight and balance is impeccable, so food friendly. Reminds me I need to buy more. Opened another 2020 last night, 1/2 bottle remains for tonight.
I think Les Mollières is an interesting project. For me the first vintage it really clicks with the rest of the Baudry portfolio though is 2023. I really like it in that vintage (indeed I like the Baudry wines across the board in 2023, despite the difficult end-of-season conditions).
Is this a case of '22 Grezeaux being very ripe and big, very tannic/structured, or both?
How are the '22 Baudry in general? Ripe, big vintage like '19 and '20?
FWIW I didn’t perceive it as particularly tannic. It did seem on the riper/richer side for what it is, though I’ve enjoyed the bottles of the '20 I’ve had which are also on the bigger side
I’m curious about Chris’s views, I’ve got zero experience aging these wines (though I’ve put away a few '20 and '21 bottles to find out down the road).
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