TN: 2015 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux

[Jay_Miller]

@Steve Brickley

Welcome James and glad to have another barnyard, funk Berserker. I hope the 96 Boissee is as good as the Guillot you had. These twins arrived this month. Apologize for the thread drift.

I opened my last one a few years ago but it was great and still on the upswing for my palate.

[Jay_Miller]

@James Billy

So, 2015 Clos Guillot covers all the bases? Plenty of fruit give it a wider audience, enough typicity, enjoyable young, cellars well and is very well priced?

I haven’t had recent vintages so this may have changed but I always found the Guillot quite stern when young, even by Chinon standards. It’s why I only bought the Grezeaux and Croix Boisee. Someone opened a 2005 Guillot for me about 5 years ago and it had started developing into something much more interesting.

[Mike_Evans]

The last time I had the 1996 Croix Boissée it was a little challenging:

August 19, 2013 - When first opened, it was just a muddled, toneless slurry of tannin, earth, and leather. But it transformed after vigorous swirling brought out tart acidity and sweet brambly fruit that added definition and freshness, and hints of olive that bridged the gap between the fruit and the earth and leather. The sweet fruit and savory aspects continued to integrate over the course of the evening, making me wish I’d opened it earlier in the day, but it was still very enjoyable.

[Claus_Jeppesen]

These (2015 Grezeaux) are available in magnums too. Great wine with multible layers

[Nathan_V]

@Mike Evans

The last time I had the 1996 Croix Boissée it was a little challenging:

August 19, 2013 - When first opened, it was just a muddled, toneless slurry of tannin, earth, and leather. But it transformed after vigorous swirling brought out tart acidity and sweet brambly fruit that added definition and freshness, and hints of olive that bridged the gap between the fruit and the earth and leather. The sweet fruit and savory aspects continued to integrate over the course of the evening, making me wish I’d opened it earlier in the day, but it was still very enjoyable.

The 1996 Croix Boissée can be a little challenging and I think that Croix Boissée is the most Burgundian in the line-up (my limestone theory) in that it doesn’t move in straight lines and shuts down in ways the other wines don’t. The last bottle I had was at the Southern Jeebus 2 years ago and it was superb. And we’re only a month away from this years Southern Jeeb!

[Nathan_V]

@James FS

Long time lurker on these forums but finally registered, in large part to this topic. I’m a huge fan of the Baudry catalogue of wines for a few years now. Luck allowed me to visit the estate this past summer which was a splendid experience. Mathieu was a genuinely nice guy and really gave our group a great tour and tasting. For anyone not convinced that these wines can age I can tell you that he had opened a 96 Le Clos Guillot which was absolutely singing. A couple of our friends were not very familiar with Chinon and certainly new to the Baudry’s, and they were absolutely stunned by the quality of the wines, especially at the price points.

I’m currently sitting on 6 each of the 2015 Grezaux and Clos Guillot, but will likely double down. I’ve not opened one yet but it is great to hear some of your thoughts on them.

My family lives near the city so if there ever is a Baudry-a-thon at Racines in NYC I will be there in a heartbeat. My favorite wine shop in the city is CSW!!

Are you sure it was the 1996 Clos Guillot and not something else? The Baudry’s didn’t own the vineyard at that time and I’ve never tasted, seen nor heard of a bottle and I’ve known the Baudry’s for a decent amount of time. If there is a 1996 Clos Guillot, I’m jealous.

Racines gets access to some Baudry wines direct from the domain, so it is a great place to have some older vintages. I always drop in when I’m in the city.

[James_FS]

Are you sure it was the 1996 Clos Guillot and not something else? The Baudry’s didn’t own the vineyard at that time and I’ve never tasted, seen nor heard of a bottle and I’ve known the Baudry’s for a decent amount of time. If there is a 1996 Clos Guillot, I’m jealous.

Racines gets access to some Baudry wines direct from the domain, so it is a great place to have some older vintages. I always drop in when I’m in the city.[/quote]


Hmm, maybe my memory is wrong. It was definitely 1996 and it was not Croix Boissee, so maybe it was the Grezeaux. Obviously if they didn’t even own that vineyard at the time then I don’t think they bottled the wine. Either way, it was drinking spectacularly. I think my friend took a picture of the bottle so I will see if I can find it and confirm.

[Chris_Seiber]

@Alan Rath

@Chris Seiber

By the way, glad to see the thousandth data point showing that travel shock is bunk.

You do understand that slow-ox reverses travel shock?

So this bottle was travel shocked but then the shock was cured by slow ox?

[Alan_Rath]

@Chris Seiber

So this bottle was travel shocked but then the shock was cured by slow ox?

Yes. Vice versa also works.

[Nathan_V]

@James FS

Are you sure it was the 1996 Clos Guillot and not something else? The Baudry’s didn’t own the vineyard at that time and I’ve never tasted, seen nor heard of a bottle and I’ve known the Baudry’s for a decent amount of time. If there is a 1996 Clos Guillot, I’m jealous.

Racines gets access to some Baudry wines direct from the domain, so it is a great place to have some older vintages. I always drop in when I’m in the city.

Hmm, maybe my memory is wrong. It was definitely 1996 and it was not Croix Boissee, so maybe it was the Grezeaux. Obviously if they didn’t even own that vineyard at the time then I don’t think they bottled the wine. Either way, it was drinking spectacularly. I think my friend took a picture of the bottle so I will see if I can find it and confirm.

The 1996 Grezeaux is spectacular.

[James_Billy]

@Jay Miller

@James Billy

So, 2015 Clos Guillot covers all the bases? Plenty of fruit give it a wider audience, enough typicity, enjoyable young, cellars well and is very well priced?

I haven’t had recent vintages so this may have changed but I always found the Guillot quite stern when young, even by Chinon standards. It’s why I only bought the Grezeaux and Croix Boisee. Someone opened a 2005 Guillot for me about 5 years ago and it had started developing into something much more interesting.

Robert Parker, Jr. above says completely the opposite about Grezeaux and Guillot.

I’m confused now!

[Robert.A.Jr]

Interesting. I have always found the Guillot the most approachable of the upper-level cuvees, but then again, I did not discover Baudry until the 2007 vintage.

[Pau1_M3nk3s]

First, thanks Chris for your TN and (unintentionally) starting a warm vintage Chinon thread. Secondly, I just opened a 2003 Joguet Clos du Chêne Vert. Red bricking, nose of game, barnyard and raspberries. More barnyard on the palate with smoke and tobacco leaf all wrapped up in sweet raspberries. Label says 14% abv but without heat and well-balanced. Awesome with a pan-fried ribeye and stir fried Brussels sprouts! Bottle 5 of 6 and easily the best yet. 94/Outstanding. Looking forward too BTW to open my first Beaudry 2009 Grézeaux soon, another one from a warm vintage!

[Cris_Whetstone]

FWIW, I bought two bottles of 2015 Les Granges on sight from Winex 'bout six months back. Both bottles FAR too bretty for my non-brettphobic nose and palate. I was very bummed but i have noticed variations bottle to bottle brett levels with Baudry. I think they have dropped into the ‘taste before buying’ list for me.

[R_Gilbane]

@Cris Whetstone

FWIW, I bought two bottles of 2015 Les Granges on sight from Winex 'bout six months back. Both bottles FAR too bretty for my non-brettphobic nose and palate. I was very bummed but i have noticed variations bottle to bottle brett levels with Baudry. I think they have dropped into the ‘taste before buying’ list for me.

If Chinon made everyone happy, we would call it Cabernet. I appreciate your honesty and know that you’ll be sucked back into the Loire blender of love soon enough.

[Cris_Whetstone]

@R_Gilbane

@Cris Whetstone

FWIW, I bought two bottles of 2015 Les Granges on sight from Winex 'bout six months back. Both bottles FAR too bretty for my non-brettphobic nose and palate. I was very bummed but i have noticed variations bottle to bottle brett levels with Baudry. I think they have dropped into the ‘taste before buying’ list for me.

If Chinon made everyone happy, we would call it Cabernet. I appreciate your honesty and know that you’ll be sucked back into the Loire blender of love soon enough.

Oh I’m still a devoted fan. There isn’t a bottle of Joguet I’d turn down.

[Marc_Frontario]

Is anyone drinking the '14 breton trinch?

It is a qpr funk master

[James_FS]

@Nathan V.

@James FS

Are you sure it was the 1996 Clos Guillot and not something else? The Baudry’s didn’t own the vineyard at that time and I’ve never tasted, seen nor heard of a bottle and I’ve known the Baudry’s for a decent amount of time. If there is a 1996 Clos Guillot, I’m jealous.

Racines gets access to some Baudry wines direct from the domain, so it is a great place to have some older vintages. I always drop in when I’m in the city.

Hmm, maybe my memory is wrong. It was definitely 1996 and it was not Croix Boissee, so maybe it was the Grezeaux. Obviously if they didn’t even own that vineyard at the time then I don’t think they bottled the wine. Either way, it was drinking spectacularly. I think my friend took a picture of the bottle so I will see if I can find it and confirm.

The 1996 Grezeaux is spectacular.

It was indeed the 1996 Grezeaux. It looks like the Clos Guillot wasn’t bottled until 2000. It was such a good bottle of wine. The idea that you can get such good value and ageability in a wine that can become something that profound after 20 years is reassuring.

[Nathan_V]

@James FS

@Nathan V.

@James FS

Hmm, maybe my memory is wrong. It was definitely 1996 and it was not Croix Boissee, so maybe it was the Grezeaux. Obviously if they didn’t even own that vineyard at the time then I don’t think they bottled the wine. Either way, it was drinking spectacularly. I think my friend took a picture of the bottle so I will see if I can find it and confirm.

The 1996 Grezeaux is spectacular.

It was indeed the 1996 Grezeaux. It looks like the Clos Guillot wasn’t bottled until 2000. It was such a good bottle of wine. The idea that you can get such good value and ageability in a wine that can become something that profound after 20 years is reassuring.

It’s absurd. I paid ~$12 for Grézeaux and ~$16 for Croix Boissée in 1996. Given price escalation over the ensuing 20 years they may be an even better value now.

[salilb]

It’s certainly become better value since I started buying (far more recently than Nathan, but still) - I remember I paid about $23 for the 2009 Grezeaux, and the price has barely budged since.

I do not own enough Baudry, that’s for sure.