2018 Bernard Baudry La Croix Boissée, Loire Valley
A$85.53
Availability:
Out of stock
SKU
B19515V18
Organic. The Domaine’s top cuvée hails from a parcel of 30- to 50-year-old vines on very chalky, white limestone soils above Baudry’s cellars in Cravant-les-Côteaux. Here, the south-facing aspect, altitude and soil produce Chinon’s longest-living and most elegant wines. It’s a site that Baudry believes suits Burgundian-style élevage (although the wine sees no new oak). So, natural yeast fermentation in open wooden casks is followed by 18 months maturation in old Burgundian pièces. Again, the wine is bottled without filtration.
Coming from such chalky soils, La Croix Boissée’s trademark is aromatic intensity and vibrant freshness, combined with a deep charge of mineral-edged fruit, sitting it in contrast to Baudry’s two other site-specific cuvées (Le Clos Guillot and Les Grézeaux). Considering the note below and the number of bottles we have available, we shouldn’t need to rave. Suffice to say this is as close as Chinon gets to great Burgundy.
Tasted from barrel, this is the Baudry’s top cuvée, from the famed limestone terroir of the same name. After the charm of the 2018 Le Clos Guillot it was difficult to imagine how this could lift its game, but it does of course. This presents a surprising intensity on the nose, exploding with crushed summer berries, fresh cherry stone, perfume with rose petal and peony scents. The palate is so focused and pure, very correct and framed, with an elegant style. It has chalky tannins and it feels firmly gripped, beating Le Clos Guillot in terms of style, while remaining very true to the Chinon appellation. This is nothing short of fabulous.
95-97 points Chris Kissack The Wine Doctor
| Product/Service Sold Out | Yes |
|---|---|
| En Primeur | No |
| New Arrivals | No |
| Wine Type | Red Wine |
| Wine Style | Certified Organic |
| Country | France |
| Varietals | Cabernet Franc |
| Vintage | 2018 |
| Bottle Size | 750ml |
| Wine Points | 97-99 |
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