The Art of Balance: 2019 Baudry Chinon Blanc
Based on the response to last week’s offer of the Lambert Saumurs, the devotion many wine lovers have for Chenin Blanc is no fad, it’s a trend that is here to stay. And rightfully so! Like Chardonnay and Riesling, Chenin has the ability to produce a full range of wines that perfectly capture the distinct nuances of terroir.
This week we are travelling just 15 or 20 miles up the Loire river from Saumur to Chinon. Here the Cabernet Franc generally reigns supreme, but there are also a small amount of vineyard parcels that are perfect for Chenin Blanc. Bernard Baudry and his son Matthieu happen to possess a couple of these parcels, and they happen to also be among the best farmers and winemakers in the appellation.
All the vineyards at Domaine Bernard Baudry are farmed organically, and they take great care to promote biodiversity and sustainability. They are also obsessed with their micro terroirs and the geology of each parcel. This has helped them to isolate the best plots to continue growing Chenin Blanc.
Their oldest section of Chenin is in the vineyard of Croix Boissée, planted on a very thin layer of topsoil over white and yellow limestone. This wine is a powerhouse, age-necessary Chenin. But, they also have some similar plots of limestone where the vines are a bit younger and the resulting wine a touch fresher and younger drinking.
This is their straight Chinon Blanc. It is made very traditionally, fermented and aged in neutral 500 liter barrels before a very light filtration and bottling. It is always a lovely wine on release, but the 2019 seems to be a true knockout. It was a challenging growing season, with early bud break, frost and rain into June. Then there were almost 3 months of very hot, dry weather. However rain returned at the end of September and the harvest was ultimately successful.
The Baudrys think it was particularly exceptional for Chenin Blanc, producing wines that have both richness of texture and precise minerality; lush, ripe orchard fruits and bright crunchy acidity are in perfect balance. This is a perfect wine to crack on a warm spring afternoon (like today, as we write this!) but will also be fun to watch evolve over the next several years.