La Croix Boissée

Bernard Baudry seeks the silky and civilised dimension of Chinon wines, while remaining as close as possible to their expression of terroir. This approach, which he is now pursuing with his son Mathieu, is coupled with organic certification. A philosophy that also inspires them to plant non-grafted vines, free-standing for ten years (following the plantings of Charles Joguet in the 1980s), and to establish themselves on new forgotten terroirs, such as the excellent Clos Guillot in Chinon. Their Croix Boissée (clay-limestone terroir in Cravant-les-Coteaux), built for ageing, has an extra velvety and sometimes sweetness in hot years, which is not to be disliked by great lovers of Saint-Émilion wines. This cuvée naturally takes the lead among the great reds of Touraine. The wines: we like the full and particularly ripe definition of the Cabernet Franc in 2015 in each cuvée, from the "simple" Chinon. The terroirs express themselves wonderfully, and with a lot of sap in the lieux-dits, through subtly floral bouquets that offer a magnificent chalky and graphite sensation, particularly the very intense Croix Boissée. Still on the back burner, these great reds will open up quietly at the table from 2019. RVF Guide Vert 2018 A large family from Cravant, the Baudry family works as a duo: Bernard gets on wonderfully with his son Mathieu. They have built their reputation on Cabernet Franc wines for ageing, which are sappy, dense and long, in an estate that covers 30 hectares, two of which are white. The cuvées are named after the terroirs in which they are grown: the granges blend grapes from gravel and clay soils to produce a supple, fresh wine, while the grézeaux, from clay and silica soils, has a fine finesse and a structure that allows the wine to stand the test of time. The Croix Boissée, on clay-limestone soils, is deeper and more dense. The vines of the Clos Guillot produce a fleshy, smooth and full wine. Bettane et Desseauve Guide 2018