Bernard Baudry - Les Grezeaux Chinon Rouge 2021 (1.5L)

Bernard Baudry is a family affair: Bernard Baudry, son of a winemakers’ family, started his professional life as a vine-tending consultant at the Tours laboratory, where he worked with Jacques Puisais. He had previously studied oenology in Beaune. His 5 years on the job served as an excellent apprenticeship when in 1975 he decided to start his own estate with 2 hectares of vines. His son Matthieu studied in the Mâcon area, then in Bordeaux, and, after a year working in Tasmania and California, joined his father in 2000.

The domaine now has 32 hectares of vineyards spread across the AOC Chinon, in Cravant les Coteaux and Chinon. The grape is grown primarily Cabernet Franc (90%) plus a small production of Chenin Blanc (about 10%). The vineyards are located on very varied terroirs of gravel in the plain, limestone clay on coteau and sandy limestone plateaus. The various soils and aspects of the vineyard blocks affords them the possibility of applying piecemeal winemaking.

The vineyard has always been maintained according to environmentally friendly methods (no chemical weed killers) guided by observation and common sense depending on the climatic conditions of the year. Since 2006, the vineyard has been farmed organically. They use their own compost based on cow manure and straw to rebalance the organic matter in their soils. Copper, sulphur, and natural plants such as horsetail and nettles are used as needed.

Bernad Baudry control the growth of their vines by partial disbudding, always looking for the natural balance of productivity, the richness of the soil, and climate during the growing season.