Given how much I loved the 2007 version of this cuvee, this was a letdown. Definitely this is an ambitious wine with more depth, especially aromatically, than a rank and file Chinon. But right now the acidity is really out of whack to the point of eclipsing the rest of the palate. Will it come around? That's a question for more experienced tasters. I did find it odd how high the acidity was despite the minimal herbaceousness--usually these qualities scale together.
I must admit, though, that the 2007 Grezeaux was a personal outlier in some sense. I have not generally liked gravel-based Cab Franc from the Loire, so perhaps that was the exception, not the rule.
- 2008 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, ChinonGreat typical nose--leather, musk, underbrush and a hint of tobacco. Unfortunately, the acidity is sharp and unyielding. Light body. This is all pomegranite and grapefruit, with a bit of pith on the finish. Very angular though not overly tannic. Minimal oak influence, no heat. The herbaceousness that Chinon can have is definitely well in check, but the acidity is a few notches too high for my comfort. Much preferred the 2007 which was a fruit bomb in comparison (at least in Chinon context).
3 comments:
Most of the 08 Chinon's that I've had (admittedly not many, because they just don't seem to be around or available easily) have had a lot of acids. I think we got spoiled with some pretty good vintages in 05, 06, and 07. I wonder what the 09's will be like?
I hope this wine isn't a one trick pony. I had my last bottle of the 07 a couple of weeks ago--it was spectacular. It had gained some additional complexity and loss some of its ebullient fruitiness while gaining some depth and structure. I'm pissed that I didn't buy more bottles of it.
I wish I had a case of '07 Grezeaux. Wines that can be tasted as they evolve are more useful for me than ones you need to age just right to enjoy. '07 Grezeaux definitely was open for business and would have been fun to follow.
I'll have a couple more '08 notes coming up shortly. Are you buying any '08 Grezeaux? My biggest concern really is the lack of mid-palate flavor. Even if acid-tannin structure is tough, I'd expect that be there. This bottle was totally angular.
I haven't seen the 08 Les Grezeaux anywhere. If I see it though, I will definitely get a bottle or two. One of the most illuminating things for me in learning about wine has been tasting multiple vintages of the same wine and learning about the differences that result. This is something that I wouldn't have picked up on until the last couple of years really. The Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone is a good, recent example of that for me. I understand a lot more about that wine having had 5 vintages of it.
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