DOMAINE BERNARD BAUDRY 2023 Chinon 'Les Granges' (Loire Valley, France)

The Baudrys source their cuvée Les Granges from loose, well-draining soils in Chinon, whose tendency to warm up quickly in sunny weather favors ripening and avoids any of the austere, vegetal notes for which Cabernet is infamous.
     What Les Granges lacks in tannic structure, it makes up for in irresistible fruit and heady floral aromas. This is Loire Cabernet in its purest form, low in alcohol but high in perfume, which the Baudrys harness through low-intervention techniques like aging only in concrete and bottling unfiltered with barely any sulfur. That suave, silky texture is a delight when it swishes over the palate, especially when matched to a simple meal from fresh ingredients. A cool glass of this cuvée proves that magic is not just in the air, but in Chinon, it’s also in the soil." -Anthony Lynch (importer)