Bernard Baudry 'Les Mollieres' Chinon 2020

Bernard Baudry was instrumental in making Chinon such a well-respected appellation. In the 1970s yields were high and quality was low, but Bernard went in the opposite direction when he began in 1975. He gained a reputation for highlighting the texture and serious qualities of Cabernet Franc in the region, and they are now known around the world for making the best examples of Chinon. The estate is certified organic, they use their own composts, harvests are all done by hand, and sulfur levels are low. They aren't going for massive extraction but their wines have a lot of depth and develop extremely well with age. Even their top wines are still relative values compared to Clos Rougeard and other highly sought-after Loire producers. Though Bernard is technically retired and his son Matthieu has been working with him since 2000, Bernard hasn't really stopped being involved.

Notes from the importer: 100% Cabernet Franc. 2020 is the first individual bottling of this particular 1-hectare plot, Mollières, which previously was incorporated into another cuvée. Mollières lies in the extreme west of Chinon, at the highest hillside location of any of Baudry's vines. It is a windy, well-exposed site with heavy clay and yellow limestone soils. The farming is certified-organic. All vineyard work, including harvest, is by hand. The fruit is destemmed without crushing and moved by gravity into unlined cement vats. Fermentation is spontaneous with native yeasts and without sulfur or temperature control; maceration lasts around two weeks with a daily pumpover and no punchdowns. The wine is aged in concrete tank for 15 months and bottled without filtration. Sulfur usage is minimal.