2020 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot, France, Loire, Wine Review

This is 100% Cabernet Franc. Purple/ruby in color, mostly clear and bright. The nose has some Brettanomyces coming off as slight barnyard. It has an "old school" Chinon quality to it. Also some black cherries. On the palate, the black cherries come thru (not the barnyard). It does taste mature despite being relatively young. Most likely that is the Brett. This will work better with food such as stew or chili. Drink over the next seven to ten years.

Grade:

B+

Score:

Vintage:

2020

Current Price:

$34.00USD

Rosé du Loire? Mais oui! Cabernet Franc’s Lighter Shade

The Bay Area is experiencing an unseasonable hot spell. And here, like most places suffering under the unrelenting rays of our nearest star, rosé is king. But not just any rosé. Survey the bottles of blush pinch-hitting for rouge in wine enthusiasts’ lineups these days, and you’ll find a predominance of wine from Southern France . And rightly so – no region does rosé better than the appellations bordering the sun-lit Cote d’Azur. But Provence is not the only show in town. Other regions, not only in France but also in Spain, Germany, and Italy, produce delightful examples of warm weather’s red-substitute.

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Life is Like a Mixed Case of Loire Cabernet Franc (or, A Wild Night at Solano Cellars)

If you’re looking for a wild night, grab a few bottles of Loire Cabernet Franc, call a couple of friends, and swing by your local wine shop. I kid you not. My wife and I did this very thing yesterday evening, and it proved to be one crazy ride. For the normal among us – those who prefer to spend their evenings at the theater, clubs, house parties, or sporting events – a Cabernet Franc tasting may not sound terribly entertaining.

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Borgueil: The Unpronounceable, Unforgettable King of Cabernet Franc

When I think of wine that is interesting, unique, obscure, high-value, and small-production, I think of Borgueil – the small wine region in France’s Loire Valley that produces almost exclusively Cabernet Franc.

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2005 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage:

2005

Score:

Grade:

Current Price:

$65.00USD

Ruby in color, purple swirls, mostly clear and bright. The nose brings the barnyard funk but also some black cherries and a bit of cigar box. Medium bodied. Firm tannins. On the palate, this has depth and complexity. Much cleaner on the palate, but still some Brettanomyces. Black cherries with some leathery notes. Menthol on the finish. This is very nice on its own but probably a bit better with food. It would work well with Lamb Stew but also Roasted Vegetables. At or past peak, this should be consumed over the next five years or so.

2019 Jean Montbray Chinon, France, Loire, Wine Review

Vintage:

2020

Score:

Grade:

B+

Current Price:

$15.00USD

This is 100% old school Cabernet Franc from the Loire valley in France. Coming in at 12.5% ABV, this is a classic Loire Red wine. Deep garnet in color, mostly opaque and mostly bright. The nose has black cherries, tobacco, some bell pepper, slight "twigs and sticks". Medium bodied. Nice acidity. On the palate, this drinks easy but needs some food. Some black cherry fruit with plenty of forest floor and tobacco. A bit of green bell pepper. Moderate finish. This would work well with lamb stew. Drink over the next five to seven years.

2020 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot, France, Loire, Wine Review

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Related Articles

Rosé du Loire? Mais oui! Cabernet Franc’s Lighter Shade

Life is Like a Mixed Case of Loire Cabernet Franc (or, A Wild Night at Solano Cellars)

Borgueil: The Unpronounceable, Unforgettable King of Cabernet Franc

2005 Olga Raffault Chinon Les Picasses, France, Loire, Wine Review

2019 Jean Montbray Chinon, France, Loire, Wine Review