Domaine Bernard Baudry
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A benchmark Chinon estate where five distinct terroirs reveal the full spectrum of Cabernet Franc's potential in the Loire Valley.
Domaine Bernard Baudry is widely considered one of Chinon's most outstanding producers, farming 32 hectares from its base in Cravant-les-Coteaux. Founded in 1975 with just 2 hectares, the estate now produces five distinct Cabernet Franc cuvées, each vinified separately to express its unique terroir.
- Founded in 1975 by Bernard Baudry with just 2 hectares; son Matthieu joined in 2000
- Located in Cravant-les-Coteaux village within AOC Chinon, Loire Valley
- 32 hectares planted to 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Chenin Blanc
- Certified organic since 2006
- Five main Cabernet Franc cuvées: Les Granges, Les Grézeaux, Clos Guillot, La Croix Boissée, and Mollières
- Low-intervention winemaking using natural yeasts and minimal sulfur
- Hand-harvested with fully manual vineyard operations
History and Origins
Bernard Baudry established the domaine in 1975 with a modest 2 hectares in Cravant-les-Coteaux, a village in the heart of AOC Chinon. Over subsequent decades, the estate grew steadily through the acquisition of multiple vineyard parcels, including the Clos Guillot which was replanted in 1995. Matthieu Baudry joined his father in 2000, bringing new energy to an already respected operation. The estate now spans 32 hectares and is recognized as one of Chinon's finest addresses.
- Founded 1975 with just 2 hectares by Bernard Baudry
- Matthieu Baudry joined the estate in 2000
- Clos Guillot vineyard replanted in 1995
- Grown to 32 hectares through targeted parcel acquisitions
Terroir and Vineyards
The diversity of soils across the Baudry holdings is a defining feature of the estate and the reason behind its parcel-by-parcel winemaking philosophy. Vineyard sites range from gravel in the plain and alluvial gravel with sand to limestone-clay on the coteau and sandy limestone plateaus, with silica and clay also present across various parcels. This mosaic of terroirs, set within the Loire Valley's temperate climate with late-ripening conditions, provides ideal growing conditions for Cabernet Franc, the grape that dominates 90% of plantings.
- Soils include gravel, limestone-clay, sandy limestone, alluvial deposits, silica, and clay
- Temperate Loire Valley climate with late-ripening conditions suits Cabernet Franc
- 90% Cabernet Franc, 10% Chenin Blanc across 32 hectares
- Located in Cravant-les-Coteaux within AOC Chinon
Winemaking Approach
Baudry practices a piecemeal winemaking approach, vinifying each terroir cuvée separately to preserve individual site character. The cellar philosophy centers on low intervention: natural yeasts drive fermentation, sulfur additions are kept minimal, and all harvesting and vineyard work is done by hand. Organic certification, achieved in 2006, formalizes a commitment to sustainable viticulture that long preceded the certification itself. The result is a range of wines that speak clearly of their origins rather than a house style imposed in the cellar.
- Each of the five cuvées is vinified separately by terroir
- Natural yeasts used throughout; sulfur additions kept to a minimum
- Hand-harvested with fully manual vineyard management
- Organic certified since 2006
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Look it up →The Cuvées
Five principal Cabernet Franc cuvées form the core of the Baudry range, each named for its vineyard source: Les Granges, Les Grézeaux, Clos Guillot, La Croix Boissée, and Mollières. Each wine reflects the soil type and site conditions of its origin, from lighter gravel-based expressions to more structured, age-worthy wines from limestone-clay coteaux sites. The estate also produces Chenin Blanc whites and a rosé, rounding out a portfolio firmly anchored in the typicity of Chinon.
- Five Cabernet Franc cuvées: Les Granges, Les Grézeaux, Clos Guillot, La Croix Boissée, Mollières
- Each cuvée reflects its distinct soil type and vineyard location
- Chenin Blanc whites and rosé also produced
- Wines range from approachable to structured and age-worthy
Baudry's Cabernet Franc wines are characterized by bright red fruit, violet florals, and the distinctive earthy, mineral quality of Chinon. Gravel-based cuvées tend toward freshness and early accessibility, while the limestone-clay coteau wines offer more structure, darker fruit, and greater aging potential. Across the range, low-intervention winemaking preserves vivid fruit character and site transparency.
- Domaine Bernard Baudry Les Granges Chinon$25-35Entry-level gravel-terroir cuvée showcasing fresh, approachable Cabernet Franc from Cravant-les-Coteaux.Find →
- Domaine Bernard Baudry Les Grézeaux Chinon$30-42Gravel and sandy-soil cuvée delivering vibrant red fruit and the classic mineral freshness of Chinon.Find →
- Domaine Bernard Baudry Clos Guillot Chinon$38-50Replanted in 1995, this limestone-influenced cuvée offers structure and depth from a single enclosed vineyard.Find →
- Domaine Bernard Baudry La Croix Boissée Chinon$55-75Top-tier coteau cuvée from limestone-clay soils; the most structured and age-worthy wine in the Baudry range.Find →
- Domaine Bernard Baudry is classified within AOC Chinon, Loire Valley, and has held organic certification since 2006
- Founded 1975; Matthieu Baudry joined in 2000; estate expanded from 2 to 32 hectares
- Five separate Cabernet Franc cuvées vinified by terroir: Les Granges, Les Grézeaux, Clos Guillot, La Croix Boissée, Mollières
- Grape split is 90% Cabernet Franc, 10% Chenin Blanc across all holdings
- Soil diversity spans gravel plains, limestone-clay coteaux, sandy limestone plateaus, alluvial gravel, silica, and clay