Being that I am a fan of Bernard Baudry’s Cabernet Francs and a rosé fan, I was very excited to find a few bottles of his rosé.
Baudry was born into a family of winemakers in Cravant. He studied oenology at the Lycée de Beaune before returning to the Loire. He first worked as viticultural advisor, before going out his own. In 1982, he established a 2 hectare vineyard in Chinon. Today, he has more than 30 hectares of Cabernet Franc.
A new generation of Baudry’s has joined the ranks as well. Bernard is now joined by his son Mattheiu, who has studied in Mâcon and Bordeaux with experience in Tasmania and California. The estate has a reputation for being carefully managed, with debudding to control yields and manual harvesting. Baudry produces two white cuvées in limited quantities, five separate cuvées of Cabernet Franc and this rosé of Cabernet Franc.
A beautiful, pinkish watermelon in color. Cherry blossom, strawberry and rose water aromatics. On the palate, juicy watermelon, strawberry with some tartness and white pepper. Good acidity with a nice clean finish. Medium bodied and more firm than delicate.
Certainly an interesting and very well made rosé that I am very pleased to have on hand, but I don’t think I would include this in my list of absolute favorite rosés. I would strongly recommend any of his Cabernet Francs and would recommend this as well albeit with less enthusiasm. The wine retails at $16 to $18 dollars a bottle. Imported by Louis/Dressner.
