WTN: Franc de Pied

[David M. Bueker]

• 2011 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Franc de Pied - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (7/3/2021)
  Deep as the Mines of Moria, this has a penetrating quality where the aromas and flavors become images in the mind, and not just the impressions of the senses. It is clearly Cabernet Franc, but it transcends Chinon, reaching towards a singular expression that defines a place, rather than being merely of a place. There is fruit, and tobacco, as well as an earthy quality, but it’s the sum of the parts that is different, that’s larger in its being.

p.s. this is also in the Wine Focus thread, but I thought it deserved its own post.

[Jenise]

Sounds pretty special; I've only ever had one Franc de Pied, but I believe it was from Breton. Btw, I stopped in my favorite local wine store yesterday--first time in a year and half as they only just re-opened to in-store customers (limit 4 at a time). Asked if they had any Baudry. No, the owner said, "I haven't seen any in a long time." Kind of supports what I was saying about how it's just fallen off the map up here.

[David M. Bueker]

That’s really unfortunate. Baudry is such a great value.

Thanks for another mouthwatering TN, David. A CT search shows that I still have a bottle of Baudry's FdP from 2002. I'm not sure that this cuvée is still being made because I can find no reference to it in a cursory visit to the estate's website but the auctioneers Idealwine had a one bottle lot of 2017.

There are other producers in the Loire valley offering FdP cuvées, notably Thierry Germain at Domaine des Roches Neuves and Henry Marionnet east of Tours (but no CabFranc here, I think). Joguet used to offer a FdP cuvée from Varennes du Grand Clos but gave up the struggle in the later 00s.

The Baudry estate is less than 300 km from here. I am tempted to jump into my car right now (but Sunday?). His prices remain very reasonable.

[David M. Bueker]

Tim - 2011 was the last commercial vintage of this wine. The vineyard became unsustainable after that.

Tim - 2011 was the last commercial vintage of this wine. The vineyard became unsustainable after that.

Strange!

https://www.idealwine.com/fr/acheter-vi ... -Rouge.jsp

I must admit that the bottle shown looks like the regular Domaine bottling. I sold 150 sweeties via Idealwine and thought them a very professional outfit but this looks like an error. I've sent an Email to the estate.

[David M. Bueker]

Even the best make mistakes from time to time.