I love Baudry, but I've usually skipped over buying this bottling while buying Grez/CB. Enjoyed this + Domaine in the past whenever I have them, but never treat/think of them as long-agers. So when a friend texts me that he randomly found a bottle of this in his cellar (bought on release and forgotten about) and invites me Saturday night to drink it in his backyard in front of the firepit, I'm not saying no.
This is a revelation. Bottle is in perfect condition, cork looks great and comes out easily with a standard corkscrew (and barely any staining up the side). Absolutely delicious from the first sip to the last, which admittedly wasn't that much later as two of us plowed through this bottle in very little time. This tastes like a lightweight version of Grézeaux. A core of fresh, crunchy red and dark berried fruit on a light frame framed by an array of gentle herbal, tobacco, and faintly leafy notes, turning more mineral and earthy on the back end. It's drinking wonderfully right now though still shows a little grainy tannin on the back end, but the whole package is far too easy to drink right now - 12% alcohol on the label but it has the refreshment value, lightness, and sheer drinkability of an old school Riesling Kabinett (and it disappears as quickly as one of those in warm weather). First time I've had a bottle of Les Granges with some age on it, and clearly I need to start putting away a few of these alongside Baudry's higher-end Chinons.
(aside, I brought a bottle of '23 Gonon's St. Joseph blanc Les Oliviers which was outstanding - might be the best vintage of that wine I have tried. But we opened that about half an hour before the Baudry, and it was still ~1/3 full at the time when the Baudry was gone.)