Bernard Baudry’s flagship Chinon, from a 2.5-3 hectare south-facing site of 25-55-year-old vines on clay-limestone slopes. This is Cabernet Franc built for aging, delivering power and depth rarely seen in the Loire. The clay soils here give the wine a structure and gravity that set it apart from Baudry’s lighter cuvees. Fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged 24 months in 1-4 year old barrels, then about 9 months in concrete. Expect dark fruit, tobacco leaf, iron, and an almost Medoc-like tannic architecture. Give it an hour in a decanter now, or cellar it a decade or more. This is serious wine for serious occasions.