Bernard: Baudry: La Croix Boissée
Bernard and Matthieu Baudry have two parcels of vines on the limestone slope, both of which were acquired by Bernard during the 1990s. The most prestigious is La Croix Boissée (pictured top, previous page, looking across the valley of the Vienne), which is also found directly overlooking the D21, to the east of the domaine, about 2 kilometres further down the road very close to Cravant-les-Coteaux. This is one of the most coveted lieux-dits in the Chinon appellation, a steep and fully south-facing slope. We should not be surprised to learn that Bernard and Matthieu are not alone here; perhaps half a dozen other vignerons own and tend parcels of vines within this vineyard (although not all bottle a dedicated cuvée). The first that jumps to mind is Pascal Lambert.
The D21 runs along a bed of limestone, tuffeau blanc (white chalk) from the Middle Turonian. This chalky bedrock extends up the slope, perhaps halfway up the vineyard. Further up it then gives way to a quite narrow band of tuffeau jaune (yellow chalk) from the Upper Turonian (Matthieu holds both white and yellow, below). This yellow chalk runs in a ribbon right the way along the coteau, following the contours of the land, occasionally darting into valleys or gullies as it does so. In some parts it is very narrow, but here it is fairly broad, extending from about the middle of the slope up to the top where it is covered by silty deposits from the Senonian. The superficial soils are meagre at the top, the chalky limestone dominating (as pictured), but they are richer and deeper in colour, with more clay in evidence, further down. Right at the bottom, the soils are very sandy. Matthieu is quick to liken the slope to that of the Côte d’Or, and why shouldn’t he? Where a vigneron chooses to plant on the slope has a significant effect on the character and quality of the wine, and Chinon’s grapes are no less noble than those found in Burgundy in my opinion.
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