Bernard Baudry: Wines
Before exploring the portfolio of wines in detail, it is possible first to make some generalisations on the approach to vinification. As already noted, the fruit is picked by hand under Matthieu’s supervision (from the cab of his tractor if required, as pictured below) as late as possible in the season, and the grapes transported to the cellars close to Cravant-les-Coteaux. Here the grapes are sorted by hand and eye, but only as they are raked from the trailer rather than across a formal table (pictured on the next page), and what happens thereafter depends very much on the colour and cuvée. All the Cabernet Franc grapes are destemmed, and then transported to the vessel of choice, since 2005 this has been cement or wooden cuves for all the wines except perhaps Les Granges, (more detail on this on the next page), before fermentation by indigenous yeasts.
The reds are picked at controlled yields, perhaps 40 hl/ha, although this is naturally only if frost or mildew permits. The wines have seen no chaptalisation since 2001, the only exception to this rule being the wash-out 2013 vintage, when I recall Matthieu adjusted the final alcohol percentage by less than 1%. The only vintage since then in which Matthieu might have considered repeating this would have been 2024, but he resisted temptation. The élevage generally occurs either in vat (again, details below) or in the case of La Croix Boissée in barrels, which Matthieu ships in from Bordeaux or Burgundy, and are thus two or three years old when he starts using them. He continues up until they are about ten years old.
