Introducing Justine Baudry, 2026
The latest episode in my Sisyphean effort to understand, taste and document the wines of the Loire Valley brought me to a table shared by Justine Baudry, the newest vigneronne in town. The town of Montrichard, to be precise, on the banks of the Cher.
Here Justine has taken over the Clos des Religieuses, an ancient courtyard surrounded by troglodytic caves cut into the slopes of Turonian tuffeau jaune that runs along the banks of the river. The clos does not have a history as a working cellar, nevertheless it is ideal for the modern-day jobbing winemaker, the cool and humid conditions within the chambers and galleries ideal for vinifying and maturing wine.
Justine’s inaugural vintage is 2024, but she is no newcomer to the vineyard and the cellar. The daughter of Christophe Baudry of Baudry-Dutour, she has worked with Philippe Alliet in Chinon as well as Pierre Gonon in St Joseph. Further afield, she has also put in some time at Cloudy Bay in New Zealand and also in California, the latter sojourn including a stint at Vérité, the domaine of the great Pierre Seillan of Château Lassègue in St Emilion.
The Vines & Wines
Justine Baudry has 7 hectares of vines, all of which are tended using organic methods, although they are currently still in the three-year conversion period prior to certification. The majority of the vines – 6 hectares all told – are Sauvignon Blanc and these are planted around Oisly, and I would not be surprised if they were sourced by (or perhaps from) Justine’s husband, who just happens to be Lionel Gosseaume.
