Bernard Baudry Les Grezeaux Chinon

Chinon, France

The benchmark for Chinon's tuffeau limestone terroir — old-vine Cabernet Franc from the Les Grezeaux parcel above the Vienne, aged in used Burgundy barrels. Red cherry, raspberry, violet, crushed chalk, pencil shavings, and a linear mineral precision that develops magnificently over 10-15 years. The definitive expression of what Chinon's finest limestone can achieve — elegant, complex, and irreplaceable.

Pairing intelligence

• main: The Touraine's most traditional pork preparation and its greatest Cabernet Franc — the wine's violet and chalk mineral cuts through the pork belly's rich fat; Dijon mirrors the wine's acidity; lentils bridge the mineral depth
• main: The wine appears in the dish itself — the ultimate Chinon pairing; Cabernet Franc's acidity and red fruit character infuses the chicken braise; lardons add a savoury bridge; thyme mirrors the wine's herbal complexity