TN: 2 Couly Dutheil Chinon

2005 Couly Dutheil Chinon Baronnie Madeleine, 15% alc., $17.99: Clean dark color, with earthy, spicy black currant and blackberry flavors and aromas underscored with herbal underbrush. Medium full to full bodied, with big structure; approachable now, but really needs some time in the cellar to be at its best. Try again in 5 years to see where it’s at. Find this wine

2005 Couly Dutheil Chinon Clos de l'Echo2005 Couly Dutheil Chinon Clos de l'Echo, 15% alc., $22.99: Dense and dark in color, almost opaque; just a big dark mouthful of black currant, blackberry, earth and underbrush, with a little coffee and toast creeping in with extended air. Even a few hours in a decanter barely makes a dent in the big, backward character of this wine. Full bodied, with 10 years worth of structure and more, and while it’s not unapproachable, patience is recommended here.

Couly Dutheil Chinon imported by J & J Importers, LLC, Bloomfield Hills, MI

~from Francophilia 2009

Reporting from Day-twah,

geo t.

Nice notes Geo. I am just back from my brief visit to London (family bereavement) and I managed to stock up on some Baudry and Jocquet. Did not manage to find anything else of note due to time restraints naturally.

I've receently put some of the 2005 Clos de l'Echo into the cellar, and was wondering whether to open one and see what it was like when I came across an open bottle at a tasting in Angers, at the same time as the 2009 Salon, held by Charles Sydney, a courtier who is resonsible for a lot of the Loire wine picked up by UK merchants. It was huge and structured, very much as your note says. After tasting I resolved not to touch mine for some time.

Has anyone had any other Loire 2005 reds recently? Any sign of closing down? I've had one or two that have certainly seemed awkward and I did wonder....

I've receently put some of the 2005 Clos de l'Echo into the cellar, and was wondering whether to open one and see what it was like when I came across an open bottle at a tasting in Angers, at the same time as the 2009 Salon, held by Charles Sydney, a courtier who is resonsible for a lot of the Loire wine picked up by UK merchants. It was huge and structured, very much as your note says. After tasting I resolved not to touch mine for some time.

Has anyone had any other Loire 2005 reds recently? Any sign of closing down? I've had one or two that have certainly seemed awkward and I did wonder....

2005 Breton Bourgueil Clos Senechal is very tight now, with lots of structure and it will be a number of years before I think it will be ready.
2005 Baudry Chinon Clos Guillot recently was quite open and approachable. It is also a big wine, and should also age well, but much more drinkable at the moment then the Bourgueil. I had a discussion with a friend who visits these two winemakers, and he thought the difference was due more to cellar technique than vineyards regarding the wines.

Ok Marc, just dug out the bottles from my London trip!

2 bottles of the `05 Baudry Chinon Le Clos Guillot.
1 bottle of the `02 Joguet Clos de la Dioterie.

I also found some Marcillac from S France. Only ever seem to find these reds in London.

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/tastingspr ... guet.shtml
http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/baudry.shtml