2004 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon Les Grézeaux
Opened to sip while storm-watching last night and to eventually pair with a main course salad of heirloom tomato/avocado/basil and chives dressed with just olive oil, salt and pepper (boring detail, I know, but since salads and wine pairing has been under discussion....) This is the blackest Chinon I can recall seeing, and yet it doesn't really smell or taste of the typical black fruit (blackberry, black currant or blueberry). It's more toward black plum along with fennel, some green tobacco and what Marc D. once aptly referred to as "wet cement". Some earthiness is just beginning to show. Open and friendly without decanting, it was very satisfying and almost elegant as a sipper but the structure is here for this wine to continue to improve in the bottle for up to another five years. Very, very enjoyable.
