Jean-Pierre
and his son Samuel Baron own a 14 hectare family domaine in the village
of Thesee, on the right-bank of the Cher River. Beginning in 1946,
Jean-Pierre’s father was among the first to plant Sauvignon Blanc grapes in this region which is now recognized as Appellation Touraine Controle.
Jean-Pierre Baron decided to leave the local co-op and begin estate
bottling with the 1998 vintage and a new Loire star was born. In recent
years, he has handed the vineyard and winemaking duties to his son,
Samuel.
The Barons prune severely in the Fall to limit yields and ensure healthier fruit. They employ a sophisticated program of “lutte raisonnee”
in respect of the environment to fight vine diseases and parasites. The
goal is to grow the healthiest fruit possible at moderate yields.
Instead of using herbicides, the topsoil is lightly tilled so as to
remove weeds without disturbing the sub-soil, thereby encouraging the
vine’s roots to go further down into the ground. Recently, Samuel Baron
has oriented the domaine’s vineyard practice towards organic farming.
Only organic, composted fertilizer is used when necessary. Beginning
with the 2010 growing season, he is cultivating about half of his
vineyard (including the Cot parcel) fully organically and is aiming to attain “Agriculture Biologique” certification in the coming years.
Baron’s Sauvignon Blanc
vineyard is situated on a south-east-facing slope with a
clay-limestone-silex soil. The vines average 35 years old. The grapes
are gently pressed and lightly clarified (debourbage).
Fermentation takes place in tanks at controlled, low temperatures and
the wine is left on the lees over the winter before racking and
bottling in March. Baron’s Sauvignon Les Vieilles Vignes has
fine concentration, a lovely citrus bouquet and a plump palate. It is a
ripe, crisp wine with unmistakable Loire character and is the equal of
many Sancerres in the market, and a far better value.
The Barons also cultivate one hectare of 35 year-old Cot (the local name for Malbec)
vines planted on a south facing gentle slope with a well drained,
limestone-clay soil. This vineyard was planted to Cot before
phylloxera. It was later replanted with other varieties and then
re-converted to Cot by Jean-Pierre Baron in an effort to revive the
cultivation of Malbec that was very common in the Touraine region in
times past. The vines are all selection massale
plants (and not clones) selected from a nearby 50 year old, ideal Cot
vineyard. Baron farms in a sustainable way, according to the standards
of the Terra Vitis protocol.
Grass is planted between the rows and plowed under below the vines.
Baron harvests at full maturity in early October. The grapes are all
de-stemmed and given an 8-day maceration period at 20 degrees C. Baron
carries out only one pumping over operation (remontage)
every two days to attain sufficient extraction without over
concentrating the wine. He racks the wine early so that the alcoholic
fermentation finishes without the presence of solids that would
otherwise impart an astringent element to the wine. Baron adds less
than 20% of press-wine to the final blend since the “jus de goutte” already
has excellent color and richness. Aging continues in large tanks and
Baron bottles his Cot in early July so as to preserve the primary fruit
and aromas. The wine is aged another 6 months in bottle before release.
Baron’s Cot is a deeply saturated, dark purple wine with juicy and
spicy black cherry and kirsch flavors and characteristic Loire
freshness and succulence.
