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The Wine Spectator featured a video with Florent Baumard that looks at two of his key wines, Clos du Papillon and Quarts de Chaume. The video goes deeply into the precision viticulture and vinification that is necessary to create beautiful, balanced Savennieres, and the trademark mineral backbone of Quarts de Chaume – click here to see.
The November 21st, 2012 Wine Spectator Insider put out some amazing scores for Domaine des Baumard’s new releases. In addition, his 2009 Quarts de Chaume was listed as their number one “Hot Wine”! Check out all the scores and comments by clicking on the image below.
The Wine Enthusiast held a blind tasting with four acclaimed celebrities, including actress Samantha Mathis. Mathis made her first film debut in Pump Up the Volume (1990) and has co-starred in several other films through the 90′s. Her most recent film is Lebanon, PA (2010). Mathis’s favorite wine of the flight was a 2009 Chenin Blanc, but her Number 1 choice of wine outside the magazine’s tasting is none other than Domaine des Baumard’s 2008 Clos du Papillon Savennieres. Here is the mention, which appears in the September 2012 issue:
A nice interview with Florent Baumard in which he discusses a range of topics.
Super tasting in Miami yesterday!
On Thursday, October 13, 2011, The Miami Herald online posted a great article on the Loire Valley’s ability to make excellent wines from grapes that elsewhere are considered “second-rate”. They say that their climate and soils combination create fresh, lively, and crisp with acid wines that are pleasant as aperitifs and great with food. Not only are the Loire Valley wines producing excellent wines but they are sold at friendly prices. Below is an excerpt of the wines that were most highly recommended – note the multiple mentions of Domaine des Baumard!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
• 2007 Domaine des Baumard ‘Quarts de Chaume’ Dessert Wine (chenin blanc), Loire Valley, France: crisp and sweet, with flavors of honey and apricots; $60.
• 2007 Domaine Fournier Sancerre ‘Grande Cuvée’ (sauvignon blanc), Loire Valley, France: hearty and rich, with pink grapefruit flavors; $23.
RECOMMENDED
• 2007 Domaine des Baumard Savennières (chenin blanc), Loire Valley, France: oaky aroma, rich, honeyed quality, tart finish; $23.
• 2008 Domaine des Baumard Savennières ‘Clos du Papillon’ Single Vineyard (chenin blanc), Loire Valley, France: rich, aromatic, with nutty aromas and burnt sugar flavors; $35.
• 2009 Domaine Fournier Sancerre ‘Les Belles Vignes’ (sauvignon blanc), Loire Valley, France: light and crisp, with white grapefruit flavors; $22.
• 2008 Domaine Furnier Sancerre ‘Cuvee Silex’ (sauvignon blanc), Loire Valley, France: very crisp, with aromas and flavors of lemons and limes; $23.
To read the full article, click here.
(Featured Bottle Image- Domaine des Baumard ‘Quarts de Chaume’ Dessert Wine)
It looks like Quarts de Chaume may become the Loire Valley’s first Grand Cru. The Baumard family have long worked to have this historic appellation recognized – this is a big moment! See below the article that was posted on Decanter (also found here: http://www.decanter.com/news/wine-news/529438/quarts-de-chaume-to-become-loire-valley-s-first-grand-cru)
Quarts de Chaume to become Loire Valley’s first Grand Cru
On 28 September the national committee of appellations body the INAO approved the proposal. It now awaits the signature of the French minister of agriculture for final approval.
At the same meeting the creation of Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume was approved. Both decisions were unanimous.
There are strict rules for both Quarts de Chaume and Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru Chaume. These include no chaptalisation and yields of 20 hectolitres per hectare for Quarts, and 25hl/ha for Chaume.
Alcohol levels are 18.5 minimum potential alcohol for Quarts and 16.5 for Chaume.
Two previous attempts to elevate Chaume to a cru status have failed due to successful legal challenges by leading Anjou producer Domaine des Baumard.
The French courts annulled the AC Chaume Premier Cru in 2005, and Coteaux du Layon in May 2009.
The Baumard family had claimed successfully that these distinctions for Chaume devalued Quarts de Chaume and created potential confusion for wine drinkers.
Claude Papin, president of the Syndicat Quarts de Chaume, told Decanter.com, ‘Quarts de Chaume grand cru recognises our conviction the typicité of our wines should come from a respect for the terroir and the climate of each vintage and not from wine-making techniques.
‘This is a very important development that opens the way to creating crus throughout Loire, providing they have similarly strict rules.’
Tremendous reviews in the July 6th issue of the Wine Spectator Insider for Baumard’s 2008 Quarts de Chaume and Clos de Sainte Catherine. These will be available this fall, and we are offering them on presell throughout the country now. Reviews are as follows:
Quarts de Chaume 2008
“Rich, but pure and incredibly focused, with a laser beam of chamomile and quince cutting through the core of dried pineapple, white peach, Cavaillon melon and green plum. The finish has buried minerality, gorgeous mouthfeel and superb length”. 95 Points Wine Spectator
Clos de Sainte-Catherine 2008, Coteaux du Layon
“Ripe, pure and precise, with rich yet mouthwatering creamed Jonagold apple, quince and Cavaillon melon notes laced with alluring chamomile and heather. The long finish is nicely wound.” 92 Points Wine Spectator
Winemaker Florent Baumard of Domaine des Baumard discusses his Quarts de Chaumes, a sweet wine that is never heavy and leaves the mouth dry, just the thing to win over the adherents of dry red wine.
