Established: 1955 (since 1634 the Baumard family have lived in Rochefort and cultivated vines)

Appellations:
AOC Savennieres
AOC Quarts de Chaume
AOC Coteaux du Layon
AOC Cremant de Loire

  • Proprietor: Baumard Family

Winemaker: Florent Baumard & son Charles since 2021

Wine Making Overview: All ferments with indigenous yeast for dry whites and ageing in stainless steel for 9-12 months on fine lees, no oak used for ageing. All wines bottled under stelvin closure since 2003.

Viticulture: Sustainable - organic principles (have started conversion to organic and plans to certify as organic)

Vegan Friendly: yes

Vineyard Area: 40 ha

Vineyards: based in Rochefort sur Loire

  • Clos de Saint Yves, Savennieres

  • Clos du Papillon, Savennieres

  • Clos St Catherine, Coteaux du Layon

  • Quarts de Chaume

Vine Density: 5000 per ha

 
Florent Baumard is one of the world’s best winemakers, and you probably don’t know him. That’s because he produces Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley, an all-too-often overlooked region. Baumard produces a range of dry and sweet wines, topped by his Quarts de Chaume. And perhaps the best part of Baumard’s new wines is that they are now all under screw cap. Bravo to Florent Baumard for making this decision based on quality, not marketing.
— James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, March 2007

The Story of Domaine des Baumard, by Florent Baumard.

“The Baumard style is a very particular one, both Savennières and Quarts de Chaume quite distinctive. Looking at Savennières first, the style can be a little difficult to pigeonhole; avoidance of softening features – in particular fermentation and élevage in cement or steel rather than wood, and the absence of the malolactic fermentation – typifies the old-school style of Savennières, giving wines that are firm, austere, bone-dry and capable of great terroir expression after a few years in bottle. Sometimes quite a few years. Those wishing to make Savennières more accessible, more attractive at a younger age, are more likely to employ wood and malolactic fermentation to take the harder edge off the wine. Baumard’s philosophy means the style here leans towards the traditional, but when you line them up against other traditionally styled wines the wines remain distinctive. Ultimately, I suppose, I have to accept that they show a style that is uniquely Baumard. Thinking particularly of the Clos du Papillon and Clos Ste Yves cuvées, they remain taut, especially now they are bottled under a screwcap closure, for many years, only softening as they hit a decade or more. They move from rather stern notes of green pear skin and preserved lemons in their youth into a style more honeyed and textured with age, all of which comes purely from the fruit.

The issue of Quarts de Chaume is perhaps rather more complicated, and the situation is clearly set to change. Whatever controversies may surround this appellation and wine, there is no doubt in my mind that the 
Quarts de Chaume from Domaine des Baumard remains, in many vintages, one of the finest examples of the appellation. The methods behind the wine are unique, and seem to me to be at odds with the Quarts de Chaume’s proven capability of producing naturally botrytis-dried, wind-dried grapes of complex flavour, and as such they should certainly be put up for debate. But we should not judge purely on methodology, but also on results, as we cannot ignore the finished product. Judging solely by what is in the glass these taut and vibrant wines, with their remarkably crystalline and minerally-quartzy character, usually countered by their soothing, polished sweetness, are delightful examples of the Quarts de Chaume appellation. Despite acknowledging that the methodology is unusual, I have already voted with my palate; the Quarts de Chaume made by Florent Baumard may be atypical but it remains a very good wine and it has been, in many vintages, sufficiently compelling for me to add it to my own cellar.” thewinedoctor.com

Sparkling

“These wines are all Crémant de Loire, an appellation which allows for Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc and a select group of other varieties alongside the ubiquitous Chenin Blanc. I think my favourite in this line-up is the Carte Corail, a rosé made from 100% Cabernet Franc (occasionally with a little Grolleau). As for the Carte Turquoise, the base material here is an assemblage of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Whatever the differences between the wines, the dosage takes these to 6 g/l, as Florent feels this allows for a better expression of the fruit.” thewinedoctor.com

NV Cremant de Loire “Carte Turquoise”
40% Cabernet Franc, 30% Chenin blanc 30% Chardonnay. Low dosage (4-5 g/L) ensures a fine crisp aperitif style with finesse.
”This non-vintage blend is based on fruit from 2022, and it is a blend of Chenin, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. A really charming nose here, fresh and bright. The palate is finely poised, with a very fine mousse, and good acidity considering the base vintage. This is a charming and nicely structured Crémant, with a welcome touch of bitterness in the finish. The alcohol on the label is 12.5%.” 88 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024

NV Cremant de Loire “Carte Corail”
90% cabernet Franc, 10% Grolleau. Low dosage (4-5 g/L) ensures a fine crisp aperitif style with finesse.
”Another non-vintage cuvée, although again the base vintage is 2022. A rosé, it is mostly Cabernet Franc, with a little bit of Grolleau “to temper the Cabernet a little,” says Florent. A very pretty nose here, followed by an appealing and approachable palate filled with redcurrant, red cherry and crushed chalk aromas. This is lively and fresh, and will drink well for a year or two, and perhaps there is a little development potential beyond that. There is a little dosage here, just 4-6 g/l though, enough to lift it from bone dry, and the alcohol on the label is 12.5%.”
90 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024

“Very pale, bright pink with a steady bead. Shy aromas of strawberry, blood orange, rose and spices, plus a hint of honeysuckle. Very fresh and expansive on the palate, offering pure red fruit and sweet citrus flavors and subtle minerality. A strikingly elegant, precise, understated bubbly that makes plenty of pink Champagnes seem somewhat crude. The precise, spicy finish leaves dusty mineral and strawberry notes behind.” Steve Tanzer

Dry Wines - Savennieres

When this small portion of Anjou Coteaux de la Loire produced only sweet wines, the AOC regulations set a correspondingly low maximum yield. This concentrates the wines on four southeast-facing slopes of volcanic debris that produce the world’s greatest dry Chenin Blanc. Bone-dry to dry wines of great mineral intensity, Savennières can be some of the longest-lived dry white wines in the world. Most critics believe that the single greatest Savennières is Nicolas Joly’s Clos de la Coulée de Serrant and, while I agree that it is one of the greatest wines of the Loire, I think that Baumard’s Clos du Papillon (not to be confused with Clos du Papillon from other growers) consistently displays greater elegance and finesse.
— Tom Stephenson, The Sotheby's Wine Encyclopedia, 2011.

“Having acquired their first vines in the appellation in 1968, today Savennières remains a linchpin in the Baumard portfolio. Florent has 14.5 hectares, divided almost evenly between two vineyards, Clos du Papillon and Clos Ste Yves. Both plots are located just to the north and east of the village of Savennières, between the Moulin de Gué on the slope above, and the Château de Varennes below, next to the railway line. They were purchased from the Pirie family, who were inhabitants of this château. The former clos is perhaps the best known and seems the most popular with die-hard Baumard fans and neophytes alike, so it is perhaps worthy of consideration first.” thewinedoctor.com

“The two principle Savennières labels to be found here are the Clos du Papillon and Clos de Saint Yves cuvées, which each reflect the two parcels of origin. The fruit is harvested in several tries, the aim being to obtain fresh rather than richly ripe fruit, and certainly not botrytis; these pickings typically yield five or six distinct aliquots of wine which Florent will ultimately blend into his single-parcel cuvées. The fruit receives a very gentle pressing before fermentation largely in temperature-controlled steel, occasionally cement, Florent preferring materials other then wood, both for fermentation and subsequent élevage. The wines will typically be fermented and held en cuve, on the lees, for about nine months until ready for bottling, a process which brings minimal contact with oxygen. This exactitude comes through in the character of the wines which often have a very precisely expressed bright fruit character, with sometimes a reductive edge.“ thewinedoctor.com

2019 Savennieres “Clos de Saint Yves” 750ml + 375ml stelvin-luxe
Clos St Yves is the first or “entry level” Savennieres for the domaine however the vineyard is one of the most superbly sited in the appellation containing some of the prized rhyolite soils amongst its schist and volcanic seams not far from Roche aux Moines. Whole bunch pressing of successive passes through the vineyard and 9 months of aging on fine lees yields this fine mineral expression of Savennieres that has tremendous aging capacity or 20 or more years. Pristine pure chenin that shows a great expression of these remarkable Savennieres soils.
”Florent Baumard’s other 7.5 hectares are contained entirely within the Clos Ste Yves, and the resulting wine may be marketed either as Clos Ste Yves (particularly in foreign markets or for the on-trade) or under the straight Domaine des Baumard label for other customers. The soils are schist, well suited to Chenin Blanc which accounts for 6.5 hectares of the Baumard vines, the remaining 1 hectare having been planted with Verdelho until recently. Florent says that his father acquired the vines by accident, having purchased them in the dead of winter, the absence of leaves and other distinguishing features meaning the vines went unnoticed. It was only as the following year progressed, and they displayed their many differences, did he realise he had a hectare of Verdelho on his hands.” thewinedoctor.com
The 2019 Clos de Saint Yves evokes aromas of iodine, ripe orchard fruits, spring flowers and crushed stones. Medium to full-bodied, perfectly balanced and elegant, the wine on the palate is fleshy and rich with a long, penetrating, saline finish. This powerful, intense Savennières will reward a bit of bottle age. Bottled with a screw-cap closure. 93 points, Yohan Castaing, The Wine Advoctate, January 2024
”The vines of this clos – a Baumard monopole – sit behind Château de Varennes, on a hill of purple and brown schist between the Clos du Papillon and the Roche-aux-Moines. The fruit was pressed and the juice vinified in stainless steel. It has a nose of white almond and white flowers, with a very taut apple base. The palate follows in the same vein, with gently expressed orchard fruits, set in a controlled and modestly textured substance, with a firmly defined frame and fresh acidity. It has a good grip, the structure and poise suggesting to me this will age well, probably for a decade or two. The alcohol on the label is 13%. Under screwcap.” 90 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2023

2018 Savennieres “Clos du Papillon” stelvin-luxe
Known locally as an “unofficial Premier Cru”, the Baumard family own 7ha (nearly half of the total) of this small superbly sited vineyard lies in the centre of the appellation just above the village of Savennieres. Here the terroir is sand over layers of black schist (which can be seen clearly from the road below the vineyard where the small foot-bridge leads from the garden of Chateau des Vaults into the Clos du Papillon vineyard). Average age of vines here is 35yo and harvest is made in successive tries or passes through the vineyard. Whole bunch pressed straight into vat and a long slow ferment at low temperature with ageing on fine lees for 9 months. This wine generally finishes dry with alcohol around 13% and with notable acidity that enables long slow evolution with the wine starting to show its best around 8 years age. Bottled under stelvin-luxe ensuring a perfect and slow evolution of 20 years and more. Bottling under stelvin started around 2003/2004 and those early vintages still show superbly fresh and aging very gently.

”The Baumard family own 7 hectares of the Clos du Papillon which itself amounts to about 14.5 hectares, the remaining 7.5 hectares shared out between two other owners. Its name is derived from its shape, which resembles that of a butterfly (or papillon), when viewed from the slope opposite. Underfoot the terroir is principally schist, varying with the slope; there are other igneous and some metamorphic rocks at the top of the slope, especially rhyolite and quartz, whereas towards the bottom the soils take on a more sandy feel. The Baumard vines are in the eastern part of the vineyard, more on schist and sand. The vines are principally Chenin Blanc, although there is also a small 0.8-hectare plot of Chardonnay near the edge of the vineyard. Although it seems plausible that the fruit of these Chardonnay vines were once harvested and vinified with the Chenin Blanc for the Clos du Papillon cuvée (very plausible, in fact), today these grapes are destined for the domaine’s Crémant de Loire.” thewinedoctor.com

”Florent shares this well-known clos with two other proprietors. As with all his dry wines, the juice is vinified in stainless steel, there being no contact with wood at any time. This shows evident richness compared to the Clos de Saint Yves, with layers of beeswax and fragrant freesia. This translates onto a palate which shows a rather steely reserve, although it frames an expressive core of beeswax, dried pear and lavender, with a little cheesy note to it. It feels tautly composed, showing lovely harmony, and definition, with admirable acid freshness given the vintage. I suspect this will develop well in the cellar; keep yours ten or twenty years – or more – to find out. The alcohol on the label is 14%. although the true figure is lower than this. Under screwcap.” 93 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2023

“This is a fuller, creamy style of Clos du Papillon probably due to the warmer season. The 2018 is full bodied with relatively rich fruit for a Savennieres, all baked apple fruits, baking spices and nutty characters. Its young yet ready to drink. It will evolve but will it improve?” 91 pts Vinous Media, Rebecca Gibb M.W., June 2022

2019 Savennieres “Clos du Papillon” stelvin-luxe - due 2025
This cuvée parcellaire is vinified in exactly the same fashion as the Clos de Saint Yves, in stainless steel, with no oak, all under nitrogen. Quite a cool and crystalline style of fruit on the nose, with sugared plums and mirabelles, dusted with white pepper. The palate continues in the same vein, cool, refined and correct, with a rather sinewy intertwining of peach, apricot, white pepper and apple, set within a tense and energetic middle and finish, with veins of bitter phenolic grip and firm acidity. This is mouthwateringly good, and will probably age slowly in the Baumard style over the next four or five decades. Long and bitter. The alcohol on the label is 13.5%. Under screwcap. 93 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024
“I love the purity and personality of the 2019 Clos du Papillon. It has a sense of roundness and curved edges, yet maintains a sense of lightness and focus on its feet. The aromas and flavours are highly attractive: fresh apple fruit, florals and delicate almond feel. Based on previous vintages, this will gain more complexity, weight and savory layers with a decade under its belt. Yes, you could drink it now, but it’ll be a lot more interesting if you want.” 92 pts Vinous Media, Rebecca Gibb M.W., June 2022
The 2019 Savennieres Clos du Papillon exhales a shy and closed bouquet with aromas of lemon, spring flowers and ripe orchard fruits. Medium to full-bodied, rich and satiny, it has a delicate core of fruit with a phenolic, slightly bitter aftertaste. It can be drinking anytime over the next decade. Bottled with a screw-cap closure. 92+ pts Wine Advocate, Yohan Castaing, January 2024

2010 Savennieres "Trie Speciale" stelvin-luxe - SOLD OUT
As the name indicates this is made from successive “tries” of the harvest and also from select parts of the pressing. Made only in vintages with great potential this is aged for 9 months on fine lees in stainless steel tank and typically released with significant bottle age allowing the wine to show its potential after 5 or more years of cellaring. The style of this wine is rich yet dry.
“As always this is a selection from Clos Ste Yves. It is based on richer fruit, which includes a little pourri plein botrytised grapes. The nose has immediate impact, with some lightly mineral, yellow-gold orchard fruits, with a little apricot character. The palate is cool, yet textured, with an appealing supple weight and a deeper flavour character, certainly richer in fruit character but still with a match-sticky freshness to it. Polished, quite appealing, direct, with a full and lightly bitter edge to it, this is a wine full of interest and substance. Clearly a favourable vintage, and I like this style, and the extra touch of richness it brings to the typical Baumard structure. A long and imposing finish. Very good indeed. 17.5/20” thewinedoctor.com February 2015

“The apotheosis of Chenin blanc, and unquestionably a wine to rival Corton-Charlemagne and Montrachet; dense, glycerous and flavor saturated packed with honey nuts and flowers.” Andrew Jefford – The New France

“For a more texture, approachable style, look to the Trie Speciale, which is much more seductive throughout its life, a characteristic achieved purely by a different level of fruit ripeness at picking.” thewinedoctor.com

2022 Anjou Pic Martin - stelvin-luxe NEW - due 2024
A new cuvee for this totally dry chenin blanc coming from a vineyard on a plateau above the hills of of the Baumard family home-town of Rochefort sur Loire. The vineyard has a perfect South-West exposure, and soils here are a combination of schist, sandstone and volcanic elements, perfect conditions for Chenin. This first Pic Martin vintage marks the debut at the family Domaine of Charles and Maxime Baumard, fourth-generation, and owners of this new estate vineyard.
Hand harvested and whole bunch pressed with a long low temperature ferment this wine is totally dry (0.7 g/l rs). The wine shows clear schist terroir with very mineral aromas and a very dry palate with hints of salinity and a long bright and gently textural finish. Still showing very young and will build with age.
An interesting addition to the portfolio, this wine originates from a parcel bought by Florent’s two sons, the fruit of which they vinified to produce this cuvée. The first vintage, it was vinified in stainless steel, with nine months on the lees before bottling. I find a nose of honeyed beeswax and toasted orchard fruits which feels a little old school in style. The palate is drier and more reserved than the nose seems to suggest though, with a rather bitter presence of fruits, set in a textural but lightly concentrated bed. It has a nice sense of balance, with chalky phenolics and modest acidity. The warmth of the vintage is showing here. It would be good to see in which direction this goes in future vintages. The alcohol on the label is 12.5%. Under screwcap. 
89 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024
The 2022 Anjou Blanc Pic Martin is a new cuvée from the two sons of the proprietor of Domaine des Baumard: Charles and Maxime Baumard. It hails from a four-acre plot just outside their home village of Rochefort-sur-Loire, depicting the village's church on the label. The Pic Martin is a dry Chenin Blanc that's clean, fresh and mouthwatering. Subtle in the aromatic department, it displays hints of fresh apple, joined by an almond-pastry-like character on the medium-length finish. It’s nicely balanced with fine grip on the finish. This will be ready to enjoy from release. 88 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous Media, July 2024

Sweet Wines

2021 Coteaux du Layon “Carte d’Or”   stelvin-luxe
”The harvest and vinification of the Coteaux du Layon fruit follows closely the same philosophies with picking in tries, only here the aim is clearly to obtain fruit more marked by botrytis. The fruit is channelled into at least three cuvées, on occasion complemented by some purchased fruit from a grower in St Lambert du Lattay. This purchased fruit does not contribute to the more elevated cuvées but only to the very serviceable Carte d’Or, an entry-level wine with a lighter, elegant style with not a prodigious level of residual sugar.” thewinedoctor.com
“The residual sugar here is 92.3 g/l; the maximum for this cuvée tends to be about 100 g/l, otherwise Florent feels it can lack freshness. Sweet pear flesh with a matchsticky overlay on the nose. It has a little honeyed apricot, but on the whole the style is light and open. The palate shows a very appealing concentration, with white peach, white pear flesh, a delightfully match-sticky freshness and also a beautifully bright acidity. For an entry-level cuvée this has very nice fruit and tension, but also a delicious minerally frame for it all. Very good indeed.” thewinedoctor.com
”This blended entry-level Coteaux du Layon takes fruit from a number of Baumard parcels. It opens with charming and leafy white fruits on the nose, white peach touched with a little caramel and crushed chalk. It feels beautifully textured at the start of the palate, fresh and pure, with white pebbles, white freesia and white peach, all with a sweetly honeyed polished to it. It shows harmony through to the finish, and has good length too. A quite charming style which would be delicious with a fruit-based dessert. Florent tells me he doesn’t remember the residual sugar but thinks it is between 90 and 100 g/l. The alcohol on the label is 12%. Under screwcap.” 90 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2023

2022 Coteaux du Layon “Carte d’Or”   stelvin-luxe (due 2025)
A classically styled nose, with the sweetness of concentrated Chenin and a leafy edge, yellow peach with a bright sense of freshness. The palate impresses with a glossy and seamless texture, supported by a light phenolic backbone of grip, but with grained acidity and a real sense of youthful vivacity as a result. This is completely integrated through to the finish, where it finishes with a powdery length. A very smart entry-level Coteaux du Layon which would make a good apéro. The residual sugar is 73 g/l and the alcohol on the label is 12%. Under screwcap. 90 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024

2023 Coteaux du Layon “Carte d’Or”   stelvin-luxe (due 2025)
Coteaux du Layon are sweet white wines made from Chenin Blanc. The appellation covers 27 municipalities on both sides of the Layon. The most famous part is closest to the Loire. It includes in particular the commune of Rochefort sur Loire. The terroir is made up of sandstone shales. The vines are aged from 15 to 65 years. The Carte d’Or corresponds to a selection of grapes from old vines on the slopes of Layon. This is the least concentrated vintage of our sweet wines. Pressing: Fractional pneumatic, direct in whole bunches Fermentation: At low temperature, long and controlled with ageing on fine lees for 8 months in stailess steel tank. 11.5% alc, 92.3 g RS, 3.87 g/l TA.

2019 Le Petit Paon moelleux    500ml stelvin-luxe
This wine is a young cousin of their Coteaux du Layon Le Paon and contains “a secret and original blend of our cepages and terroirs”. Elegant and lively with 88.8 gms/litre of residual sugar this wine comes from a number of vineyards in Coteaux du Layon and… The wine is both elegant and refreshing with ample acidity backing the beautifully modest level of sweetness and also modest alcohol at 11%. Exotic aromas of ripe apricots quince and citrus elements binding the wine into a complex whole with well covered acidity taking the wine to a very long peacocks tail finish on the palate. Astonishing value and a brilliant addition to the range.

These are simply some of the worlds greatest sweet wines. Made from 100% Chenin blanc these wines will age superbly.

2017 Coteau du Layon “Clos St Catherine” stelvin-luxe
From a single north-facing vineyard located just above the village of Rochefort-sur-Loire with vines aged from 15-65 yo planted in sandy quartz soils over schist. These vines located directly above the village have been owned by the Baumard family for centuries. This wine providing a stark contrast to the richer fuller wines from the south-facing Quarts de Chaume. As a result the acidity here can be more marked and give exceptional ageing capacity and greater finesse and depth so that in some years it challenges the very best of Quarts de Chaume. 11.5% alc, 163.6 g RS, 4.9 g/l TA.
”Things become considerably more interesting with the Clos de Sainte Catherine, a much richer, deeper and more cerebral style. It is sourced from a single vineyard with sandy soils just outside Rochefort-sur-Loire.”
It's amazing that the 2017 Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte-Catherine has 163g/l of residual sugar, as it boasts lovely freshness and elegance. The excellent balance could be attributed to the cooler, north-facing site or the schistous bedrock. It is simply delicious, with wonderful acidity providing brightness and clarity, leaving you wanting more of its honey, celery and cooked peach flavors. This is drinking well now, but as a rare sweet Loire Chenin Blanc under screwcap, it will evolve slowly; it has more than a decade left in the tank, probably two.
91 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous Media, July 2024

2016 Coteau du Layon “Clos St Catherine” stelvin-luxe
”Deep golden color. Intense nose combining notes of ripe apricot, pineapple, lychee, very very engaging. The palate is rather concentrated but has retained a remarkable tension, it delivers the same delicate and persistent aromas. Just great art.” 95 points, Gilbert & Gaillard, December 2018

2012 Coteau du Layon “Clos St Catherine” stelvin-luxe - last bottles
“Glazed Jonagold apple and pear notes are laced with toasted macadamia nut and dried mango hints, with everything gliding through a honeysuckle-accented finish. Flattering, but has lift and tension for balance.” 90 pts Wine Spectator - September 2015

...there is no doubt in my mind that the Quarts de Chaume from Domaine des Baumard remains, in many vintages, one of the finest examples of the appellation.
— The Wine Doctor

“..there is no doubt in my mind that the Quarts de Chaume from Domaine des Baumard remains, in many vintages, one of the finest examples of the appellation. The methods behind the wine are unique, and seem to me to be at odds with the Quarts de Chaume's proven capability of producing naturally botrytis-dried, wind-dried grapes of complex flavour, and as such they should certainly be put up for debate. But we should not judge purely on methodology, but also on results, as we cannot ignore the finished product. Judging solely by what is in the glass these taut and vibrant wines, with their remarkably crystalline and minerally-quartzy character, usually countered by their soothing, polished sweetness, are delightful examples of the Quarts de Chaume appellation.” thewinedoctor.com

2018 Quarts de Chaume    500ml    stelvin-luxe
An excellent vintage for the Loire for all styles of wine especially the sweet wines of the Anjou. This vintage carries 122 g/l residual and shows great richness and depth.
”Poured from a 500 ml bottle, this presents a much paler hue than the 2015 Clos de Sainte Catherine tasted alongside. It presents a very pure nose, of white peach, mango and confit pear which to my palate seems to typify the Baumard style, calling to mind the style of wine produced here fifteen years ago, before all the Quarts de Chaume controversies erupted. The palate is sweet and dense, with a very rich concentration of powdered white peach, pear and pressed apple, backed up by a fine phenolic grip, and fresh acidity. Deliciously poised and fresh, with a good sense of bitterness, and bright acidity, this feels impressively pure and true. This should evolve for decades, although it will always be in the Baumard style, rather than the more nobly rotten style which dominates the appellation today. The residual sugar is 122 g/l and the alcohol on the label is 12%. Under screwcap.” 94 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2024
”In this vintage Florent moved to bottling his entire production in the Quarts de Chaume appellation in 500 ml format. Fresh with layers of yellow and white peach scented with jasmine, lemon peel and white freesias. The palate has a simply divine poise and breadth, with a silky, tightly formed texture, supported by a rich phenolic grip. It presents an array of floral white fruits, with its great purity reinforced by its fresh veins of acidity. Deliciously formed, bright and pure, with a dense, velvety and creamy texture, but countered by structure and freshness, this has great length and serious potential. I can see it going for a few decades in a decent cellar. The alcohol on the label is 12%.” 94 points, thewinedoctor.com, February 2023
“Aromas of baked pears, green apples, sage and thyme. Medium-bodied with charming sweetness. Supple and bright with a solid core of candied berries and fresh flowers. Honey and almond skin. Lovely length here too. Seriously tasty. Drink or hold.”  94 points JamesSuckling.com, October 2022

1967 Quarts de Chaume (re-corked at the domaine 2007) - SOLD OUT
From one of the most highly famed sweet wine vintages of last century in France. This vintage was cooler with good acidity and moderate development of botrytis leading to some spectacular sweet wines coming from this vintage. Made by Florents father, Jean Baumard, this is made in a more traditional way to the wines produced now. Showing great depth and some gently honeyed character with more solids apparent on the palate than more recent vintages. This wine is still effortless and lithe and glides over the palate in waves of honey spice and gently candied citrus flavours carried by gentle acidity still giving shape and refreshment to this utterly riveting and moderately sweet wine. Almost defies description to partake in such a great wine in such great condition having been re-corked in 2007 then laid to rest in the cellar for some years to recover before being re-released by the domaine in the last decade.
”This bottle of 1967 Quarts de Chaume was recorked in 2002. It offers a singular bouquet of caramelized citrus, white truffle, browned sugar and honey. Deep, ripe, unctuous and powerful, yet with vibrant acidity, it’s an incredible dessert wine.” 96 points, Jeb Dunnuck, March 2018.

“If there ever was God in a glass, this is it.”  Matt Kramer