DOMAINE DE LA BAUME: AN EMBLEMATIC ESTATE SINCE 1880

A rich history behind Secrets du Sud

A rich history behind Secrets du Sud
The story of Domaine de la Baume began in 1880, when the PRAT family, passionate about and in love with the vines, decided to turn it into a renowned estate. At the time, the vineyard had been left fallow after the phylloxera crisis. Jean Prat, the father, built a characterful property, “La Folie”, which has remained the emblem of the estate over the years. For some twenty years, with the help of his sons, Jean Prat made a major contribution to developing the reputation of his wines and invested heavily in the vineyard, replanting 100 hectares. In 1900, he opened a boutique dedicated to Domaine de la Baume wines on the famous Boulevard Haussmann in Paris, an incredible showcase for the estate’s wines.

Forced into old age, he passed on the estate to his sons, along with his passion and taste for hard work. Two generations of owners followed, and in 1990 the story took a new turn with the arrival of the Hardy family, of Australian origin. The Hardys have passed on much more than their savoir-faire, they have also brought with them a state of mind. With the aim of restructuring the vineyard, they planted international grape varieties on the estate. They also initiated night harvesting and introduced modern winemaking and ageing techniques that have created these distinctive styles, with the utmost respect for the grape. Since 2003, the estate has been owned by the Helfrich family, who have continued to develop the property and put their wines on the international map.

frederic gangletas responsable domaine de la baume
« By combining its international origins with the diversity of Languedoc terroirs, Domaine de la Baume aims to marry tradition and modernity, and transmit the best of the spirit of the South of France. » Frédéric Glangetas, Domaine Manager.

A terroir revealing secrets

The estate covers 216 hectares, with a wide variety of grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Roussanne, Cabernet Blanc, Cinsault, Grenache, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Petit Verdot and Pinot Noir flourish in the vineyards.
  • Climate: Domaine de la Baume enjoys a Mediterranean climate. This is characterized by alternating mild winters and hot summers, a combination of plenty of sunshine and a few violent winds. Rainfall, irregularly distributed throughout the year, is mainly in spring and autumn, ensuring optimal growth and ripening of the grapes.
  • Soil: The soil on which Domaine de la Baume vines are planted is highly diversified. While the semi-slopes have limestone pebbles, the plateaus are clayey-limestone and clayey-sandy. This rich terroir makes it possible to produce a wide range of wines, from convivial to more subtle. Whatever they are, they offer a vast palette of aromas.
The Domaine’s vines are pruned using Cordon de Royat, Guyot simple or double. « The type of pruning depends on several parameters such as the age of the vine, its behavior, its balance… Our expertise enables us to determine the ideal size for each plot.. » Xavier Sabouraud, Vineyard Manager.
domaine de la baume création du domaine en 1880

Our winemaking style

After a year of work over the four seasons, and of caring for the vines, comes the long-awaited moment of harvest. Choosing the harvest date for each plot is a very important decision to make in order to harvest quality grapes at the best ripeness. At Domaine de la Baume, harvesting and vinification are carried out according to a strict parcel-by-parcel selection, meaning that each plot is harvested and vinified separately to preserve the typicity and character of each grape variety. For the vinification of our white and rosé wines, we use cold stabulation, which involves cooling the musts before vinification to preserve the maximum aromatic potential of each wine. For our red wines, we choose cold pre-fermentation maceration of the grapes to obtain a beautiful color and extract the full potential of the fruit, while retaining freshness. « We put our savoir-faire and greatest attention at the service of each of our parcels to express the best of their potential. » Marie Toussaint, oenologist.

Secrets du Sud​

Producing an exceptional wine requires jealously guarded savoir-faire. Here are some of our secrets…
vendanges de nuit domaine de la baume

SECRET NUMBER 1: NIGHT HARVESTING

To preserve the aromas and freshness of the fruit at harvest time. Domaine de la Baume was one of the first estates in the Languedoc to practice night harvesting.

vignes domaine de la baume languedoc

SECRET NUMBER 2: PLOT SELECTION

To preserve the typicity and character of each grape variety.

cepage blanc domaine de la baume languedoc raisin blanc

SECRET NUMBER 3: A WIDE VARIETY OF VARIETAL EXPRESSION

To create wines with a wide range of aromas.

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