Château Franc Baudron…
…A family owned chateau of Montagne Saint-Emilion that practices Organic Farming
Château Franc Baudron is a property that was created in 1923 by the Gimberteau family. Originally the property merely consisted of farm buildings and 4 hecatres managing polyculture (vine, vegetable garden, cows, horses, grains). Although the creation of Franc Baudron backs to the early 20th century the vine is grown on this land for centuries.
In the 40s, the property was taken over by the grandfather of the current generation who expands to 7 hectares. In 1982, his son Michel moved to turn out and vineyards of the wine cooperative to integrate the operation of his father. Since then, as the years passed Château Franc Baudron has expanded and has expanded to 32 hectares of AOC Montagne Saint-Emilion and 8 hectares of AOC Bordeaux.
Today the Château Franc Baudron is managed by Sophie Guimberteau-Foray, her husband Charles, her father Michel and her brother Vincent.
Hence where does the name of Château Franc Baudron come from?
Regarding the name “Baudron” it just comes from the name of said location. However, to dig a little further and after Sophie the “Baudron” name has a Germanic origin and means “bold”.
As the name “Franc” was given as a result of a succession which divided the property into two parts. The current Château Franc-Baudron returned to the grandfather of Sophie Guimberteau Foray. It was necessary to differentiate the two properties and given the character “fairly direct” the great grandfather of Sophie Gimberteau Foray called “Franc” was added before Baudron. Currently the other property is called Château Vieux Baudron.
Have you always had the project / wanted to work on the family property?
“Absolutely not! At the end of high school I was studying international business and I went to have training in Ireland where I worked for a franchise wine store. Back in France, I enrolled at the Oenology University of Bordeaux and following the abolition of the International Trade BTS option I followed the business management option. From there I met Charles, my husband and I went to work in Switzerland. He stayed for his engineering degree at the Changins School and me I was back to Bordeaux. After graduation he went back to work in the Libourne but has not found much. We quickly left but this time to Alsace where Marcel Deiss house offered me a position in international trade. Subsequently we have also worked for other Alsatian wineries.
In 2010 we wanted to get to our account but we could not find anything interesting and that fit our budget. So we chose to go down in the Bordeaux region and work for the family business. We had an agreement with the family we came down here to work on the condition that we can convert the vineyard into organic. It’s important for us to lead the vineyard organically because we want to be the least harmful as possible for our land, our consumers and for us.
Here we have a great advantage which is that our neighbors are all organic too. “(Sophie Gimberteau-Foray)
Why organic?
“We are managing in organic farming but some biodynamic-techniques are also used. We are moving towards biodynamic farming by step, little by little. It is an ultimate goal of being 100% biodynamic.
We always work like that everywhere we went. When you live in a natural environment it is stupid to destroy and poison it. In addition there are several sources of water on the property … Do not practice organic farming would have conflicted with our thinking.
We work according to the lunar calendar. You are limited to doses of copper to 6 kg / ha but we wish we did not exceed 3kg. “(Sophie Gimberteau-Foray)
What are you looking each year during the development of the wines of Château Franc Baudron? What is your guideline?
“The winemaking has changed much since we arrived in 2010 We Wanted freshness and balance. It’s not all about over-maturity. Our sweet and our white are vinified in barrels on lees which allows us to have more fruity, more intense. “(Sophie Gimberteau-Foray)
The story of the week
“Our grandfather was a fan of mechanical and DIY. He has a workshop full of tools of all ages who were raised as to his life … .he ran this workshop as an unnamed bazaar. Except ironically at the entrance to the workshop there is a sign saying ‘everything in a place … To tell you how this is a mess sometimes it is better to buy a tool to look for here that … goes faster.
It also has a collection of old tools coopers, very old bottles and old tractors. “(Sophie Gimberteau-Foray)
Thanks to Sophie Gimberteau-Foray for her hospitality.
Choukroun Chicheportiche Jonathan
Château Franc Baudron
2. lieu dit baudron
33570 MONTAGNE (France)
+33 (0)5.57.74.62.65
