Two Baumard εψιλον

S

Saina Nieminen

Saina Nieminen
Domaine des Baumard Savennires Clos du Papillon 2005 13% abv; screwcap
This was at first quite reductive with its scent of rubber. Just 10 minutes or so decanting cleared that up and the result was gorgeous. It does show as a hugely ripe wine, more ripe than my Platonic ideal, but certainly not overdone. It has classic Chenin aromas of pear, hay and quince and also lovely minerality and some citrus. Full bodied, very ripe, but with enough acidity to keep the whole very balanced and refreshing. Persistent, mineral aftertaste. Lovely wine!

Domaine des Baumard Quarts de Chaume 2004 13% abv; last under cork?
Thought the ideal time to open these must be decades away, I still found this to be an enchanting drink. The scent has a lovely touch of quince and green aromas (peas I would say rather than asparagus). The botrytis isn't an in your face type of orange peel as it so often is with Sauternes for example, but rather is a lovely, concentrated lemon aroma. Full bodied, sweet but not heavy, lovely, bright acidity with a slight but delightful quinine bitterness to bring the whole further refreshing elements. Dangerously moreish even at this εψιλον stage.

On Richard Kelley's site, I see that some don't consider Baumard typical for Savennires. Why is that?

-O
 
Otto:

I'm a fan of the Baumard Chenin-based wines, especially the Savennieres. I don't have broad direct experience with other producers from this AC, but what I've read is that some view his style as being 'modern,' in the sense of being easy to drink earlier than 'traditional' Savennieres. This is pure hearsay, and I hope some of the knowledgeable Loire white gurus will chime in with real information.

Thanks for the note.

Cheers.
 
I don't know who Richard Kelley is, but Baumard's Savennires seem pretty typical to me. In fact, I've often thought Baumard the most typical producer of Savennires these days.
 
Baumard is using screwcaps?

The world as I thought I knew it has been shattered.

Shattered!

Best,
Kay

p.s. My understanding, in a nutshell, is the traditionalists do not allow malolactic fermentation, while the non-traditionalists do.
 
originally posted by Rahsaan:
originally posted by Chris Coad:
I don't know who Richard Kelley is..
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Author of this site on Loire wines:

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www.richardkelley.co.uk

We had a thread a few weeks ago discussing it.
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We did? Why don't I remember? Was I slurring my words?

I'm worried about me now.

And I'm also now confused about whether we're discussing 'typical' vs 'not typical' or 'traditional' vs 'non-traditional.'
 
Oh yeah, that one. That was really long and wordy, I just skipped to the end and read the last post. I didn't click on the link because the content was described as "socio-economic" and "political," and that shit bores me silly. For me, what's in the glass is all that counts.

But at least I know I'm not currently having blackouts. Phew.
 
Chris, the internet timestamps show that there were three hours between the first paragraph and the last sentence. I think the blackouts have started again.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
On Richard Kelley's site, I see that some don't consider Baumard typical for Savennires. Why is that?

-O
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Well, he is much more experimental than his neighbours for one thing. Imagine putting Clos du Papillon under screw cap. Not to mention training his vines in that great vineyard like they do in California: big and tall.

He has a novelty wine that he claims is Verdelho (and that it is traditional to the Anjou albeit in a very minor way), which no doubt the neighbours scoff at.

His wines are really not at all boldly adventurous, though. In fact, ever since he acquired corporate accountability they've seemed to be lacking in personality and soul altogether.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
In fact, ever since he acquired corporate accountability they've seemed to be lacking in personality and soul altogether.
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Thanks for the explanation, but ouch! I like these wines, so perhaps I just require less personality than you. I don't believe in the existence of souls so I won't bother with that.
 
originally posted by Otto Nieminen:
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
In fact, ever since he acquired corporate accountability they've seemed to be lacking in personality and soul altogether.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the explanation, but ouch! I like these wines, so perhaps I just require less personality than you. I don't believe in the existence of souls so I won't bother with that.
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It's true I'm a bit hard on him. He's a wonderful fellow, and he has made some fabulous wines in the past. Now, in joining the ranks of under-achievers in Savennires, perhaps he has improved his typicit.
 
I agree with Jeff. It's been a number of vintages since I had a Baumard wine that excited me. It's too bad, since he makes a lot of wine and it is widely distributed. I wish it were better.
 
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