Terres de La Baume Viognier-Chardonnay 2010

Domaine de La Baume

The estate is located in the Servian district near Béziers and the mediaeval town of Pézenas.

The name of our estate has several meanings in Occitan: In Langue d'Oc, la Baume means a "little hump of land", a hill that is not unlike the undulating relief of the es- tate's landscape. In Provencal Occitan, la Baume means a grotto or a troglodyte dwelling. This definition is used nowadays in geology. The “balme or Baume” denotes a rock shelter located at varying heights above an escarpment.

The original meaning seems to be a combination of these two meanings: La Baume means a hiding place, a shelter. Itinerant bronze and glass sellers in the Middle Ages who were unable to transport their overly heavy articles from region to region used to hide their merchandise in mounds of earth; places that they kept secret, also known as Baumes. This is what we call the hidden Languedoc treasure.

The selection of the plots (and its very French concept of terroir) is only the prelude to the wine-making techniques directly inspired by the New World.

La Baume was, for example, one of the first to pick the grapes entirely at night and to adopt and master micro-oxygenation and inerting to preserve the freshness and fruitiness for several years. The oenologists have a unique approach to vine-growing, carefully managing the size and leaf surface area to maximise the beneficial ef- fects of the Languedoc sun. The wine-making process only aims to reveal the aromas of the grapes with a minimum of intervention. Far from being given their famous worldwide taste, the wines have the distinctive taste of the terroir.

The soils are clayey, sandy and loamy, on a plain or a hillside. They have given birth to a broad range of wines. From the most congenial to the most elitist, such as Terre de la Baume.

Pure pleasure wines, they offer a vast aromatic palette and are gourmet partners of choice.

A wine-producing project in Languedoc, la Baume perpetuates a tradition of wine- making innovation and excellence.

Sight:

Brilliant straw yellow colour.

Nose:

Powerful aromas of candied fruits and citrus zests

Palate:

Alternately, mandarin zest, fresh apricot and candied orange.
This aromatic sensation continues on to the palate, supported by a full structure, typical of Viognier, developing into a fresh and spicy finish.

Food pairing:

Excellent as an aperitif, and a delightful accompaniment to honey-roasted chicken as well as Asian dishes (sushi, Thai curry), white meats and soft cheese.