Barrow family

Southwest France (Gascony)

Gascony, located in the southwest of France, is an area with a rich natural environment close to the Pyrenees and the Atlantic Ocean. Gascony is famous for its beautiful rural scenery and gastronomic culture, especially as a producer of foie gras and Armagnac.

Gascony as a wine-producing region is especially known for producing white wines, which are made using local varieties such as Ugni Blanc, Colombard and Gros Manseng and are characterised by fresh, refreshing acidity and fruit flavours.

The Barrault family's domaine and vineyards

The Barraud family is a three-generation Domaine located in the hills of Gascony in southwestern France. The Barrauds produce Armagnac near the town of Auzer, famous as the "Armagnac capital."

This place is also known as the birthplace of D'Artagnan, the protagonist of the famous "The Three Musketeers" by Alexandre Dumas.

The current owner, Damien, has a wife and three children. He decided to go organic in 2001 and obtained organic certification in 2004.

Organic since : 2001 ( certified in 2004)

The Gascony region, where the Barrault family is located, has a relatively humid oceanic climate compared to other grape-growing regions. Because it is difficult to control grape diseases caused by humidity, organic grape cultivation requires high skill and patience.

For this reason, there are very few domaines in this region that are actually practicing organic winemaking, but the Barro family is proud that they have been able to take on the challenge of making organic wine in this environment.

・White grapes : Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng, Sauvignon Blanc

・Black grapes: Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc

Characteristics of brewing method

The white wine produced by Barrow has a fresh and clean taste.

Because this wine is best consumed early, they sell out the wine that is ready around the end of January each year within the year. They also strictly manage low temperatures to ensure consistent quality. They aim to maintain a temperature range of 5°C for white wine and 0-2°C for sweet wine.

The Barrault family's wine, Quatre Cépages , means "Four Varieties" in French.

This wine is made using four of Gascony's most representative grape varieties: Colombard, Ugni Blanc, Gros Manseng and Sauvignon.

Working with four varieties makes a lot of sense, says Barrow.

First, we can increase the number of fields for each variety in a terraced shape, which reduces the risk of climate change and disease. Secondly, since the harvest season differs depending on the variety, it becomes easier to manage time and we can make the most of the time we spend on brewing.

Above all, the best part is exploring the possibilities of creating better wine by combining their different techniques.

The four varieties used are those that grow well in this region and are particularly aromatic. Just like blending perfumes, the proportions of each variety are adjusted from year to year to create a wine that has a balanced aroma of citrus, boxwood and tropical fruits that spreads on the palate with a sense of freshness.

"Each of these varieties has different characteristics and complements each other, so to me they are like the 'Four Musketeers,'" he told us, a play on the famous Gascony legend of the "Three Musketeers."