FRANCK BALTHAZAR - SANS SOUFRE AJOUTE 2018
Domaine Franck Balthazar dates back to 1931. It is managed since 2002 by Franck, who took over from his dad René, who was in charge since 1950 and had overseen the move into domaine bottling in the 1970s. The domaine has extended from 2 hectares in 2002 (1 hectare of centenarian vines in Chaillot and a 50-years-old hectare in Mazard) to around 3,5 hectares today. Plantings on an extreme site above Sabarotte were added in 2005 and 2008 on newly formed terraces. Franck’s aim is to preserve the traditional approach of his grandfather, Casimir.
Vineyards are organic and ploughed with a horse, ferments are whole cluster with native yeasts in concrete vats. To retain the perfume gifted by old vines and high-perched planting, all wines are aged in old 600 litres demi-muids. Sulphur is kept to the minimum and all winemaking techniques are as natural as possible.
The cuvée Sans Soufre Ajouté comes from Syrah grown in La Lègre and a little on Les Côtes, whose average age is 11 years. The first cuvée was released in 2012 and came from only one cask. The whole bunch fermentation lasts 2 weeks with wild yeasts and manual cap punching. The ageing lasts 14 months in the 600 litres barrels used by Franck Balthazar. As its name implied, no sulphites are added, and the wine is bottled unfined, unfiltered, all handled by gravity.
Grape variety: 100% Syrah