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PAUL BIZARD AT CHÂTEAU D’ÉPIRÉ
THE VINEYARDS AT CHÂTEAU D’ÉPIRÉ
found one of his first wines, a 2019 La Croix Picot, particularly noteworthy. The winery only produces
Savennières spanning three labels which each refer to small and unique vineyard blocks within a
relatively small radius of 10 hectares in the village of Epiré itself. The nearby Loire and the vineyards’
aspect are the major defining features. La Croix Picot is made from grapes with light noble rot, as
has been customary here for many years, but “we add a touch of modernity by fermenting the wine
in casks that are between one and fifteen years old”. The aim is to produce a very balanced wine
that is both mineral and oaky. Paul Bizard is a keen nature enthusiast, as mirrored in the winery’s
HVE certification, but he also values the family’s heritage, which he perpetuates. One of the winery’s
proudest aspects is its winery: “I am so fortunate to be able to work in a 12th-century church”.
It’s not just the building’s charm and unique setting that are an attraction – the very thick walls
and semi-underground location ensure that temperatures stay very stable all year round, without
having to resort to artificial cooling or heating systems. Another plus point is that the crop can also
be conveyed using gravity. For all these reasons, René Bizard chose to turn the church into a winery
in 1905, making it conducive to some highly spiritual moments.
DOMAINE DES BAUMARD: OF FAMILY AND FRUIT
Twenty kilometres from Angers, Rochefort-sur-Loire has rhymed with Baumard since 1634. This
long-standing winegrowing family – which even operated a nursery during phylloxera – continues
to enlist family members from across the generations to farm its 40 hectares set on either side of the
Loire. Jean Baumard, the grandfather and figurehead of the present-day winery, passed away last
summer but the lineage continues. Alongside Florent Baumard, his son and the current boss, a third
generation has already signed up. Charles happily joined the winery two years ago, followed by his
86 WINTER 2023 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE