Domaine de Baraillon 1962

Tasting note

Nose

Very smooth aroma. Definitely tastefully sweet, a bit like a Vin Santo. It even smells a little syrupy. Wax and sultanas and a hint of tobacco. Bit of metallic smell, but certainly not unpleasant. Later, it goes a bit more towards the berry side. Fresher and more elegant.

Taste

Despite the relatively low alcohol content, a very complex flavour. Spicy and tangy without being sharp. Understandable as the distillate has spent over 60 years in wood. This wood has done well too, as tannins are clearly perceptible and provide a mildly bitter background. Fresh fruit is also perceptible in combination with some more mature fruit. What we don't actually find in the glass. This is enjoyment every sip.

Finish

The age gives this armagnac its character and that mild bitterness lingers wonderfully long in the mouth.

The distillery

The Domaine de Baraillon is located just outside Lannemaignan in the Bas-Armagnac. The pretty little estate is surrounded by sunflower, maize and wheat fields and, of course, vineyards. Driving past the Domaine, you wouldn't even know that Armagnac is produced here, were it not for a large barrel on the side of the road with their name written on it. 

Claverie's Armagnacs are a combination of two properties: 4 hectares owned by Patriach Paul's sister in Le Freche and 12 hectares around his house. All vineyards are full of the three major grape varieties, Baco, Colombard and Ugni Blanc. Until 2012 they used the Loubere distillery in Labastide d'Armagnac, but in 2012 they bought their own stills in which they now turn their wines into spirits. The fresh eau de vie normally goes into 5,000-litre casks before being transferred to smaller barrels. Both new and old barrels are used for this purpose. The barrels are regularly aerated to promote oxidation. The oldest stocks date back to the late 19th century and it occasionally seems as if time has stood still at Domaine de Baraillon. Tradition and quality are therefore highly valued by the family.