PAUL BARA

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The Bara family have been growing wine in Bouzy since 1833. First they sold the grapes to the Négoce, and in 1929 they joined the Bouzy cooperative - one of the first in Champagne. After the Second World War, Paul Bara began making his own champagne. Today Paul has retired, the winery is now in the hands of his daughter Chantale Bara.

All of the Bara family's parcels are in the Grand Cru of Bouzy, 9.5 hectares of Pinot Noir and 1.5 hectares of Chardonnay. Many of the plots are relatively old, the vines have an average age of 35 to 40 years. The wines are aged in stainless steel and tiled tanks, malolactic fermentation has been strictly avoided since 1990 in order to preserve the character and lightness of the wines.

The wine cellars are a specialty: Since the smaller part of the cellars dates from the time the house was built around 1860, these were later expanded to the current capacity. There are many small tanks lined with tiles or glass that are used to store reserve wines. This means that Bara can draw on a large number of reserve wines from different parcels and vintages during production.

Paul Bara's champagnes are classic examples of bouzy: full-bodied, fruity and vinous - thanks to the Pinot Noir, which is grown on the warm southern slopes of the town. At the same time, the wines show an unusual precision and finesse. Despite the lack of malolactic fermentation, the champagnes are in no way aggressive. The champagnes are velvety, profound and incorporate all components perfectly.

In addition to the champagnes, Bara is also known for its Bouzy Rouge, a red wine made from vines over 50 years old that ripens very slowly and is released unusually late.

Facts: Bouzy, Montagne de Reims, R.M., 11 hectares, 100,000 bottles / year, 100% Grand Cru vineyards