Franck Balthazar - Cuvée Juliette 2022
Domaine Franck Balthazar was founded in 1931. It has been managed since 2002 by Franck, who succeeded his father René, who had been in charge since 1950 and who oversaw the move to bottling at the estate in the 1970s. The estate has grown from 2 hectares in 2002 (1 hectare of century-old vines at Chaillot and 1 hectare of vines about 50 years old at Mazard ) to about 3.5 hectares today. Plantings on a steep site above Sabarotte were added in 2005 and 2008 on newly formed terraces. Franck Balthazar's goal is to maintain the traditional approach of his grandfather, Casimir.
The vineyards are organic and plowed by horse, the ferments are whole bunches with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats. To preserve the fragrance of the old vines and high altitude plantings, all wines are aged in old 600-liter demi-muids . Sulfur is kept to a minimum and all winemaking techniques are as natural as possible.
The Juliette vintage comes from old Syrah vines that belonged to Franck Balthazar's wife's grandmother, cultivated on steep plots worked manually with a pickaxe and winch. Vinification is done in whole bunches with indigenous yeasts, with a long maceration. Aging lasts 12 to 18 months in the 600-liter barrels used by Franck Balthazar.
Grape variety: 100% Syrah
"A racy and vibrant Cornas, with deep aromas of black fruits and graphite, supported by a fine structure and a velvety texture. The Cuvée Juliette expresses the purity of the steep terroir and the finesse of a Syrah aged without compromise."
