Paul Barre

Paul Barre has been well-known for several decades as one of the pioneer of biodynamics principles in France. He learned the job from scratch in 1975 and proudly carries the Fronsac appellation (in the shadow of Saint-Émilion only 12 km away). His father and grand-father were both wine brokers in Bordeaux. Paul’s mother, Maryse converted the Château Pavie-Macquin in Saint-Émilion to biodynamics during the 90’s.

Paul quickly started practicing organic farming, however, the system and its state of mind did not satisfy him; the organic labelling didn’t offer much freedom to the winemakers; for example, purchasing the standardized organic products was necessary, rather than doing treatments that were more appropriate. After hearing about biodynamic agriculture in 1977-1978 and in 1985, the understanding of this method slowly made its way and Paul decided to apply it in his vineyard in 1990. Since 2013, the vines have been ploughed by horses. This gradation in the natural wine is a logical but rather unusual sequence in Bordeaux to be put forward. The vinification is made without input of course.

Paul Barre’s vineyard is now gradually taken over by his son Gabriel. With his wife, Édith, they are now the artisans of the field, with the backdrop of the father’s legacy of biodynamics, which they will continue to pamper and beautify with passion.