The terroir of Barrat-Masson Champagnes covers seven hectares, from Villenauxe-la-Grande to Bethon, with 90% Chardonnay and 10% Pinot Noir. In 2005, Loïc Barrat took over the family business in Bethon, where weed killers were quickly replaced by ploughs. The reasoned precision viticulture will start the conversion to the "organic" viticulture in 2009, supported by Aurélie Masson who advocates the respectful viticulture of nature. Champagne Barrat-Masson was born in 2010, the starting point of a life project shared by Aurélie Masson, œnologist, and Loïc Barrat, winegrower, both passionate about vines and wine, who wish above all to produce quality champagnes. Following the conversion of the vineyard to organic farming in 2011, they chose to leave the cooperative to which they sold all their harvest and decided to make their own wines. Their first harvest dates back to 2011.
Convinced of the richness of Nature, they decided to grow their vines organically to respect their terroir and allow the wines to reveal their full personality. Faithful to their image, Aurélie and Loïc rehabilitate the old buildings of the family farm to install their press, a traditional Coquard, a vat room, a cellar, and a winery. The Barrat-Masson champagnes are thus elaborated at the rhythm of Nature to reach the expected quality.
Loïc is a winegrower who adapts his tools to his needs in order to better respect the soil and to be more efficient in protecting the vines. He practices precision viticulture and the rigor required by organic farming to obtain quality grapes. He constantly watches over the vines in order to react to the slightest need of the plant.
Aurélie, for her part, strives to bring out the best in grapes brought to optimum maturity: she watches over every detail, from the arrival of the grapes at the press to the shipping of the bottles. Chosen for the quality of the juice it produces, a traditional Coquard press is installed in the old barn. The refined fractioning of each marc is at the origin of the detailed image of the plot of land that Aurélie wants to emphasize.
She works in particular with cœurs de cuvée and vinifies each parcel separately in stainless steel vats, oak barrels and demi-muid in order to obtain a multitude of images of her parcel. It is at the time of the assemblies that this richness of wine will make it possible to carry out vintages of precision and full with character. Aurélie is the least interventionist possible and lets the wines open up over time, peacefully at the rhythm of nature.
Even the disgorging is done in the respect of the tradition, on the fly. Loïc’s assiduity in the vineyard and Aurélie’s accompaniment of the wines, allow Champagne Barrat-Masson to reach a remarkable gustative quality, and this, in a great naturalness.
Loïc’s experience, combined with Aurélie’s knowledge and technical precision, allow Barrat-Masson Champagnes to reach a level of intensity, refinement, and authenticity communicated by the terroir of the Côte de Sézanne and the greatness of Champagne.