Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon 'Carte d'Or' 2021

'The harvest and vinification of the Coteaux du Layon fruit follows closely the same philosophies with picking in tries, only here the aim is clearly to obtain fruit more marked by botrytis. The fruit is channelled into at least three cuvées, on occasion complemented by some purchased fruit from a grower in St Lambert du Lattay. This purchased fruit does not contribute to the more elevated cuvées but only to the very serviceable Carte d’Or, an entry-level wine with a lighter, elegant style with not a prodigious level of residual sugar.' Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor.

'Florent Baumard is one of the world’s best winemakers, and you probably don’t know him. That’s because he produces Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley, an all-too-often overlooked region. Baumard produces a range of dry and sweet wines, topped by his Quarts de Chaume. And perhaps the best part of Baumard’s new wines is that they are now all under screw cap. Bravo to Florent Baumard for making this decision based on quality, not marketing.' James Molesworth, Wine Spectator, March 2007