Baldès is a family winery from the Cahors appellation in southwestern France, located on the terraces of the Lot valley. The history of the winery began in 1830 when Etienne Baldès planted the first vines and built a house that remains the family residence to this day. Currently, the winery is managed by the sixth generation — Jean-Luc and Sabine Baldès, and their daughter Juliette is preparing to take over. Nearly two centuries despite adversity The history of Baldès is a story of perseverance against the forces of nature. In 1877, the phylloxera plague — an aphid that destroys vine roots — significantly reduced the planting area. The vineyard was slowly rebuilt, but in 1956 an extremely harsh winter forced another reconstruction of a significant portion of the plots. Recent years have not spared the winery either — spring frosts in 2017, 2019, and 2021 once again reminded how fragile winemaking is in the face of nature. Despite this, the Baldès family today owns 70 hectares of vineyards with some of the oldest plantings in the entire Cahors region. Malbec from Cahors The main grape variety is Malbec — a variety for which Cahors is famous worldwide. In addition to red wines made from Malbec, Baldès also produces white and rosé wines. The richness of the soils and low harvest yields allow for diversification of wine styles. In 1976, Baldès was among the first in the region to install stainless steel tanks, and in 1999 they modernized the cellars, which now house over 600 barrique barrels. The wines ferment in stainless steel at controlled temperatures and then mature in French oak barrels.