Lynsolence
The little town of Branne owes its existence to the Dordogne, on which it sits. During the Middle Ages travellers and traders could cross the river here, making use of the ancient wooden bridge which spanned the river at this point. Provided they could find enough coins in their pockets to pay the required toll, that is.
Later, the Dordogne brought the town of Branne even greater prosperity, as it grew to become a significant river port. Robust quaysides were built, facilitating the loading of river boats with the region’s two main exports, which were wine (no surprises there) and the local stone, quarried from the region’s great beds of limestone. The road which runs directly from the town of St Emilion down to Branne no doubt once heaved with commercial traffic, heading to and from the river. The town prospered; the cathedral-like neo-Gothic Église de Saint-Étienne, completed in 1877, was a testament to local wealth, while the statue of Madonna, which watches over the river traffic from its position on the quayside, was an acknowledgement of its source.
There are vineyards here too, mostly on the right bank of the Dordogne, where they are eligible for the St Emilion appellation (on the left bank, around Branne, only the basic Bordeaux appellation applies). And that means there are vignerons, of whom among the most significant are the Barraud family, until recent times headed up by the much-admired Denis Barraud (1950 – 2023). The Barraud ’empire’ is extensive, with properties on both sides of the river here, although the main cellars are in Branne itself, on the quayside, just behind the statue pictured above. These cellars are of interest because they are the source of an early garagiste cuvée, Lynsolence.
In this profile I examine the story of Lynsolence, from its creation through to modern times.
