In the middle of the 19th century, in 1845, Michel Barraud founds the Franc Patarabet vineyard. He passes on his love for farming the vines and for wine making to his son Leopold ; the latter is at the same time manufacturer of ploughs, a blacksmith in Saint-Emilion , and wine grower.
Animated by an entrepreneurial spirit, Leopold expands the size of the vineyard. As early as 1882, he participates in many exhibitions throughout France, and he win numerous gold, bronze, silver and vermeil medals at wine competitions. Among other things, a quote at the Universal Exhibition of Paris in 1889; a Gold medal in Pau, another in Toulouse in 1891. In 1895, at the Third exhibition of Bordeaux, he is awarded a Bronze medal with a 30 year old wine (year 1865) at the same time as a 6 year old wine and a 2 year old wine... At that time, the wine being high at that time between 3 and 4 years in oak barrels, it is one of the pioneers of our modern primeur wines.
From 1905, his son Jean-Paul is actively involved and they present their wines in Belgium, from Liège to Brussels and Ghent. They get Silver medals. In 1914, the castle Franc Patarabet won a Gold medal at the International Exhibition of Lyon and the following year another Gold medal at the exhibition the Franco-Marocaine de Casablanca. An ox was then the work of the land and the transport of barrels between the wine cellars within Saint-Emilion. Saint-Emilion.
Until the second world war, Jean-Paul Barraud, in addition to the care of the vineyard and its marketing, is like his father a blacksmith and he also manages a bike trade business, with the help of his wife. At the sudden death of Jean-Paul Barraud in 1949, his daughter Paulette Barraud takes over the vineyard, from all aspects from the farming to the wine making to selling the wine directly to the consumer as well as to the Bordeaux wine traders. She does all of this in a male dominated business!
As Paulette Barraud become older, his niece Marie-Pierre Guschlbauer steps in with enthusiasm and eagerness. Marie-Pierre cares about the high quality standing of the Franc Patarabet vineyard and she presents the wines to different guides (guide Hachette, Gault and Millau, ...). The Franc Patarabet obtains many recognitions and ratings as a sign of the quality of its wines. She also develops with her husband a large direct to consumer clientele, still loyal to the vineyard to date.
Two decades later, his younger brother Jean-Philippe Faure, takes the lead and he is soon assisted by his two sons, Sylvain and Pierre-François. The passion for the vine and the wine has been carried forward, as a "passing of the baton", through 6 generations up to the present day.
The wine cellars to the property have been up to these past few years at the heart of the city of Saint-Emilion next to the old blacksmith shop.