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Baron Francois is a premier wine and spirits importer and distributor based in New York City, New York, and servicing bars, restaurants, and liquor stores across the East Coast. We specialize in partnering with sustainable and family-owned producers to share only the finest wines and spirits from around the world.
At Baron Francois, we prioritize the environment, our producer and consumer networks and the contents of each and every bottle to guarantee the highest quality of wine and spirits possible.
We believe in sustainability, both in our products and in our relationships. Baron Francois partners with some of the oldest multigenerational wineries and distilleries in France and around the globe. As such, we value the techniques they have been practicing in harmony with nature for centuries. Our wines are true to tradition and grown primarily on single-vineyard estates. Our people-driven approach emphasizes the terroirs of our producers and the relationship between the growing region and the growers, and we partner with only a select number of vineyards in each appellation to ensure close relationships. Working directly with producers gives us an intimate understanding of their processes, and our 40 years of expertise selling to the East Coast market ensures lasting relationships from vineyard to table.
1982
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Located in the Financial District of Manhattan and distributing wines and spirits since 1982, Baron Francois sells 1 million bottles per year to restaurants, bars, hotels, liquor stores, and wine retailers. We partner with 100 unique suppliers to bring artisanal wines and spirits to New York and surrounding states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Virgina, the District of Columbia. Currently, our sales are equally split between off and on trade accounts, all of which is overseen by our growing team of 25 employees.
Baron Francois Ltd was founded in 1982 by Adrien Baron, a native of southwest France, during a time when American wines and liquors dominated the New York market. Undeterred, Adrien sought to bring the fine wines of his homeland to the New York dining and retail scenes. His family-owned company rapidly became well-known as a key supplier of fine wines to the finest wine shops, hotels, and restaurants across the city, eventually selling to surrounding states as well.
Since 2000, Baron Francois has been operated by the Lesgourgues family, who have a long history of winemaking themselves. They currently manage production at several of their own French estates, including the acclaimed Château de Laubade Bas-Armagnac and the rising star of Graves, Château Haut Selve.
Frederic Goossens joined the company as Managing Director in December 2011 and became partner in July 2014.
Baron Francois’ portfolio emphasizes the terroir of wine regions and the techniques of artisan families to deliver our clients well-rounded and insightful options. With a detailed focus on our producers’ histories and environments, we seek to tell the full story of each wine, from growing to bottling.
The extensive portfolio of Baron Francois is dedicated to family-owned, single-vineyard estates with whom the company maintains faithful relations vintage after vintage. Baron Francois’ tasting committee is very strict and uses a meticulous process to ensure only the best value for our customers and final consumers. Our objective is to select elegant and well-balanced wines from producers who truly embody their terroirs, and to make these exceptional wines accessible beyond their home country.
Our commitment to French excellence goes beyond our beginning in fine French wines and spirits. Over the past twenty years, we have expanded our producer network to include products from around the globe, thanks to the Lesgourgues family’s expertise. Through this, we are continuously striving to import the best and brightest libations from around the world and satisfy both traditional and modern tastes. We believe that standards of quality apply not only to bottles but to service, and take great care to provide both our producers and our clients with the finest experiences possible. A deep connection to our winemaking roots and a strong commitment to our partners distinguishes Baron Francois has enabled us to grow this far, and we consider each producer and client a part of our family.
Our team of 25 employees has more than just a love of wine in common. Their passion for quality, dedication to service, and commitment to building brands and relationships is the true lifeblood of Baron Francois. With 12 sales representatives specializing in different regions, our team members are experts at working with small family operations and the hospitality scene alike—and, of course, know how to have fun while doing so.
Baron Francois currently distributes 350 unique wines and spirits from 100 different producers in France and around the world. Our focus on family-owned estates and distilleries ensures only the most authentic, artisanal products from each region, which is why it’s no surprise that many of the bottles we import are some of the highest rated on Wine Enthusiast, Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, and annual vintage rankings. Working with a limited number of producers in each region means we guarantee only the finest curated selections and enables us to offer many certified sustainable and organic wines and spirits, as well as those produced and owned by female winemakers. Our dynamic portfolio is updated each month with new products and seasonal curations, and we hold an annual portfolio tasting each March.
