Who does not have a great wine associated with an important moment in their life? Following on from the theme I introduced in my previous February las year, a great moment spent with friends comes to mind, a moment associated with a great white Burgundy wine. 

This summer, I was visiting a client of Baghera/wines in the Valais region of Switzerland. He wanted to sell part of his collection of Bordeaux wines in one of our end-of-year Wine o'clocks. We spent a long time in his cellar talking about the superb bottles, until we managed to agree on a list of wines, mainly from Bordeaux plus a few great wines from northern Italy. 

It is true that in his cellar red wines predominated, especially those from Bordeaux, but being a wine lover, he also had the biggest names from Burgundy, the Rhône and some Spanish wines. And among the Burgundy wines, several bottles from one of the great producers of the Côte de Beaune, one of which immediately reminded me of a gastronomic excursion with friends. 

For several years now, in different regions of Spain, I have regularly met up with a few friends who, like me, love good wine and good food. In the chosen region, we visit good restau- rants and during one of the evenings there, we organize a blind tasting. I remember well the time when we were together in one of the most important gastronomic cities in Spain: San Sebastian. We had the pleasure of visiting several restau- rants in town, but we had also booked an evening at one of the restaurants in the world that gives me the most pleasure: Asador Etxebarri, in the Atxondo Valley , 60 kilometers from San Sebastian. In Etxebarri, Bittor Arginzoniz masters the embers like no one else and Mohammed Ben Abdallah, trained in Switzerland, is in charge of the ‘ liquid ’ part of this temple of gastronomy. It is there, in this establishment, that we participated in a unique gastronomic experience around a blind wine tasting. 

We started the dinner with a first range of white wines. Among these wines, one stood out clearly from the others. It surprised us all and this bottle was to be one of the most remarkable of the evening. With great elegance and giving pride of place to aromas of acacia and citrus peel, this full-bodied wine, very fruity and with refined acidity and minerality, blended perfectly with the smoky nuances of Bittor’s cuisine as well as with the seasonal products which were at their peak at the time. Its acidity and complexity made this great white wine an ideal companion to the mackerel we ate (whose oiliness was in every way perfect), to the marinated anchovy and even the percebes, ‘ from another planet ’ because of their size and incom- parable flavour. After a long moment sharing our impressions of this wine, we finally revealed the secret of its identity: a 2010 Bâtard-Montrachet from Domaine Ramonet. A great wine that I had already tasted on several occasions, but which did not shine like that bottle did that evening in that exceptional place. 

Domaine Ramonet owns 0.64ha of this Grand Cru, produced partly in Puligny Montrachet and partly in Chassagne-Montrachet. In the case of the Ramonet Domain, one plot is located on the borderline with Bienvenue-Bâtard-Montrachet and the second in the middle of the vineyard between Chassagne and Puligny. This legendary domain is mainly known for its great white wines, including the Grands Crus Montrachet, Chevalier-Montrachet, Bâtard- Montrachet and Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet, but also for magnificent premiers crus in Chassagne-Montrachet. 

As I often tell the people around me, preparing a wine o'clock is not just having an auction, it is something more. Something that comes through interacting with our customers and very often sharing moments that awaken fond memories. Without a doubt, this Wine o'clock will remain in my memory not only because of the exceptional character of the wines that compose it, but also because it evokes an unforgettable personal experience. 

Once again, it is this spirit of closeness, of sharing with our wine companions, whether customers or friends, which makes its impression and which constitutes the DNA of Baghera/wines. Who among us isn't always ready to share some good epicurean moments with the people we love?! 

Wine o’clocks, a proven success!
Online-only auctions every 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Sell your wine collection with us! Consigning your wines in our monthly online sales is easy and straightforward. Contact Pablo for a complimentary appraisal.

• Browse the past auction catalogues and create your account.
• Follow the hashtag #WineOClock on Instagram.

At the beginning of February, while carrying out an inspection of the wines of a Swiss collector, among excellent bottles from great Bordeaux châteaux and others from the most prestigious cellar in Spain, I came across several bottles of Burgundy which were of great significance to me personally.

I then realized that a number of important events in my life were accompanied by wines from this Burgundian domain. For who does not have a great wine associated with an important moment in their life? In my case, one great moment transpired the day before my wedding; it was my last dinner as a single man and I was accompanied by my father.

We decided on a family-friendly restaurant which gave us the privilege of bringing our own bottles; among champagnes and great white and red wines from Burgundy, a particularly remarkable bottle of Chambertin Clos de Bèze 2009 from Domaine Armand Rousseau stood out.

Domaine Armand Rousseau is a great name in the Gevrey-Chambertin appellation and most of its wines come from this terroir. The climate of Chambertin-Clos de Bèze covers 15.4 ha, including 1.42 ha for Domaine Rousseau, the second largest owner of Clos de Bèze.

This bottle that I shared with my father needed time to open-up and reveal all its character, and I was enchanted by its elegance and freshness. In a great vintage like 2009, the domain produced a particularly opulent Clos de Bèze and without any loss to its style. On the palate, it highlighted intense black fruit flavours and a marked presence of spices, all surrounded by silky and velvety notes.

The experience of organizing this latest “wine o’clock” has brought back doting memories and I will remember with particular fondness the preparation of the lots for this sale. It is ultimately these kinds of feelings that I try to share with our clients and wine friends, feelings that smooth the path towards a sincere and warm relationship with each and every one of them. It is surely the DNA of Baghera/wines, that which characterises us, the affinity we share with our passionate sellers and buyers of great wines.

Wine o’clocks, a proven success!
Online-only auctions every 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Sell your wine collection with us! Consigning your wines in our monthly online sales is easy and straightforward. Contact Pablo for a complimentary appraisal.

• Browse the past auction catalogues and create your account.
• Follow the hashtag #WineOClock on Instagram.