Archives des #terroir - Baghera/Blog

Un Magnum pour les Climats

Camille Balboux — Fri, 20 Jun 2025 08:00:29 +0000

Soutenir une noble cause

Un Magnum pour les Climats !

L’Association des Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne créée en 2007 par Monsieur Aubert de Vilaine est un acteur central dans la préservation du paysage bourguignon, des terroirs et de la culture. En 2015, la valoration apportée par cette association a permis aux Climats de Bourgogne d’être classés au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO.

En 10 ans, l’Association a mis en place de nombreuses actions avec notamment la création d’un fond pour la biodiversité, l’aide à la restauration du patrimoine bâti et des évènements culturels et éducatifs permettant de sensibiliser un large public.

2015 – 2025, chez Baghera/wines, nous avons décidé de célébrer le 10ème anniversaire des climats au patrimoine mondial de l’UNESCO avec un magnum de Romanée-Conti du Domaine de la Romanée-Conti sur le millésime 2000. Un flacon exceptionnel, pour une occasion très spéciale, dont une partie du prix de vente sera reversé à l’Association.

EN SAVOIR PLUS SUR LE DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI

Support a noble cause

A Magnum for the Climats!

The Association of the Climats of the Burgundy Vineyard, founded in 2007 by Mr. Aubert de Villaine, plays a key role in preserving the landscapes, terroirs, and cultural heritage of Burgundy. Thanks to its dedicated efforts, the Climats of Burgundy were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2015, recognizing the exceptional historical and viticultural significance of this region.

Over the past decade, the Association has launched numerous impactful initiatives, including the creation of a biodiversity fund, a program supporting the restoration of traditional vineyard structures (such as dry stone walls and cabottes), as well as cultural and educational events aimed at raising public awareness of this unique heritage.

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of this UNESCO listing (2015–2025), Baghera/wines has chosen to highlight an exceptional bottle: a magnum of 2000 Romanée-Conti from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. This iconic wine, the ultimate expression of the Climats of Burgundy, will be offered for sale, with a portion of the proceeds donated to the Association in support of its preservation and outreach efforts.

LEARN MORE ABOUT DOMAINE DE LA ROMANEE-CONTI

One unique lot…

Lot 1 | chf 30'000 – 60'000 (1 Magnum)
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti,
Romanée-Conti
2000

VIEW THE LOT

consult the CATALOGUE

🇨🇭 Geneva
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Online “wine o’clock” #99
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Thursday, 26th of June
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2pm (CEST Paris/Geneva time)

L’article Un Magnum pour les Climats est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.

Focus on Geneva #95

Camille Balboux — Wed, 02 Apr 2025 17:36:12 +0000

Focus on the essentials…

Our April “wine o'clock” #95 seems the perfect occasion to celebrate the return of fine weather!

Discover a collection of fine wines from Swiss collectors – the 380 lots in this sale offer you a multitude of very well preserved bottles. Let us focus on but a few…

Champagne Philipponnat

Founded in 1522, Maison Philipponnat embodies nearly five centuries of excellence and Champagne craftsmanship. At the helm of 20 hectares of Premier and Grand Cru vineyards, it has upheld an exceptional winemaking tradition for 16 generations. True to its terroir and the expression of each vintage, it produces Champagnes with a unique character, combining finesse, complexity, and depth—testaments to a precious heritage passed down through the centuries.

AUCTION REFERENCE
LOT 12 — Clos des Goisses 2000, 1 bottle, CHF 100 – 200

Domaine Claire Naudin

At the helm of Domaine Claire Naudin since 1994, Claire Naudin embraces a handcrafted and distinctive approach to winemaking, far from standardization. Committed to sustainable viticulture, she cultivates her vines with respect and precision, prioritizing the pure expression of the terroir. In the cellar, she crafts authentic wines through a minimalist vinification process, allowing each cuvée to reflect its unique identity and her personal vision, striking a delicate balance between tradition and modernity.

AUCTION REFERENCES
Lot 69 — Viola Odorata 2019, 2 Magnums, CHF 240 – 840
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Lots 70 to 81 — Les Damodes 2026, 2017 & 2018, Magnums
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Lots 151 to 153 — Ladoix « La Corvée » 2017 & 2018 – Bottles & Magnums

Charles Joguet

A benchmark in the Chinon appellation, Domaine Charles Joguet meticulously cultivates 30 hectares of vineyards, where Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc fully express their character. Through precise parcel-by-parcel vinification, each cuvée authentically showcases the unique qualities of its terroir, resulting in wines of great finesse and complexity. With a deep respect for the land and a commitment to authenticity, the estate crafts vibrant wines that truly reflect their origin.

AUCTION REFERENCE
Lots 267 to 273 — Clos de la Dioterie 2005, 2014, 2015, 2018, Bottles & Magnums

Marie-Thérèse Chappaz

A leading figure in the Valais wine region, Marie-Thérèse Chappaz developed a passion for viticulture at the age of 17 when her father entrusted her with a vineyard parcel. Driven by a unique vision and deep respect for the terroir, she later took over the family estate and gradually expanded it. Today, she crafts exceptional wines that reflect her dedication and precision, bringing the reputation of Valais wines to an international stage.

AUCTION REFERENCE
Lots 314 to 340 – Grain Ermitage, Grain Noble, Grain Par Grain, Grain Syrah, Malvoisie

consult CATALOGUE

🇨🇭 Geneva
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Online "wine o'clock" auction #95
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Tuesday, 8th of April 2025
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2pm (Paris/Geneva time CEST)

L’article Focus on Geneva #95 est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.

Domaine Bizot | uncompromised crafting

Arthur Leclerc — Thu, 09 Feb 2023 10:21:36 +0000

“ We have a treasure: it’s the terroir. ”
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Jean-Yves Bizot has taken the reign of the family vines in 1996, with references and clear ideas as to which wines he wanted to produce and also the very personal and coherent manner required to achieve this. The domaine is very small and has somewhat grown in 2007 with the acquisition of plots in Marsannay and Chenôve , as well as a white plot in Hautes Côtes.

Unlike many others, the domaine never sought fame through praise by wine gurus or established reviewers. Its present aknowledgement at the utmost top of Burgundy wines has thus been slower but rests on grounds that exclude any short-lived fashion frenzy. In doing so, this well-deserved fame is only the more brilliant, particularly considering that the domaine only posesses one Grand cru (Echézeaux), has a tiny production stemming from some of the lowest yields in all of Burgundy ( oten in the 8 to 15 hectolitres/hectare range), an features a personality that does not try to impress readily through means of more or less gross artifacts.

upstream choices…

Here, the use of new oak barrels (100% new for all wines) is not meant to gloss-over the wines with makeup, but is solely the consequence of upstream choices: tiny yields, soft oxidation to manage the reduction process and to avoid racking which hardens the wines and requires sulfites, which in turn robs them from some of their life, bottle filling by hand, barrel by barrel so as to not wear the wines. The very low yields allow the use of only slight extraction, thus producing elegant, refined yet concentrated wines. They also allow to reach full but not excessive phenolic maturity (ie of the fruit and skins) before the sugar levels soar. This, combined with whole grape fermentation, yields wines with only 12 or 13 degrees alcohol. In the end, all the wines possess a rather light and classic color, with a tremendous aromatic refinement, delicacy of texture and length that mimic those of the greatest historic burgundies, but with more precision and rigor in the winemaking.

The pinot noir’s most rare and noble aromatics are sought here – and achieved ! – at the polar opposite of the varietal fruity types common elsewhere: old rose variety perfumes of utmost finesse, peonies, oriental spices, blood orange and ripe red peperoni feel, the latter a signature of perfect ripeness of fruit and skins.

henri jayer, an inspiration…

These wines can only be compared along the wines of the Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Leroy and the late Henri Jayer – a former neighbor an inspiration for Jean-Yves Bizot – even if they display a personality of their own.

Because of their uncompromised crafting, these wines sometimes go through difficult phases when young and shut down, only to shine a decade later or more, and their aging capacity in nothing less than prodigious. Even hot and difficult vintages like 1997 or 2003 are still fresh and magnificent today, without recourse to acidity additions, unlike those of most other producers, even the most prestigious.

What to say of the magnificent 1999 or 2001, still so young and just starting their careers, or the majestic 2005 showing breathtaking richness and just starting to display their beauty? You will not find any weak or uninteresting vintage here, as everything is done at the vineyard and in the cellar to produce exceptional wines. Vine growing is exemplary, beyond tiny yields, and if organic certification is not sought, it is very close. Soils are worked by hand to avoid hardening them and the use of chemicals, the method of sexual confusion of insects was introduced here from the beginning.

the wines

The wines are grown mostly from seemingly modest but very nicely located appellations, which are literally transcended by Jean-Yves Bizot. As a result, the wine that illustrates best the domaine could be the Vosne-Romanée les Jachées, a small plot just next to the domaine separated from the famed Romanée Saint Vivant only by a few houses. This wine is floral, exquisitely spicy with a full mouthfeel and lingering length. Many a grand cru is put to shame …

The Vosne-Romanée les Réas is located on the southernmost part of the village, next to the domaine Gros’ Clos des Réas on a magnificently south-east exposed slope. Only slightly less floral, the sweet spices and blood orange notes often sign this wine, as well as as an amplebut classy mouthfeel.

The rare Premier cru stems from vines just next to the Grands-Echézeaux, and depending on the vintage is either part of the Echézeaux cuvée, or sold in a separate cuvée. This wine boasts a tremendous spicy ethereal delicacy.

The Echézeaux stems from the lieu-dit « En Orveaux » located in the combe of the same name, just under the Musigny. This wine is dense, brimming with sap, complex, and displaying fabulous length in the mouth. Its enormous aging capacity cannot be overstated.

The Marsannay Clos du Roy signs a magnificient terroir, one that is slated to be elevated to premier cru status and which tastes much like the famous Clos Saint Jacques in Gevrey. In the right hands like those of Jean-Yves Bizot, this terroir is transcended and boasts an out of the charts stature, mouthfeel and complexity.

The Clos du Chapitre in Chenôve is a beautifully located plot – the monks were not mistaken when they called it their own – and quite simply compares to a great Chambertin.

Finally, the very rare white Bourgogne Les Violettes, located along the walls of Clos Vougeot, comes close with its ample, onctuous mouthfeel, and its honeyed richness with nothing less than a Bâtard or even a Montrachet.

wine o'clock singapore #1 🇸🇬

A unique collection of Domaine Jean-Yves Bizot wines from two European cellars.

A collection of more than 230 bottles and magnums, with impeccable provenance and storage. Stored in the best conditions in Singapore in the Singapore Wine Vault.

consult AUCTION CATALOGUE

L’article Domaine Bizot | uncompromised crafting est apparu en premier sur Baghera/Blog.

« La Romanée Memories » | A moment by the fire … with Gilles de Larouzière Henriot, President of Bouchard Père & Fils

Julie Carpentier — Wed, 07 Apr 2021 14:56:02 +0000

“ Powerful by the dreams they arouse, these terroirs are also powerful by the historical depth they awaken. To pronounce this name is to plunge into the depths of time and Burgundy’s identity.”
—

Burgundy illustrates, even in its tiniest plots, the immemorial and sacred pact between man and nature. Its climates, a mosaic of precisely delineated and identified terroirs from the depths of history, have distinguished Burgundy’s vineyards from all others since the early Middle Ages.

With its 85 ares, La Romanée is the smallest of the Burgundy climats. It is one of the incarnations of this Burgundian genius, these isolated postage stamp- sized plots, delimited by a path, a low wall or a simple geological fault hidden from the eye by the soil but which the monks, the winegrowers and the eminent Burgundian families have identified and preserved since time immemorial. La Romanée is one of those names that evoke, inspire and embody Burgundy. Along with La Romanée-Conti, La Romanée-Saint- Vivant and others, it is the beating heart of the Côte de Nuits and is one of the great mythical names of Burgundy, in the same way as Volnay or Montrachet on the Côte de Beaune. Powerful by the dreams they arouse, these terroirs are also powerful by the historical depth they awaken. To pronounce this name is to plunge into the depths of time and Burgundy’s identity. To taste this wine is to share in the mystery of Burgundy.

Benefitting from strong recognition since the ancient era and even more so from the 15th century onwards, La Romanée is one of those terroirs which were immediately distinguished for their typicity as well as for the particular emotion they arouse in those who taste the wines. The very great terroirs make very great wines whose personality is such that, over time, it transcends the tonalities specific to the vintages as well as the notes inherited from the choices of vinification.

The wines of Burgundy are a tribute to the profusion offered by creation: profusion of soils, rocks, their exposures, water, underground or surface, and the plant and animal species that inhabit them. A profusion of intelligence too, of sensitivity, intuition and creativity of those who, for thousands of years, have been striving to reveal all the diversity of these wines in order to better express their substance. In this, the culture of wine is one of the most beautiful expressions of civilisation.

“ Each terroir is unique. Each plot is unique. Whether for the old bottles or for the wines produced today, we listen to them and take care of them carefully, with all the humility and infinite respect that their personalities inspire."

Bouchard Père & Fils, one of the servants of this great mystery, occupies a special place in wine-growing Burgundy. Its 130-hectare estate, the largest in Premiers and Grands Crus of the Côte-d’Or, illustrates a hundred or so climats over 55 kilometres from north to south between Gevrey-Chambertin and Montrachet. Founded in 1731, the house preserves in these historic cellars a unique testimony of a few thousand bottles from the 19th century. By the number of climats as well as by the historical depth on which they are represented, this treasure, a great witness to the history of Burgundy, is no longer that of a single estate but, in a way, now constitutes a Burgundian heritage. So much so, in fact, that when the Climats du vignoble de Bourgogne was listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2015, Bouchard Père & Fils was chosen as one of the constituent attributes of the listed heritage.

In order to transfer such a domain, the disposition of mind of a custodian rather than that of an proprietor is called for. It requires roots that plunge deep into time and a vision that looks far ahead.

Since 1995, the Henriot family has had the privilege of continuing this œuvre, of taking it further and perhaps even higher, because the œuvre itself demands it. The estate is at the heart of our vision. This is why acquisitions were made after 1995 in Meursault, Pommard, Monthélie, Clos-Vougeot, Bonnes-Mares, Echezeaux and others. It is also for this reason that we strive to express the diversity of the terroirs we are in charge of with all the subtlety that is appropriate to the diversity of the terroirs we are responsible for, both through wine-growing that respects nature and through vinification and maturing with a precision that the goldsmiths would not deny.

Each terroir is unique. Each plot is unique. Whether for the old bottles or for the wines produced today, we listen to them and take care of them carefully, with all the humility and infinite respect that their personalities inspire. Each wine is an individual, almost a being, with its own identity, character and behaviour. Each one will therefore receive dedicated attention and appropriate treatment. Listening and observation take precedence over action to let the terroir express itself in the particularities of the vintage. The œnologist, Frédéric Weber is a cellar master and not a wine maker. He does not make the wine, he gives it life. Moreover, he uses the same words for his wines as one would use for a person. Too respectful to “ force ” them, he adapts to each one of them and consistently applies a simple principle: the rule is that there are no rules.

In this mission, the precision of a watchmaker combined with a genuine cult of detail are part of the house’s values. This Burgundian spirit, demanding, in perpetual quest for perfection, can be found in the archives and testimonials that the House has kept preciously since the beginning of the 18th century: tasting notes, winegrowers’ notebooks, booklets of vintages,.. : this precious collection of documents, where meticulous observations and expertise developed over time are recorded, bears witness to this permanent quest for accuracy.

“ This beautiful and rich history testifies to the role of the historic houses in the identification of the great terroirs, the maturing of their wines and their presentation to the most demanding wine lovers.”

The house’s distinctive expertise is also expressed in the attention paid in the cellars to the ageing of our wines. The bastions and cellars of the château de Beaune, built by Louis XI after the death of Charles le Téméraire in 1477, provide us with perfect conditions of conservation. Since the first half of the 19th century, the old bottles have been checked and recorked every 30 years. This rare know- how, developed over time, has gradually become a kind of liturgy whose precise and careful gestures testify to our veneration for these great witnesses of ancient times. The wines that we offer you today have benefitted from this ritual which gives their lucky owners absolute confidence in their quality, despite their great age.

At the end of the 19th century, the great trading houses were almost the only ones to market this wine. They thus played an essential role in the renown of our great Burgundy wines, which they made known to the world, introduced to the royal tables, promoted in the international high society. This is how Bouchard Père & Fils was able to purchase wines from La Romanée to mature and market them. From 1862 to 1975, the bottles we offer testify to this period. A second period follows, from 1976 to 2001, during which Bouchard Père & Fils was granted the exclusive right to mature and market La Romanée. Starting in 2001, La Romanée’s situation began to change. Indeed, Louis-Michel Liger-Belair decided to gradually take over the destiny of the family estate. The period from 2002 to 2005 was a transitional period during which our two houses were growing and marketing La Romanée wines in parallel. 2006 thus marks the end of this long and prosperous period for Bouchard Père & Fils.

This beautiful and rich history testifies to the role of the historic houses in the identification of the great terroirs, the maturing of their wines and their presentation to the most demanding wine lovers.

For us, who have enjoyed this long life shared with La Romanée, the time has come to close this chapter. And, rather than jealously sealing this treasure within the ramparts of the château de Beaune, we thought it was more appropriate to share this memory with all those who, throughout the world, share a lively passion for this emblematic Burgundy wine. Everything offered to you by Baghera/wines, whom I thank and whose expertise I admire, has lived a peaceful existence in our cellars since bottling. Their state of preservation is perfect. The only time, very ephemeral in view of their age, when these venerable bottles have been moved is when, every 30 years, expert and careful hands have exercised upon them our historic skill of recorking and conservation. On this occasion, after meticulous uncorking, each bottle is tasted and noted. Then one of them is sacrificed to top up the levels of its sisters and all of them are finally recorked, before returning to the exact place from whence they were so briefly extracted.

“ Wine is made to be shared, to be tasted, to be put on a table, to be celebrated for itself
and because it embodies the most fruitful alliance imaginable between man and the earth.”

This event is unique. There will have been a before and an after. Because, once it has passed, the story of Bouchard Père & Fils with La Romanée will slip out of our hands and into yours. Bouchard Père & Fils will no longer have Romanée. But those who are lucky enough to acquire some of these bottles will taste a moment of art and of history that I hope they will remember for a long time. Wine is made to be shared, to be tasted, to be put on a table, to be celebrated for itself and because it embodies the most fruitful alliance imaginable between man and the earth. What is important in wine is the sharing and culture that go hand in hand. It is friendship, interest, passion shared and discussed in a moment of joy and pleasure.

“The desire for happiness is essential to man”, writes Saint-Augustin, who adds: “it is the motive for all our actions”. More than objects of hoarding or speculation, I hope that these bottles will become objects for sharing, the cause for moments of happiness. It is the sense of wine and the motive that has animated the people of Bouchard Père & Fils for nearly 300 years.

Château de Beaune, January 27, 2021

“La Romanée Memories"
1862 - 2005
The ultimate collection from the Bouchard Père & Fils historic cellars
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April 18, 2021