France Burgundy
In Burgundy, one does not speak of wine storehouses, but of cuveries and cellars; not of barrels but of tanks and vats.
he Hospices de Beaune still have their sumptuous ancient cuverie which is visited only by appointment. Louis Jadot, wine merchant and owner from Beaune, explains: “Burgundy is the only area in the world which, for a long time, named all its plots of vines. Not less than 1,247 'climats' in total were submitted to the file for candi-
dacy for the World Heritage of UNESCO. Each plot is the subject of a separate vinification. The cuveries are working tools and can only be visited by appoint-
ment”. Yet the cuverie de la Sablière in Beaune is quoted by a former manager of the ‘Hospices’ as one of the most beautiful installations of the area with its enormous vats and its 5,000 barrels.
Currently in construction in Fuissé, a new cuverie for the Domaine Ferret, in the heart of the village, on three levels, that benefits from the slope of the ground to support a process of gravitating wine making, will be opened for the picking in 2012.
Pigeage d’une cuve de Pinot Noir
Another House, another installation, the Cuverie Saint Vincent of Bouchard Père & Fils, built in 2005, is a reference. Located at Savigny-lès-Beaune, in the middle of their domain of 130 hectares, it is inspired by the wine storehouses of Bordeaux: it was built on three levels including two that are underground. On the ground floor are located the grape reception and the stainless steel tanks for wine making. In the 1st basement, 200 wooden vats are used to vinify the red Grand Crus like Corton, Chambertin Clos de Bèze… and all the whites. In the 2nd basement, oak barrels ideal for long maturation are slumbering. This cellar hidden in the ground is air ventilated, with an adapted hygrometry. In all the building, the level of hygiene is that of the food industry, because its construction used neutral and non-air contaminant materials, thus removing SO2, or disinfectants such as chlorine. “All these small details make the difference between a great and a sublime wine!” explains Christophe Bouchard. This working tool is closed to the public.The Boisset House has a different approach. Present in 80 countries, House in 5th rank of fine wines in France, 1st in Burgundy (its head office) with namely 556 hectares of vineyard and a further 1,240 under contract, this leader has partnerships with no less than 540 vine growers. Its own properties are exploited using a sustainable integrated method and are being transformed to organic agriculture, and even to biodynamic! To this mosaic of terroirs tallies a dozen cuveries of adapted capacity. The eldest? The Jaffelin cellar, in the middle of Beaune, which dates back to the 18th century and still continues its activity of wine making and maturing. Its production is marketed by the Compagnie d'Autrefois. The last to be refitted, the ‘Cuverie Ropiteau Frères’ in Meursault, a strong believer in the gravitating process with, on ground level, reception, pressing, and unballasting; and in the basement maturing (550 to 850 barrels per annum over-
lapping two millésimes). Main assets of this new tool: the separation of the batches, the choice of an adapted container, the control of temperature of the compartmentalized double walled stainless steel tanks, the entonnage by gravity. In two words: it offers flexibility and precision. Nicolas Burnez, the in-house wine grower, recognizes this cuverie being perfectly adapted to the perpetuation of the white wines without trace of oxidation.
To visit this cuverie open to the public “is to seek the spirit of the place, that almost sacred one which takes part in the creation of the wine, when during those very first moments it reveals itself to the world and draws forever the features of its character, which time will do nothing but refine!”
Macération surveillée par le maître de chai Philippe Prost
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