Arthur Barolet – Volnay 1er cru ‘Caillerets’ 1957

Arthur Barolet – Volnay 1er Cru 'Caillerets' 1957: A slice of Burgundian contemporary history

The Arthur Barolet & Fils house, founded in Beaune at the end of the 19th century, embodies a time-honoured and refined vision of Burgundy’s great wines . Unlike many other renowned estates, the Arthur Barolet wine merchant did not own any vineyards of its own, but instead collaborated with selected plots belonging to partner winegrowers from the Côte de Nuits, the Côte de Beaune, the Côte Chalonnaise and even Chablis . This négociant approach was widespread in Burgundy in the early 20th century and enabled the houses to blend wines from the region’s finest sites. Arthur Barolet’s philosophy was characterised by an uncompromising focus on quality, based on a rigorous selection of the finest terroirs and patient, traditional ageing . The name Barolet is inextricably linked with the ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’, a range dating back to the 1920s and now considered a rarity amongst collectors .

The 1957 Volnay 1er Cru ‘Caillerets’ is an outstanding example of this signature style. The Volnay appellation is famous for its elegant, silky and floral red wines, which are among the finest in the Côte de Beaune . The ‘Les Caillerets’ climat is regarded as one of Volnay’s most prestigious Premier Crus. Its name derives from the small limestone pebbles (‘cailloux’) that permeate the soil, ensuring excellent drainage and a pronounced minerality . The chalky and loamy soils of this east- to south-east-facing slope lend the wines remarkable finesse, concentration and structure.

Today, this 1957 vintage bears witness to a bygone era of Burgundian winemaking. Its rarity is underlined by auction results: a case of six bottles of Arthur Barolet’s 1957 Volnay was estimated at between 480 and 600 euros and eventually sold for 590 euros . A wine that has matured for almost seven decades has long since left its fruity youth behind and is now in a phase of perfect maturity, in which complex tertiary aromas of leather, undergrowth and earthy notes blend with the delicate floral nuances of the original vineyard . Tasting such a wine is no everyday experience, but rather a deep insight into the art of winemaking in the 20th century and a legacy of a house that has preserved the greatness of Burgundy across generations.