Henri de Villamont ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’ – Meursault-Chevalières 1936

The Henri de Villamont ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’ Meursault-Chevalières 1936 is an extremely rare Burgundian white wine, which today is almost exclusively found at auctions. The following report summarises the available information on its provenance, its condition and its historical background.

📜 Origin and background of the ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’

The wines of the ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’ trace their origins to the firm Arthur Barolet et Fils, which was founded in Beaune as early as 1830. The firm purchased wines in casks to age, bottle and mature them in its own cellars in Beaune before selling them to private customers.

Following Arthur Barolet’s death in 1931, his son, Dr Albert Barolet,took over the business. This is the namesake of the “Collection du Docteur Barolet”. Following Albert Barolet’s death in 1969, his sisters inherited the wines and sold them to the Swiss firm Henri de Villamont. The firm, in turn , organised a major auction at Christie’s, to determine market prices. As the bottles were still unlabelled at the time, new labels had to be produced for the sale.

🍾 The wine: Meursault-Chevalières 1936

This wine is a white wine from the Bourgogne appellation , more specifically from the commune of Meursault. Meursault is renowned for its opulent, complex Chardonnays with aromas of butter, hazelnut and ripe stone fruit.

The name ‘Chevalières’ (or ‘Chevalieres’) refers to a specific lieu-dit (single vineyard) in Meursault. This vineyard is known for its chalky soils, which lend the wine a distinctive minerality and freshness.

💎 Condition and Rarity

The 1936 vintage is now an absolute rarity. The wine very rarely appears on the market, and when it does, it is usually at auctions. One example of this is an auction held by Sylvie’s in October 2012, at which two bottles of this wine were offered. The condition of the bottles at the time was described as follows:

• Level: One bottle had a level of ‘1 min 3’, the other of ‘1 min 4’. These are common auction terms indicating a level below the cork. ‘1 min 3’ and ‘1 min 4’ mean that the level was several centimetres below the cork, which is not unusual for such an old wine and indicates a certain amount of evaporation (the ‘Engelsteil’).

• Estimated price: The lot (two bottles of the 1936 Meursault plus one bottle of 1962 Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet) was estimated at €400–800. However, the lot was not sold at the time.

✍️ Summary

The Henri de Villamont ‘Collection du Docteur Barolet’ Meursault-Chevalières 1936 is a historical relic from the cellars of one of the most legendary Burgundian families of the 20th century. It is a living testament to the art of wine trading and ageing in a bygone era. Due to its age and rarity, it is first and foremost a collector’s item, the enjoyment of which would be an extraordinary stroke of luck.