Based in Savigny-lès-Beaune, François de Nicolay is a self-taught winegrower who co-manages the family estate, Chandon de Briailles, alongside his sister Claude, while also producing négociant wines under his own name. Two distinct activities, certainly, but highly complementary… When and how did you join the family estate? After studying business, I quickly set up a […]
Few people have had the chance to taste the wines of Château Rayas. Those who have are invariably deeply moved by them. Where does this irresistible allure come from? To unravel this mystery, wine specialist Laure Gasparotto and art historian Jérôme Neutres have co-authored the first book dedicated to this mythical Châteauneuf-du-Pape estate and its […]
His wife suggested they should get into distilling — and he took her at her word. Together, they created the first range of sesame-based spirits, with varying levels of smokiness, paving the way for an entirely new category… How did you move from semiotics into distillation? I never stopped working in semiotics. Even today, I […]
An unusual journey for this native of the Paris region, who began making wine from A to Z at the age of 14 and who now releases, together with his wife Lucile, their first four Burgundian cuvées thanks to the support of Athenaeum. In total, 2,292 freshly labelled bottles, ready to be distributed… You were […]
The 65th Hospices de Nuits-Saint-Georges Wine Auction will take place on 8 March at the Château du Clos de Vougeot. This is an opportunity to shine a light on a relatively little-known event that the house of Albert Bichot has been making more accessible since 2009, by offering the chance to purchase its cuvées starting from a single bottle… How […]
The great-great-nephew of Jules Lavalle (1820–1880), Olivier de Cayron is co-author of Athenaeum’s brand-new publishing project: a compelling biography of this Burgundian physician, botanist, geologist and manufacturer. In 1855, Jules Lavalle authored “Histoire et statistique de la vigne et des grands vins de la Côte-d’Or“, the seminal work that would later serve as a reference when […]
800 m² of retail space, 20 employees on-site and off-site, 4 product worlds represented, over 35,000 references… The Beaune’s “small department store” is enough to make your head spin. For the festive season, we take a closer look at all their selections. When did you arrive at Athenaeum? V.C.: I took over this concept store in […]
Organic and biodynamic conversion, parcel-by-parcel vinification, shorter ageing periods… One after another, the two brothers discuss the major projects they have undertaken since taking over their father Jean-Claude Bachelet’s estate in Saint-Aubin. Between the lines, a deep respect for their elders, their peers, and the vines themselves… Moving—right down to the remarkable harmony they share. […]
Since 2000, the nephew of Aubert and Pamela de Villaine has been running the Bouzeron estate, which they acquired in 1973. For the Athenaeum, he reflects on nearly 50 years of both small and significant stories… How did the story of this estate begin? As soon as they arrived at Romanée-Conti in the mid-1960s, Uncle Aubert […]
At the head of the Orangedesigner design office, this colour specialist presents “The Look of Wine”, a book that invites us to look at wine differently, with greater simplicity, through sight, our most universal sense. Presentation, on the occasion of her participation in the 2025 edition of Livres en Vignes. What does your profession involve? I shape spaces, […]
This figure of Meursault hasn’t lost an ounce of his charisma. At over 70, he still supports his son, Pierre, and his daughter, Anne, in running their own estates, with wit and mischief. A colorful life lesson! Long dynasties of wine estate owners: not really your story, is it? We come from very humble beginnings. […]
She was a journalist in Paris. She became a winemaker in Meursault. Broadly speaking, it’s a story of career change. In detail, it’s also about négociant business, harsh setbacks, notable successes, and plenty of hope. The tale of a second life… Let’s start from the beginning: your first life… Born in Paris with a background […]
