AN UNPRECEDENTED COLLECTION OF CHATEAU-CHALON ONE OF THE RAREST AND MOST UNIQUE WINES OF FRANCE
Lots 443 to 472 are lying London, S.E.1 and lots 473 to 479 are lying at Christie's
Representative bottles on view prior to the sale
The main stock of 1945 and 1947 vintage wines were imported directly from the producer and cleared through Customs in April 1953 by the present owner's father, a great connoisseur, and have remained unmoved in bin in the vaulted stone cellars of a famous 18th century house in Hertfordshire
Château-Chalon is the name of a village and of this unique appellation. The appellation covers only 25 hectares of vineyards around the hamlet of Voiteur and Château-Chalon planted exclusively with the Savagnin grape variety and producing only Vins Jaune. The yield is restricted to 30 HL/HA compared with 40 HL/HA for Vins Jaunes made elswhere and the crop is frequently declassified because of insufficient ripeness. The grapes were picked as late as possible, the harvest sometimes continuing into December. The average yield is less than 45,000 bottles.
After the fermentation the wine is put into oak barrels where it remains, untopped up, without further racking for a minimum of six years. During this time the wine evaporates and, if all is well, a voile of yeast cells, indentical to the flor which settles on fine sherry, forms on the surface of the wine by now lowered to roughly two thirds of its original volume. Gradually the wine becomes a deep yellow colour and develops a nutty, heady bouquet of considerable richness and complexity and the flavour of a concentrated of fine sherry.
If a cask does not develop flor it has to be discarded: the wine will have turned to vinegar.
After the six years or so in cask the wine is bottled: very distinctive dumpy, straight-sided clavelins of 62 cl. capacity
Like many old white wines they have a slight powdery sediment so it is advisable to stand the bottles upright for a few hours before pouring
The seller has very generously allowed us to open a bottle each of the 1945 and 1947 at the pre-sale tasting
With such a rare and unusual wine offered in such quantity it is difficult to estimate the likely sale price. A collection like this will not appear on the open market again particularly with this provenance and in the superb condition so it is up to you, the buyer, not to miss the opportunity, possibly to taste, and to set the price
The Bourdy labels are particularly interesting:
"Still wine
Château-Chalon
Appellation Controlée
Produit du célébre vignoble de grand crû constitué à L'entours de L'ABBAYE DE CHATEAU-CHALON au Quatorzieme Siècle
Produced and bottle in France by
Jean Bourdy, négociant à Arlay (Jura)"
Château-Chalon--Vintage 1945
Details
Château-Chalon--Vintage 1945
Jean Bourdy
In traditional 62 cl. Clavelin bottles with CHATEAU CHALON embossed on shoulder
Original green and gold foil capsules. Pictorial body labels. Very good levels, around top-shoulder. Bright colour
Tasting note (level upper-shoulder, the rest are higher): lovely, medium-deep amber gold similar to a Sauternes of the same vintage; soft yet tangy, rich bouquet; dry but not too dry, medium-full body, very attractive flavour, good acidity. The scent of the wine lingered in the tasting room. M.B.
3 bottles per lot
Jean Bourdy
In traditional 62 cl. Clavelin bottles with CHATEAU CHALON embossed on shoulder
Original green and gold foil capsules. Pictorial body labels. Very good levels, around top-shoulder. Bright colour
Tasting note (level upper-shoulder, the rest are higher): lovely, medium-deep amber gold similar to a Sauternes of the same vintage; soft yet tangy, rich bouquet; dry but not too dry, medium-full body, very attractive flavour, good acidity. The scent of the wine lingered in the tasting room. M.B.
3 bottles per lot