Jacques Bavard’s paternal grandfather was an owner of a significant estate in Puligny-Montrachet until the mid-1970s, including wines from Chevalier-Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet. But times were different then, and not everyone wanted to follow a career in wine. The generation of Jacques’ parents left and Jacques eventually found himself with a restaurant in Paris (that had a very good wine list). In 1995, he found himself in Burgundy tasting wine for his restaurant and was attracted back to the wine world. He eventually studied two years at the lycée viticole in Beaune and established a négociant operation based in Puligny.
The wines here are not from grand appellations and the wines are not going to make you forget the stars of the Côte de Beaune. But for relatively modest prices, they can scratch the Burgundy itch when needed, something that is very much needed in today’s overheated Burgundy market.
For white wines, Bavard uses both 350-liter and the standard 228-liter barrels. There has been an increase in new oak since 2017 for the whites because that use increases reduction, and since 2006, there has been no bâtonnage (stirring of the lies). The wines are made for drinking in the first ten years, with an emphasis on freshness; longer aging would require more use of sulfur, which Jacques is not willing to do. (Continue reading here.)