A good story lives from a vision that matures with meticulousness, patience and love and whose foundation is rooted in passion. The story of Catherine and Laurent Delaunay begins with the creation of their company Badet Clément in 1995. Following the values and knowledge of both their families, they took over Laurent's grandfather's wine shop of the same name in the Burgundian village of L'Etang-Vergy with the desire to give their roots new wings. At the very beginning of their exciting journey, the two oenologists set their sights on another wine-growing region, Languedoc - and start flying. "We quickly realised that Burgundy and Languedoc have a lot in common. They say Burgundy is a mosaic of terroirs. I think Languedoc exceeds the number of mosaic elements many times over," Catherine enthuses. By combining the traditional knowledge and know-how of their ancestors with the possibilities of the present, the Delaunays succeed in linking Burgundian culture with the incomparable diversity of the Languedoc.
From this unusual but strong connection, the brand 'Les Jamelles' is born in the early days. With the flagship, Catherine and Laurent launch a unique collection of varietal wines from the Pays d'Oc. A collection of wines that tells of the diversity and contrasts of the terroirs of this wine-growing region. From the cool influences of the Mediterranean and the warm ones from the plains. Of limestone, slate, clay and gravel. Catherine and Laurent use this richness to draw out the purest expression of each grape variety from the best terroirs. But in contrast to the traditional wines of Languedoc, the growths of Les Jamelles reflect their Burgundian style and with it elegance, complexity and freshness. "I want to manage to enhance the grape varieties and their terroirs to find the perfect balance between aromatic expression and freshness. However, I also want to have fun in the process," Catherine laughs.
In addition to 400 hectares of vineyards under contract to partner winemakers, the Delaunays also farm 70 hectares of their own HVE3-certified vineyards in the Pays d'Oc, whose environmentally friendly grapes (that's what the HVE3 seal means) are also used for Les Jamelles. This results in a range of 27 varietal wines that showcase classics such as Pinot Noir, Merlot and Chardonnay, as well as grape varieties such as Gewürztraminer, Rousanne and Carignan. But Badet Clément includes other top wines, as the ranges of 'Abotts & Delaunay' from Languedoc and 'Edouard Delaunay' from Burgundy show. And the company's development is far from over. "We are constantly thinking about the future and new projects. We weren't necessarily avant-garde in the past, but today we strive to be just that and to be at the forefront," Catherine explains. But they want to let this chapter emerge with serenity and tranquillity.
You are cordially invited to taste this great winery with 2021 Merlot Les Classiques in March at our wein.plus:club online tastings. Places, available for both B2B and consumers, are very limited.
You can purchase the featured wine through the following resellers.