Melon de Bourgogne: September 2008With the recent takeover by Boisset of the Rhône producer and négociant, Gabriel Meffre, Loire négociant Donatien-Bahuaud is now part of the Boisset group.
Once one of the leading Muscadet producers and négociants, Donatien-Bahuaud has had a decidedly chequered history recently and is now but a shadow of what it was. In October 2001 they formed an alliance with Pierre Chainier of Amboise and created Bahuaud-Chainier Loire Premium. This made them the second largest wine company in the Loire. However, the alliance didn’t work out and Bahuaud-Chainier Loire Premium was liquidated in August 2003 and the two companies went their separate ways.
Donatien-Bahuaud’s turnover had declined by more than 8% in 2002. Unfortunately its financial problems grew worse. In December 2004 it was announced that Gabriel Meffre had taken control with the acquisition completed in March 2005. Meffre found that Donatien’s financial situation was considerably more rocky than they thought. Donatien-Bahuaud was put into administration in October 2006. At the time Valérie Vincent, Gabriel Meffre’s head of communication, claimed that the former directors of D-B, Jean-René and Pascal Bahuaud, had hidden from Meffre the full reality of the financial difficulties and that they intended to take legal action against them.
While in administration, Donatien-Bahuaud was drastically restructured. Production was passed to Ackerman, while D-B’s winery and offices in Vallet were sold to Drouet Frères. Staffing was reduced from 60 down to 11. D-B came out of administration in January 2008. Now it is part of Boisset – see announcement on the Meffre site.
The Château de la Cassemichère was the jewel in the Donatien-Bahuaud’s crown. Historically this was supposed to be the first place in the region where the Melon de Bourgogne (the grape for Muscadet) was planted in 1740 and there is a plaque at Cassemichère to commemorate this. However, it is believed that Melon was actually planted in the Pays Nantais before the great, prolonged and terrible winter frost of 1709, which showed that this variety could survive extreme cold – I have read that even the sea froze. Apparently, following the 1709 freeze, Louis XIV ordered that the Melon should be planted in the Pays Nantais.
Once one of the leading Muscadet producers and négociants, Donatien-Bahuaud has had a decidedly chequered history recently and is now but a shadow of what it was. In October 2001 they formed an alliance with Pierre Chainier of Amboise and created Bahuaud-Chainier Loire Premium. This made them the second largest wine company in the Loire. However, the alliance didn’t work out and Bahuaud-Chainier Loire Premium was liquidated in August 2003 and the two companies went their separate ways.
Donatien-Bahuaud’s turnover had declined by more than 8% in 2002. Unfortunately its financial problems grew worse. In December 2004 it was announced that Gabriel Meffre had taken control with the acquisition completed in March 2005. Meffre found that Donatien’s financial situation was considerably more rocky than they thought. Donatien-Bahuaud was put into administration in October 2006. At the time Valérie Vincent, Gabriel Meffre’s head of communication, claimed that the former directors of D-B, Jean-René and Pascal Bahuaud, had hidden from Meffre the full reality of the financial difficulties and that they intended to take legal action against them.
While in administration, Donatien-Bahuaud was drastically restructured. Production was passed to Ackerman, while D-B’s winery and offices in Vallet were sold to Drouet Frères. Staffing was reduced from 60 down to 11. D-B came out of administration in January 2008. Now it is part of Boisset – see announcement on the Meffre site.
The Château de la Cassemichère was the jewel in the Donatien-Bahuaud’s crown. Historically this was supposed to be the first place in the region where the Melon de Bourgogne (the grape for Muscadet) was planted in 1740 and there is a plaque at Cassemichère to commemorate this. However, it is believed that Melon was actually planted in the Pays Nantais before the great, prolonged and terrible winter frost of 1709, which showed that this variety could survive extreme cold – I have read that even the sea froze. Apparently, following the 1709 freeze, Louis XIV ordered that the Melon should be planted in the Pays Nantais.
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