From Stone to Sparkle: Exploring Bailly Lapierre’s Underground Winery in Burgundy

The Story Behind the Stone

Above the Yonne Valley, near Auxerre and Saint-Bris-le-Vineux, lie ancient quarries carved into Portlandian limestone – the same geological formation that underpins nearby Chablis. Dug as early as the 12th century, these vast underground galleries once supplied stone for France’s greatest monuments. Bailly stone was famously used in the construction of Chartres Cathedral, and local tradition holds that it may even have contributed to parts of Notre-Dame de Paris. Nearby Aubigny stone helped build Auxerre Cathedral and the Paris Opera House. 

Over the centuries, the quarries served many purposes – from providing stone to farming mushrooms – before becoming the perfect natural cellar for Crémant. 

Quick Fact:  The caves extend across 4 hectares (10 acres), sit  50 metres underground, and maintain a steady 12°C with 80% humidity – the ideal conditions for ageing wine. 

Who Are Bailly Lapierre?

Bailly Lapierre is a cooperative of 430 winegrowers from seventy families. In 1972, they joined forces to give their sparkling wines the recognition they deserved. Their efforts paid off when Crémant de Loire became France’s first official Crémant AOC in 1975, followed closely by Crémant de Bourgogne, with Bailly Lapierre at its heart. 

Today, the cooperative continues to perfect its craft, producing wines known for clarity, balance, and finesse – a sparkling reflection of Burgundy’s terroir. 

The Côtes d’Auxerre Terroir

Around 195 million years ago, this corner of Burgundy lay beneath the Tethys Sea. Over time, layers of limestone, marl, and fossilised shells formed the soils of the Côtes d’Auxerre, giving the wines their signature freshness and minerality. 

To place it on the map, Auxerre lies roughly 150 kilometres (about 90 miles) southeast of Paris, nestled along the Yonne River. From this historic town, the vineyards of the Côtes d’Auxerre fan out in all directions: to the south-east lie Bailly, Saint-Bris, and Irancy, home to sparkling Crémants, crisp Sauvignon Blanc, and elegant Pinot Noir reds. To the south-west, Coulanges-la-Vineuse produces fruit-forward reds and rosés, while to the east, the chalky slopes of Chablis rise with world-famous Chardonnay. Together, these neighbouring vineyards form a mosaic of terroirs, with Bailly Lapierre at the sparkling centre. 

Quick Fact: The Auxerre area is dotted with dozens of ancient quarries, a reminder of how both stone and wine have shaped the landscape for centuries. 

Quality in Every Bottle

Bailly Lapierre cultivates Pinot Noir and Gamay for reds, Chardonnay and Aligoté for whites. Grapes are hand-harvested, gently pressed in an airbag press, and vinified with both yeast and malolactic fermentations before blending. 

The wines are made using the traditional method – the very same process as Champagne. A second fermentation takes place in the bottle, where natural yeast creates fine bubbles. The bottles then age in the cool, dark caves until their flavours reach perfect balance. 

This close connection between Burgundy’s Crémant and Champagne itself makes visiting Bailly Lapierre especially fascinating. If sparkling wine is your passion, you can also discover the world of Champagne aboard our luxury barge Kir Royale, cruising through the vineyards where the méthode traditionnelle was first perfected. 

Once ready, the bottles are carefully riddled to collect the yeast sediment in the neck, before being disgorged and topped up with the liqueur d’expédition, which determines the final style: extra brut, brut, or demi-sec. After corking and securing with a wire cage, the wines rest for a few more months to harmonise their flavours. 

Quick Fact: Bailly Lapierre produces nearly 3 million bottles each year, with a permanent stock of 6.5 million bottles ageing in the caves to ensure consistency. 

A Sparkling Encounter

As the barge glides past the vineyards of Irancy, Coulanges-la-Vineuse, and Saint-Bris, tasting Bailly Lapierre’s wines is a visit you are surely not going to forget. Each sip captures the essence of Burgundy – its geology, history, and centuries of winemaking tradition. From crisp, mineral-driven bruts to richer cuvées, every bottle tells a story of stone, soil, and passion. 

👉 Contact us  to find out more about visiting Bailly Lapierre on board L’Art de Vivre.