Dr.Barolet - brief bio?

I noticed an auction lot of 1937 Vosne-Romanée stating this gentleman as the source of collection and -apparently - producer. From a few paragraphs of a Swiss website, seems he was something of a hybrid of negociant & collector. Any colour that anyone can add to that? And, given 1937 was, I believe, a reasonable vintage, any comments (from experience) on drinkability?

As I recall the story goes when he passed away, he left a lot of wines. I have enjoyed his wines in the past but they are doctored hence still very fresh but not necessarily showing pure pinot fruit.

Yup…bought a bunch of those Barolets for a ridiculous (cheap) price from Boulder’s LiquorMart
back in the mid-'70’s. DrBarolet was a physician in the Burgundy area and liked to make wine on the side,
mostly for friends and gifts. When he croaked, he left this huge stash dating back to the early '20’s. It was purchased
by a Swiss firm and then peddled off for very modest prices. Many of the vintages were less than stellar.
They were all caarefully wrapped in (brown) tissue paper to preserve the original dust from his cellar.
But of the 20-25 I tried, most all, even the whites, were still alive. They were an interesting intellectual experience,
but not necessarily a compelling sensual experience…as it is with most old wines and old folks.
Tom

always a few popping up in swiss auctions, even today. I bought one once, as a tester, quite okay but not special…

I purchased a few back in the 70’s and agree 100% with your comments.

And, I think, the whole thing got diluted at some point by people using his name to market stuff that he wasn’t involved with. Like selling “cuvee Dr. Barolet” , etc…

deVillamont still market some I think…

Yup…I remember several yrs after the Barolets hit the market, there were some recent vintage Barolets that appeared that were
after DrAutherBarolet’s death. Don’t recall the story behind them though. I tried one of the “modern” Barolets and found them
pretty uninteresting.
Tom

I had the 1935 Clos Vougeot it was a great wine-he used brandy to refresh his wines.

Thanks, everyone, for those interesting tidbits and anecdotes

Oscar Wilde standard …I’m committing that to memory to casually toss out as my own at a suitable future occasion …

Yeah, it is this spirit addition that has helped some of the old ones to survive and actually look pretty good still.

A bottle of '23 Hospice de Beaune Savigny les Beaune Cuvee Fouquerand is still in my all time top 10 wines…so fresh, sweet and perfumed, just a wonderful wine…