Count Liger-Belair is investing heavily in his winery which will be open to the public

ount Louis-Michel Liger-Belair prefers to stay tight-lipped when it comes to the financial aspects of the forthcoming opening of the aptly-named ‘Cuverie’. “It’s a colossal investment”, is his cursory response, adding that the town and regional councils have contributed as much as they can.  At 1 rue des Communes, in the heart of the iconic wine village of Vosne-Romanée, the former winegrowers' house for sharecroppers on the Liger-Belair estate was bought by the count “to safeguard buildings with a connection to the estate’s history, with a view to turning them into a guest house”, he explains.

However, the original idea morphed into another, more collective concept which can benefit both wine tourism and the local community. The count aims to shed the elitist image the appellation can convey to less informed consumers. “Many people don't come to Vosne-Romanée for fear of not being sufficiently knowledgeable or by draping the appellation in an intimidating mantle. The hub of the venue will therefore be the wine bar serving 1,000 different wines from the local producers who want to participate and a dozen wines by the glass at all times, including a Vosne-Romanée to allow visitors passing through to taste a local wine”, adds Liger-Belair.