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[Chapel, Alain; Saunier, Martine; Jayer, Henri].
Livre de Cave (Wine Cellar Ledger for Pierre at Meridien).
Lyon–San Francisco: Éditions Florent Garnier, 1983.
Tall folio (approx. 16 × 8 in.), black cloth boards titled in gilt; handmade binding executed by Ponceblanc, Lyon, as stated. Fine ruled ledger pages throughout. Light exterior rubbing consistent with use.
A unique, working wine cellar book conceived by three-Michelin-star chef Alain Chapel, created expressly for the cellar of Pierre at Hôtel Méridien, San Francisco, and subsequently used and annotated by Martine Saunier, the legendary French wine importer credited with introducing America to the greatest domaines of Burgundy.
The book includes a printed colophon crediting Alain Chapel (concept and research), Florent Garnier (design and editing), and Charles Roudet (printer), dated October 3, 1983. The volume was produced in extremely limited numbers for professional cellar use; no commercial edition is known.
With an extraordinary autograph page documenting a 1993 dinner with Henri Jayer
On the first leaf appears a remarkable full-page inscription dated 20 February 1993, recording a dinner at the “ANA Hotel” (later part of the Méridien group). The entry lists the wines served and the guests present, including:
• Marcelle & Henri Jayer
• Martine Saunier
• Cyril Isnard
Beneath the text are three signatures, including a large, bold signature consistent with Henri Jayer, a second signed “M. Jayer,” and a third signed “Martine.”
Authentic material signed by Henri Jayer—arguably the most influential post-war winemaker of Burgundy—is exceptionally scarce. His autograph on a contemporaneous document referencing vineyard wines and personal culinary company is of great rarity and significance.
Contents
The ledger contains multiple pages of handwritten cellar records, predominantly mid-1980s to early 1990s Burgundies, listing crus, vintages, and quantities. In addition, several loose sheets of Saunier’s working notes are laid in, including allocation lists, inventories, and tasting-related annotations. Many producers referenced in the book—Roumier, Mugneret, Méo, Armand, Jayer, Drouhin, and others—reflect the exact estates Saunier championed during the rise of Burgundy in the American market.
Provenance
From the working library and cellar materials of Martine Saunier (1934–2025), founder of Martine’s Wines, subject of the documentary A Year in Burgundy, and among the most influential importers in the history of American wine.
Significance
A singular historical artifact at the crossroads of haute cuisine and Burgundy’s most important era, combining:
• The involvement of Alain Chapel, one of France’s great chefs;
• Primary-source cellar documentation from a leading San Francisco dining program;
• Martine Saunier’s personal notes, reflecting her direct dealings with elite domaines;
• And—most notably—an apparent autograph of Henri Jayer, whose wines routinely command the highest prices and whose signed material is vanishingly scarce.
Condition
Very good, with gentle exterior wear; interior clean and legible throughout. The manuscript leaf with signatures is bright and well-preserved. Loosely inserted notes lightly handled.
A highly important manuscript volume for collectors of Burgundy history, gastronomy, or the Saunier–Jayer lineage. Unique.
