A vintage French woven wicker wine cradle (panier à vin), designed for serving and pouring sedimented mature wines. The basket features a sloped, elongated body designed to hold a standard Burgundy bottle at a precise angle, complete with a sturdy woven handle at the rear and decorative double-ring loops at the neck end. The side is mounted with a black metal plaque bearing the silver-toned inscription of the historic Burgundy négociant house Bouchard Père & Fils.

Historical & Style Details

• Subject / Sitter / Source: Bouchard Père & Fils Wine Service
• Period: Mid-Century Modern
• Origin: France
• Material / Technique: Woven wicker, metal plaque
• Markings: Metal plaque on side reads "BOUCHARD PÈRE ET FILS / AU CHATEAU / BEAUNE (Côte d'Or)"
• Decorative Details: Slanted cradle design, woven handle, double-ring loop at the front
• Colour & Surface: Natural light-brown wicker with minor age-related patination
• Condition: Excellent vintage condition with minor surface wear and light dust accumulation in the crevices, structurally sound

History

Wine cradles, or paniers à vin, have been used in French gastronomy for centuries to facilitate the decanting and pouring of aged red wines without disturbing the sediment at the bottom of the bottle. This particular piece is branded for Bouchard Père & Fils, one of Burgundy's oldest and most prestigious wine estates, founded in 1731 and headquartered at the Château de Beaune. Such baskets were typically used in fine dining establishments or estate tasting rooms to present and serve the house's premier and grand cru bottlings.