Youri Lebault. A Bourgogne Life.

Youri inherited his passion for wine and gastronomy from his Burgundian forebears: his father was a professional chef and his grandfather was a cooper (barrel-maker) in Gevrey-Chambertin shortly before the First World War. Youri is an unusual Christian name for a man of 100% Burgundian cru. It was his mother, charmed by the hero of “Doctor Zhivago”, who decided to christen him Youri - a prescient choice for a man who is appreciated by one and all for his passion and integrity, which can be likened to the spirit of celebrated Russian poet and novelist Boris Pasternak.

In 1999, he creates Bourgogne Gold Tour, an internationally recognised agency specialised in bespoke luxury wine tours on Beaune and in the wine route of Burgundy, with a passionate team of English, German and French speaking expert wine guides.

Inspired by his Wine Culture and Tourism degree from the Université de Bourgogne, Youri authored a book on Burgundy's geography and terroir, prefaced by Aubert de Villaine (Domaine de la Romanée Conti). In 2014, he was the recipient of the Wine Tourism in France Award at the SIRHA fair (International Hotel, Catering and Food Trade Exhibition) in Lyon.

Youri’s latest honor is his recent induction into Les Chevaliers du Tastevin, an exclusive society of Bourgogne wine enthusiasts. He has unparalleled access to the wineries and tasting rooms of the region, and is able to set up customized tours featuring wine from the most sought after chateaus and domains.