On Jacques Frederic Mugnier and Musigny

Edouard Bourgeois

May 10, 2024

The wines from Domaine JF Mugnier never cease to amaze me.

A couple weeks ago I was lucky to taste mind-blowing wines from the legendary estate during two different occasions. The mind behind the success of the domaine is Frédéric Mugnier, who took over the reins in 1985. While still an airline pilot at the time, “Freddy” started making wines that quickly became known as a reference in Chambolle-Musigny and later Nuits-st-Georges when the estate grew from about 4 hectares to roughly 15 with the addition of Clos de la Maréchale.

During our exceptional Pressoir Musigny Dinner, we were lucky to taste four vintages of Mugnier Musigny from 2006, 2005, 1999 and 1988!

Domaine JF Mugnier was founded in 1863 and has had holdings in the Musigny appellation since 1892. With a bit over one hectare in Musigny, it makes Mugnier the second largest owner of Musigny after the giant Comte Georges de Vogué. The Mugnier plot was planted in 1948 and 1962. Fred made an experiment in the late 1980’s with a separate cuvée vieilles vignes from the 1948 vines but felt that neither version of 1989 was as good as the blend from the whole holding.

Here are some of my impressions on the wines tasted:

And some Drouhin too! These were also phenomenal

2006: This is among my least favorite Burgundy vintages of the decade. But Mugnier managed to produce a very compelling and delicious wine from that difficult year. Still very young, I was enchanted by the dual personality of the wine, being juicy while suggesting concentrated and slightly “raisiny” aromas.

2005: Unsurprisingly explosive. 05 is always a powerhouse. Here the red cherries dominated and this baby monster will continue to grow for many decades.

1999: I found similarities with 2006 with that same density but a few more years gave this 99 a more ethereal character. Stunning bottle.

1988: I am still a bit puzzled with this bottle which at first showed a very intense nose. It was irresistible for a while but showed signs of fatigue in the glass after a couple hours, revealing more dry rusticity. Nevertheless, an immense source of pleasure and a more meditative experience perhaps.

Mugnier’s Musigny is simply magical and its Grand Cru status undisputable. Even in the so-called “off vintages”, Fred’s wines shine. This is also true for Musigny’s little sister, the majestic Premier Cru “Amoureuses”. This neighboring climat is another exceptionally fine wine. I tasted his Amoureuses from the polarizing and bizarre 2003 vintage, a year marked by scorching heat waves. After too many disappointments from other wines made that year, I have made it a habit to simply avoid anything 2003. But I was glad to revisit it with a wonderful bottle of Amoureuses from that year. I was so impressed by the freshness that remained, clearly not the usual descriptor for 2003. At Mugnier’s, the harvest started on September 1st because, and I quote Fred Mugnier himself: “August is for vacation!” The palate showed a bit more of the heat, a characteristic of the vintage, but through an intense dried flower intriguing aroma.

Great food too at Jean-George’s newest restaurant FourTwentyFive

Nuits st Georges Clos de la Marechale Blanc 2017

I don’t taste the white Marechale often because there is not that much made. The clos has always produced more red than white wines and for a while, exclusively red. Chardonnay was replanted again for the 2004 harvest. This 2017 had the beautiful texture of a white Nuits-st-Georges but plenty of freshness. So unique and beautiful!

Marechale 2022 and 2010 :

It is amazing to taste these side by side. While the 2022 will need a few more years to digest the oak, it already showed splendid vivacity. Mugnier compares it to “2020, but more approachable, and not too bad after all!”. Note that 2022 was one the five hottest vintages since 1893!

The 2010 Marechale was stunning. “One of the best imperfect vintages” according to Fred. That’s the thing I like about his approach to what some call the good and the bad vintages. When defining the universally lauded 2005 vintage, Mugnier qualifies it as “boringly perfect” while the 2010 was “charmingly imperfect”. This totally resonates with me!

Chambolle Musigny 2017

This early vintage is described as “joyful” at Mugnier’s. This cuvée has been a blend since 1985 of the Chambolle 1er Cru “Les Plantes” as well as a parcel in the combe d’Orveau, ranked at the village level. Pure pleasure.

Musigny 2008 A show-stopper. Fred Mugnier strongly believes that wine should age. That’s why he decided to hold his Musigny a few extra years before releasing them to the market, adding much anticipation among consumers! The current release is 2016…

Amazing lunch with François Moriamez, Fred Mugnier’s right arm

Pressoir Dinner - Côte Rôtie - Recap

Did you know? Côte Rôtie is an appellation that went through some really difficult times and in fact almost disappeared back in the 1940’s after the WWII. Combine the lack of labor, unprofitability and extremely hard working conditions and you end up with a mere few dozens of hectares still in production back then. But luckily, the Phoenix rose from the ashes and today, it is around 230 hectares of vines planted under the appellation Côte Rôtie. If 230 hectares doesn’t speak to you, well, Prospect Park in Brooklyn is 213 hectares, you’re welcome.

This is a recap of a fabulous dinner Nikita and I hosted at Hearth on April 15th. Here are our notes!

Domaine Clusel Roch, Côte-Rôtie Les Grandes Places 2005 :

EDOUARD: Still very young, the wine was marked with the firmness of the vintage and it took half an hour to start detangling the tight structure. Nevertheless a serious wine. Les Grandes Places was the first vineyard purchased by the Clusels in 1935, a great name in Côte Rôtie with their winery located at the northern end of the appellation.

SURPRISE BOTTLE FROM OUR FRIEND BRIAN ORCUTT: Rostaing, Côte-Rôtie Côte Blonde 2010:

EDOUARD: A powerful style with notes of oak still perceptible, really interesting to compare with the 2005 magnum

Domaine Jean Michel Stephan, Côte-Rôtie Coteaux de Bassenon 2018

EDOUARD: Very unique Côte-Rôtie born of a blend of 40% Syrah, 40% Serine and 20% Viognier! Note: Serine is difficult to define but can be considered as the old cousin of Syrah, some will say the real Syrah of the Rhône, whose birthplace is in fact in the steep hills of Côte Rôtie. 20% Viognier is the maximum amount allowed in the blend but is rarely seen. Cool! The wines certainly showed floral notes and aromatic exuberance.

NIKITA: Côteaux de Bassenon is the most southerly vineyards in Côte-Rôtie and the majority of Jean-Michel’s vines in this parcel were planted in 1896. I don’t have much experience with a Côte Rôtie with 20% Viognier, so I was excited to open this up. The nose on this wine was unique,

Maison Stephan, Côte-Rôtie Coteaux de Tupin 2018

EDOUARD: From the same self proclaimed natural producer, Cotaux de Tupin is a different beast. This vineyard is all Serine, planted on gneiss and showed a more blackfruit, earthy personality.

Francois Villard, Côte-Rôtie Le Gallet Blanc 2018

EDOUARD: Change of scenery with Francois Villard, who owns 40 hectares and buys from another 24! Adept of whole cluster fermentation, Villard became certified organic in 2019 and his vineyards are mostly planted on schist rather than granite. I thought it was a very pretty wine, curiously not so much reminiscent of the black olives and bacon fat often found in that part of the appellation. I think the whole cluster fermentation provided a certain freshness and airiness. Quite floral too.

Domaine Jean Michel Gerin, Côte-Rôtie Vialliere 2017

EDOUARD: The vintage was tough with hail storms that dramatically reduced yields but what remained was wonderful and concentrated. Alexis Gerin today runs the show as the 3rd generation and he is a buddy of Guillaume Clusel from Clusel Roch mentioned above. Gerin prefers to use a destemmer and that parcel is from rather young vines (18 years old). Good wine but a touch reduced and the oak was still not very integrated.

Domaine Jean Michel Gerin, Côte-Rôtie Le Champin Seigneur 2017

EDOUARD: Similar notes regarding oak and reduction here.

Francois Villard, Côte-Rôtie Le Gallet Blanc 2017

EDOUARD: Back to Villard with again this elegant style and floral notes of violet.

Domaine Clusel Roch, Côte-Rôtie 2010

EDOUARD: A flight dedicated to Clusel Roch was a must! 2010 was exceptional in the region and this cuvee, now called cuvee Schist, is a blend of parcels all around the property in the northern portion of Côte-Rôtie. I always like this wine. Clusel partially destems and does a really good job with that process, finding perfect balance.

Domaine Clusel Roch, Côte-Rôtie Vialliere 2010

EDOUARD: Vialliere is located directly under Les Grandes Places and sits at 200-230m of altitude. The vineyard is rich in mica-schist and gives a more powerful wine. We are back to the more concentrated style of Grandes Places although a bit more “easy” and approachable. Here, the black olive notes were present.

SURPRISE BOTTLE FROM OUR FRIEND BRIAN ORCUTT: and what a surprise because it was Domaine Jamet, Côte Rôtie Côte Brune 1999!

EDOUARD: I have had some of my most intense wine emotions with Domaine Jamet. The wines are always intriguing and as they age, become simply dazzling. The first nose suggested those floral notes mentioned earlier but going back to the glass, I found a hint of smoke, later, another aromatic layer blossomed to unveil curious spices, cigar box and damp earth. Simply incredible and I know for a fact, still young because I was lucky to taste a bottle of 1990 that provided even more depth! It should be noted that 1999 was outstanding in the northern Rhône, with a few critics comparing it to 1947…

The wine of the night (so far!)

E. Guigal, Côte-Rôtie La Landonne 1989

EDOUARD: How to finish with a bang? Open a flight of old Lala’s…

Guigal is a highly respected northern Rhone producer (now also in the South) that did so much to revive these once abandoned vineyards. Another influential personality who played a crucial role in the reputation of these wines was wine critic Robert Parker who fell in love with the iconic Cote Rôtie of Guigal in the 1980’s he playfully rebaptized the Lala’s (La Landonne, La Turque and La Mouline)

Today, Guigal is responsible for a third of the Côte Rôtie production.

1989 was a year of drought that gave rich and opulent wines, especially here with La Landonne, a particularly steep vineyard (45% incline) nestled in the northern portion of the Côte Brune and high in iron oxide. Rarely destemmed, La Landonne is typically a powerhouse, but its decades of age helped taming the beast. Excellent, brooding wine.

NIKITA: Angular, that was the word that kept coming to me when I tried this La Landonne. Felt like this could just keep aging.

E. Guigal, Côte-Rôtie La Mouline 1988

EDOUARD: Interestingly, 1988 lived in the shadow of 1989, deemed exceptional. But this 1988 La Mouline was in fact my favorite wine of the night. I found it Burgundian and extremely refined. It is almost irrelevant to compare it to La Landonne 1989 because the vintages were very different with 1988 a cooler vintage. The two vineayrds are also very different. If La Landonne is located in the Côte Brune, La Mouline is part of the Côte Blonde to the south where granite reigns supreme. It is also the oldest vineyard of Côte-Rôtie. It is mostly destemmed by Guigal and around 10% of Viognier is co-planted with Syrah.

NIKITA: This was an enticing wine from start to finish.

Patrick Jasmin, Côte-Rôtie 1988

EDOUARD: A beautiful comparison of the vintage with an excellent bottle from Jasmin. A pioneer when it comes to bottling its own wines, Jasmin started doing so in 1909 after starting working as the chef of Chateau d’Ampuis! While he was working in the kitchen and always loved the wines of the region, a vineyard nearby became available and he bought it, literally throwing his apron! I find the wines from Jasmin very elegant. Whole cluster was the rule there until 1996 when destemming started as the newer generation took over the winery. This 1988 was youthful and beautifully perfumed.

NIKITA: Jasmin from the late 80’s and early 90’s somehow always deliver, a great example of why so many lovers of Burgundy appreciate Côte-Rôtie. Quite elegant.

Sommelier Scholarship Fund's Champagne Immersion 2024 Recap

4/25/2024

Raj Vaidya

I’m fresh back from spending a week with our friends and colleagues in Champagne during which I had the honor and pleasure to share my love for the region, its vignerons and its wines with four young sommeliers from around North America who are forever impacted and changed by this experience. It was undoubtably the trip of a lifetime, with visits to the top maisons and growers and lots of time spent in the vineyards, truly digging into the terroir and the work that these amazing Champenois do every day.

Sommelier Scholarship Fund is a non-profit organization founded initially in 2014 and formalized into tax-exempt status in 2021 by Daniel. The mission is simple, to expose wine professionals who otherwise would lack the opportunity to travel to the regions we love and promote through our work at Pressoir and the festivals, so that they can truly understand the big concepts at play. They discover firsthand Terroir, viticulture and farming, the craft of wine making and the French identity in these wines via the people, cuisine and weather local to each region. This is the best way for a sommelier to get educated; I’ve long said that I have always learned a ton more standing next to a barrel and listening to a winemaker than in front of a book reading some interpretation of the real thing.

I thought it would be nice to share some of the photos of the various visits we scheduled with the scholars, with a little annotation on the experiences. As most of you cherished Club members probably know, Daniel, Edouard and Nikita are leading a fund raising bike ride to support Sommelier Scholarships this June in Burgundy, riding 200KM over two days with a goal of raising enough funds to cover next year’s trip to Burgundy. We would be honored and greatly appreciative if you can support in any way! Here is a link to support our team and the Fund:

Here are some of the highlights of the experiences we shared with the scholars…

Cedric Moussé introduced us to his herd of KuneKune pigs. These super cute fellows plough the soil and trim the grass for Cedric, meaning less tractors and less soil compaction and fossil fuel use.

Raphaël Béréche took the group through a tasting of the 2023 Vin Clairs, (still wines), prior to bottling and beginning the second fermentation. This gave the scholars an incredible look at how intensely different each terroir he produces as wine actually are. We needed a little bubbly after that intense tasting (Vin Clair tends to be super high in acid, so our teeth were screaming bloody murder at the end of that.) Raph gladly obliged with this superb Aÿ Grand Cru from the excellent 2016 vintage.

Jean-Baptiste Lecaillon, who is both the vineyard manager and Chef de Cave at Louis Roederer, spent a whole afternoon with the scholars showing us the innovations in pruning methods being used at Roederer, amongst many other details of the vineyard and winery. In this Premier Cru vineyard in Mareuil-sur-Aÿ, Jean-Baptiste shows us how by training the vines here vertically rather than the tradition of training the cane meant to bear fruit horizontally along the wires, the plant’s sap flow is uninhibited, and this allows the plant to deal with stresses and virus pressure at the far ends of the plants more effectively while also increasing photosynthesis efficacy.

Vincent Laval took us for a walk in Les Longue Violes, a somewhat unique vineyard his family has owned for generations in Cumières which has never seen any chemical fertilizers or pesticides at all, and has been certified organic since 1971. He encourages cover crops that grow here naturally without being sowed, and these help maintain a bacterial and fungal life in the topsoil which encourages the exchange of minerals via water intake in the vines. The cover crops also force the vines’ roots to dig deeper into the chalk to find sustenance and water, resulting in more mineral expression in the champagnes.

We walked through many galleries of cellars carved from chalk under the villages in Champagne. This one in Mailly shows us the storage of bottles where riddling has been completed and the bottles are stored ‘sur point’, or on their heads, with the dead yeast cells’ remnants resting in the neck of the bottle ready for disgorgement. In the background you can see the bottles still being riddled in the traditional way, by hand in those wooden frames. The bottles are turned slightly every day to agitate that sediment further and further towards the neck of the bottle over time.

A very special visit and tasting with Anselme Selosse, one of the most thoughtful and philosophical winemakers in the world, which afforded the scholars a chance to taste his phenomenal champagnes and to learn a bit about his approach to his craft. Truly an honor!

Response to Karen MacNeil's 'Nothing Left to Say? The End of Wine Writing'

by Nikita Malhotra
April 9, 2024

I have heard that ‘print is dead’ for many years now, I certainly haven’t had the issue of smudges on my fingers from flipping through a newspaper in many years. Now it is the imminent threat of a doomscroll taking over my entire afternoon, my thumbs feel as if they are in the early stages of arthritis, and this makes me miss ink stains. So when someone points out the lack of wine writing in the conventional setting of a publication, I can take a moment to grieve. But nostalgia aside, I have never let this argument take away from my conviction that there is more information and exchange of ideas in regards to wine than previously. My response to Karen’s MacNeil’s latest article, ‘NOTHING LEFT TO SAY? THE END OF WINE WRITING,’ is just that; it might be the end of wine writing in the sense that she envisions what wine writing used to be, but the explosion of diversity we are met with far exceeds our need to mourn.

I want to first tackle this sentence from MacNeil: “One thing is true: writers cannot write moving stories—can’t emotionally touch readers-—unless winemakers and viticulturists have something moving to say.” So we are left with the statement that writers are a conduit for winemakers to express themselves, and that wine writing exists upon the assumption that the winemaker has something substantial to say. And yet both statements rely on the judgement of the writer, and if we take away the need for such a writer what happens to the narrative? Can we pivot the responsibility of context and narrative of the wine away from the writer and return it to the winemaker, because it seems like that has already naturally occurred, and this applies to the absence of the critic as well as the traditional writer.

It certainly feels like an echo chamber when we have to hear a wine writer who started decades ago bemoan the state of their existence in the contemporary world. Does the world need emotional resonance to enjoy wine? It might sound as if I fully embrace the world of influencers and direct contact with winemakers and conversations with collectors, but I privilege beautiful prose over all of it. ‘Wayward Tendrils of the Vine’ by Ian Maxwell Campbell is a book I return to constantly; it inspires me to spend an evening with a glass of wine and recognize how, with each sip, I gain some insight. It’s a snapshot of a historical period, a hermeneutical undertaking that entertains the reader like a novel from the Gilded Age. And how different is that writing to the writing of a wine writer who tells me that I should try Mt. Etna whites because it is an undiscovered region?

Karen touches on how important it is for the writer to visit and to experience the world of the winemaker, and this is an important delineation between her idea of the writer and the critic. But, what happens when the oenophile and consumer of wine has their own chance to experience that world, what can be greater than that? Even social media presents an avenue and depth of experience more compelling to that of the wordsmith.

‘The Wine Bible’ by Karen MacNeil was an important book for me when I started upon this journey in the wine world, but so was Levi Dalton’s podcast, a form of media that continues in the tradition of creating narrative and context and framing the wine and the winemaker. I used to enjoy Joe Dressner’s blog as well. With wit and determination, he presented an alternative narrative that launched many ideas and themes in wine that have persisted almost two decades after his passing. Noble Rot is a publication I force on people because it is fresh and compelling and gives a glimpse of just how many topics and themes wine intersects with. But looking forward, I appreciate certain aspects of the wine influencer because of the diversity; there is a space that presents itself as more open and accepting than the space once inhabited by the wine writer. Those who hope that wine continues to be appreciated by younger generations should be aware of this sense of space, because gate keeping will not help the future of fine wine. And Karen’s point at the beginning of her piece about the decline of wine overall speaks to this.

In the end, I would say that it might just be a new era of wine writing, where we have winemakers able to communicate directly, where critics can’t just use a point system to justify their opinions, where two brothers getting into wine can share their journey and tasting notes with the world and where writers continue to write about wine utilizing the many forms of media that are at their disposal. I am just glad that I am able to consume more wine media then was available when print was ‘alive.’

What's Pressoir Drinking - Les Noëls de Montbenault

by Edouard Bourgeois
April 12, 2024

I tasted my first sip of Chenin from Les Noels de Montbenault during La Tablée 2022. Needless to say, I couldn’t have had a more surprising wine that night, a polar opposite to the heady Grenache and powerful Syrah poured across the room. Pascaline Lepeltier generously shared with me and some others a taste of this mind-blowing Chenin. Her profound love for the grape variety was palpable as her eyes grew wide open while pouring the 2016 elixir from Richard Leroy.

A Chenin among the beasts of the Rhône at La Tablée 2022

Back to my desk, I did some research and found out more about why this wine was so special.

Richard Leroy is one of these prodigy winemakers who follow a vision while understanding all the complications of the journey to get where they want. Initially an amateur of wine tasting, Richard belonged to a Parisian wine club where he was able to taste many wines from around the world. Refining his palate, he decided to make his own wine. He purchased Noels de Montbenault in 1996, a domaine that had been in existence for 25 years and always treated organically. This 3 hectare property, located in Faye d’Anjou, is known for its remarkable sweet Chenins, made from “grains nobles”, these intriguing rotten grapes where the sugar gets concentrated by dehydration of the fruit. So, Richard naturally started making these sweet wines, but in 1998 the rain devastated his production, making it impossible to develop the precious noble rot. Another issue he saw with the production of sweet wines was the inevitable use of sulfur. Inspired by Mike Angeli, a neighbor vigneron known for his superb dry Chenins, Richard decided to gradually produce more dry wines and less sweet wines to eventually focus solely on dry wines from his 2 parcels: Les Noels de Montbenault and Les Rouliers.

Montbenault is 2 hectares and planted with 40 year old vines at the top of the hill overlooking the Layon River. The soil is composed of schist on top of a volcanic bedrock. The vineyard is exposed to the south and benefits from useful windy conditions that help in drying out the vines, which limits the development of diseases.

Schist in Noels de Montbenault

Richard follows the biodynamic principles and his aversion for sulfur has grown to the point that he now only uses 20mg of SO2/liter compared to the conventional 150 to even 180 mg/liter commonly used by French winemakers on average. Even the barrels he purchases have never been treated with sulfur.

Of course, when a winemaker decides to forgo sulfur in winemaking, the risks of flaws in wine start to emerge. One of them, known as “mouse”, a descriptor for an undesirable dusty aroma, became a center of Richard’s attention and he was able to understand its phenomenon and of the two vintages I was lucky enough to taste, none were affected by mousy aromatics. Instead, the ethereal purity and freshness in both the 2016 and the 2017 were the signature of these magnificent Chenins, reminiscent of almonds and sharp citrus.

Understanding the Maillard Reaction in Champagne

Nikita Malhotra

March 20, 2024

I remember when I was first instructed on the Maillard reaction, it was in reference to steak, what to look for and techniques in cooking a beautiful piece of meat. It was a very basic introduction, but the association of deliciousness with the Maillard reaction was firmly set for me that day. It also ensured that I would always be mindful when cooking steak. Everything became a bit more intentional because I understood that this reaction between amino acids and reducing sugars in the presence of heat contributed so much to the experience of enjoying a piece of steak. The crust and brown color forming on the outer parts of the meat would delight me as I stood in front of a grill. I continued to hear about the Maillard reaction from bread, beer and coffee; but how the reaction plays out in sparkling wine reignited my interest, and so down the rabbit hole we go!

The Maillard reaction was first studied by Louis-Camille Maillard in the 1910s, and was initially understood through the brown color formations and and flavor contributions in thermally processed foods. These reactions represent a large group of chemical reactions between amino acids and reducing sugars. Now we recognize that this reaction also occurs in low temperature conditions. The conditions under which champagne is produced and stored, at low temperatures, with a low pH, high acidity, and aging for some time on dead yeast cells, allows us to attribute the classic champagne notes of caramel, roasted bread, brioche, and nutty notes to the Maillard reaction. This is of course an over simplification, because champagne has many variables in terms of chemical reactions, but nonetheless, this reaction offers us some insight into Champagne and can be understood as the broad category of biochemical events grouped as Maillard reactions.

Nikita pouring champagne and thinking about Maillard Reactions

One thing that stuck out to me in my review of this relationship between the Maillard reaction and champagne was that I could give a scientific reason as to why I always prefer champagne over sparkling wine made with hybrid grape varieties. There was a study conducted where they tested traditional method sparkling wines produced from V. labrusca hybrid varieties compared to Chardonnay sparkling wines over an 18-month period of lees aging. The sum of amino acids was reportedly lower for all hybrid varieties compared to Chardonnay, which suggests that hybrid grape varieties have less potential for undergoing the reaction. Imagine being able to recite that instead of the ubiquitous ‘I don’t like natty wines’ sentiment uttered when someone tries to engage you with a sparkling wine from Ohio made with Niagara grapes!

The reason why I first got wrangled into researching the Maillard Reaction in relation to champagne production was a question posed about age-ability for zero dosage wines. We know that the type of sugar and concentration used in dosage affect the taste of the wine, and we can surmise on how the Maillard Reaction correlates with dosage. Obviously, sugars introduced as the dosage represent a significant source of reducing sugars- thus sugar percentage of the dosage can impact the series of chemical reactions and thus the aromas. But both the impact of sugar type or even the addition of this dosage on the wine remain unknown in terms of the scientific nature of this reaction.

My research did not deliver a clear cut answer as to whether or not there will be a marked difference in profile in terms of age for zero dosage wines in comparison with champagne with higher dosage levels from decades ago. But as more research and experiments are presented, there might be a reasonable answer not too far on the horizon. All I know is that a glass of champagne, with all its complex aromas, elicits the same joy I had grilling meat and watching the Maillard Reaction unfold before me.

Musing Post La Paulée 2024

Nikita Malhotra

March 11, 2024

La Paulée has come and gone, and like with all other La Paulées, it was a chance to celebrate and learn more about Burgundy. Between the overall ambiance of fun, there are important trends and conversations that come about when you get everyone in one room.

One thing that punctuated my conversation with vignerons and other sommeliers was the topic of farming. Our Sommelier Seminar was led by Rajat Parr, who really has become a leading voice in this conversation, not only for domestic wines, since he makes wine in California, but also as an expert of wines from around the world. His experience of traveling and tasting with the best winemakers has inspired multiple generations of sommeliers; his advocacy of restorative and ethical farming is what framed the seminar. It has always been an important subject, and is by no means something new in terms of topics concerning Burgundy, or the whole wine world in general.

We tasted Château de Béru, Chablis “Clos Béru” monopole 2018, Domaine Rougeot, Bourgogne Passetoutgrains 2022, and Chanterêves, Savigny-lès-Beaune “Dessus de Montchenevoy” 2021. Each wine helped navigate the story of what responsible farming in Burgundy looks like. But it was Parr’s personal journey with farming that resonated in the seminar. His words carried a sense of urgency as well and framed the context of ethics to both the grower and consumer of wine.

There seems to be a paradigm shift concerning the topic of farming, the concept of old world vs. new world or conventional vs. natural seem outdated, and now I propose we can look at the dichotomy in the approach to the wine world through the lens of the health of the soil and vines vs. desire to make great wine.

I don’t propose that both are mutually exclusive, but I think that intentionality is key here. Does the winemaker feel like they are a custodian of the land and have a responsibility towards creating a healthy eco-system or does the winemaker aspire to make something outstanding? It is in the privileging of one concept over the other that I find intriguing. There is still much to flesh out; is this a theme that will continue, or just a subplot in our ever-changing views of farming and sustainability? Can we locate the seams of this division as generational? Do our opinions of climate change and whether we are nihilistic or optimistic affect our feelings as consumers?

Our last event for La Paulée was in New York, tasting through 13 different vintages of Montrachet. Dominique Lafon has always been someone who practiced responsible farming and everything at Domaine des Comtes Lafon is biodynamically farmed. And yet, as he surveyed the different vintages he had made over the years at his family domaine he noted that he always wanted to create good wine, and that is what matters, not the narrative and buzzwords behind it. It was such an earnest statement delivered by a legend.

This brings me to review the policies from France, as this frames a lot of what is at stake in terms of this concept of restorative farming in Burgundy. The French government has been been under fire recently for their delay in initiating its plan to halve pesticide use by 2030. It seems like the government is reacting to both the farmers who have protested at the idea of reducing pesticide use because they feel that this ties in with the end of agriculture in France and the environmentalists who see the implications of the country being one of the main users of pesticides in the EU. Is it a complicated issue? It is agriculturally, but how does this issue resonate specifically with winemakers?

So, in conclusion, I am left with a fascinating number of questions after this Paulée, and look forward to spending the year delving into these topics.

What's Pressoir Drinking? A vertical of Montrachet with Domaine des Comtes Lafon

Daniel Johnnes

March 6, 2024

The grand finale to La Paulée 2024 brought us back to New York after a week in Los Angeles celebrating all of Burgundy. It was a fitting finale as it proved to be one of the most historic dinners of La Paulée since the first one in 2000. The punctuation point on this Paulée featured one of my closest friends in Burgundy, Dominique Lafon, with wines from his best vineyard, Montrachet.

Dominique retired two years ago but will still make appearances for special occasions celebrating his family domaine and to support his successors: his daughter Léa Lafon and nephew Pierre Lafon. 

When we use the phrase, ‘once in a lifetime’ it would not be much of an exaggeration when talking about this dinner. Even Dominique says he drinks a bottle of the domaine’s Montrachet only once or twice a year at Christmas and Easter and the only other time he reached deep into his cellar like this for a public event was at La Paulée about 20 years ago.

Montrachet is considered by many to be the greatest dry white wine on the planet. The early 20th century gastronome Curnonsky identified the world's best white wines as Coulée de Serrant, Château Grillet, Château Chalon, Château d'Yquem and Montrachet.

Montrachet is 7.99 hectares, divided nearly equally between Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. The Lafon parcel of just about a third of an hectare (.76 acres) is the most southerly plot located on the Chassagne side. His parcel dates from 1918 when Dominique's great grandfather Jules Lafon purchased it for almost nothing. (Jules was also the mastermind behind La Paulée de Meursault which he created in 1923 when he was the mayor of Meursault).

Our dinner took place at Legacy Records in the Hudson Yards district, where Chef Ryan Hardy prepared an exquisite meal respecting and honoring the nuance of the wines, allowing them to take center stage.

The first flight of wines, 2015 and 2014, was a great start and a perfect display of time and patience while contrasting vintages and their effect on the wine. 

2015 was an example of why great terroirs and great vintages need time. Its stature was clear but it was shrouded in a nearly impenetrable coat of armor. It was only after several hours that it started to show its beauty. The 2014 on the other hand was a peacock, proudly displaying its glorious noble aromas and texture. We were off to a strong start with youth and vigor.

The second course of crab was accompanied by a trio of fascinating vintages:  2013, 2012, and 2011.

2013 was the last vintage to be late harvested in October and its cool profile showed. Not voluptuous, a bit steely and minty with a good deal of reduction due to a difficult growing season that required multiple sulfur treatments. Nonetheless, the terroir shined through.

The next two wines were among the most fascinating for me. 2012 is one of my favorite vintages chez Lafon. The wines have power and definition. This one surprised me by its lack of expression, AT FIRST. The 2011 was open, seamless, textured even if it was a bit “loose”. I loved it for its approachability. However, after revisiting the 2012 an hour or so later, it had shifted gears to become a wine that could compete in a formula one race and maybe even win it!

For the third course, Chef Hardy prepared an uni and truffle dish for the 2010, 2009, 2008.

2010 - Two bottles not showing well on this day.

2009 - This wine was nearly perfect in every sense. The only downside, if you can call it that, was its youth. When thinking about the different stages of maturity, this wine is an adolescent with many years ahead of it to develop nuance and complexity. It’s all there now but not on full display.

2008  - My notes on this wine might be different from others. When It was served, Dominique called out in the room, “Daniel hates this vintage!” “Not true”, I responded. But actually maybe I do. Hate is too strong; I just find it flawed. It was basically an underripe vintage that found its ripeness through concentration from north winds and low yield. Almost every time I taste an ‘08 I find off flavors, mushroom being the most prominent. Sometimes oxidation. This one had a wonderful truffle aroma that married nicely with the dish but isn’t it a bit young for truffle aromas??? My two cents

2007 - Notes by Edouard Bourgeois: The wine almost reminded me of an American Chardonnay, with explosive aromas, very rich and opulent. The palate was layered and incredibly deep, a reminder of true Grand Cru material.

2002 - Notes by Edouard Bourgeois: Amazing, powerful nose. Almost meaty. Gorgeous, sexy palate with seducing sweetness.

1993 - Notes by Edouard Bourgeois: it was a large and ripe harvest struck by rain that gave hints of roasted hazelnut and fresh butter. Impressive and balanced. Daniel told me he had the wine 25 years ago at a Montrachet dinner and it was the wine of the night. 25 years later, it may not be the wine of the lineup but he was amazed to see how gracefully it has evolved.

1988 Notes by Edouard Bourgeois: Although a difficult year, I loved the wine. The nose suggested delicate mushroom aromas while the palate showed incredible freshness. Perfectly matured, old school white Burgundy.

1986 - A 38 year old white wine reaching its adulthood and showing little signs of decline. Majestic expression of Chardonnay planted on the most magical slice of planet earth where all the stars align to create something much greater than the sum of its parts. Genius!

Next week, notes on a remarkable tasting of mature Domaine Leflaive wines. Stay tuned.

What's Pressoir Drinking? An Italian Interlude

Raj Vaidya

March 12, 2024

Over a lovely lunch filled with pasta and laughter, accompanied by dear friends and vignerons Luca and Elena Currado (formerly of Vietti Winery in Barolo), I made a cool discovery. Nebbiolo is well known to be a pretty tannic variety, indeed those wineries that hold to the rustic winemaking style of long macerations tend to be undrinkable when young, and always needed 10+ years of aging before becoming interesting. Because the grape itself has such a high level of tannin in the skins, it has been historically very rare to introduce whole cluster fermentation here in Piedmont. Not only does the additional tannin from the stems add to the rustic palate in the juice, the stems are also much higher in water content than the same vegetal matter in, say, Pinot Noir or Syrah where whole cluster is more common. Luca explained to me that the added tannin is exacerbated by this additional water content when whole cluster fermentation is used, because the water dilutes the acid levels which usually offer a balancing effect to the tannins.

That said, the appeal of the aromatic complexity of whole cluster fermentation, plus the added lift it can give to wines in warm vintages (which are, as everywhere else across Europe, more the norm than the exception these days) has led to more experimentation. In the region, there is one cru which is particularly well suited for such experiments, that of Monvigliero in Verduno; an excellent example would be the wines from this cru made by Burlotto with some whole cluster fermentation. Experiencing Burlotto’s Monvigliero for the first time inspired the young winemaker Alberto Crissante, of his family estate Crissante Alessandria, to begin experimenting with the technique. Today, he ferments all his Barolo with some percentage of whole clusters, and in the recent warm vintages has had some excellent success.

Alberto Crissante of Crissante Alessandria in Barolo.

We drank his 2018 Gallina (from the commune of La Morra), and I found it superbly balanced, without any overtly hard tannins. A very typical Nebbiolo nose of dried rose petals was enhanced by a peppery note and smokiness I attributed to the whole clusters. Indeed, for such a young wine it was super drinkable! The subsoil is calcareous and though the region is generally not thought to be suited for whole cluster, the balance was pretty wonderful.

A lovely discovery.

Luca Currado explaining the effects of whole cluster fermentation in Nebbiolo.

Chambolle-Musigny and Bonnes-Mares Dinner Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
January 30, 2024

We hosted a memorable dinner at Charlie Bird and I would say that if Burgundy typically offers many surprises and some occasional disappointments, all the wines served that night delivered what I expected. My notes below:

Domaine Hudelot-Baillet, Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes 2017

Founded in 1981, the domaine now owns a total of 9 hectares. Dominique Le Guen, the son in law who joined the winery in 1998 and took over in 2002 to finally make his  first vintage in 2004, has made wonders. Dominique went on a mission right away to produce the best fruit possible, changed the labels to make his mark, and switched to producing wines exclusively from estate fruit. This is one domaine to continue to follow closely.

The wine was excellent - while still young. A perfect way to start with a fresh and clean expression of Pinot.

Meo-Camuzet, Chambolle Musigny 2017

For those who were lucky to attend the Meo-Camuzet dinner at Gramercy Tavern, this same wine was served and we were happy to open another bottle at Charlie Bird. The freshness of 2017 once again was the main characteristic in this elegant wine. I found a touch more rusticity than with the Hudelot-Baillet though, which makes me think the Meo should age a bit longer to finds its full expression.

Domaine Hudelot-Baillet, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras 2017

Back to Hudelot-Baillet, Les Cras, also village level above the Premier Cru, performed really well and as expected delivered a bit more depth than the Vieilles Vignes, bravo again!

Louis Jadot, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuees 2017

Adjacent to Les Cras, closer to Bonnes-Mares, Fuees is a stony climat and a wonderful site in Chambolle. Combined with the vivid character of 2017, it made for a grear crescendo to announce the following bottles.

Domaine David Duband, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers 2013 MAGNUM

Domaine David Duband was founded in 1991 and quickly made it a signature to use whole cluster in the winemaking. Interestingly, David doesn’t adjust the proportion of whole cluster according to the vintage but according to the site. This 1er Cru saw 80% of whole cluster. When David started, he patiently purchased key vineyards in great climats such as this “Sentiers” in 2006 from the celebrated Jacky Truchot estate. Sentiers is located just below Bonnes-Mares and adjacent to Morey-Saint-Denis.

He later purchased two Grand Cru sites in 2009 (Chambertin and Latricieres Chambertin)

I was a bit disappointed with the greenness in the wine and I felt that the whole cluster winemaking lacked subtlety. This being said, the elegance of Chambolle shone through.

Domaine Fourrier, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Sentiers 2013 MAGNUM

This wine was bottled exclusively in magnums for the American market as requested by importer Neal Rosenthal. Jean-Marie Fourrier, in charge since 1994, had once worked with the one and only Henri Jayer. Although he learned from the master, Jean-Marie kept an open mind, for example when it comes to using whole cluster in varied proportion, a practice eschewed by Jayer.

In comparison to the Duband, Fourrier made a “Sentiers” wine with more flesh. I am a fan of Jean-Marie’s wines as I often find a great quality of fruit in them. Plush and sexy, Fourrier is great at revealing the bouquet of Pinot Noir in its full spectrum, with a signature note of generous ripe cherries.

Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2008

When we speak about de Vogue, I always like to remind the audience of a few numbers. With its rich history of half a millenium, the domaine has accumulated a large estate, and today owns 2.7 hectares in Bonnes-Mares, all in Chambolle-Musigny. The most impressive number certainly being their ownership of 80% of the entire Grand Cru of Musigny.

This Bonnes-Mares, planted with 29 year old vines and destemmed with 40% new oak, was made by Francois Millet, the winemaker at de Vogue from 1986 until 2020!

I will say that 2008 is generally “hard to love” in Burgundy. It was such a bizarre year with tricky weather conditions that I am having a hard time describing the vintage as a whole. I found this bottle to be a bit awkward and tannic. However, aeration, as often with wines from de Vogue, helped greatly, releasing a certain stiffness in the wine.

Domaine Comte Georges de Vogue, Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 1995

The same tannic profile was felt but I liked the dark fruit notes in this 1995. Blackberry and ripe cherries, laced with an animal character, were the surprising descriptors for this Chambolle!

Louis Jadot, Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 1990

Founded in 1859, Jadot today is led by the expert hand of winemaker Frederic Barnier. 1990 was made by a different winemaker though, Jacques Lardiere, who has been a important voice in the region and influenced many of his peers.

This 1990 showed its age more than I had hoped. It was however still compelling to taste a thirty plus year old wine and this bottle still had many things to say, like a wise grandmother knitting by the fireplace.

Joseph Drouhin, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2009

Founded in 1880, Drouhin is a well established negociant based in Beaune. Their impressive holding of 100 hectares is supplemented by vineyards farmed by long term contractors, who also work biodynamically. Organic since the 1980’s with a biodynamic conversion in the 1990’s, Drouhin is a very reliable name across the board, from entry level regional appellations all the way to the most prestigious Grands Crus one can find. Amouresues is one of these 1ers Crus that many aficionados (me included) consider “baby Grand Cru”. I love the anecdote from Véronique Drouhin around the name Amoureuses. According to her, Amoureuses (lovers in English) came about when vineyard workers noticed the clay being particularly sticky on a damp day in the vineyard. This would result in heavy chunks of clay sticking, or hugging one’s boots, reminding of a lover’s embrace. I can tell this is true because I did experience that when I visited Véronique’s parcel in this beautiful corner above the Petits Vougeots with the Chateau de Clos Vougeot nearby. Such a magical site…

This 2009 displayed the perfume one would expect from such a warm year, with power, glycerol and a powerful finish. Although I would certainly be perfectly content drinking this wine by itself, I am sure the Saint-Nectaire cheese was a great companion to tame the big voice of 2009.

Joseph Drouhin, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses 2000

Amoureuses 2000 was highly anticipated as one of the best wines of the night and it didn’t disappoint. 2000 was a hit at Drouhin, as I recall a jaw-dropping bottle I drank a couple years ago of Griotte Chambertin from that vintage. The Amoureuses here was my favorite wine of the night. It started showing discreet signs of evolution, entering a captivating secondary aromatic profile suggesting fading rose and damp earth, with the beginning of a complex spice character. What I particularly enjoyed was the texture, this signature velvet of Chambolle. What a magnificent, elegant wine. The kind of bottle that reminds you why Burgundy is so special.

Domaine Roumier, Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2015

Is it still necessary to introduce Roumier? Probably not. But just in case, here is a quick reminder of the history of the heralded Chambolle producer. The domaine as we know it was founded in 1924 by Georges Roumier, who started estate bottling in 1945. His son Jean-Marie joined forces before welcoming his son, the current winemaker Christophe, in 1981. The pair worked together until Christophe became fully in charge with his first solo vintage, the loaded 1990. Roumier’s parcel of Amoureuses is famously located on two types of soils, one containing more clay (Terres Rouges) and the other containing more calcareous limestone (Terres Blanches) at the top of Bonnes Mares. The two plots are vinified separately then blended.

I adored the 2015. I am always impressed by how Christophe manages to make wines so aromatically precise while everything falls perfectly in place. Nothing sticks out, the palate starts with a delicious, juicy fruit, extremely pure. The nature of 2015 is showing its forceful character. But the magic of Roumier appears in the mid-palate when the lively acidity builds up in a crescendo to lift the wine all the way to the long finish while exploding with subtle notes of violet, forest floor and raspberry. What a mesmerizing spectacle.

Domaine Roumier, Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru 2013

The nose was more discreet and a touch greener than 2015 but absolutely lovely. The same lip-smacking acidity was irresistible and confirmed the exceptional character of both the producer and the climat.

Sommelier Scholarship Trip to Burgundy

by Raj Vaidya
January 22, 2024

As many of you may know, Daniel founded the Sommelier Scholarship Fund nearly a decade ago, initially as an initiative on his own but since 2021 an official non-profit organization which is committed to offering wine professionals in the US an opportunity to visit the great producers of France and really learn about wines and the regions ‘sur place’. I’ve been able to be a part of the organization since the early days, and was lucky to play host to four young talents on their first trip to Burgundy over a week this month. To get to introduce these eager young minds and palates to the region I love and that has taught me so much is truly an honor, and a blast to see it through their eyes too.

I thought I’d share a few highlights this week, starting with a visit to the storied and nearly inaccessible Domaine de la Romanée Conti. Bertrand de Villaine was kind enough to welcome us, and we tasted the 2022 vintage from barrels. Some wines had been racked off their lees to be blended, so we were not able to taste every cuvée the domaine makes. This, we learned, is a relatively new process at DRC. Prior to 1990 every barrel was bottled individually, so if (for example) they made 90 barrels of La Tâche as they did in 1990, they would bottle each barrel one by one, meaning that there were 90 different micro cuvées bottled! Crazy to think how such a storied domaine would bottle this way until so recently. After 1990 they started blending as many as 6 barrels together at a time for bottling, and now they’ve finally switched to using large tanks and blending all the barrels before bottling. Certainly the fanciest, and amongst the most memorable visits of our trip.

Another highlight was our visit to Domaine Lafarge in Volnay. Always a favorite for myself, this tasting proved to be truly special, as Frédéric Lafarge hosted us to a wonderful exploration of the top vineyards in Beaune, Meursault, Volnay and Pommard. Fred is a special creature, super kind and humble and also extremely generous. He pulled a dusty map out from behind a barrel and proceeded to give the scholars a tour of the vineyards from deep in the cellar, carefully explaining the differences between these Côte de Beaune communes where he often has holdings that skirt the appellations’ borders. He wrapped up our tasting with a special treat, a half bottle of Clos de Chênes 2005!

One final visit worth highlighting was our last tasting of the trip: Vincent Dauvissat in Chablis. I’ve long been of the opinion that Vincent produces the most beautiful wines in the appellation, and the 2022 vintage did not disappoint. We tasted through his range in the kitchen above his cellar, as he was in the middle of racking the 2023’s as they had just finished malolactic fermentations and there was too much movement and strewn about hoses in the cave. Vincent seems quite pleased with his 22’s'; the vintage shows great precision despite it being a fairly ripe harvest. In some ways, this was even more impressive than many of our other visits as Vincent is a bit shy, almost hermit-like, and so the chance to taste with him and enjoy a glass of a 2004 Preuses Grand Cru - which he poured us blind at the end of the tasting - really spoke to the scholars, and to the mission of our endeavor. While the scholars have long known Dauvissat’s name and thought of him and his wines as being super rare and hard to access, we were able to show them that in fact he is a lovely man who makes beautiful wines in a truly simple cellar.

It was a great trip indeed and we built some great memories. Our work with the scholarship fund is certainly helping our professional community; the feedback we get from the scholars, the vignerons and the donors who support us has been extremely heartening. If you find yourself in a giving mood, remember that all donations to Sommelier Scholarship Fund are tax deductible, so please reach out to me directly and I can tell you more about how you could support this important educational, cultural initiative.

Dosage tasting with Anselme and Guillaume Selosse

A Champagne Dosage Tasting with Anselme and Guillaume Selosse

Justine Puaud
January 30, 2024

Mid December I had the chance to spend a few hours at Domaine Jacques Selosse for the dosage tasting. Several wine lovers were part of the experience - Caroline Selosse, William Kelley, one Ukrainian sommelier, my husband and myself.

To be honest, one feels quite privileged to be part of this important tasting and one hopes to have the right answer to help Guillaume and Anselme decide which dosage will go for each Lieux-Dit champagne. Anselme and Guillaume made us feel very comfortable. There are no perfect answers. Each individual was to express their feeling, their own taste. Anselme has many years of experience behind him; now the decisions are made by Guillaume. Anselme kept saying “ tu choisis (you pick) Guillaume!”

The goal for Anselme and Guillaume is really to understand the personality and the philosophy of each wine. The liqueur de dosage is not here to act like makeup and make the wine perfect. The dosage is here to reveal the wine, bring it to the light. He compares the dosage as clothes. “You need to ask yourself which clothes help the wine feel comfortable. “ 

What’s the dosage?

Immediately after disgorgement, the bottle is topped off with a liqueur d’expedition, which is wine mixed with a little cane or beet sugar. This addition serves 2 functions:

1. It replenishes the small quantity of wine lost through disgorgement.

2. It introduces a precisely measured quantity of sweetness called the dosage.

Dosage has historically been used to balance champagne’s naturally high acidity and it’s a critical element in creating a harmonious and expressive wine.

As we know there are official categories of dosage in Champagne like Demi-Sec (32-50 grams of sugar per liter), Extra Dry (12-17 grams per liter), Extra Brut and Brut Nature. Jacques Selosse almost never makes non dosé champagnes or champagnes without dosage. In his Lieux-Dit wines, the dosage varied from 0.00 to 2.75 grams of sugar per liter.

We always need to remember that dosage is not about sweetness, it is about harmony. Anselme showed us that a correctly dosed champagne shows greater complexity, length, depth of flavor and also expression of terroir.

We got to taste 42 different champagnes in about 3 hours. The tasting was focused on the collection of “Lieux-Dits”, 6 different dosages, all from the 2017 base. We finished with the 2013 vintage.

The “Lieux-Dits” collection represents six single-plot cuvées coming from a different village. They offer a journey through the Champagne vineyards. Three Lieux-Dits are made 100% from Chardonnay in the villages of Cramant Mesnil-sur-Oger and Avize. The three others are made from Pinot Noir, 100% in the villages of Mareuil-sur- Aÿ and Aÿ - with the exception of Ambonnay, which is a vine planted with 80% Pinot Noir and 20% Chardonnay.

2017 was a complicated vintage with small crops and frost but it didn’t seem to concern Anselme. He truly believes that the wine can truly express itself whether it was an easy year or a difficult one. 

Cramant - Chemin de Châlons - 0.15 grs

The first harvest for Chemin de Châlon is 2003.

Cramant is especially remarkable for lightness and delicacy. There is a beautiful linear evolution in this wine. The bitterness tends to bring out the richness and beauty of the wine. 0.15 grams offers the perfect balance with the saltiness, bitterness. It will also help the wine to age longer. Surprisingly, the 0 gram champagne was more opulent than the 0.2 grams champagne. The honey and nuts were strong on the 0 gram. You started to feel the real freshness of the wine in the 0.1 or 0.15 grs.

Avize - Les Chantereines - 0.15 grs

Les Chantereines is an historically important parcel for the estate as it was originally purchased by Jacques Selosse in 1945. It produces a learner and more aggressively saline wine than Chemin de Châlons. Les Chantereines represents the femininity, the delicacy, the elegance. Chante Reines means the singing queen. There is no need for intensity in this wine. What we are looking for here is the softness. 0.15 grs seems like evidence of that.

Le Mesnil sur Oger - Les Carelles - 0,05 grs

The first harvest is 2002. 

Les Carelles is a very beautiful blanc de blancs, with an autolytic nose of bread crumbs and nuts. The palate offers us all the salinity, stretch and chiseled power of Mesnil-sur-Oger. Guillaume selected a smaller dosage here to leave the real character of the wine. Les Carelles is already big. the sugar will add roundness here which will hide its real potential.

Ambonnay - Au bout du Clos - 0,20 grs

Beautiful linear evolution of the wine. You really taste the two layers that the roots pass through. The first layer is the clay. It is creamy “like a beautiful expression of Pomerol”. And then, you taste the chalk. It really expresses the finesse and the dryness of the wine. The dosage is here to balance both expressions and bring some bitterness and a beautiful verticality of the wine. 

Ay - Côte Faron - 0,20 grs

It’s a powerful and rich wine Anselme called “le bavard”,  meaning the talker. On the nose, it’s dry, warm, with some notes of candied, toasted aromas but then on the palate it is completely different, really serious.

Anselme and Guillaume picked 0.2 grams here. For them, the more sugar there is, the longer the wine is and the sugar will help the wine to become tender.

Mareuil sur Ay - Sous le Mont - 0 gram

Sous le Mont is the wine that requires most of their time. Anselme is always perplexed with this wine “what are we going to do with you?”. You taste the chalk, the magnesium. It is a serious and elegant Pinot Noir but with the same intensity as a Chardonnay. It's interesting because every year they pick 0 gram of sugar.

Vintage 2013

I personally found this vintage difficult to understand, very oxidative. 

According to Anselme, 2013 reminds him of 2003, with a nice concentration of organic matter. It is a severe vintage but also has the charm of imperfection. Only a few people from Champagne decided to make this vintage and we can understand why. They didn’t make a final decision on this dosage. They hesitated between 0.2 and 0.25 grams and said they will taste again later.

To finish the tasting, Anselme opened a bottle of Jacques Selosse 2006. Lunch was around the corner and our palates were awake. We all noticed the beautiful creaminess of the 2006. It reminded us of blanquette de veau!

Fermentation and Carbonic Maceration

ISN’T FERMENTATION AMAZING?

Edouard Bourgeois
January 19, 2024

And I mean fermentation in general, not only alcoholic fermentation. Because yes of course, we may immediately think of wine and other alcoholic beverages when fermentation is mentioned but think about kimchi, coffee, cigars, soy sauce or your morning yogurt. All of these products wouldn’t exist without the magic process of fermentation. Anselme Selosse never fails to remind his audience about these other fermented products and how fermentation allows us to reveal the origin of the product, the terroir. There is something almost mysterious about the process and one can go deep into the scientifically complex aspect of it. In this article, I wanted to focus on a certain kind of fermentation we hear about often. And that is the carbonic maceration, famously used in my beloved Beaujolais region but in many other places as well. Also, this where it gets tricky. Is carbonic maceration a certain type of fermentation? To answer this question and dive deep into the matter, nothing’s better than the post from Mathieu Lapierre (of Domaine Lapierre in Beaujolais) that he recently posted on Facebook. This step by step process is perfectly illustrated and thoroughly explains what is going on. I wanted to share this with my English translation. Enjoy!

1.       HARVEST

The grape harvest and sorting of the grapes are handled by hand very meticulously in small crates so grapes stay intact and not crushed

Below, a cluster of Gamay Noir a jus blanc

Zoomed in: a peeled berry of Gamay Noir a jus blanc

2.       VATTING

The harvest is put into tanks quickly and at a cool temperature. A naturally occurring juice forms at the bottom of the vat. The quantity of juice depends on the firmness of the fruit and the method of vatting (by hand of mechanically) this juice is called “la tire”

La Tire: in the vat, only the “tire” starts fermenting thanks to indigenous yeasts (naturally present in the environment) this fermentation is immediate and spontaneous and create carbon dioxide (CO2). The quantity of “tire” will define carbonic (small quantity of juice) or semi- carbonic (high quantity of juice)

Whole Clusters: Grape clusters are whole. They do not ferment, they go under an enzymatic degradation

3.       ENZYMATIC DEGRADATION

The environment in the vat, saturated in CO2 stimulates the enzymes naturally present in the berries which extracts the color from the skin towards the core of the berry. The inside of the berry will go from light yellow, to pink, to red before turning a deep purple. The taste of the fruit will also evolve. There is no fermentation inside the berry

4.       END OF THE MACERATION

After 2 to 4 weeks on the vat, the harvest is de-vatted delicately and by hand in order to keep the grapes whole before pressing

Pictured: whole cluster of Gamay Noir a jus blanc. The berries are still intact on the stem, untouched and not fermented (na tannin extraction)

Pictured: close up of a peeled berry of Gamay Noir a jus blanc after maceration

The color, taste and chemical balance of the grapes has changed (decrease of the malic acid, color and aromatic extraction)

5.       THE PRESS 

Pressing is performed slowly and at low pressure to avoid the release of vegetal (green) tannins found in the stem

Pictured: one of the modernized presses at the domaine

Pictured: a “Gerle”, basket traditionally used to collect the press

The juice (must) that drips from the press is called “paradis”. It is already red and very aromatic even though it is not fermented

Le paradis - unfermented juice with high concentration of natural sugar

6.       GRAPES AFTER PRESSING

Grapes are still whole and the seeds remain intact with no tannic extraction thanks to the delicate handling.

Pictured: close up on a whole cluster after pressing

Pictured: berry after pressing

The malic acid has almost entirely disappeared after maceration so no malolactic fermentation may occur This also creates the risk of “piqure lactique”, inherent in carbonic maceration: without lactic acid, lactic bacteria may turn sugar into vinegar

7.       ENTONNAGE: FILLING THE BARRELS

La tire and the paradis are blended and put into barrels. At this stage, the tire contains an important concentration of fermentable yeasts (saccharomyces cerevisiae) and acts as its own fermentation starter

Pictured: our wines are unfiltered, only clarified during the elevage (aging)

Pictured: saccharomyces cerevisiae

Fermentation (alcoholic) starts as soon as Entonnage starts. During this step, a large quantity of oxygen blends into the must, stimulating the yeasts while making it difficult for the malic bacteria that perform best in anaerobic environment (in the absence of oxygen)

The shape, volume and composition of the wood barrel offers the ideal recipient for a slow fermentation and natural fining.

The elevage comes to an end the following spring

From the harvest to the bottling, no oenological additive is used (SO2, foreign yeasts, enzymes, tannins, acids) and no filtration.

A picture I took at Domaine Lapierre in 2017

Sommelier Scholarship trip to the Northern Rhône - Part 1 - Clusel-Roch

by Max Goldberg Liu
Friday, January 19, 2024

It was a great pleasure to co-lead another trip to the Northern Rhône on behalf of Sommelier Scholarship Fund - the previous trip was in the midst of last July’s heat wave, and this time we got to experience the opposite weather extreme. The vineyard tours were quite chilly, but the cold made for perfect Syrah-drinking.

Our great group of passionate sommelier-scholars included Danny Agusto of Aska (Brooklyn), Laura Madera-Nadal of Pio Pio (San Juan, PR), Cara Patricia of DecantSF (San Francisco), and Matt Turner of Roscioli (NYC).

We began up north in Côte-Rôtie, spending a whole afternoon and evening with the ambitious and tireless Guillaume Clusel at his family estate Maison Clusel-Roch in Verenay. Clusel-Roch is well known for being one of the first three producers in Côte-Rôtie to begin farming organically as early as the 1980’s, no small feat in the ridiculously difficult terrain of the appellation, where much of the plowing has to be done row by row via gas-powered winch. Clusel is also a leading force in the preservation of Côte-Rôtie’s signature low-yielding selection of Syrah called “Serine,” even going so far as to managing their own nursery with cuttings from their 90 year old vines in Les Grandes Places.

Guillaume first had us pile into his van for an extended tour of the Côte Brune, visiting his vines in Champon, Le Plomb, Viallière, and Grandes Places, as well as having a peek at La Landonne. Despite the 20ºF chill and blistering winds, we still saw a few hardy vineyard workers pruning the steep slopes, a testament to the regional vignerons’ intense dedication to the terroir.

Escaping the cold, we then tasted at the domaine. Alongside the estate’s classic Côte-Rôties and Condrieu, Guillaume also enthusiastically works with other grapes and appellations - fun and fruity Gamay from the Coteaux du Lyonnais (“Traboules” and the soon to be retired “Galet”), zippy and mineral Aligoté from Mâcon (La Bergerie), and the slightly exotic yet fresh “Sur Le Mont”, a field blend of Viognier, Roussanne, Altesse, and Clairette planted on the top of Côte-Rôtie (outside of the appellation).

Also not to be missed is Clusel’s Côtes-du-Rhône “Vergers” - which will probably be the best $60 bottle of CDR that you’ll ever find, as it’s from a vineyard that is completely surrounded by Côte-Rôtie and is essentially the same terroir. It was not part of the Côte-Rôtie classification because the original owner was growing fruit trees on the land at the time, and didn’t want to pay the extra tax applied to vineyard land! So today, we are the beneficiaries of that economic decision.

Of course, we mustn’t forget about the reason we were there: the Côte-Rôties. Historically the appellation has focused much more on blending parcels than bottling individual lieux-dits, with the noted exception of Guigal’s “La-Las.” Clusel-Roch has mostly followed suit, with the bulk of the their Côte-Rôtie production in the form of the “Classique” cuvée (now called “Les Schistes”) but since 1990 has bottled their entire parcel of “Les Grandes Places" separately, and since 2009, a portion of “Viallière.” While the two parcels are next to each other on a map, they couldn’t be more different - Grandes Places being relatively flat with deeper soils, and Viallière on an extreme slope with very little topsoil above the iron-rich mica schist. I usually find the Viallière to be more delicate (for Côte-Rôtie), floral, and fine-grained, compared to the Grandes Places which can be dense, chewy, and monolithic in its youth before softening with age. These profiles were readily apparent in the 2022’s and 2023’s that we tasted from barrel with Guillaume and his business partner Gaëlle.

We also tasted each other lieu-dit that is vinified separately - Bonnivières, Champon, Leyat, Côte-Rôzier. Moving forward, Guillaume has made the commitment to bottle a portion of these lieux-dits separately in vintages that produce notable variations between them. Tasting them, I do still think that the Grandes Places and Viallière are a class above, but it will be interesting to follow the new project as it moves along.

With regards to the vintages, the 22’s will be bottled in April, and showed the density and structure of a modern warm vintage. The 23’s are of course very young still but showed a nice core of fruit and freshness on the palate, showing promise in a very difficult vintage marked by major mildew pressure in July.

Tasting all those wines certainly whet our appetites, and we then sat down to a fabulous dinner prepared by Guillaume (who was well-trained by his mother Brigitte, a famously incredible cook) - homemade foie gras terrine paired with Condrieu 2017, 2007, and 1991 (a great pairing for Condrieu), followed by pot au feu paired with a succession of Côte-Rôties - including the superb 2009 Viallière, its first vintage bottled separately - back to 1989 Classique (my and Guillaume’s birth year!), which showed a wonderful mix of black fruit, spice, and a hint of truffle.

A great first day in the Rhône!

What's Pressoir drinking - Château la Gaffeliere 1983

Edouard Bourgeois
January 5, 2024

I always like to revisit the great classic region of Bordeaux with older wines like this 1983 Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classé of Château La Gaffeliere. I was lucky to snap 24 bottles at auction for a very good price and just on time to celebrate my 40th birthday just a week ago!

These mature Bordeaux from lesser-known chateaux perfectly illustrate why Bordeaux has had such a global reputation for so long. The high proportion of Merlot (around 75%, the rest being Cabernet Franc) offers this caressing structure of refined tannins, especially after forty years. This aging ability is in fact a signature of La Gaffeliere.

Nested between the hills of Pavie and Ausone, Château La Gaffelière sits in a premium spot and the family de Malet Roquefort, who has run the estate with passion for more than 3 centuries, doesn’t fail to embrace it.

According to Bordeaux standards, the total estate is relatively small with about 22 hectares of vines reserved for the Grand Vin produced at la Gaffelière.

This is also a wine that carries a particularly high sentimental value for me since I shared a bottle of that same vintage with two of my friends with the same birth year as mine. This was a very long time ago when we were teenagers. The wine has aged gracefully. Hopefully I have too

What's Pressoir Drinking? Our most memorable wines of 2023

December 20, 2023

The Pressoir team’s most memorable wines of 2023

Daniel - Armand Rousseau, Chambertin 1934

I really think this image says it all. When writing about wine, we sometimes get too wrapped up in searching for the right words to describe the experience. “Light violet in color, haunting aromas of dried rose petals, cedar, earth, dark fruit, etc…” But with this bottle, I will make no attempt. I am not being coy or lazy. I just would like everyone to sail away on a dream about this wine the way I did when drinking it. Once in a lifetime? Yes. Well actually, my second time.

Beyond the sheer extravagance and beauty of this wine, there is a funny story associated to it. One will notice the label says “Cuvée A” under Chambertin. When I had this wine the first time, Eric Rousseau was present. I asked him, “why Cuvée A”. His response was characteristic of the traditional, artisanal way of Burgundian life. Not precise, somewhat random and in a way, poetic. Eric said, “I suppose there was a Cuvée B”.

‘Nuf said!!! Happy Holidays to all

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Raj - Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée Villages 1992 en magnum

2023 was yet another year of tremendous bottles, lucky life that I lead…

But one experience stands out as very special thanks to a combination of the wine’s rarity, the setting within which we consumed it, the friends with whom I got to share it and the simple beauty of the wine itself. 1992 is not thought off as a great red vintage in Burgundy, but in my experience this wine has always over delivered, and in general Henri Jayer was known to excel in difficult vintages as much so as ‘great’ ones. The bottle was on the wine list at Maison Troisgros and during our ‘La Paulée des Champs’ weekend there in May a group of friends decided to pitch in to buy and drink this magnum together, and I was the lucky guy who got to open, serve, and share with them. What a treat! Bought on release by the restaurant, this was in perfect condition, with all of the sweetness of fruit one expects from Jayer and that typical cola-like vegetal undertones to balance and freshen up the palate. It was the cherry on top of a truly perfect and memorable weekend. Can’t wait to see what I get to drink at La Paulée des Champs next year!

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Nikita - Jacques Selosse, Champagne Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé 1990

There are serendipitous moments in life, where everything seems to align and all is right in the world. And I had this moment this June, on a rainy humid evening when I was discussing Champagne with a friend. I had been in Italy that Spring, and was lucky to find reasonably priced Selosse in Verona. But my, friend, with a twinkle in his eyes asked my opinion on 1990 Selosse and perhaps he saw that crestfallen look of a sommelier who hasn’t tasted a bottle they have hoped to open for many years, eagerly waiting for a chance and worried their opinion of the wine will be based solely on the tasting notes of others. So he walked back to his apartment in Tribeca as the summer deluge set the evening up to for a perfect setting of staying indoors and tasting wine with friends. He was drenched from his journey back to the East Village, but in true Homeric fashion, it was all worth it as I opened the bottle, allowed a sigh of relief upon confirming it was sound, and had the chance to taste the wine as it evolved throughout the evening. The freshness was the first attribute that struck me, with citrus and lemon peel unfolding to present a type of vibrancy I never associate with this producer. It maintained that freshness for most of the night, only admitting defeat because I couldn’t bring myself to finish the last gulp in my silly attempt to make time stand still. Luckily I had many great bottles this year, and I hope to continue the streak with 2024, but a bottle of wine that makes you think and reflect and be thankful had to be the wine of the year for me. Also it is always best to share these life affirming bottles with friends.

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Edouard - Domaine Georges Roumier, Musigny Grand Cru 1983 en magnum

Not much wine is made in Burgundy with about 30,000 hectares planted

Not much wine is made in Chambolle Musigny with about 180 hectares planted

Not much wine is made in Musigny Grand Cru with just over 10 hectares planted

Not much wine is made in Musigny, By Domaine Georges Roumier with their minuscule 0.10 hectare plot. No seriously that is 0.25 acres or 10763.9 square feet (reference for the real estate industry readers)

Not much wine was made in Musigny, by Domaine Georges Roumier in 1983

Even less in magnum…

And not many people got to experience drinking such a rare wine in the presence of who else but Christophe Roumier, who gifted it to us lucky thirsty bunch.

This magnificent magnum was enjoyed in the calm environment of Maison Troisgros during our Paulée des Champs in May.

I will keep an indelible memory of that night. But I’m biased since 1983 is my “vintage”!

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Justine - Clos des Lambrays 1976 at my first La Paulée de Meursault

It is always difficult to find THE wine of the year. For me a memorable wine is all about the moment you share this wine with, the surprise - when you have no expectation but are shocked about the freshness, the length and how delicious it is. If I have to find a wine which will express this feeling, I will pick Clos des Lambrays 1976 which we opened and shared at the 100th anniversary of La Paulée de Meursault.

When you buy a wine that old, you have a minimum of 50% chance that the wine will be gone. This bottle was in pristine condition - great color and filled just below the cork. This was definitely one of the surprises of the night. Delicate, beautiful concentration, with a complex aromatic palette with overblown rose, violet, truffle and a hint of spices.

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Astrid - Noël Verset, Cornas 1991

There have been quite a few fabulous wine moments that I’ve come across in 2023. Not only have I had the pleasure of joining this great team, I’ve been given the opportunity to experience many remarkable wines. When considering my favorite of this year, the 1991, Noël Verset, Cornas immediately came to mind. This particular bottle was opened up alongside 13 other Noël Verset, Cornas vintages at La Tablée’s The Genius of Noël Verset dinner. Tasting the wines while learning more about Verset’s story certainly added to the impact of the experience. In particular, hearing the story of Verset from Mannie Berk, who had been collecting the wines of this particular winemaker for the past 30 years, and who made the dinner that night possible. Verset spent his life making wine that many paid little-to-no attention to, until after his passing, when both the Rhône and the name of Verset became renowned. It’s both poetic and unfortunate that the making of these wines ceased with Noël’s passing. The stories surrounding the wines created a memorable night, but the impression of the wine itself was astonishing. The wine was unforgettable and delicious. I’ve had the pleasure of tasting some truly extraordinary wines this year, in 2024 I can hope for nothing but the same.

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Max - Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Richebourg 1989

La Paulée’s Gala Dinner is usually where I get to taste some of the most mindblowing bottles of the year. While it is not the most contemplative environment in which to taste, the rapid-fire energy of the Gala and sheer quantity of great wine in the room definitely make up for that. It is always a privilege to be able to taste birth year wines from great producers and terroirs, and this bottle of 1989 Richebourg that I snagged a small glass of at La Paulée 2023 was one of the best wines from my vintage that I’ve had - vigorous, rich, with sweet red fruit, rose, and spice. Like all DRCs, it seemed to be aging on a completely different time scale than all other wines; it had so much density and energy that I could hardly believe it was nearly in its mid-thirties.

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Jaime - Domaine François Jobard, Meursault “En La Barre” 1989 en magnum + Domaine Antoine & François Jobard, Meursault 1er Cru Poruzot 2002 en magnum

Thinking back this year, over the amazing wines that I am so fortunate to get to taste and enjoy, I am utterly humbled by the experiences that I get to share with my colleagues, friends, winemakers and Pressoir Club Members. 

The spirit of our events lies in the community of people that come together to make it happen, the atmosphere of sharing and the wines that make the experiences memorable.  

I am all about the people and the place where a wine is enjoyed, these two elements when combined with a great bottle, create those indelible experiences. 

For me this year, it was at La Paulee de Meursault this past November. I was invited to join Daniel, Raj and Justine from our team, along with Sarah and Andy Chabot from Blackberry Farm and our surprise guest Chef Daniel Boulud. We were hosted by Antoine and Charlotte of Domaine Antoine Jobard at the Table d’Honeur – wow! Front and center in the room prime for sharing great bottles from all corners of the room as people pass through the isles of tables with their prize bottles to share.

Most memorable that day were two wines, a magnum of 1989 of Domaine Francois Jobard, Meursault “En La Barre” poured by Antoine’s Dad, Francois and a magnum of 2002 Domaine Antoine et Francois Jobard, Meursault Poruzot.

They had thoughtfully selected both magnums to share at La Paulee, the second being Antoine’s first vintage so that was a special bottle to speak with him about allowing him to remember that special year when he joined his father at the domaine. 

The 1989 was delicious and it was particularly memorable to have an aged white burgundy that had perfectly evolved to a golden color in the glass, rich and sweet notes of almond paste and honey and a freshness on the finish that was lifted with mineral notes. White Burgundy at its finest! 

La Paulee de Meursault is not only about the great wines, but it is also about the incredibly festive atmosphere, Les Joyeux Bourguignons signing on stage, the French speeches that always amaze with their jeux de mots and rhythmic verse, and the parade of winemaking legends in the room. I leave you with this video that captures the event – I did not join the dance, but so enjoyed watching those that did! At my holiday events, I hope that all my guests are as jolly, fun and full of great Meursault as those at La Paulee de Meursault. 

Happy holidays and all the best for a wonderful end of year celebration!

Where to drink this holiday season in New York

December 6, 2023

Nikita Malhotra

When Bing Crosby’s smooth baritone voice starts playing on the radio and he tells me he will be home for Christmas, I begin to plot the nights of festivities that inevitably will fill up my calendar.

There will be at least one dinner at Wu’s Wonton King, and I could write about BYOB spots and plan the holidays accordingly. But this is the season to go out in the city, to try the new spot that is garnering attention or to sit at the cozy bar with a bottle of wine and admire the decorations. Tis the season indeed.

ILIS is an ambitious restaurant in Greenpoint - the space is large and vast, with an open kitchen at the center vying for attention from the large pieces of artwork that hang on the walls. The wood fire oven emanates a warmth throughout the space, that dare I say is festive, and the menu is focused on the produce, game and seafood of North America. But you can’t help but see Noma’s influence in both the menu and design as Mads Refslund is at the helm and was both a chef and cofounder at Noma. Tira Johnson leads the wine program, and she has built a thoughtful list. I had a bottle of Guilbert Gillet Vieilles Vignes ‘Les Grands Champs’ Bourgogne Aligoté 2020 and a bottle of Dard et Ribo Saint Joseph 2015 there last month. It’s a list with narrative and opinions, something lacking in many of the ubiquitous wine choices found on lists in the city. The lounge and bar area are a perfect space to have a bottle of wine and find shelter during these cold months.

Bryant Park is usually a great visit to get in the holiday mood with the ice rink and the holiday market providing much needed cheer. When midtown is dressed to impress during this month, it becomes a perfect destination to have a bottle of wine. And Gabriel Kreuther, just across the street from the holiday market, is one of the best options to escape the crowds and maintain the holiday spirit. Aukai Bell is one of the most well-versed wine professionals when it comes to Alsatian wine. One could spend hours dissecting the different vineyards and the stories with him, and unfortunately, there aren’t enough champions of this important wine region in the city anymore. And both the cuisine and the wines of Alsace contribute to my idea of a perfect holiday. The list is also home to great options for Champagne, Burgundy and the Rhône.

Foul Witch is a cozy and unique space in the East Village and many who have missed Blanca have gone to see what this sibling restaurant has done. For those who loved the wine program at Blanca, the wines offered at Foul Witch seem to come straight from that cellar. This is a list for the ‘cool kids’, sure, but outside the dogma of zero zero, there can exist a wine list that upholds the standards of good farming but can discern when wine is sound. Jamie Schlicht, the wine director, is a welcome voice to have curating a natural wine list. Last time I was there I had a bottle of de Moor Bourgogne Aligote 2018, what a gem to find on a list these days.

There are many more wine bars and restaurants to consider, these choices just stuck out for me as places to share a bottle and enjoy the holidays.

What's Pressoir Drinking - Jaboulet Ainé Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Cèdres" 1978

Edouard Bourgeois
December 5, 2023

I Iike to get in the mood before our wine festivals by opening a nice bottle of the appropriate wine. So, a week before we kicked off La Tablee, I decided to taste a bottle of 1978 Chateauneuf du Pape “Les Cedres” from Jaboulet Aine. I had bought it just last month as a full twelve pack in original carton at one of the rolling Global Acker web auctions. I usually find amazing deals on this rolling auction and boy that lot surely was a hit! I couldn’t believe the perfectly impeccable conditions of each of the twelve bottles. Individually wrapped in plastic film by their previous owner, the fills were right under the cork, the color super healthy and the foils all spinning (a sign to look for in old wines that most likely mean no wine has leaked through the cork). When I pulled the cork, it appeared as a brand new one, as if the wine had just been bottled last year. At this point I thought it was too good to be true but then, the wine spoke, and it delivered the most satisfying pleasure. The nose immediately gave these typical roasted fig jam and herb aromatics Chateauneuf lovers crave. This rich palette kept intensifying as the wine opened up. I decided to decant it after judging a little oxygen would help amplify the richness. I was expecting heady alcohol and weight on the palate but found the most refined elegance instead. I am a strong believer in letting high quality Chateauneuf du Pape age and this bottle just confirmed my sentiment.

Les Cedres 1978 is no ordinary Chateauneuf du Pape. First, this was arguably the best vintage of the decade and maybe even until the exceptional 1989.

Back then, a typical Les Cèdres blend was two-thirds old-vine Grenache, with the balance largely Syrah. The winemaking was classic: whole-cluster fermentation in concrete tank, a month-long maceration and 12-18 months aging in foudres.

Jaboulet was known as the leading negociant in terms of volume produced but also as the one with access to some of the best fruit available. It is believed that sources may have been from Henri Bonneau and Domaine de Pegau among other growers, today known as reference producers.

I also like how these wines are somewhat mysterious. It is quite difficult to know exactly where the grapes came from but it is almost better that way, as it leaves the taster wondering. This wine will only become more sought after as Jaboulet is progressively stopping their production of Southern Rhône wine altogether.

La Tablée Dinner Recap - The Genius of Noël Verset

Raj Vaidya
12/4/2023

As the kick-off dinner for our La Tablée festival, we were honored to host a dinner with Mannie Berk, founder of the Rare Wine Company, and share a glimpse into history, with 14 vintages of Cornas from Noël Verset sourced from Mannie’s private collection.

Noël was born in 1912 and joined his father in the vines in the early 30’s. He continued to work in the vines, making the benchmark wine for the appellation of Cornas for more than 7 decades, and finally retiring after vinifying the 2006 vintage. The first vintage bottled at the domaine was 1943, and the winemaking was very classical in approach, all whole-cluster, food tread, large demi-muid barrels, very long aging. Each bottle felt like a walk back in history, a delicious time machine.

Overall, the evening was a tremendous showcase of how consistent and long lived the wines of Noël were and are.  The youngest vintages (even despite the differing vineyard sources) were very much linked energetically and in flavor profile to the wines from the early aughts, ‘90’s and even the 80’s.  And each bottle showed tremendous depth and complexity, clearly proving his mastery of the craft of vinifying Cornas.

Mannie Berk led the discussion about the wines, and all the wines we served came from his private collection.  Our founder, Daniel Johnnes, introduced the evening and the wines, and I piped in with some observations about the terroir, as in years past I’ve been lucky enough to visit Chaillots with Franck Balthazar and Sabarotte with Olivier Clape, each of whom acquired these parcels from Noël prior to his passing.  

We enjoyed additional commentary from Walla Walla winemaker Christophe Baron, who was in attendance and had worked with Noël in the early 2000’s.

 A few thoughts on the vintages that stood out as more special than others:

2006: Impressive showing for Noël’s last vintage, according to Mannie Berk this was made exclusively from the Champelrose lieux dit.  Super delicate, ethereal even.  

2005: According to Mannie, entirely from the Chaillot parcel, today farmed by Franck Balthazar.  More powerful than the ’06, spicier and more austere in structure.

2004: The prettiest of the flight of ‘young’ wines, a blend of the Chaillot and Champelrose vineyards.  This was a vintage I’ve had little experience with, but it stood out from the other great wines of the older flights in that the tannic structure was much more delicate, likely because by this point the Sabarotte vineyard was excluded (having been sold to Domaine Clape by this era.)

1998: While the ’01, ‘00 and the ’99 gave us a clear view of the precision and structure of the earlier blend, the ’98 truly gave us our first look at the intensity and elegance of the Verset legacy.  The vintage managed to toe the line between an animal intensity and floral aromatics that made the domaine’s wines stand out.  Spectacular.

1995: Similar in structure to the ’98 but a touch richer in fruit, giving it a plush character.  Spicy with pepper notes but less savory and gamey than the ’98.

1991: This was my clear ‘wine of the night.’  Stunning aromatic profile of classic black olive, rosemary, layers of green and black peppercorns, animal gamey notes and a blood-rich iron finish.  This almost tasted younger than all the subsequent vintages, its age only showing in the wine’s depth of expression.  The longest finish by far of all the wines in the tasting.

1989: Perhaps the most beautiful of all the wines.  While the ’91 seemed to edge ahead in qualitative comparison the reason for it was not any fault of the ’89, perhaps just the ‘more-ness’ of the ’91.  The ’89 presented with the same profile of complexity as the ’91 but was softer, leaner on tannin, a touch less body, more mellow in its finish.  Seamless and simply breathtaking.

1985: Perhaps the only mature tasting wine of the entire tasting 😊… delicious palette but slightly musty nose.  The maturity manifested in a very compelling smoky, tobacco notes.  Tannins still definitely present but softened with age.  Gorgeous.

Pressoir Dinner - Rayas

Nikita Malhotra
November 13, 2023

Much has been said about Rayas - it is the gem of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is singular in its representation of this region and Grenache. Unlike the quintessential round pebbles that dominate the region’s vineyards, Rayas, composed of three separate vineyards — Le Couchant, Le Levant and Le Coeur, is planted mainly on sandy soil. Apart from the exclusive sandy soils, their unique microclimate, featuring surrounding pine and oak trees, and their northern exposure make Rayas the coolest terroir in Châteauneuf du Pape. This allows for the harvest of optimally ripe grapes while maintaining low alcohol levels, intense purity of fruit, and an elegant and silky style and texture. There is also the Reynaud style of winemaking to consider, something we had a chance to delve into with bottles like Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 2006 and 1994. Even with a different region and grape variety, there are certain Reynaud signatures, the kirsch notes, ethereal mouth feel and Burgundian leanings, that persist in terms of the winemaker’s signature.

We started with a flight featuring Rayas Blanc 2007, Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 2006 and Rayas ‘Pignan’ 2010. Rayas Blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Clairette and is quite rare, as it is made in extremely small quantities. 2007 was a warm vintage, and the weight of the wine conveyed that. Honeyed and rich, a bit more acid would have garnered more fanfare, one this wine ultimately already receives due to its rarity. The Fonsalette and Pignan allowed for a discussion for what to look for in terms of Reynaud’s style of winemaking. There are certain vintages where I prefer Pignan to Rayas, and many at the table agreed. Pignan comes from the more northern vines, and although younger vines are planted here, the oldest vines are around 100 years.

The next flight was from 2010, 2008 and 2007 - unfortunately the 2009 was corked, but luckily Raj was able to bring his bottle of Fonsalette Cuvee Syrah 1994, which will be discussed with the last flight. I was trained to mistrust 2008 in the Southern Rhone as it sits between two great vintages, but every time I have a chance to try 2008 Rayas I am impressed. It displays all the quintessential Rayas charms. The 2008 also felt more approachable, it was ready to be enjoyed, and this being a cooler vintage meant the acidity drew out a longer finish. But this theme of appreciating the cooler vintages will come up again in other flights. And perhaps, in our justification for comparing Rayas to Burgundy, we lean towards these cooler years. The 2010 holds much promise, Emmanuel Reynaud really begins to convey his undertaking of a style his uncle managed to immortalize. It feels young, and since Emmanuel has held back vintages to the point where 2011 is the current release, it should be seen as a wine to hold.

The next flight was 2006, 2005 and 2004 - and this brought about a discussion on the transition from Jacques to Emmanuel. Jacques passed away in 1997, and his nephew Emmanuel had been making wine at Château des Tours before he took over for his uncle. These vintages represented the beginning of Emmanuel’s role as the winemaker at Rayas. His actual first vintages usually do not compare in the same way as the vintages his uncle Jacques presided over, but with this flight you see a continuation to the Rayas narrative. Sitting in the middle of this flight was a bigger more classic vintage for the region. The 2005 felt dense with higher alcohol and riper fruit. The 2004 was lean, as was to be expected in a cool vintage, but the bouquet was charming, with classic kirsch cherries and a bit of spice.

The last flight featured Raj’s rescue bottle of Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 1994, which really stole the show. In this flight was also Rayas 1995 and 1994, so it was quite a special flight to end with. 1995 is universally a well regarded vintage, and the bottle showed well, but not as spectacular as it ought to. The 1994 Rayas delivered in terms of quintessential Rayas with age, with more Rooibos tea notes in addition to kirsch liquor. The Fonsalette proved to us that Jacques and now Emmanuel are masters of not only Grenache, but of Syrah, and the pepper and verve of Syrah matches those classic Reynaud signatures quite well. The Fonsalette also presented fresher.

All in all it was a memorable evening. Unfortunately Rayas continues to become more difficult to source and the pricing is now on par with Grand Cru Burgundy. There won’t be too many chances for a dinner like this as there were before, and it was insightful to share this wine with those who had both had many of these bottles before and with those tasting Rayas for the first time.