Pressoir Dinner Recap - Domaine Bernard Morey

Edouard Bourgeois
August 10, 2023

While too many white Burgundies have been prone to premature oxidation since the mid-90’s, we were incredibly happy with how pristine all the wines from Bernard Morey were a couple weeks ago at Popina. On that hot and humid night in Brooklyn, all twelve jeroboams we opened were phenomenal, without exception. We focused on three vintages, very distinctive ones too. 2000, known for the heat that in many cases gave birth to chubby whites; 2001, a challenging year some like to call a “millesime de vigneron” where talent is key to succeed and finally 2002, the “easy” vintage that gave an abundant harvest of healthy grapes, a blessing from Bacchus.

All the wines showed greatness and purity, a very welcome feature on such a hot night!

As the family name Morey is quite common in Burgundy and especially in Chassagne, a little family tree recap might be useful. Bernard Morey made his last vintage in 2006 and his vineyards were then split between his two sons Vincent and Thomas. Each brother has been making wine in their own style, Vincent at his dad’s winery and Thomas at Bernard’s father winery (Albert Morey). Albert is in fact the one who started it all. His son Bernard created his eponymous domaine but another son Jean-Marc Morey did the same. Jean-Marc then had a daughter, Caroline Morey, who married Pierre-Yves Colin, the man behind PYCM, one of the most famous wine domaine acronyms after DRC…

Welcome glass: Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Vide Bourse" 2002

As this climat was the only vintage we had, we decided to pour it first as what we like to call ‘l’apéro’. Vide-Bourse is a serious wine though and not very often seen. Of Bernard’s two sons, it is Thomas who got to tend the vineyard of Vide Bourse and only Marc Colin, Fernand Pillot and Gabriel Jouard share the rest of the climat. Just below the authoritative Batard Montrachet, Vide Bourse is sometimes referred to as the ‘petit Batard’.

First flight:

Bernard Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Truffière" 2002

Bernard Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Truffière" 2001

Bernard Morey, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "La Truffière" 2000

It seems obvious to start with the only flight of Puligny as the wines are typically brighter and weightless. Truffiere is perched high up on the slope just below the Hameau de Blagny, and it is apparently where truffles grow, hence the name. Benoit Ente or Jean-Marc Boillot also make wine there. I found the 2000 to be very charming despite the usual style of the vintage. It had a bit of extra fluff that the wine wore well.

Second flight:

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" 2002

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Morgeot" 2000

With a total of 58 hectares, Morgeot is arguably the most famous climat of Chassagne. It is in fact so large that it is divided into different lieux-dit; a similar situation is seen in the Clos Vougeot. While Morgeot is famous for making some of the best red Chassagne, this flight didn’t disappoint and once again here, I found the 2000 to be the most compelling of the three wines, as it displayed elegance and a long finish.

Third flight:

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Baudines" 2002

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Embrazées" 2001

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Baudines" 2000

If Morgeot is often associated with red wine, then Baudines is undoubtedly a white wine terroir. The abundance of limestone gives the irresistible salinity white Burgundy lovers can’t get enough of. Baudines is part of the Bois de Chassagne and its lowest vines are planted at an altitude of 300 meters. However, despite its location at the top of the slope, the topsoil is still quite rich. Both vintages were pitch perfect, in their own individual way. Embrazées, sometimes spelled Embazées, is the most famous wine of Bernard Morey because he was almost the sole owner, sharing the rest of the climat with Domaines Prieur Brunet and Gauffroy who own 2 small plots. Embrazées is also part of the Bois de Chassagne and is in fact right below Baudines. The soil is surprisingly poorer in Embrazées. I found the 2001 to be a tad ‘hot’ on the finish but certainly very pleasing. 

Fourth flight:

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Les Caillerets" 2002

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Les Caillerets" 2001

Bernard Morey, Chassagne-Montrachet 1er cru "Les Caillerets" 2000

A familiar term in the Côte d’Or, Cailleret refers to the high concentration of limestone suggesting the presence of a quarry and the promise of high minerality in wine made under that climat name. Once again high up on the slope, Chassagne Cailleret was once planted with Pinot Noir but Chardonnay reigns supreme now. 2002 was my wine of the night, perfectly balanced and precise. Once again, 2001 showed a touch of heat like the Embrazees that same year and surprisingly it is the 2000 that appeared cleaner with sharp acidity. 

The Power of Blind Tasting

by Edouard Bourgeois
December 7, 2022

One of the reasons why I love working in the wine world is that it presents the opportunity to surprise myself and others. A great way to experience an eye opening moment is through blind tastings. I am not always good at it, yet I love the exercise and the discipline it requires. This is also the most humbling and honest approach one can have with wine. On the other hand, I do not dismiss the benefit of tasting a wine, knowing what it is. It is a bit like when a gorgeous looking dish with artful presentation hits the table. The eye tells the palate to get ready for a treat and we start salivating! With wine, opening that dusty bottle you have been saving for years triggers high expectations and you may start enjoying the wine even before your first sip. Performing blind tasting just requires a different mindset and approach to wine.

One of our most supportive Burgundy vignerons, the marquis Guillaume d’Angerville, tells a story that really resonates with me. Guillaume used to enjoy visiting one of his favorite fine dining restaurants in Paris and would always play a blind tasting game with the resident sommelier there. The one rule was simple. He would ask the sommelier to bring a bottle of wine he felt Guillaume would enjoy, from anywhere but Burgundy. As most of you know, Guillaume runs the well-established Domaine Marquis d’Angerville in Volnay. One day, the sommelier brought him a white wine, previously poured into a decanter, making it impossible to identify. Guillaume brought the glass to his nose, took a sip and immediately called the sommelier over. Guillaume told him he had evidently forgotten the rule about serving anything but a Burgundy! Although he was very pleased with this beautiful wine, he was convinced it had been from his beloved Cote d’Or… The sommelier replied to him with two things. First, he hadn’t forgotten the rule, as this was not Burgundy. Second, he did congratulate Guillaume for identifying Chardonnay correctly.

The wine poured that night was a bottle of Stéphane Tissot’s Chardonnay Arbois Les Bruyères 2005 and it left such an impression on Guillaume that it inspired him to begin a search for vineyards in the Jura. A few years later, Domaine du Pelican was born with the inaugural vintage 2012, a winery still making excellent wines in the Jura and run by Guillaume d’Angerville.

But more on that Domaine Tissot. Meeting Stéphane Tissot is just as intense as it is to taste his wines. The joyful and dynamic gentleman is constantly thinking about something new. This level of talent is rarely seen and he is able to combine it with an amazing creativity. It is no surprise that such a character produces around 28 different cuvées, depending on the vintage, from bone dry whites to sweet “passerillé” wines with everything in between, a dozen red wines using traditional Jura grape varieties but also a fortified “Macvin”, sparkling Crémants and the most Jurassic of all, the mysterious Vin Jaune.

The vineyard of La Mailloche shares similarities with those found in Burgundy, being a complex geological mix where both clay and limestone play the most important roles. it is understandable why one could mistake this Arbois for a great Meursault perhaps. Although after deeper analysis, the unique terroir of the Jura shines through and leaves his signature.

The bottle pictured here is one that I ordered at one of my favorite places to eat and drink (and more!) in Beaune, La Maison du Colombier. I always feel like biting my tongue after telling someone they have the best wine list in Beaune but I think the cat has been out of the bag for a while anyway. That night, I was with some of my dear team members and a few clients who we had just spent the day with, drinking one gorgeous bottle of Burgundy after the other, from Montrachet to Chambertin. I decided to play the blind tasting game and ordered this “Mailloche”. Despite a much lower price point than the prestigious Burgundies, the Jurassic Chardonnay didn’t disappoint at all. Serving it blind was a good idea indeed.

Pressoir.wine Dinner Recap - Etienne Sauzet

by Edouard Bourgeois
Wednesday, November 30, 2022

It was great to use the charming private room of Gramercy Tavern for the first time

We have hosted several Champagne dinners, but it had been a long time since we put together a dinner entirely around white wine. In fact, the last time was at Marea in July of 2019 and I can still taste Preuses 1995… It was really nice to revisit white Burgundy exclusively through the superb wines of producer Etienne Sauzet. The Puligny-Montrachet estate started bottling under this name in the mid 1950’s and I have been lucky to follow the evolution of the style since the beginning of my career while working as a sommelier in Reims, Champagne. With the current fourth generation, led by the dynamic couple Emilie Boudot and Benoit Riffault since 2002, the farming has been converted to organic and fully biodynamic, starting in 2010. I was also really excited to focus on Puligny-Montrachet, a wine that is typically not really well represented on wine lists. If we can think of at least a dozen producers in the neighboring villages of Chassagne-Montrachet or Meursault, Puligny, smaller in size with just 235 hectares of vineyards, is led by just a handful of domaines. Etienne Sauzet is certainly one of them, among others such as Domaine Leflaive of course, the Carillons or Paul Pernot.

Puligny-Montrachet offers a great opportunity to understand the classic geological and topographical landscape of Burgundy. The vineyards are mostly facing east, some of them slightly turned towards the warm southern sun. The village wines are nicely tucked at the foot of the hill, producing generous wines while the Premiers Cru vineyards are all aligned mid-slope. Although small in size, Puligny proudly hosts no less than four Grands Crus, among them of course, Montrachet.

And did you know? There is an anecdotic production of red wine in the village. About 1% of the production assured by producers Jean Pascal or Jean Chartron and his Clos du Cailleret. When Dr. Lavalle wrote his book in 1855, quite a few of the famous vineyards in Puligny-Montrachet were producing reds, and these vineyards were therefore not included in Lavalle’s classification of the white terroirs.

This being said, Puligny is clearly a white wine village that distinguishes itself from its famous neighbors, Chassagne-Montrachet and Meursault.

Below are my tasting notes from last night’s dinner:

1st flight: Puligny-Montrachet vertical – 2019/2018/2016

All wines were served out of Magnums!

2019: Impressively light on its feet, considering the warm temperatures of that vintage. I loved that wine, and this was a beautiful way to start. Lovely lemony notes coated with a generous mouthfeel that reminded me of a lemon custard and meringue tart.

2018: Although I found a bit less definition in this 2018, I appreciate how the vintage, here again, showed its colors. The confit orange gave an interesting accent, but the heat was present in the long finish.

2016: We are very grateful to have been able to pour this rare wine, especially from a magnum. 2016 was the year famous for a historical frost. The crop was extremely low and the vintage almost impossible to define as the little amount of wine made varied in quality across the Cote. This bottling remained fine and elegant with a touch of herbaceousness.

2nd flight: Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Perrieres 2016/2014/2012

“Perrières”, a famous terminology in Burgundy typically refers to stony soils

With this second flight, we went up the slope in vineyards characterized by a lower proportion of clay and marls while getting closer to the bedrock of limestone.

2016: Again here, 2016 showed a bit of a vegetal profile but I found it quite pleasant with notes of green tea leaves and a refreshing lactic, yogurt-like mouthfeel.

2014: Another complicated vintage marked by a rollercoaster of temperatures and intermittence of rain and sunshine. I typically really enjoy 2014 whites and was pleased with this Perrieres although I didn’t quite find the acidity I expected on the finish.

2012: The low volumes produced that year were blessed with fine quality. It should be noted first that this is a 10-year-old wine so the nature of the vintage alone doesn’t suffice to judge its performance. I found that age served it well, developing noble bergamot aromas with a beautifully integrated smoky touch. However, I was a bit distracted by a green touch reminiscent of asparagus.

3rd flight: Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes 2016/2014/2012

“Combettes” or little combes refers to the small valleys naturally carved through the Côte during Ice Age

Combettes usually tastes a little fleshier and more generous and when tasted at the winery, is poured after Perrieres. In fact, the two vineyards share a border, with Combettes up the slope, overlooking Les Referts and a direct neighbor of Meursault 1er cru Charmes.

2016: This was probably my favorite 2016 of the night with a well-managed creaminess that provided just enough texture without being ponderous. Interesting to think of the proximity of Meursault as a possible terroir influence.

2014: Superb wine. I was pleased to find the 2014 style I love. Energetic and zesty, the wine offered layers of delight.

2012: Back to a vegetal nose confirmed by this asparagus on the palate I had in the previous 2012. Not my favorite wine of the night but still a very pleasurable bottle that held proudly through almost a decade of bottle age.

4th flight: Montrachet Grand Cru 2011/2010/2009

The one and only Montrachet

Considered to be one of the most exquisite vineyards in the world, Montrachet is often described with superlatives. This twenty-acre Grand Cru, divided among sixteen owners, is always a show stopper. Note, Etienne Sauzet does not own plots in Montrachet and does purchase grapes. From who? That is an information no one could give me.

2011: It is easy to feel disarmed when the expectation is so high, and that is exactly what happened here. When I first tasted right after opening, I thought the wine was shy, an adjective I thought I would never use to describe the authoritative Montrachet. But patience paid off. After tasting it again with a few hours of oxidation, the complexity unveiled captivating aromas and the unmistakably long finish of Montrachet.

2010: The true show-stopper. Untamed, the explosive nature of this wine jumped out of the glass, lavish and opulent. But the real magic and uniqueness of Montrachet is its ability to be focused and balanced, despite its massive personality. Like other superior wines, the depth of aromas leaves the taster speechless and forced to close one’s eyes to taste this enchanting terroir.

2009: Tasting Montrachet is always a privilege, but being lucky to taste a vertical is a real treat. Comparing 2009 and 2010 was fascinating. If I did prefer 2010, I thought 2009 was magnificent. Sure, the alcohol felt higher and the power was at the forefront but again here, the strong terroir was instrumental in creating the necessary balance and profound aromatic complexity.   

No red wine? No problem!

What's Pressoir Drinking?

Edouard Bourgeois
August 11, 2022

While getting my notes ready for the upcoming Pressoir.wine Session on the fabulous Jura wine region, I thought the timing was right to offer a brief portrait dedicated to one of the greatest Jura producers, Pierre Overnoy. I remember a recent conversation with my friend and sommelier superstar Pascaline Lepeltier where we discussed her numerous encounters with the greatest winemakers of the world. I asked her what her most memorable visit was and after a minute of reflection, she finally said: “Pierre Overnoy”. She told me about the man, the wonderful bread he had baked that and shared with her that day and how their conversation made her feel, transporting her into a delightful moment, a comfort that reminded her of childhood. Unfortunately for me, I never had a chance to meet the inspiring gentleman, but I was lucky to try his wines more than once.

Born in 1937, Pierre has been making wine his own way in the village of Pupillin for five decades. Early on, as a child, Pierre would skip school to help in his family’s vineyards or with the cows. The mischievous young boy developed an irresistible sense of humor and wit that still defines his unforgettable personality. His wisdom and perpetual desire to question everything quickly led him to reject the chemical herbicides most farmers would use in the early 1960’s. If being organic then was certainly not the norm, it was an obvious choice for Pierre. He didn’t receive formal winemaking training despite a brief attendance in the wine school of Beaune and relied more on his tastebuds than the test tubes, favoring the style of wines made by his family over the more standardized quality taught by oenologists. An important leap for him was to start making wine without the use of SO2, or any other intervention. This led him to meet the pioneers of the so-called natural wine world such as the influential Jules Chauvet and afficionado customers like the prestigious restaurateur Alain Chapel.

Pierre remains known for his kindness, generosity and open-mindedness, never short of helpful advice to younger winemakers who listen to him with the utmost respect. These disciples are now well-known and sommeliers develop great efforts to add their name onto their wine lists. Stephane Tissot, Philippe Bornard or Pascal Clairet are just a few of them.

Pierre is now retired but he has passed the baton to his longtime protégé “Manu” Houillon who became in charge of the domaine in 2001. He had started working for the domaine at age 14.

The wines with the characteristic pink label are extremely hard to find today, on occasion leading to stratospheric prices, although a few mindful restaurateurs still give the opportunity to taste these magical bottles without falling for the temptation of speculation. La Dilettante restaurant in Beaune was one of them, and Daniel and I had a fabulous bottle there a couple years back, pictured below.   

This bottle was enjoyed over the course of 2 days and after being opened for that long, the wine blossomed even more.

Top Vintages of Burgundy Dinner at Momofuku Ko

by Edouard Bourgeois

May 20, 2022

What a thrilling opportunity to be able to pick your favorite Burgundy vintages and compile them to match a Korean inspired menu. Last night proved to be successful and even if some wine pairings may have seemed daring, they were unanimously well received. Caviar and red Burgundy anyone?

We started off with a flight celebrating the clean and bright 2017 white  Burgundies. Burgundy was blessed with the 2017 harvest, especially for Chardonnay that flourished and gave a rather abundant harvest. Vignerons’ smiles grew even bigger the following year with even higher yields. It should be noted also that if low yields are typically synonymous with high quality for red wines, Chardonnay tends to produce better wines when yields are generous. A slight dilution won’t necessary hurt and might even preserve some freshness, especially in this new era of warmer years.

2017 flight of whites

Bouchard Père Fils Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru 2017

Quite a way to kick things off! Powerful Grand Cru with still many years of graceful aging ahead. I even found the oak to be still pretty loud. But what a long finish. Note: This noble Grand Cru appellation is divided into four different terraces and Bouchard is lucky to own plots in each one of them, making for a great representation of this site in Puligny-Montrachet, adjacent to the ruler, Montrachet.

Domaine Ballot Millot Les Bouchères Meursault Premier Cru 2017

Absolutely superb bottle. Perfect balance and depth. Impressive and always a good reminder that I should drink more Ballot Millot. Is the producer still under the radar?

Domaine Génot Boulanger Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 2017

Once again, Guillaume and Aude Lavollée delivered a pristine wine from this ultra-elegant Puligny. Exactly what one wishes a Folatières should taste like. Finesse all the way with discreet but solid minerality.

Time for the reds, and one of Ko’s signature dishes, a runny egg generously paired with Ossetra Caviar. Why did it work? The salinity of the caviar was a great match for the savory, mineral quality of these slightly “bloody-ironed” reds. Great experience.

2015 is one of these vintages that demanded patience but those who waited are now rewarded with great drinking pleasure. The reds did particularly well, and most professionals agree on the exceptional status of this vintage. Ideal growing conditions shaped this beautiful harvest, and most producers recall picking some of the most pristine fruits under the sun. And yes, the sun and the heat were certainly present during the growing season, but rain appeared just when needed. It should also be noted that no heat waves were recorded.

2015 Volnay flight

Domaine Clerget Carelle sous la Chapelle Volnay Premier Cru 2015

My kind of 2015. Savory and snappy with fine grained tannins and a dark fruit finish. Like a Volnay with a Gevrey accent. As the name indicates, Carelle sous la Chapelle is located just under the pretty Chapel but also just below the iconic Bousse d’Or made famous by Gérard Potel.

Domaine Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Chevret 2015

Here, Nico made a surprisingly high-toned wine from a vintage I wouldn’t particularly describe for its firm acidity. A good refresher before moving on to the Santenots…

Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots du Milieu 2015

Dominique Lafon’s pride for his 3.78 ha plot of Santenots where he insists is “du Milieu” is always palpable when you ask him about it. This unique climat is located in Meursault, yet it is allowed to be classified as Volnay when planted with Pinot Noir. The rich clay here typically brings a generous and powerful profile to its wines. I have a bottle of that wine in my cellar and last night was a reminder that I should wait for my three year old to be of age so I can drink it with him. Ten years from now seems right.

2009 Grands Crus

The mysterious rule of the 9’s where it seems that vintages ending in 9 are exceptional in Burgundy applied again with the 2009 vintage. A solar year for sure meant that some wines suffered from a lack of acidity, affecting the balance. But overall, the wines are plush, flamboyant and built on a solid tannic structure that will give them great aging potential.

Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2009 MAGNUM

I found a green note to be distracting, with a touch of astringence I can’t quite explain. Domaine de la Vougeraie owns two plots in this famous 50 ha Grand Cru, one by the road and the other by the Chateau de Clos Vougeot.

Domaine Faiveley Echezeaux Grand Cru 2009

I had high expectations here but I found the wine to be a bit reductive, with that typical matchstick aroma. Oxygen was needed to help the fruit come alive from behind the curtain.

Domaine Gerard Julien Fils Echezeaux Grand Cru 2009

I’m still learning from this domaine which has given me an image of making pretty rustic wines, reminding me of Alain Burguet’s in a way. However, that Echezeaux was rather pretty and I am guessing the warm, rich tones of the vintage probably helped wrapping the harsh earthy notes with a sweet layer of ripe fruit.

2005 Gevrey-Chambertin

It’s difficult to find anything wrong with 2005. Power and freshness go hand in hand to offer near perfect balance. While the weather offered beautiful sunshine for the pickers, an unfortunate episode of hail randomly reduced yields, sometimes dramatically such as in Chassagne-Montrachet, but also in Chambolle-Musigny where a storm bursted on May 1st.

Luckily, the village of Gevrey-Chambertin was saved from harsh conditions and the wines are sometimes described as “athletic”.

Domaine Bruno Clair Gevrey Chambertin Clos du Fonteny Monopole Premier Cru 2005 MAGNUM

At the foot of the celebrated Clos-Saint-Jacques, the Clos du Fonteny is entirely owned by well-established Domaine Bruno Clair (who also own a sizeable parcel of Clos Saint Jacques). It should be noted that this was served out of a magnum, which as we know ages slower than a 750 ml bottle. Pulling the cork felt like waking someone up from a sweet dream. With one eye closed, this Gevrey was not completely awake and it took some swirling to shake off some volatile acidity and express its grandeur. It even appeared to be a bit thin at first. An adjective I would not have imagined I would use for this wine.

Joseph Drouhin Chambertin Clos de Beze Grand Cru 2005

Massive showing here. One of the oldest Clos, Clos de Beze is typically quite authoritative, as Cyrielle Rousseau likes to describe it. Once again here, oxygen was a good ally and alcohol seemed pretty high.

Louis Jadot Gevrey Chambertin Clos St Jacques Premier Cru 2005

The ongoing argument of Clos-Saint-Jacques deserving the Grand Cru status was once again justified with this excellent bottling from Jadot, one of the 5 owners, whose plot runs from the top to the bottom of the vineyard, and located in the very middle of the Clos. Incredible length marrying rich, noble fruit with mineral undertones. Delightful way to end the dinner.

Champagne!

by Edouard Bourgeois
Friday, March 25, 2022

After a month of tasting some of the most exhilarating Burgundies one can dream of during the “Paulées” on each coast of the country, we decided to host a dinner dedicated to the fine bubbles of Champagne. It was a real pleasure to see some of you and for those who couldn’t make it, here is a rundown of my impressions on the event.

We started out with a fresh, clean flight of Blanc de Blancs from three producers. Lassaigne’s pitch perfect cuvée “La Colline Inspirée” is a vibrant wine made from once abandoned vines grown in Montgueux, on a south exposed chalk mount I used to climb, sweating on my bicycle (my hometown is just miles away). The second wine, made by Pasacal Doquet gave a different expression of Chardonnay with more roundness and a creamy texture. This cuvée Pascal named “Arpege” is made from three plots in the Marne: Vertus, Villeneuve and Mont Aime. We closed this brilliant Chardonnay flight with a vintage Champagne. 2008, a year that started on the wrong foot with too much rain but saved by fine weather in August, eventually producing fine, ripe fruit, proved to be excellent in the hands of domaine Margaine. The producer is known for its unique Chardonnay clone, in an area where Pinot Noir is prominent.

The second course, a spicy and intense dish of lentil curry found a great match with a flight of Pinot Meunier, sometimes referred to as Blanc de Meuniers. Tarlant “La Vigne d’Or” delivered power and complexity, thanks to its concentration that its low yielding vineyards dictate. The second wine, from Leclerc Briant was quite similar with no dosage and the use of neutral oak barrels for both the fermentation and the aging. The third Champagne was from the highly sought-after Emmanuel Brochet’s “Hauts Meuniers”, made from a parcel on top of the famous Mont Benoit where vines were planted in 1962. Superb expression with plenty of savoriness, spice mix and density for these great Meuniers.

The restaurant The Dutch is famous for its deliciously crispy fried chicken, a dish that screams Champagne, at least for us at Pressoir... So, we paired three Blanc de Noirs (Pinot Noir) with the bird. First, a perfectly balanced “Maillerettes” from Pierre Paillard, one of the leading producers in the Pinot Noir Mecca of Bouzy. Also from 2008, this wine, aged for 5 years on its lees was sublime. As a wink to a previous edition of La Fete du Champagne where we explored the difference between the terroirs of Bouzy and Ambonnay, we poured a succulent bottle of “Empreinte de Terroir” from Eric Rodez. This 2005 vintage, all from Ambonnay showed tremendous power. We wrapped up the flight with a very unique Champagne, the cuvée “Concordance” from Marie Courtin, in the Aube village of Polisot. I remember interviewing Dominique Moreau during the pandemic for our “At Home Session” series. Dominique, who runs the domaine she named after her grandmother, Marie Courtin is reserved, incredibly humble and a bit shy. The wines she makes however, are always quite flamboyant I find. She calls this cuvée “Concordance” because she will only produce it if everything goes perfectly. Only released in certain vintages, in that case 2013, this Champagne sees no sulfur at all, not even at bottling, and both fermentations are assured exclusively by native yeasts. This was probably my favorite Champagne. I got to taste it after being opened for a while. It was flat by then but the multi-layered complexity was stunning, suggesting aromas of a great red wine, did you say Burgundy?

Although initially planned to be served with cheese, I decided to pour the only still red wine of the night with the chicken. This excellent bottle of Coteaux Champenois, also made by Pierre Paillard impressed everyone. This young red from 2019 was full of life, very expressive and vivid. If the Champagne region can sometimes produce red wines with over-the-top, sharp acidity, this was surprisingly balanced and juicy, a great discovery for many of us at the table.

For cheese, we added a touch of color with a flight of Rosés starting with Cédric Moussé’s “Les Bouts de la Ville”, a rosé de saignée made from the oldest plot of the domaine, a great terroir of clay and sand. The deep ruby color matched the intensity of the rich red fruit aromas. A more pale but excellent bottle of “Elizabeth Salmon” from the renown Champagne house Billecart-Salmon offered a delicate mouthfeel. This 2007, marked by a snappy acidity had nerve and great class due to its long aging, a decade spent quietly on its lees, deep down in the chalky cellar of the Mareuil sur Ay property. Another Champagne house was honored with the last wine of the night. Philipponnat Royale Reserve offered an interesting comparison with the Billecart-Salmon. Based on the vintage 2009 and blended with older vintages according to a Solera system, this warmer year gave a luscious profile to this wine, based on a solid 75% Pinot Noir, 20% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Meunier blend.

Another great dinner in great company.

Burgundy Vintage Report 2020

February 24, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois

Daniel, Raj and I were lucky to travel to Burgundy and taste at many domaines of the Côte d’Or last week. Doing so during the month of February offers the opportunity to taste the vintage being bottled, in this case 2020, but we were also able to get a glimpse of 2021, a very different vintage, which we will speak about in a different article and when the wines are ready for bottling.

If 2020 was marked by the obvious historical pandemic that shook the world, most French vineyards were also affected by an extraordinary climatic phenomenon that led to one of the earliest harvests ever recorded, in some cases, one month early. Many vignerons were reminded of the heat wave of 2003 that also dictated they pick in August. However, we’ve heard on multiple occasions that it seems the plant has adapted to warmer conditions and in 2020, even if the vines took the heat, they seem to have better responded to the high temperatures, eventually making wines with more freshness and less jammy aromas. It is also important to note that their growing season had a normal length once the crucial flowering stage kicked off.

So, what is the result in the glass? Well, enthusiasm is certainly unanimous among producers. Although the volume of wines made were far from generous, quality is certainly there. Starting with the reds, the first thing that strikes you is the color. The inky, rich garnet of the 2020s reminded me of what we’ve been seeing in the 2018, a vintage that also encompassed hot temperatures. But 2020 on the palate has an irresistible crunchy, juicy and delicious fruit quality with high tone acidity. This low pH in the wine is a real blessing because alcohol levels are quite high. The low precipitation recorded in 2020 gave finely grained tannins in the Pinot Noir, suggesting that these wines should age gracefully for decades.

The whites can be superb as well. Our first visit was at the iconic Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. The property exclusively produces white wines, among the most ethereal Chardonnays on the planet. All of their 2020’s were marked by elegant purity and minerality, with the Pucelles expressing its typical salinity that literally makes the taster salivate. Overall, I prefer the whites from 2020 over the 2019s which I find can be a bit too exotic for my taste. Another vigneron who nailed the vintage was the young and dynamic Thierry Pillot of Domaine Paul Pillot.

Chistophe Roumier used a pretty generous amount of whole clusters in 2020. The result, as always, is stunning.

Bertrand Chevillon, explaining to Daniel how he remembers the hail storm that hit his Nuits-St-Georges vineyards at exactly 4pm on August 1st.

What's Pressoir Drinking - Champagne Agrapart & Fils Avizoise 2005

January 12, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois
I have had few experiences with the Champagne of Pascal Agrapart but they have always been memorable. The superior wines of this producer from Avize in the Côte des Blancs are not easy to find, but always worth the effort.

That bottle of “Avizoise”, a pure Blanc de Blancs with minimum sugar dosage, was very expressive and a great companion for the many different dishes I had that night. It makes you reconsider the belief that Blanc de Blancs should only be paired with lighter appetizers. My wife had cooked a juicy filet mignon of pork that night and with the glazed root vegetables and the rich veal jus, this Chardonnay was a really talented performer.

Among the seven cuvées produced at Agrapart, “Avizoise” is considered to be the most powerful. Pascal Agrapart works with some of the oldest vines in the village and represents the fourth generation to run the domaine, founded in the late 19th century. Amboise Agrapart, Pascal's oldest son, recently joined his father at the domaine. Together they manage nine and a half hectares of predominantly Chardonnay vineyards, the vast majority of which are Grand Cru, in the heart of the Côte de Blancs (primarily in the villages of Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry).

Often and rightfully so, these great Champagnes from the Cote des Blancs are compared to the best white Burgundy. Not only do they share the same grape variety, but the soil is somewhat comparable. The bedrock of limestone in Burgundy finds its equivalent in Champagne’s unique chalk, while the various amounts of clay give the final makeup of the soil. “Avizoise” is, not surprisingly, produced from a terroir that is rich in clay, hence its power.

One last element that distinguishes Pascal’s work is the use of large 600 liter oak vessels. Although the use of wood in Champagne is seeing some kind of trend, it is people like him or his revered neighbor Anselme Selosse who really excel in that practice.

The colorful “Avizoise”, a pure Chardonnay from the 2005 vintage, did not disappoint and over delivered considering the vintage where some others lacked acidity.

La Paulée Selections - Behind the scenes...

LA PAULÉE SELECTIONS - BEHIND THE SCENES...

by Edouard Bourgeois

April 14, 2021

We are thrilled to announce the new edition of La Paulée Selections in partnership with our wine retailer Morrell and the participation of ”Food Siblings Kitchen”.

For this fourth offering of La Paulée Selections, we kept the idea that wine is meant to be enjoyed with great company but also with delicious food. As always, we started off by picking the wines. Here, we decided to highlight the beauty of terroirs, sometimes overlooked, but farmed and vinified by some of the most talented producers in Burgundy. This selection of three white Burgundies features a chiseled Chablis from Eleni et Edouard Vocoret to start, a more lush Chardonnay expression from Saint-Aubin made by Morey-Blanc and finally the “simple” Bourgogne appellation by Domaine Marquis d’Angerville. All these wines are a great showing and truly reflect their place of origin. Being all from the bountiful and expressive 2018 vintage, the tasting experience is defined by instant pleasure and drinkability.

What about the food? We thought it had to be focused on the freshness of these wines while embracing the enchanting spring season. We asked the young and dynamic siblings Candice Bourgeois (yes, my wife!) and her brother Paulie Valetutti to come up with the right dish. Chicken, creamy-crispy, finger-licking, delicious fingerling potatoes quickly turned out to be the dish, but the first element the paired chefs came up with was in fact the sauce, a recipe the siblings created while quarantined together last year. The green sauce is the perfect liaison between the chicken and all three wines.

Max Goldberg Liu was able to capture the footage that will accompany the La Paulée Selections offering.

Order your La Paulée Selections here. The number of packages is limited.

What's Pressoir Drinking? Bouchard Père & Fils, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 1955 en magnum

by Daniel Johnnes
Wednesday, February 3, 2021

I haven't had very many memorable birth year wines. But this one stands out as one of the best I've tasted from that vintage and one of the most beguiling wines ever for that matter. It was served to me as a guest of Bouchard Pere et Fils at their residence (Chateau) in Beaune. Their collection of mature vintage wines remains unrivaled anywhere in Burgundy, with close to 2 million bottles in their cellar going back to 1846 (Meursault-Charmes which I was also lucky to taste). This Corton-Charlemagne, served from a magnum, drew gasps when opened as the color was light for its age with hints of gold highlights. The aroma is impossible to describe as it was different every time I brought the glass to my nose. Some of the adjectives bantered about were lemon zest confit, frangipane, orange marmalade, caramel, honey. It would vacillate between youthful floral notes and mature, aged white Burgundy. I have never experienced a kaleidoscope of aromas and flavors from a wine one would consider on the decline. This wine is alive and continuing to evolve just as a person (hopefully) becomes more complex and wise over time. Merci Bouchard Pere et Fils for sharing this magnificent bottle with us.

What's Pressoir Drinking? Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc 1999

by Edouard Bourgeois
Tuesday, December 2, 2020

Along with a great bottle of Beaujolais I mentioned in my last Press article, I wanted to open a real treat from Burgundy for this Thanksgiving turkey. It should be noted that my culinarily talented wife and brother in law prepared a Korean version of braised turkey thighs so, I thought a great white wine with depth would perfectly match the rich, savory flavors of the dish. Also inspired by the then upcoming Thirst class on Beaune (I hope you were there for that yesterday!), I chose to open a jeroboam of Joseph Drouhin’s iconic Beaune 1er cru Clos des Mouches Blanc from the 1999 vintage. The dish and the wine did not overwhelm each other, making for an irresistible and harmonious match. Frankly, at first I was a bit worried about possible oxidation in the wine as the color appeared a touch dark but it ended being sublime. After all, we’re talking about a 21-year-old wine here. A golden robe is completely normal. And what matters the most anyway is how the wine performs on the nose and the palate and this was a wow moment. We were really pleased with the complexity and absolute generosity in the wine. An opulent style yet lifted by a powerful mineral structure that elevated the wine on a solid limestone pedestal. Going back on oxidation though - I will say that this wine was saved by its large format, delaying the oxidation process. I would be more concerned tasting the same 1999 from a regular size bottle today…

News from the Vineyard

Finally some Premiers Crus in Pouilly-Fuissé!

When I started learning about wine in my teenage years in France, it was my dad’s favorite quiz question to ask “what’s the difference between Pouilly-Fumé and Pouilly-Fuissé?” If you don’t know the answer, the former is a wine produced from Sauvignon Blanc grapes and a neighbor to the famous Sancerre in the center Loire Valley of France, while the latter comes from the southernmost sub-region of Burgundy and is of course made from Chardonnay. Even if Pouilly-Fumé has been quite famous and present on many French restaurants’ tables in the US for the last decades, its reputation as the “Burgundy of the poor” still seems to be deeply rooted in consumers’ minds. But this may change. A couple weeks ago, 22 climats were finally identified as Premiers Crus. Pouilly-Fuissé, despite being among the first wines to gain an AOC (appellation d’origine contrôlée) in 1936, never had the permission to claim Premiers Cru status. The overlooked appellation of the prestigious Burgundy wine region has finally earned the official recognition it’s been fighting for since 2007.

This area, part of the Maconnais and famous for the towering Roche de Solutré, a pilgrimage destination of former French President Francois Mitterrand, offers similar soil and subsoil as the rest of Burgundy with the typical clay and limestone combination, with the addition of a solid granitic base, a wink to its southern neighbor Beaujolais.

The news of elevating some Pouilly-Fuissé terroirs to Premiers Crus arrived in the middle of the historic 2020 harvest and is bringing a smile to many producers’ faces as it could translate into a financial boost in the region.

The Roche de Solutré, in the heart of the Pouilly-Fuissé AOP, towers over the vineyards at 1,640 feet

What's Pressoir Drinking? Champagne Dhondt-Grellet, "Les Nogers" 2013

September 8, 2020
by Max Goldberg Liu

At what point does a pairing become a classic? Some foods and wines are just a perfect match, even if their cultural origins are very different.

Fried chicken and Champagne is one such pairing for me.

For my family's Labor Day fried chicken (Bon Appetit's recipe - boneless thighs dry-brined for a few hours, coated in spices, soaked in buttermilk, dredged, and shallow fried) I decided to open this bottle from one of my favorite producers, Champagne Dhondt-Grellet.

Located in the tiny village of Flavigny (population 165), just east of Avize in the Côte des Blancs, Dhondt-Grellet is a six hectare estate that follows the recent history of many of the small grower families in Champagne - in the mid 80's, couple Eric Dhondt and Edith Grellet decided to stop selling grapes to the large houses and became récoltants-manipulants.

Today, their son Adrien runs the estate, and like so many winemakers of his generation, he is conscientious in his farming, working both organically and biodynamically (though uncertified). The estate's small size allows him to cut no corners.

This particular cuvée has undergone a few name changes over the years. It was originally Millésimé, then Vieilles Vignes Sélectionnées until 2011, and since 2012, Adrien has bottled it as Les Nogers to pay homage to the lieu-dit in Cuis (another example of the shift in focus towards terroir-centricity by this new generation).

As a Premier Cru village, Cuis is maybe one of the less heralded villages in the Côte des Blancs compared to some of its more famous neighbors but I find there is a lot of finesse in Cuis, which is often described as producing blanc de blancs Champagnes with a certain "lightness".

Dhondt leans into this style by making Les Nogers entirely in stainless steel. Combined with the concentration obtained from relatively old vines for Champagne (~50 years), this wine has a great amount of precision and cut, despite being from the rich and ripe 2013 vintage, giving aromas and flavors of lemon, white peach, and brioche, along with terrific minerality.

All this to say that it was a knockout pairing with the fried chicken. I particularly enjoyed how the chalkiness plays with the hot pepper in the spice mixture.

I know I am not nearly the first to enjoy this pairing, and with so many people enjoying fried chicken with their Champagne, it's probably safe to call it a "new classic!"

What's Pressoir Drinking?

July 7, 2020
by Edouard Bourgeois

A “grand vin” in disguise

It is no news that you can find amazing Burgundies made from the regional appellation “Bourgogne”. We like to promote these humble wines at La Paulée with the “Petits des Grands” events. The idea is to show off the quality of these “entry level” appellations when made by the best winemakers. This Bourgogne from Domaine Lamy Caillat surely drank better than many Chassagne-Montrachet, including some premiers crus I’ve had from other producers. With its tiny production, Sebastien Caillat makes Haute Couture cuvées that consistently over deliver in a particularly cool cellar where these gems rest longer than usual, which helps achieve great freshness and backbone. The 2017 is superb right now.