News from the Vineyard

July 28, 2020

Read the full article from the New York Times here

Like other wine regions, the beautiful and sunny Alsace, producing signature aromatic and sometimes exuberant white wines, is suffering from the double impact of Covid-19 and the US tariffs. The reduced sales that resulted increased the stock of wine and with the precocious harvest in sight, it is time to simply “make space” for the new 2020 grapes at the wineries. Since the demand is extremely low, some producers are forced to distill their precious wines. The whole region of Alsace will send 1.5 million gallons of wine to the distillery. A sad reminder of what happened in 2009 after the economic crisis. The financial and psychological repercussions are particularly challenging in this region, famous for its very charming architecture and rich gastronomy.

Besides a small amount of monetary help from the government for this “distillation crisis”, one can find a positive note, since the distilled wines will help produce useful hand sanitizing gels.

The beautiful town of Colmar

What Does Minerality Really Mean?

August 1, 2020
by Raj Vaidya

There are many buzzwords volleyed around in the wine business these days which invoke spirited and controversial responses. The conversations around what ‘natural’ wine means, the use of sulphur, the effect of climate change and conversations about additives often lead down the path of having to “agree to disagree.” On the subject of minerality in wine though, it seems, most wine professionals and wine loving amateurs are in agreement that there is something we all notice in certain wines like Champagne or Chablis which has a similarity to the soils from whence said wines were grown. However, the scientific community has brought into question whether the chalk found in Champagne or the slate soils of the Mosel actually impart any mineral compounds at all to the grapes themselves. Indeed, it appears when looking through a scientific lens that the plant itself is not capable of extracting any quantifiable mineral content from the soil. Yet Chardonnay grown in the Kimmeridgian soil of Chablis is noticeably different from the same grape grown in very different soils in the Côte-Dor just a short drive south, grown in limestone. The climates are quite similar, the grape variety the same, viticultural practices overlap a great deal, yet the aromas and flavors of the wines, their terroir expression, is completely different. So how can this be explained?

We tend to associate the word terroir with the type of soil, but in fact the term concerns quite a bit more than just the rocks and dirt beneath. The weather patterns of a place, elevation above sea level, depth of the mother-rock and water table, and the winemaking traditions (i.e. the actions of winemaking and farming) all contribute to a ‘terroir identity’ of a wine. But surely the soil, subsoil and rocks beneath are very important and impactful. How compact or heavy a soil may be affects drainage. The soil’s PH is important as certain grape varieties are known to do well in high or low PHs. In certain soil types including sand and slate, the loose sandy texture of the underlying rock make it impossible for phylloxera (the devastating louse which is the bane of naturally rooted vines the world over) to subsist. This allows for ungrafted plants to flourish in areas like the Mosel in Germany and Colares in Portugal. And of course, the mineral and elemental make-up of the soil does clearly have an effect on the types of vines grown and how they fare. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium content matter as with any organic materials, but mineral salts in soils like limestone, clay or even gravel will have an impact on the growth of the plant. It’s worth noting that the scientific community is not saying that the impact of soil on plants is false per se. Rather, what is being stated is that the vines themselves are not capable of extracting such minerals from the soil and channeling them into the fruit. The grapes grown in Champagne have no evidence of ‘chalk’ in the actual grapes, because the vine cannot remove that mineral content from the soil and transfer it to the grape. This is an important distinction from the claim that flavors reminiscent of these minerals exist in the wine. Very often, the scientists can only permit what they can prove in a laboratory, and so since such minerals do not transfer to the grapes they assume that we wine tasters with our flowery descriptions of ‘slatey Mosel Riesling’ and ‘gravelly Pessac’s’ are simply caught up in a fallacy. We must be ascribing these characteristics to the wine via our imagination, and not based in reality at all. But from our perspective, there is no question that something is translated from the soils. So if it isn’t the actual mineral content, what might it be? Those of us in the trade have learned to trust our senses when tasting, and any observation of a blind tasting of wines from classic European regions will exhibit how an experienced taster can identify wines as being from a specific place, at least some of the time. And when a good and experienced taster is wrong about the place itself, I’ve noticed that it’s often the case that the soil type of the place they picked is similar to or the same as the soil type of the wine’s actual origin. The fact that we have developed a common vocabulary in an otherwise fairly subjective field is further evidence that we aren’t perpetuating a fallacy about mineral flavors in wines. Yet it remains something difficult to prove in a lab… In conversation with Benoit Marguet, a vigneron and wine producer in Ambonnay in Champagne, some years ago I got a glimpse into what I believe may well be the best explanation for this phenomena. Benoit ascribed the ‘mineral’ characteristics we observe in wines as what he called a ‘memory’ of the place, as transmitted through water. This opened my eyes, as I thought it not only a brilliant and poetic way to describe the relationship between soil and fruit but also a very plausible explanation for the phenomena. Water, of course, is vital to a plant’s survival and defines the plant’s character in important ways. In the case of viticulture, it is always stated as a goal for the vines to suffer for nutrients in the top soil, forcing the roots to dig deeper into the sub-soil and rocks to ‘access’ such complex flavors as we’ve been discussing. But what the roots are really doing is accessing water from within the rocks. Certainly, water is known to take on mineral content of its surroundings. And furthermore water is known to be able to transmit a whole host of things, be they mineral or energetic, even electric. So it makes sense to me that the ‘message’ of the mineral content can find its way into the grapes and eventually the wine via the water the plant extracts from the earth. Undoubtedly this will not suffice as proof for someone in a lab coat, but at least there is a clear conduit between the two that we can identify. When I first visited the Mosel valley years ago I was struck by the slate hillsides and how much they smelled like a rock quarry. The whole valley was warm and sunny that year and though I didn’t notice aromas of topsoil (there’s nearly none) or organic matter (ditto) in the vineyards, I did get a slight sense of that smokiness one finds in certain Rieslings, albeit having been a vague one. Some days into the trip I was hiking around the Treppchen Vineyard in Erden in the middle Mosel, where there is a small trail leading amongst the vines through a small wood to the top of the incredibly steep and picturesque Prälat vineyard. Along the way some clouds gathered and it started to rain, a humid summer shower. Immediately, my perception of that gun-flinty smell was awakened again, and the whole vineyard smelled exactly like the old bottles of Dr. Loosen and Christoffel Auslesen from these very vineyards that I’d tasted early in my career. The rain water helped communicate that element of terroir to me so clearly in that moment, and it defined my ‘smell (and taste) memory’ of Mosel wines from that moment forward.

Tesson in Meursault

Guess the Label - Digital Edition

It’s been a while since we’ve played… below are 9 different wine labels which could be from anywhere in the world.

Test your knowledge and familiarity with these fine wines and “Guess The Label”.

Post your answers in the comments (be sure to sign your name) and we’ll reveal the answers next week. Good luck!

What's Pressoir Cooking?

A Classic French Recipe: Pâté en Croûte

August 4, 2020
by Justine Puaud

You can make so many different pâtés en croûte but this recipe is THE CLASSIC that everyone should know.

This pâté is composed of 2 meats: pork and chicken, marinated in white wine. French cuisine always rhymes with patience. It takes about two and a half days of careful preparation, 50 minutes of baking, 8 hours of rest.

Pâté en Croûte ingredients

Pastry Dough
2/3 cups of water
2.5 teaspoons of white wine vinegar
1.5 cups of butter and butter for the mold
a pinch of salt
a pinch of sugar
1/2 cup of beaten egg
2 3/4 cups of flour
1 1/2 tsp of cornstarch
1 egg yolk

Jelly
3 cups of beef jelly with port (you can buy it at the supermarket)

Stuffing
22 oz of pork belly
12 oz of pork tenderloin
8.8 oz of de-boned chicken legs
10 oz of chicken breast
3 teaspoons of seasoning mix for stuffing (four spice mix, salt, pepper, sugar)
1/2 cup of white wine
3.5 oz of roasted chicken skin
some pistachios

Onion mixture (for about 3 tablespoons)
3.5 oz of onion
0.75 tablespoon of butter
a pinch of salt and pepper
1 sprig of thyme
1 bay leaf

Fine stuffing
0.7 oz of chicken supreme (or chicken breast)
1/10 cup of heavy whipping cream
a pinch of salt and pepper

Two days prior
Mix all together the ingredients into a pastry, make the dough and cool it in the refrigerator for about 2 days.
Remove bones and nerves of the meat and cut it.
Add salt and pepper and marinate the chicken in the white wine.
Leave the meat in the fridge all night.
Prep the onion mixture. Chop the onions and incorporate butter, salt, pepper, thyme and bay leaf. Cook the mixture for about 20 minutes. Make sure the mixture is dry enough and cool in the fridge.

The day before
Make the fine stuffing and leave in the refrigerator.
Cut the pork and chicken tenderloin and mix all the pieces together. Chop the pork breast and thigh.
Preheat the oven to 425 F.
Lower the dough to 1/4 inch, cut it to the size of the mold, cut out the hat.
Fill the dough with the stuffing.
Put the hat on the dough and add 3 chimneys on the top.
To make a chimney in a pie involves creating a small opening in the dough cover to allow steam to escape from the preparation during baking. To prevent it from closing, place a small tube of card stock, baking paper or a metal nozzle in the hole.
Bake at 425 F for 15 minutes to obtain a beautiful golden color. Then, lower the temperature to 325F and cook for 35 minutes.
Boil the jelly and add gently to fill in the pâté.
Please let cool completely and then refrigerate all night.

The big day
Boil the rest of the jelly and finish to fill in the pâté. Leave it in the fridge for 1 hour.
The Pâté en Croûte is ready. It is perfect for an aperitif with friends or for a meal with a green salad on a side. Enjoy!

What's Pressoir Drinking? Club Member BYO Edition

Thanks a million to those who joined us for our virtual BYO on Thursday, July 23. It was great to see you all and share our ideas of the ‘perfect beach wine’! We had multiple requests to share the wines that were enjoyed - an amazing variety from Champagne to Rosé to Grand Cru red Burgundy and a nice journey through the Loire Valley and into Spain. Summertime welcomes bright and fresh wines with lift and energy - all of these were great examples. For those who missed it, we hope this list of summer sippers inspires you to try something you may not have had before, and to join us next time.

In no particular order:

Domaine Mardon Quincy “Trés Vieilles Vignes”, Loire 2017

Adrien Renoir Blanc de Blancs Verzy Grand Cru “Les Montants”, Champagne NV

Pascal Cotat, Chavignol Rosé, Loire 2016

Domaine Comte Abbatucci Vin de France Rosê “Cuvée Faustine”, Corsica 2017 (Amazingly 2 Club Members shared this same wine!)

Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Rosé, Loire 2018

Domaine du Collier Saumur Blanc “La Charpentrie”, Loire 2011

Alberto Nanclares Albariño, Rias Baixas 2017

Maison Chantêreve Bourgogne Blanc, Burgundy 2018

Domaine Armand Rousseau Ruchottes-Chambertin “Clos des Ruchottes”, Burgundy 2011

Willi Schaeffer, Riesling Kabinett Graacher Himmelreich 2018

Bernard Baudry, Chinon Rosé, Loire 2019

Raventòs i Blanc Conca del Riu Anoia “De La Finca” 2016

Bodegas Zudugarai, Antxiola Txakoli, Getariako Txakolina 2019

News from the Vineyard

By Daniel Johnnes

July 23, 2020

Harvest is still another 5 or so weeks away -way too soon to make any pronouncements. It has been a good growing season in Burgundy and many other regions of France.

Today, I decided to call Christophe Roumier to catch up on an old friend before he departed for a brief vacation prior to harvest. Turns out, he left for vacation yesterday but took the call nonetheless. As always with winemaker friends, after catching up on vacation plans, world events and more, the conversation always turns back to what’s happening in the vineyard.

Christophe is cautiously optimistic. Cautious because anything can happen in the last 5 weeks. The weather has been great throughout the spring and summer thus far. It started hot and dry but there was a cooling off period and enough water to give the thirsty vines a good sip to keep them maturing. He said the crop looks good, maybe average in size and certainly better than 2019. There is plenty of “millerandage”, the shot berries that yield small concentrated grapes. One is always happy to see some but not too much because they add structure and sweet juice to the must. Too much and the resulting wine can yield an overly tannic structure due to the small ratio of juice to skin which is not the desired expression of pinot noir and great Burgundy.

Other than that, he is cautious. We are not at the finish line and the last month or so will define the vintage as the grapes go through veraison and turn color.

It appears harvest in Chambolle-Musigny at Domaine Roumier will start sometime around August 28th. He was aiming for first few days of September but we shall see.

I am perennially amazed at the stoic demeanor of these winemakers who are at the whim of mother nature. They take what they are given and even when dealt a tough hand, they accept it and move on to the next vintage. 2020 appears to be special.

What's Pressoir Drinking?

July 28, 2020
By Justine Puaud

Domaine Philippe Charlopin, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2004

Domaine Philippe Charlopin is a well-known domaine in Gevrey-Chambertin. 

Started with only 1.5 hectares, Philippe Charlopin was one of Henri Jayer’s protégées. The honesty and the outspokenness of Henry Jayer helped Philippe to better understand the style he wanted in his wines.
A little anecdote: the first time Henri visited Philippe at the domaine he was pretty tough. He took a sip and said with his really strong Burgundian accent “my old friend, this wine is not great. It is way too serious and has too much tannin. What did you do?” Nicely, Philippe explained to Henri that he believed in traditional crushing and fermenting whole clusters. That was a shock for Henri. He was not a huge fan of the whole cluster process. After that visit, they spent quite some time together talking and tasting. Philippe listened to Henri and quickly decided to de-stem the grapes.

In my opinion, Phillipe and his son Yann are making fantastic wines but there is always a long discussion about their style. Known for being pretty harsh, serious and tannic (like Henri Jayer, they love to use new oak barrels), the wines need time and with age they develop perfectly.

This 2004 Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin was a GRAND VIN.  Strength, opulence and elegance are the 3 key words to describe the wine. I found the aromas I love in old wines. It is like you are walking in a forest right after the rain. It smells of mushroom, sous-bois with some subtle notes of rose and violet. 

We paired the Charmes-Chambertin with a Simmental T-Bone steak. It is a delicious and matured beef from the valley of Simme in Switzerland. A perfect Sunday lunch!

What's Pressoir Drinking?

July 21, 2020
By Daniel Johnnes

I find summer offers the most opportunities to drink every type of wine. In winter, I feel more inclined to drink red and fuller bodied wines. In the summer I am drawn to lighter, more casual wines as well as the regular dip into the great Burgundy (red or white) or from any great wine producing region for that special holiday celebration. I feel more liberated in the summer and freer to get reacquainted with wines I don't visit as often.

This week at my beach retreat I brought a tremendous mix of Stein German Riesling from the Mosel, Russo Etna Rosato, Max Breton Beaujolais, Lafon Meursault, Roulot Auxey-Duresses, Burlotto Pelaverga from Piedmont, a Griotte Chambertin from Drouhin and more. In short, I brought a wine for every fish and meat - grilled steak with the Breton Morgon, grilled swordfish with the Griotte-Chambertin, sauteed shrimp with lemon and herbs with the Riesling, the volcanic  Russo Rosato with seafood spaghetti with chili peppers and maybe the Pelaverga tonight with grilled sausage. Who knows but there are so many great wines in the market today at all prices points and flavors. Now is the time of year to take a "voyage" in more ways than one.

Impressions of my first Paulée de New York

July 21, 2020

By Eléonore Lafarge

Although I am from Burgundy and heard many stories about La Paulée de Meursault I have, unfortunately, never attended one. So, La Paulée de New York 2020 was my first official Paulée (the unofficial ones being Domaine Michel Lafarge Paulées!). I had an idea what to expect from La Paulée based on what my parents and grandfather shared after each Paulée de New York but I was still surprised when it started.

 I started working for Daniel Johnnes in February, one month before the event. Seeing all the Burgundy producers I usually see in Burgundy (and my family) made New York feel like home, even though I had only been living there for four weeks.

 When I look back on La Paulée de New York, the only word that comes to my mind is stunning!

 The Gala Dinner was by far the most amazing dinner I have ever attended. There were more people in one room than in the entire village I grew up in. My first thought when I saw all the tables and attendees was to wonder how the chefs were able to cook for so many people. I was amazed by the service as well. Being able to cook and serve so many people on time is quite a feat.

One of the most important features of the Gala is the wines. Seeing so many sommeliers and so many wines from different producers was very impressive and intimidating. I do not think I ever saw so many bottles of wine from different producers. I don’t think I imagined the dinner to be this important with so many wines. Seeing so many people willing to share their delicious wines was heartwarming. I had the chance to taste a Richebourg 1994 from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. Not the best Burgundian vintage but it is my birth year. It was the first time I tasted a wine from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti from my birth year, it felt like a special treat. I am still grateful that someone was willing to share this wine with me.  

A very Burgundy spirit floats in the air during the dinner. All the elements that make up the reputation of Burgundy were there: excellent food, festivity, good atmosphere, sharing and of course legendary wines.

For one night, New York is no longer in the USA but is a part of Burgundy.

 Unfortunately, toutes les bonnes choses ont une fin (everything comes to an end)!

What's Pressoir cooking? Lobstah!

July 21, 2020
by Max Goldberg Liu

I am a firm believer in not getting too caught up in wine pairings but I often like “simple” dishes that act as more of a blank canvas for a wine to shine. For me, there is nothing better than a simple roast chicken alongside a red Burgundy.

Vacation on Cape Cod last week gave me the opportunity to enjoy another favorite - lobster!

These were 1 1/4 lb specimens that we simply steamed for around 16 minutes. I’d much rather have two of these than a 2.5 pounder (I find the meat gets a little tough past two pounds). Tastier and less expensive - it’s a win-win!

The first wine we opened at the table was a Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Beaune Blanc “Au Bout du Monde” 2018. Climate change has rendered the Hautes Côtes in Burgundy much better at producing ripe grapes but was still a little lean for my taste with the lobster.

We usually think of Blanc de Blancs Champagne when pairing with shellfish. We had drank our last bottle of Pierre Péters Cuvée de Réserve before dinner so I decided to open a Pierre Gerbais Cuvée de Réserve (the same cuvée that is now called Grains de Celle). The 25% Pinot Blanc in the blend added a wonderful touch of fleshy white stone fruit that paired beautifully with the lobster.

While these lobsters were simply steamed, I think my other favorite preparation would have also paired really well with the Champagne - my father’s Cantonese-style stir-fried lobster with ginger and scallion. Next time!

News from the vineyard

July 21, 2020
By Justine Puaud

Lavaux, a stunning terraced vineyard

Mother Nature was generous with the region of Lavaux. Recognized as a world heritage site by UNESCO, the spectacular 830 hectares of terraced vineyards are facing the Léman lake (Lake Geneva) and offer exceptional weather conditions to make fantastic but still discreet wines. In fact, when you talk about the region of Lavaux, you mention the “3 suns”  which are the sky, the Léman lake and the terraces. This unique reflection of the water offers a very large variation of exposure, which give these wines their character.

Decades ago, the melting of the Rhône glacier created the unique terroir of Lavaux revealing different layers of soils which is quite similar of the one you find in Côte-Rotie. It is a diverse terroir composed of schist, granite and some puddingstone ( poudingue in French) which is a mix of cement and clay.

The main grape variety is Chasselas often called the “terroir sponge”. Huge differences can be noticed between plots that are right next to each other. It can be fruity, floral, earthy and delicate. In great vintages, after five or ten years, the wines develops aromas of honey, scents of walnut and a smooth texture which give the wines remarkable personality.

It is just the beginning of the véraison here. The Swiss will start picking the grapes around the first week of September.

In the village of Culy, facing the Lavaux vineyard and the Léman Lake.

What's Pressoir Drinking?

July 14, 2020

By Jaime Dutton

Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets “Ancienne Cuvée Carnot” 2014, Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils

Happy Bastille Day!

Last night to celebrate we opened this beautiful expression of a Volnay Premier Cru from Domaine Bouchard Père & Fils.

The 2014 vintage is really singing right now and this wine did not disappoint. It showed elegance and fresh, mouth watering fruit, while the balance and depth confirmed this is a wine that can be enjoyed in the future as it takes on some age.

Frédéric Weber has been at the helm of the production at Bouchard Père et Fils since 2013 and the wines under Frédéric are not to be missed.

This Volnay Premier Cru Caillerets was the first vineyard purchased by the house in 1775 from the Carnot family. The cuvée name, “Ancienne Cuvée Carnot” references the name of the original landowners.

News from the vineyard 7/15/20

The height of summer means the canopy management work is finished and all that remains for the hard working crew at Domaine Chapel, in their old vine vineyard Charbonnières in Fleurie, is to pick the wild strawberries and await the ripening that late July and August brings.

Domaine Chapel is a winery started in 2016 by David Chapel (son of famed three-star Michelin Chef Alain Chapel) and his wife, Michele Smith (formerly a NYC sommelier.) Lucie and Eva, foraging below, are their only full time employees (in practice they are actually volunteers and work for room and board!) The old vines of the Charbonnières vineyard are among their top holdings.

What's Pressoir Cooking?

July 14, 2020

by Daniel Johnnes

Cherry Pie - The King of Pies

Cherry pie is one of three of my favorite things, two of which are food. They are (in no particular order) cherry pie, English shell peas and peonies. All three have a very short period in which they are ripe and available. You have to act fast and grab them when they are at peak. Perhaps it is their fleeting beauty that increases my love of them.

I pride myself for making a great cherry pie. To say cherry pie is too simple, this is a sour cherry pie. The type of cherry makes all the difference. Like a great wine, the balance between sugar, acidity and texture is paramount. It has to be sweet but not too sweet. It is the underlying acidity that balances the sweetness. Like in a great German Riesling. With many grams of residual sugar, it is the bracing acidity that pulls it all into harmony.

So it is with my cherry pie. The tart acidity in the sour cherries (griottes in French) provides the backbone and energy required to keep it from being heavy and cloying.

Making it is really simple. It just takes technique. This particular one was challenging as I made it in a beach cottage rental. A kitchen and oven I wasn't familiar with and almost no equipment. No mixer, no traditional pie plate, no rolling pin.

Here's the recipe:

The pie crust

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 pound butter (2 sticks or 16 tablespoons)

Ice water

The filling

3 pints sour cherries (I only had two which explains it's slightly flat appearance)

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 Tablespoons tapioca

That's all. No almond extract like many people do. Why dilute perfection? Sometimes I add a little zest of orange.

Make the pie crust at least 6 hours prior to rolling. 

Roll the bottom out to line a pie plate. I used a Bordeaux shaped bottle as I had no rolling pin. I had a bottle of Burlotto Pelaverga (delicious as well)

Fill the bottom with the cherry mixture and close with the top pie dough. 

Cut vents in the crust and brush with egg wash

Bake in pre-heated oven at 350 degrees for about 50-60 minutes or until bubbling and brown.

Cool and then put in fridge to serve chilled.

The real quality test comes when I serve the first slice to Sally, my wife. She is THE champion pie maker in the family. If I get a satisfied sigh, I know I nailed it. This one got a sigh with one or two justified critical comments. Tough conditions but overall a resounding success nonetheless.

This is the Musigny or maybe the Amoureuses of pies.

Bon appétit!

1990'S BURGUNDY VINTAGE PODCAST

1:15: 1990

Domaine Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos

Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Clos de L’Arlot Blanc

Domaine Gagnard-Delegrange Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Drouhin Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Amoureuses

Domaine de la Pousse d’Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs

Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds

Domaine Roumier Bonnes Mares (en magnum, all Terres Blanche )

Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche Grand Cru

6:42: 1991

Domaine Leflaive Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs

Domaine des Comtes Lafon Volnay 1er Cru Santenots de Milieu

Domaine de l’Arlot Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru

Domaine Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine de la Romanée Conti Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru

10:59: 1992

Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses

Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Pucelle & Combettes

Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Ruchottes

Domaine Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée Villages

16:24: 1993

Domaine des Comtes Lafon Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Ramonet Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Georges Roumier Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny Grand Cru

Domaine Armand Rousseau Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques 

20:45: 1994

        Domaine Ramonet Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru

24:38: 1995

Domaine Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses

Domaine Francois Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Les Butteaux

Domaine Armand Rousseau Chambertin Grand Cru 

27:30: An interlude to speak about “Premature Oxidation”

33:47: 1996

Domaine William Fevre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros

Domaine Louis Michel Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir

Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Guy Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Bouchères

Domaine Guy Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Perriéres

Domaine Dujac Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Gruenchers

Domaine Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Aux Guettes

Domaine Simon Bize Latricières Chambertin Grand Cru

Domaine de l’Arlot Romanée Saint Vivant Grand Cru

37:49: 1997

Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet Grand Cru

Domaine Simon Bize Savigny-les-Beaune 1er Cru Vergelesses

Domaine Louis Jadot Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos Saint Jacques

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny Grand Cru

Domaine Leroy Musigny Grand Cru

41:27: 1998

Domaine de l’Arlot Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Clos de L’Arlot

Domaine René Engel Clos Vougeot Grand Cru

Domaine René Engel Grands-Echezeaux Grand Cru

Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Musigny Grand Cru

Domaine Dujac Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru

44:28: 1999

Domaine Francois Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée du Tonnerre

Domaine Michel Lafarge Beaune 1er Cru Grèves

Domaine de Montille Volnay 1er Cru Les Taillepieds

Domaine Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Ducs

Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche Grand Cru

49:37: An interlude to speak about Guy Accad

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.

News from the vineyard 7/6/20

by Max Goldberg Liu

Veraison - the onset of ripening - is a turning point in the vine’s life cycle when it changes gears from producing energy through photosynthesis to storing that energy as sugar in grapes.

After flowering and fruit-setting, the grapes are hard, highly acidic, and green from the plant’s chlorophyll. Veraison replaces the chlorophyll with anthocyanins (giving red grapes their color) or carotenoids (in white grapes) and pumps sugars and other compounds from the vine into the berries. Over the course of ripening, the grapes swell with juice, their percentage of sugar (measured in brix) increases, and their acidity falls. Choosing to harvest when the sugar, acidity, and other phenolic compounds like tannins are perfectly balanced is one of the most important decisions a winemaker has to make each vintage.

In Burgundy, veraison classically happened in late July, although rules of thumb are obviously out the window in recent years with climate change. This vintage, winemakers are seeing veraison start to happen right now. The precocious vintage continues…

"Coup de Coeur" Wines from La Paulée

One of the great joys of Burgundy is finding a wine that over delivers. Sometimes, a lesser-known producer or humbler appellation gives that "WOW" factor that makes the drinking experience all the more exciting. Daniel dubbed this category "Coup de Coeur" (French for "heartthrob") when creating the first wine list at Bar Boulud. Here are some bottles that stood out to us at La Paulée even among all the DRC. Of course, the great producers and appellations provide this emotion as well, but usually expectations are already high. In Daniel’s case, he already had high expectations for the wine but even those were surpassed.

Max: Domaine Fornerol, Côte de Nuits Villages 2008 en magnum

“Remontage” (pumping over) at Fornerol in 2015 - notice the whole clusters of Pinot Noir!

I worked harvest at Fornerol in 2015 so I have a soft spot for the man and the wines, but anyone who loves old-school whole cluster Burgundy will fall in love with this domaine. Didier Fornerol worked for years as the vineyard manager at Domaine de l'Arlot where he became friends with Jean-Pierre de Smet. Didier left l'Arlot in the early 90's to run his family estate in Corgoloin, the southernmost village in the Côte de Nuits. Jean-Pierre retired in the mid 2000's but the winemaking bug never left him and he started to consult with Didier during the harvest and fermentations at Domaine Fornerol.

Fornerol's wines are bright and sappy with an amazing freshness and aromatic depth that comes from his generous use of stems (100% in most vintages). His terroirs around Corgoloin are classed as Côte de Nuits Villages but the quality of his farming and winemaking make a wine that oozes soulfulness and old-school Burgundian class. I only tasted a glass of this wine at the Gala but I could have easily finished off the magnum!

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Edouard: Pierre Morey, Pommard 1er Cru Grands Epenots 1992

I was incredibly lucky to attend the legendary and original La Paulée in Meursault with Daniel back in 2018. After being told by Dominique Lafon's father René (who we visited earlier that day) that I should be able to taste up to 60 wines during the lunch at the Chateau de Meursault, I made it a mission to achieve that number. I almost made it with 50 wines tasted and although it is difficult to pick one particular "coup de coeur" bottle, there was one that really left a mark in me. It was a Pommard from Pierre Morey, a Meursault specialist, and from the challenging 1992 harvest. It was the premier cru "Grands Epenots" and this bottle really surprised me by its incredible youth and vibrancy. I typically favor appellations like the neighbor Volnay or further up the Cote like Chambolle-Musigny or Gevrey-Chambertin but this Pommard had a sweet core and a real stature that made it very charming. Of course, there are many factors that influence the drinking experience and the fact that Pierre Morey himself was sitting in front of me during this 7-hour lunch surely played an important role!

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Raj: Remoissenet Père & Fils Bourogne Rouge “Renomée” 1978 en Jeroboam

This pristine bottle from a seemingly humble appellation had a few surprises held within the confines of its three liter packaging. I learned the sneaky truth some years prior to tasting this bottle when I asked Pierre-Antoine Rovani about the name, “Renomée” upon seeing it on a label.

Pierre, the President of the winery since the mid aughts when it was purchased by American investors and a former wine critic, is one of my favorite people in Burgundy (really the world) because he is the most honest, direct and no nonsense fellow and has an awesome palate. He is also a tremendous wealth of knowledge on the history and inner workings of Burgundy. He clued me in to a little known fact about this era and prior in Burgundy; that the restriction on yields, or the amount of fruit and therefore wine produced from a given vineyard had an odd loophole. Grand Cru, the top of the hierarchy of quality, has strictly controlled yields, but this is measured not in the number of grapes coming from the vineyard or juice in the vats, but rather by the number of bottles produced and declared. In plentiful harvests, like 1978, the top vineyards would often overproduce in quantity, while still maintaining top quality. In such cases wineries would bottle the maximum permitted yield of Grand Cru to sell at market, and any remaining wine (the very same wine that went into bottles with Grand Cru written on the label) were bottled as generic Bourgogne wine, and more often than not consumed by the family.

In Remoissenet’s case, such ‘overflow’ was bottled in large formats as Bourgogne “Renomée”, or “renamed.“ Such was the case of this Jero of ‘78, it had the breadth and expanse of a truly great wine without the appellation. Of course, there were no records at Remoissenet stating what was actually in the bottle, but the wine had a beautiful dark red cherry note on the palate, which evokes a memory for me of wines from the Grand Crus of Gevrey Chambertin. It wasn’t regal enough to be Chambertin or Clos de Beze, rather it had the softness and generosity reminiscent of Charmes-Chambertin. Purely a guess as to identity because i’ve not had occasion to taste the 78 Charmes from Remoissenet, and even if I had, it would have aged differently in 750 ml than in this 3L bottle. But the mystery did nothing to cloud the wine’s deliciousness and concentration. Best regional wine of the Paulée by far, and there was a lot of it so I was lucky to get a second glass!

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Daniel - Henri Jayer, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux 1999

This is a challenging task. How to choose one wine that knocked my socks off at La Paulée 2020.

With literally hundreds of wines seemingly floating around the room and nearly every person I pass offering me a taste in the true spirit of La Paulée. I have a terrible confession to make. It is an event I have been hosting for over 20 years and while the temptation is nearly unbearable to taste as many wines as I can, I am strictly disciplined about maintaining a sense of decorum and business-like posture during the event. With hundreds of people (guests, winemakers, chefs, sommeliers and staff) in the room, it is a work day, after all. But a work day like no other. That means I have to be sober. Well, pretty sober. There are some wines I cannot resist but mostly I am focused on the spirit in the room and the well being of as many people as possible.

At the end of the night this year around 5 am when the event was signed, sealed and delivered I, with a few colleagues, settled into a quiet spot and enjoyed a very special and rare treat. In fact, 3 treats. Coche-Dury, Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres 2009, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1971 and Henri Jayer Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Cros Parantoux 1999. All 3 spectacular wines and as the saying goes, “There are no great wines, only great bottles”. On this night (morning) the stars were aligned and all 3 bottles were singing at full volume. For me, Henri Jayer has an extra special spot in my heart. I was fortunate to know the man and would even be granted time to just sit and talk with him after he retired from wine making. I gained access to his deep wisdom and thoughts on grape growing, wine making and Burgundy overall. Having known the man only deepened my appreciation for his wines.

What's Pressoir Cooking? Summer Cooking from Empire Farm with Chef Daniel Boulud

June 30, 2020
by Jaime Dutton

We had a great experience last week at Empire Farm in the Hudson Valley where we filmed a 3-episode series with American Express. We were introduced to the FarmOn! Foundation, an organization that works to provide educational programming at the farm, promotes independent Hudson Valley farmers and Farm to Table initiatives.

We were in the kitchen with Daniel Johnnes and Chef Daniel Boulud talking summer cooking and summer sipping wines. Daniel selected a Burgundy and a Champagne to go with each of the 3 dishes that Chef Daniel cooked.

Inspiration came in many forms but a few moments stood out!

Outdoor grilling is key during the summer months. Gas and charcoal grills are our go-to tools to keep the heat outside.

Chef Daniel was cooking pork belly which he braised in the oven and then finished on the grill. He wanted to highlight the smoky aromas in the Chablis that Daniel had selected to pair with this dish. He lit it up when he threw handfuls of hay onto the fire – super fun and added flair to impress! The final dish was delicious – the pork belly melted in your mouth and the smoky and savory flavors were a great pairing with a 2018 Chablis from Moreau-Naudet.

Another fun moment was Chef’s summer rendition on the classic French dish, Poulet à la Mère Blanc – here he brought to the dish the fresh dairy products that are so much a part of the farming culture in the Hudson Valley. Chef cut up a whole chicken. For the sauce he used about a quart of fresh cream, 6 egg yolks and about 1.5 lbs of butter. It was incredibly delicious, maybe not what you expect when you think of light summer meals, but Chef and Daniel added the element of cooking it on an open fire, cowboy style. Taking this dish outside to the fire pit, made it all about the summer. Daniel paired a rich 2017 Meursault from Domaine Vincent Latour with the chicken.

Keep a look out for this entertaining series that will be accessible to American Express Card Members later this summer. Stay tuned.

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Climate, the Latest Challenge for Burgundy

June 30th, 2020

By Edouard Bourgeois

(inspired by an original article from Wine Searcher)

Once again, this year, many European vineyards are being scorched by high temperatures. In a conversation with winemaker Mathieu Lapierre of Beaujolais (who also did a great Pressoir.wine At Home Session with us!) he was telling me that if the weather patterns continue on the same schedule, he will be done harvesting by September. One month early!

The veracity of the terroir and its classification based on geographical traits (altitude, slope, location) is starting to be questioned among wine professionals. Is terroir immutable?

In some areas, some audacious changes have been made, such as in Bordeaux where it is, since 2019, legal for winemakers to blend Marselan and Touriga Nacional (the main varietal of Port!) into their Bordeaux AOC and Bordeaux Superieur AOC. On the other hand, Burgundy, famous for its thousand-year-old, monasterial hierarchy of “climats” seems really set in stone. But with temperatures rising across the region, many fear the historically warmer Grands Cru sites are going to start producing California style Pinot Noirs. In fact, two Burgundy growers hinted (maybe jokingly) that they were going to do some experiments with Syrah. Ironically, vineyards higher up in altitude like Bourgogne Hautes Cote de Nuits, long considered to be too cold, are enjoying better ripening temperatures and indeed just got “cooler”.