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News from the Vineyard
By Eléonore Lafarge
By Eléonore Lafarge
Wednesday April 7, 2021
This week Burgundy is lit up!
Our friends in Burgundy and Champagne are witnessing surrealist scenery at this moment.
With the high temperatures in March, the vines grew fast and we can see already the first leaves. Winemakers were convinced that spring was finally there. But Mother Nature wasn’t on their side as the temperature dropped a few days ago. Since last night, April 6, there is snow in Burgundy and Champagne, which is very unusual.
Leaf in Volnay vineyards, April 7, 2021
With temperatures as low as -3˚C (26˚F) at night, the risk of frost is very high. With climate change, this is becoming a recurrent problem, to fight frost almost every year in April. A few years ago, winemakers burnt straw to create a cloud all over the vineyards to protect the buds. On April 29, all the Côte de Beaune woke up at 4am, to go light the straw on fire. This was another surrealist view of Burgundy. In order to protect the environment, this practice is now illegal.
Fire straw in Volnay, April 29, 2017
Another solution is to buy special candles, place them in the vineyards you wish to protect, and light them up before the sunrise. This is what a majority of winemakers did this year in the Côte de Beaune and a few in the Côte de Nuits.
Social media is full of remarkable photos of candle-lit vineyards. The impressive and quite beautiful images belie the sinister vagaries of Mother Nature.
It is still too early to know the extent of the damage but there are sure to be some lost buds, unfortunately.
Candles in Volnay vineyards, April 6, 2021
What's Pressoir Cooking? Spring Lamb Chops, Potato Gratin & Asparagus
by Daniel Johnnes
Wednesday, April 7, 2021
by Daniel Johnnes
Wednesday April 7, 2021
A spring meal for 2-3 people
Ingredients
New Zealand baby rack of lamb with 6-10 chops
2-3 sprigs Rosemary
Olive oil
Parsley, chopped
Chive, chopped
1 1/2 -2 lbs Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced
1 c. whole milk
1/2 c. half + half
1/2 c. crème fraiche
Optional - nutmeg, onion, gruyere cheese, depending on how you like your gratin
Asparagus for 3
Balsamic vinegar
Marinate lamb in olive oil with rosemary for a day or two.
Preheat oven 375 degrees.
Layer thinly sliced potatoes, with or without skin, in a circular fashion in a casserole. Every two layers add salt & pepper. If you like, add grated gruyere, onions or a touch of ground nutmeg. Pour milk, 1/2 & 1/2 and creme fraiche over, bake at 375 F for an hour or until nicely brown.
Chop ends off asparagus and peel an inch or so from bottoms. Blanch in boiling water 5-8 minutes or till tender. If green asparagus, plunge into ice cold water to retain color. Drain and dress with olive oil and a touch of balsamic.
In a sauté pan, on medium-high heat, brown chops 3-4 minutes then put in 375 F oven 15 minutes. Take out, let rest another 15 minutes and slice chops apart.
Sprinkle chives and parsley over all.
Wine to match - so many choices! A Clos Rougeard? A Bordeaux? We had a Beaujolais Villages 2018 Bijou from Jules Metras and it fit the bill.
Un bijou pour le printemps. Santé !
What's Pressoir Drinking?
by Raj Vaidya
Tuesday April 5, 2021
Despite being lucky enough to be visiting some friends, family and wineries in California this month I found myself craving some old world wines. What can I say, I’m a creature of habit :).
Here are two standouts that I’ve been thinking back on for the last few days that I’d like to share with you…
This bottle came as a delightful surprise; a Bourgogne Hautes-Côtes de Beaune from a young couple, Christian Knott and Morgane Seuillot in a small village in the Hautes-Côtes (high plains above the Côte de Beaune). I met Christian for the first time this past winter while working on content for La Paulée (he is the winemaker for Domaine Chandon de Briailles) and realized that I had tasted his wine first a couple of months back knowing little to nothing about them. I was over the moon to connect the dots, as this wine was truly scrumptious. This vineyard is about one hectare, sitting above the towns of Mavilly and Meloisey in the clay and sandstone soils of the Hautes-Côtes. Approximately 60 year old vines, worked organically with horses and no sulfur or additives used in the vineyard or winery, super pure and precise with the most charming fruit profile and tremendous acidity. Tart tiny red berry fruit dominates the palate but there is some excellent structure underlying also. This 2017 was picked late, the 1st of October, but remains super fresh and vibrant despite this thanks to the very cool site. A great discovery!
The second bottle that stood out was less of a surprise, but certainly a wine which punches above its weight and appellation (Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru, so not too shabby…).
The 1995 vintage tends to invoke high tannin austerity in my mind, but this bottle of Dujac from ‘95 was anything but austere, with layers of incense spice and tobacco notes, a very delicate palate with a silkiness that truly delighted all of us that shared the moment. Combottes is one of my favorite Premier Crus as it is entirely surrounded by Grand Cru vines, to the South and East are parcels of Clos de la Roche, to the west (downslope) is the Charmes-Chambertin and to the North sits Latricières-Chambertin. For some reason this parcel remained Premier Cru, and I can’t say it has the structure or profile of a Grand Cru. Rather, it is an overachieving Premier Cru which definitely has the finesse and length of a Grand Cru. Jacques Seysses was certainly known for nailing vintages which leaned towards austerity, his ‘88’s and 91’s for example are tremendous. This ‘95 was exactly in the same vein, and a perfectly stored example!
What's Pressoir Eating and Drinking?
By Justine Puaud & Edouard Bourgeois
We always have our little routine after each La Paulée festival. We meet in a casual restaurant, open fantastic bottles, share some laughs and relax. This year was special. Not only because La Paulée was virtual or because we were less hungover than we used to be after La Paulée’s after party but also because we haven’t hung out with the whole team since La Paulée 2020.
We all met in the private dining room upstairs at the Winner Cafe & Bakery in Brooklyn and had a delicious late lunch. Daniel Eddy, founder of Winner and former chef of Michelin-starred Rebelle, opened Winner right before the pandemic. It quickly became the new Park Slope spot. This place is known for its sourdough baguettes, roasted chickens and delicious doughnuts. They tend to sell out of most of the day’s bread by 3pm so don’t wait and come early.
I think we will all remember this lunch for the best roast chicken ever! Winner’s chickens are salted, smoked, spatchcocked, and roasted. The chicken’s fatty drippings are used to baste butterball potatoes, and are then reduced into a dark, malty-tasting jus. We all finished this dish by dipping bread into the delicious chicken jus…Check out the Winner Chicken Dinner here.
And then came the wines…with members of our La Paulée team living in different states, it was important to open serious bottles to properly celebrate being together after weeks of hard work! Early nostalgia of La Paulée Mondiale inspired us to open wines in connection to the different events of the last festival edition. Starting with mouth-watering, saline Chablis from the venerable Vincent Dauvissat and Raveneau brothers, their Forest 1995 and Montée de Tonnerre 1989, respectively, may not have been Grand Cru though they were the perfect kick start to this joyful meal. In time for the chicken, Daniel popped open two different bottles of Clos-St-Jacques. Rousseau’s version of the flamboyant 2009 offered animal, meaty notes and power while the signature cherry fruit of Fourrier’s 2005 stood out. To the recurrent question on the iconic Gevrey-Chambertin’s climat deserving Grand Cru status or not, I’m still unable to answer. I know it is certainly a vineyard able to provide an intense and singular drinking experience. The high quality of the wines produces there is undeniable.
We finally revisited the “ Les Amoureuses” thanks to a generous gift from Christophe Roumier himself, who gave us a bottle each of his 1983 and 1988. Some wines have the power to impose silence around the table, a phenomenon some call a religious experience. This famously sensual Premier Cru of Chambolle-Musigny is often described as “the iron hand in a velvet glove”, or “la force tranquille”, a reference so eloquently suggested by Frederic Mugnier. I could not agree more with these comments. The 1983 clearly showed a more advanced stage but didn’t lack to impress, offering tertiary notes of tobacco and damp earth. The 1988, on the other hand, was still fresh as a daisy, gushing with sweet fruit in a mesmerizing finish.
A Vine Buds in Burgundy
by Max Goldberg Liu
March 30, 2021
by Max Goldberg Liu
March 30, 2021
As the warming weather here in New York heralds the end of the winter months, so too do the Burgundians see their vines waking from their winter slumber. The first sign of life in the vineyards is the movement of the sap, which Mongeard-Mugneret so poetically calls “the first tears of the vine.”
While not exactly the same, obviously, we can think of the sap as analogous to the vine’s “blood”, with the two types of the plant’s transport tissue, xylem and phloem, being like veins, arteries, and other vascular systems. (One type of xylem, incidentally, is what we know as “wood”) In the winter months, the vine stores nutrients and starch in its roots. When it senses the soil warming, the vine will begin to push sap up from the roots, expelling any air bubbles from the system from areas where it has been pruned and ensuring healthy nutrition for the coming vegetation and buds.
The buds emerging is another milestone in the vine’s life cycle, but is often a cause for stress as the young fragile buds are particularly susceptible to frost. Paradoxically, it is not the cold itself that damages them, but rather the heat of the sun which is magnified by ice crystals and burns the vegetation. The scenes in recent years of acres upon acres of vines lit by tens of thousands of candles by night to keep the temperature above freezing, followed by the smoky haze of tons of straw being burned at dawn to obscure the sun’s rays should the vineyards frost anyway, are a grim reminder of the perils the vine faces every year. Hats off to their caretakers for their diligent and tireless work and fingers crossed that vintage 2021 is an uneventful one!
What's Pressoir Cooking?
Momofuku's Bo Ssäm
Korean Slow Cooked Pork Roast
March 24, 2021
by Justine Puaud
I love David Chang’s cuisine. He is a chef of prodigious talent. Every single dish I have had in his different restaurants in New York City moved me deeply. As I truly miss going to my favorite restaurants, I decided to bring Chang’s experience home. It was my first experience with Bo Ssäm and I loved it! I want to thank my daughter for waking me up at 6AM so the pork butt was ready to eat at 12PM after spending 6 hours in the oven…
We followed the recipe from the NY Times.
Pork butt
You need to put the pork shoulder into the fridge for at least 6 hours, or overnight. Then, you need another 6 hours to cook it. The pork is so tender and yielding - it should offer almost no resistance to the blade of a knife.
Accompaniments
The accompaniments are as important as the pork butt in the recipe. In my opinion, they balance the fat of the pork and give a lot of freshness to the dish.
The ginger scallion sauce is absolutely delicious! Mix together the scallions, ginger, oil, soy, vinegar and salt in a bowl and leave it for at least 20 minutes.
And don’t forget the Ssäm sauce. Ssämjang is a spicy fermented bean paste sold in Korean markets. It is a traditional accompaniment to grilled meats. Combine ssämjang with extra kochujang and add some vinegar in the mix to bring up the acidity of the sauce.
Wines
Pork always pairs well with medium-bodied Pinot Noirs with structured tannins and a touch of masculinity. Marsannay was a great choice for its juiciness and NSG “les Plateaux” has a bit of spice with black peppercorn aromas that balanced well with the acidity in all of the accompaniments. We also opened a Chateauneuf-du-Pape of Domaine du Pegau 2016, which is always excellent with roasted meats. Spicy aromas of crème de cassis, toasted herbs, pepper and roasted meat on the nose.
SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE OFFERINGS FROM LA PAULÉE MONDIALE, POWERED BY ZACHYS
Here the team shares our favorite Producer Wine Packs from La Paulée Mondiale, available through March 31 at Zachys.com
Domaine Bachelet-Monnot, the Next Generation of the Côte de Beaune by Justine Puaud
Brothers and grandchildren of Bernard Bachelet, Marc and Alexandre created their domaine in 2005. They make the Côte de Beaune’s rising generation proud. They farm 20 hectares of vines over the Maranges, Santenay and Puligny-Montrachet communes. They make fantastic red and white wines and adopt a very natural approach to winemaking. I’m personally a huge fan of their whites.
The Producer Pack includes Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly 2018, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Folatières 2018 and Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière 2018.
Regarding the Saint Aubin, the palate is extremely well balanced with a fine acidity that cuts through the green apple and fresh pear notes. The Puligny-Montrachet Les Folatières is a remarkable Premier Cru. It is fine, complex, floral and spicy. Its mouthfeel is generous but structured and lengthy, which indicates a long aging potential. I was also quite impressed by the quality of the Maranges. It is deep, dark and direct. This wine is a terrific buy for a red Premier Cru. Check out the pack here
Pierre Meurgey, Meurgey-Croses 4-bottle Producer Pack - Jaime’s suggestion this week
Pierre Meurgey is one of my mentors and I would be remiss not to shine on light on what he is doing now. Pierre offered me my first job in the wine industry. He hired me to join his team at Maison Champy and manage the export sales where I worked alongside him and the winemaker. He spent countless hours with me tasting and developing my palette. He taught me how to taste wines for pleasure and enjoyment, and shared the nuances of the terroirs of Burgundy, with particular attention to the vineyards of Beaune.
Pierre now has his own labels, Pierre Meurgey and Meurgey-Croses. I love that the wines he makes under these labels are the wines that he championed when we worked together - Macon, Beaune 1er Cru and Pernand-Vergelesses. Pierre’s wines offer access to great value in Burgundy, underrated terroirs and delicious wines.
Domaine Chandon de Briailles 3-bottle Producer Pack - Max’s suggestion this week
I was so inspired by Claude de Nicolay’s thoughtful explanations of her family domaine’s practices during last Friday’s seminar on the evolution of viticulture in Burgundy that I immediately went to see whether this pack was still available from Zachys.
Chandon de Briailles started to convert to organics in the 1980’s under the forward-thinking leadership of Claude and her brother François’ mother Nadine de Nicolay. Biodynamic since 2008, the domaine also is notable for its deft use of whole cluster in its fermentation - not always that common in the Côte de Beaune - that gives its reds such an amazingly ethereal perfumed character. The whites are no less impressive, with a lot of energy and character that clearly comes from the well-cared for vines.
Gevrey-Chambertin at its Finest 4-bottle Pack - Edouard’s suggestion this week
it is a really nice opportunity to be able to taste side by side some of the best expressions of Gevrey-Chambertin . I really like the selection offered here as it makes for a great study of the famous village. Gevrey-Chambertin is certainly a model when it comes to red Burgundy and the pinot noir that bares its name is often powerful. However, I find that the 2016 provides a interesting nuance compared to the darker 2018. In addition to that vintage comparison this pack offers, you are also able to taste though the ranking system with a village appellation, two premiers crus and finally the legendary Clos de Beze, one of the oldest clos from the 1st century.
Domaine Roulot 3-bottle pack – Eléonore’s suggestion this week
I’m really excited about the Domaine Roulot pack. With the spring and the sun coming out, it will be nice to enjoy some fresh Chardonnays.
This domaine is one of the greatest of Meursault and was established in the early 1800’s and is now organic.
This 3-bottle pack offers a nice variety of Chardonnay. This pack includes a hidden gem that is the Auxey Duresse village. This wine from Domaine Roulot is not so well known compared to his Meursault village and Premier Crus. However, the pack also offers a nice Meursault Premier Cru Les Bouchères 2018 to keep in your cellar for a few years before enjoying it to its fullest.
Looking back at La Paulée Mondiale 2021
Recap of La Paulée Mondiale
3-24-21
Wednesday, March 24, 2020
Thank you to everyone that tuned in from your home to join us at La Paulée Mondiale 2021. With the different seminars and the self-guided Grand Tasting, we were grateful to be able to offer you a virtual version of the festival and we are thankful for your incredible support in what we do. Zachys has curated an impressive selection of wines from the participating producers, and we do want to remind you that some of these “packs” are still available here. Moreover, you still have until August 30 2021 to purchase your tickets to the virtual Grand Tasting and access hours of exclusive videos featuring over fifty producers!
We wanted to share with you some of our favorite moments of the live seminars from the festival.
We started with an informative seminar led by Raj and Charles Antin of Zachys, also featuring special guest, collector Ian Mill QC. How to buy and consign wine may seem complicated or worrisome for the first timers but the three gentlemen impeccably guided us through this fascinating world of wine auctions.
We then embarked on our Burgundy journey starting with an in-depth study of the grands Crus of Chablis. Rare footage including an epic description of “Les Preuses” by the one and only Vincent Dauvissat or the geological explanations by expert Guillaume Morvan were certainly the highlights of this event.
Our friend William Kelley moderated an excellent seminar dedicated to the famous Clos-st-Jacques. We were also honored by the presence of Jean-Marie Fourrier and Thibault Gagey who offered valuable insights on this beautiful climat. It is impossible to imagine what else could have been added about Clos-st-Jacques as William certainly covered that topic thoroughly.
The wines of “Les Amoureuses” hold a special place in many people’s hearts. Tasting this splendid wine is one thing, but when legendary vignerons speak about this terroir, it creates unforgettable memories. Veronique Drouhin, Christophe Roumier and even Frederic Mugnier (who surprised us all by joining live) guided us through the picturesque vineyard, bathed in the pure sunlight of a crisp January. It was particularly eye-opening to realize how diversified the vineyard of “les Amoureuses” is, from plots on flat land near the “Petits Vougeot” to sections flirting with the first vines of the noble grand cru of “Musigny”.
We were glad to receive much positive feedback on the “Passing the Baton” event dedicated to the new generation of Burgundy producers. This seminar certainly shone a light on the many challenges and responsibilities that come with taking over such a complete métier while keeping the legacy of a historical family domaine. The five producers featured all offered honest insights on the complex financial landscape of Burgundy when it comes to inheritance. Their approaches on a changing climate were the perfect introduction to the seminar of the next day. Farming in these new weather patterns was one of the many captivating topics discussed on Friday. Best sommelier of France and Meilleur Ouvrier de France Pascaline Lepeltier led breath-taking discussion with Raj that could have certainly lasted for another two hours. Pascaline’s deep knowledge combined with inspiring interviews of vignerons such as Pierre and Anne Morey but also young, passionate growers like Tomoko Kuriyama-Bott made for a memorable recording.
On Saturday, we felt incredibly grateful to present a seminar with Aubert de Villaine of Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and Guillaume d’Angerville of Domaine Marquis d’Angerville. The two gentlemen spoke about the vineyards of the celebrated “La Tache” and “Clos des Ducs” and that special moment reminded us why these wines are so exceptional. We want to thank you for your amazing support, allowing us to donate $25,000 to the cause of the Climats de Bourgogne.
Lastly, we hope you were able to join the closing event of La Paulée with Brice de la Morandière of Domaine Leflaive. While the tale behind the name of Batard-Montrachet has been told many times, only Brice could tell that story with such wit and passion. We feel that closing the festival with the charismatic personality of Brice and a fantastic glass of Batard was the perfect ending for this La Paulée.
All the recordings of these seminars are available for purchase, please contact Justine with inquiries.
WHAT'S PRESSOIR DRINKING? (CLUB MEMBER BYO EDITION)
Nice lineup for our virtual gathering last Thursday. What a great way to start celebrating La Paulée Mondiale! Thank you all for sharing your impressions on the Burgundies and others you enjoyed with us.
Scroll down and get all the answers from our fun Trivia game.
Domaine Geantet-Pansiot, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2012
Domaine Simon Bize, Bourgogne rouge 2004
Coron Père & Fils, Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches 1966
Domaine Dugat-Py, Gevrey-Chambertin Cuvée Coeur de Roy 2011
Domaine Fourrier, Gevrey -Chambertin 2016
Didier Michaud, Planquette, vin de France 2015
Château Meyney 2014
Domaine de Montille, Meursault 1er Cru Poruzot 2017
Domaine Didier Fornerol, Côte de Nuits Villages rouge 2017
Domaine de Montille, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens 1993
Bodega Chacra, “Nacha” rosé 2020
Q - What is the proportion of Grand Cru?
A- 1%
Q- What is the proportion of red, white and sparkling in Burgundy?
A-
Red: 31.5%
White: 60.5%
Sparkling: 8%
Q- What is Pinot Gouges?
A- Henri Gouges discovers a branch of white grapes on a vine plant of Pinot Noir. It's the origin of the “Pinot Gouges”
Q- What is the largest Grand Cru Climat of Burgundy?
A- Corton
Q- What is the smallest Grand Cru Climat?
A- La Romanée
Q- What does millerandage mean?
A- Millerandage is a potential viticultural hazard problem in which grape bunches contain berries that differ greatly in size and, most importantly, maturity.
SPOTLIGHTING SOME OF OUR FAVORITE OFFERINGS FROM LA PAULÉE MONDIALE, POWERED BY ZACHYS
Coup de Coeur Domaine Matrot by Daniel Johnnes
Matrot is one of the leading estates in Meursault and a first class producer of great white Burgundy.
Thierry Matrot, who has now passed the baton to his daughters, Adèle and Elsa, attended the first Paulée 20 years ago. Not only are his wines soulful and long lived but Thierry encompassed the spirit of La Paulée with an incomparable “joie de vivre”. Adèle and Elsa carry on that spirit as their wines remain in the top tier of producers and are a bit more refined than their dad’s wines.
The “Matrot Wine Pack” offered to La Paulée is a perfect snapshot of the Domaine’s holdings. The 3 appellations showcase 3 distinct terroirs. Blagny 1er Cru Piece Sous le Bois is a lesser know commune at a high elevation, sandwiched between Puligny and Meursault. The wines are taut and bristle with energy. The Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Chalumaux is one of the marquee “climats” of the estate, displaying depth and a hint of floral honeysuckle notes. The third wine is Meursault-Charmes, a great 1er Cru with noble breeding and a potential for long aging.
La Paulée Presents the Domaine Thierry et Pascale Matrot 3-bottle Producer Pack
A discovery in Meursault, Domaine Rougeot by Raj Vaidya
In mid 2019 I had a friend who is in the wine business in France reach out and tell me that I needed to find some time to visit Pierre-Henri Rougeot who had recently taken over his family Domaine in Meursault. I made an appointment to visit and was immediately struck with his intelligence and precision. An impressive young winemaker to say the least, Pierre-Henri is also an intrepid innovator. When I asked him what he had changed when he took over the domaine in 2010, he effectively answered “everything”! The vines today are farmed with great care and conscience and the wines are super elegant and precise, while managing this with minimal sulphur additions and maintaining a truly charming fruit profile. The diversity of wines in this offering are inspired; a fruit forward and overwhelmingly drinkable Passetoutgrains blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay, a serious and classic Volnay Premier Cru and a truly stunning example of one of the great vineyards of Meursault, Premier Cru Les Charmes. Taste these for yourself, you won’t be disappointed!
La Paulée Presents the Domaine Emmanuel Giboulot 3-bottle Producer Pack
An Introduction to Burgundy with Domaine Hudelot-Baillet, by Max Goldberg Liu
It may seem impossible for an estate in the world-famous village of Chambolle-Musigny to be considered “under the radar” but Domaine Hudelot-Baillet is only relatively recently getting the recognition it deserves. Winemaker Dominique Le Guen, a native of Brittany, moved to Burgundy in 1998 after an earlier career in France’s Air Force to work for his father-in-law Joël Hudelot, who was at the head of this family domaine at the time. When Joël retired in 2004, Dominique took over, and has dramatically overhauled the quality. While the domaine’s holdings include pieces of some of Chambolle’s best terroirs, like Bonnes-Mares Grand Cru and the Premiers Crus of Les Cras and Les Charmes, this particular pack showcases the humbler appellations in the portfolio, and is a fantastic trio of wines for anyone who is just getting started with Burgundy (although longtime connoisseurs will appreciate it as well!). The charming Passetoutgrains, 50-50 Pinot Noir and Gamay, displays Burgundy’s playful side, the Hautes Côtes de Nuits Blanc shines with a surprising juiciness that bodes well for the performance of the high-altitude Hautes Côtes in the coming years, and the Chambolle-Musigny Vieilles Vignes is a delicious example of the complexity and value to be found at the Village level.
La Paulée Presents the Domaine Hudelot-Baillet 3-bottle Producer Pack
Fantastic whites and reds, Domaine Génot-Boulanger, by Justine Puaud
Domaine Génot-Boulanger is one the few estates which makes fantastic white wine and red wine. The estate has over 22 hectares spanning the most beautiful terroirs of the Côte d'Or. It has always practiced a quality policy with old vines, which makes it possible to offer vintages of remarkable consistency. The whites are fresh and elegant. The reds have delicate tannins while still having body.
Guillaume Lavollée selected some of his favorite wines for La Paulée Mondiale. Les Nosroyes is a very high-quality parcel from the village of Puligny! It sits just below the Premier Cru Les Perrières. This wine is characterized by a beautiful finesse. Chambolle-Musigny is a blend of Les Mombies and Les Nazoires. This wine is well balanced. The medium-bodied palate displays supple tannins and a fine bead of acidity. His Meursault 1er Cru Bouchères is one of my favorite! It is a delicious wine with soft texture and rich flavors of honey. I LOVE IT! Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru has everything you can expect when you drink Clos de Vougeot: a satisfying intensity with supple tannins.
La Paulée Presents the Domaine Génot-Boulanger 4-bottle Producer Pack
There is also some 2017! By Edouard Bourgeois
We’re all super thrilled with the wine selection we were able to offer through Zachys with most of the wines presented being from the rightfully celebrated 2018 harvest. The vintage certainly produced high quality wines in both colors but it should be noted that the reds are particularly powerful today. Luckily, in a world of infinite tastes, Burgundy has this ability to offer a different tone with each vintage. And for those who are looking for a more delicate style of Pinot Noir, I wanted to highlight here the beautiful selection from a legend in Volnay, Domaine de Montille, featuring the 2017 vintage. The Puligny-Montrachet is a classic mineral bomb and won’t disappoint. But it is really on the red wine that I want to shine the light, as they are so different from those from 2018. Here, you will find the signature elegance of Volnay and the depth of the Beaune “Les Sizies”.
So, if you like your pinot noir on the more delicate side of the aromatic spectrum, this pack is for you.
La Paulée Presents the Domaine de Montille 3-bottle Producer Pack
Jaime Dutton highlights Benjamin Leroux’s
4-bottle pack
If you do not know the wines of Benjamin Leroux, take the opportunity with this 4-pack to make a discovery you will not regret. The wines show great definition and precision, while being accessible and delicious. Adept at making both red and white wines, these two Meursault 1er Cru will shine in your glass and show off Ben’s deep knowledge and experience making wines from the Cote de Beaune. Both reds are from the Cote de Nuits and showcase Ben’s capability to express different terroirs in all of his wines, a beautifully elegant Vosne Romanée Villages and a robust Clos de Vougeot from the lieux-dit Petit Maupertuis.
Ben is from Beaune but he was not born into a winemaking family. His roots and experience have anchored him in the region and today he is regarded as one of the most reputable winemakers of the region amongst his peers and around the world. Focused on building his own domaine with vineyards in Auxey-Duresses, Meursault and Volnay, he is particularly excited about his wines from Meursault-Blagny like the Meursault 1er Cru Sous La Pièce sous le Bois.
Tasting his wines and listening to him speak about each of them offers great insight into technique, the expression of terroir and a true respect for the land and nature. Enjoy !
La Paulée Presents the Benjamin Leroux 4-bottle Producer Pack
Coup de coeur for Domaine Clerget
by Eléonore Lafarge
I am very happy that the vintage 2018 is presented at La Paulée this year since I love this vintage. My love for this comes mostly from the fact that I did the harvest at my parents’ domaine that year. You automatically love a vintage when you do the harvest and the memories and good times come back when you taste. I am particularly excited for the Domaine Yvon Clerget pack. Established in 1268, this is one of the oldest domaines in Burgundy and Thibaud is the 28th generation. In the last five years, he has shown himself to be a worthy successor of all this history.
Since he took over in 2015, Thibaud has been improving and now has his own style.
I like this 2-bottle pack with two Volnay 1er Cru. Le Clos du Verseuil is a monopole that you see when leaving the village of Volnay. It is situated next to the Taillepieds and gives a very precise wine.
The Volnay 1er Cru Les Caillerets is right under the Clos des Chênes. This is a very structured wine with fruity notes.
These are two wines to keep in your cellar for a few years!
La Paulée Presents the Domaine Yvon Clerget 2-bottle Producer Pack
What's Pressoir Drinking?
By Eléonore Lafarge
Wednesday, March 10, 2021
By Eléonore Lafarge
Wednesday, March 10
La Paulée is starting today! Santé!
I decided it was time to drink a nice bottle of Burgundy. Every small occasion is a good reason to get the wine opener out (especially if it’s a Burgundy bottle!).
With this in mind, I recently walked into a wine store by my place in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn. As I wandered around the small shop, I found the Burgundy selection. It was certainly small but pretty interesting. The shelf was full of Crémant de Bourgogne, Chablis, Savigny-les-Beaune as well as some of my parents’ friends, Domaine des Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Lucien Jacob, Domaine Bitouzet Prieur…The last one being my parents’ neighbor, New York couldn’t feel more like home at this instant!
And I immediately spotted a very recognizable label. I am not very adventurous and was in search of a good Burgundy bottle, I decided to go with this yellow label. You can never go wrong with a Lafon!
So I enjoyed a bottle of Les Héritiers du Comte Lafon, Mâcon-Village 2019. The wine was expressive with a lot of citrus notes. On the palate, the wine is bright and full-bodied. Even though the weather was still cold, it was still very enjoyable to have a fresh wine.
A very nice Chardonnay to celebrate the upcoming start of La Paulée!
Bonne Paulée Mondiale à tous!
What's Pressoir Cooking?
What’s Pressoir Cooking
By Edouard
3/9/2021
In my household, we all love Mexican inspired cuisine. The food is simply delicious, with snappy acidity, complex spices and I just can’t get enough cilantro…
Although a Margarita is certainly an obvious option for this chicken recipe, I really believe in pairing white Burgundy with this dish. Preferably a young Meursault whose crisp acidity kind of matches the accents of lime. I also like to think of the saline minerality in the wine that almost works as an extinguisher against the heat from the peppers.
Green Chili Chicken
ingredients
4 pounds boneless skinless chicken thighs
5 tomatillos quartered, husks discarded
2 Poblano peppers, roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded
2 Anaheim or Cubanelle peppers roughly chopped, seeds and stems discarded
1 jalapeño, roughly chopped, stems discarded
1 medium white onion, roughly chopped
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 tsp cumin
Kosher salt
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves and fine stems, plus more for garnish
Fresh corn tortillas and lime wedges, for serving
Procedure
In an instant pot or traditional pressure cooker, combine chicken thighs, tomatillos, Poblanos, Anaheims, jalapenos, onion, garlic, and cumin. Heat over high heat until gently sizzling, then seal the pressure cooker, bring to high pressure, and cook for 30 minutes. Release pressure. Using tongs, transfer chicken pieces out to a bowl and set aside. Add cilantro to the remaining contents of the pressure cooker. Blend with an immersion blender or in a countertop blender, then season to taste with salt. Pull chicken with a fork and return to sauce. Stir gently to combine. Serve immediately with tortillas and lime wedges.
Spotlighting some of our favorite offerings from La Paulée Mondiale, powered by Zachys
A guide to some of the tremendous and exclusive offerings of wines via Zachys.com that we’ll be featuring through March alongside the programming of La Paulée Mondiale…
Wednesday, March 3rd, 2021
From Raj Vaidya
Inspired by the lovely bottle I partook in last weekend (see my article on the Press this week) I thought it would be nice to draw attention to the wines we will feature to accompany our ‘Passing the Baton’ seminar this La Paulée. The seminar will focus in on these five great domaines and speak to the complexities and considerations having to be endured in a multigenerational business endeavor like a Burgundy domaine. The bottle of Morey-Blanc I had was certainly fancy, but we decided to focus on some of the more modest wines from the Domaines Pierre Morey, Mugneret-Gibourg, Clerget, Michel Lafarge and Domaine des Comtes Lafon for this pack of 5 bottles. Especially good value as a result! Hope you’ll check out the seminar and delight in these five bottles with us on March 18th…
From Jaime Dutton
I am particularly intrigued by Olivier Merlin’s 4-pack of Pouilly-Fuissé and recommend the tasting experience it provides.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Olivier for the Self-guided Grand Tasting at La Paulée and it was fascinating to hear about the 4 vineyards that he is showcasing here. Each of the climats are vinified and bottled separately. In our conversation, Olivier shared the difference in the terroirs that distinguish one from another and the nuances that you find when tasting each of the wines. Starting in 2020, these 4 vineyards will be classified as part of the new Premier Cru appellation in Pouilly-Fuissé, a great achievement for the region. So get them now here before their vineyard status (and maybe their prices) change in the near future.
From Edouard Bourgeois
2018 was a bountiful harvest for Chardonnay in Burgundy. I remember seeing very happy posts of gorgeous grapes on social media during the harvest and I think it is important to mention that in a warm vintage like 2018, high yields will have the benefit to retain good acidity levels, leading to more fresh and “digest” wines instead of the heaviness that too much concentration can lead to. On a recent visit at Maison Bouchard Pere et Fils, I was absolutely charmed by the incredible energy of their sublime 2018 and I truly believe that these wines are benchmarks of the vintage. I would not hesitate one second to purchase the Zachys pack that we were able to put together for La Paulée Mondiale. It also doesn’t hurt that the three wines in this pack are the most celebrated Premiers Crus of Meursault: Charmes, Genevrières and Perrières. Again, having this opportunity to compare the three iconic climats in such a gorgeous vintage (and at this price) is a no-brainer to me.
From Justine Puaud
I have the pleasure to know Paul Aegerter pretty well and I can tell that he has a strong character full of dynamism, ideas and talent! He is part of this new generation of winemakers in Burgundy who make classic Burgundies with a modern touch.
His 4 bottle Producer Pack represents the perfect overview of Paul’s philosophy. You will find in his Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Champgains 2018 and in his Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru 2017 everything you are looking for a GRAND BLANC from the Cote de Beaune. With the unparalleled richness, those wines alway astonish through the concentration and the balance. Regarding his red wines, Paul is known for making powerful, opulent wines with elegance. His Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru Les Chaboeufs 2018 is a Classic Pinot Noir with an extra touch of spices and cherries. His Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2017 has a complex body with tannins, structure and finesse.
From Max Goldberg Liu
Sylvain Pataille is often referred to as “the King of Marsannay,” and despite the modesty of the man himself, I definitely agree. A master of farming his terroirs, Sylvain makes exquisite wines from appellations you might not have heard of but which show enormous character and personality. Delicious in their youth, the wines can also age (surprisingly) well, taking on a depth and complexity that make them exceptional values. This pack includes two of his best reds, the Bourgogne “Le Chapitre” and Marsannay “Clos du Roy,” as well as the only rosé wine in the entire Paulée, his Marsannay “Fleur de Pinot,” whose delicate and fresh flavors are exactly what the doctor ordered to shepherd us from winter into springtime.
What's Pressoir Cooking? Poke Bowls
March 3, 2021
Poke bowls - fresh and bright. I recommend with a wine like Camille Thiriet, Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Confidentielle.
By Jaime Dutton
As we enter March, a desire to enjoy lighter foods, over the hearty soups, stews and instapot meals that keep us warm and well fed through the winter, instinctively awakes inside. We recently put together some flavorful Poke Bowls which I recommend enjoying with a wine like Camille Thiriet, Bourgogne Blanc Cuvée Confidentielle, fresh and bright like the dish.
In our house, meals like this, with assembling your own components, are a big hit.
The recipe is simple and easy.
Prepare your rice and toss with seasoned rice wine vinegar.
Prepare your fish. Use fresh sushi grade fish like tune, salmon or yellowtail. Check with your fish- monger to see what is most fresh. Cut into cubes and toss, just 10-15 minutes before serving, with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce.
Top the rice with the marinated fish and fresh toppings. Picture here, avocado, carrots, radish, cucumber, scallions, cilantro and black sesame seeds.
What's Pressoir Drinking?
by Raj Vaidya
Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021
On my last day in Paris at the end of the trip to France I was lucky to have managed this past month, I found myself in a wine shop not far from the Seine with a tremendous collection of Burgundy that I could not resist. Realizing full well how heavy this would make my luggage, I went ahead and decided I had to have this bottle of 2007 from the négociant arm of Pierre and Anne Morey’s winery. The sourcing of this 1er Cru is very familiar to the Morey’s as there was a domaine bottling of Genevrieres through the ‘89 vintage, vines that had been rented from the Domaine des Comtes Lafon. The négociant bottling began the following vintage, in 1990. This 2007 was incredibly fresh, a happy finding as I’ve had lots of great 07’s begin to show the early signs of premature oxidation from other excellent producers. Touches of marzipan, salted sweet corn and shellfish in the nose, the length and elegance were exceptional, and the palate broad and lush but with tremendous energy. Not bad for a ‘suitcase bottle’!
We will be featuring the Moreau family in several of our seminars during the upcoming La Paulée Mondiale, be sure to check them out. Truly one of my favorite wineries (and some of my favorite people) in Burgundy…
What's Pressoir Drinking?
What’s Pressoir Drinking
By Edouard
2/23/21
A comparison of two terroirs from the 2016 vintage, through the lens of Maison Louis Jadot
I have really been enjoying the 2016 red Burgundies lately. If early on the wines could show a bit of firmness, the dense structure today is no longer stealing the show and some tender flesh is finally providing the useful plush to achieve overall balance in the wine. Here, I thought the vintage was particularly well represented by these two classic climats of the Côte de Nuits. We tasted these wines last Saturday to illustrate our last Pressoir.wine At Home Session with Thibault Gagey, deputy General Manager of Maison Louis Jadot.
First, the aromatic 1er Cru “Baudes” from Chambolle-Musigny certainly didn’t disappoint. Powerful yet lacy at the same time, this vineyard shares some of the traits of character with its noble and authoritative neighbor, the Grand Cru “Bonnes-Mares”. On the other hand, the superb “Boudots”, another 1er cru, from Nuits-St-Georges this time, offered its typical aromatics of black cherry and damp dirt. This 15 acre-climat is one of the most prestigious of Nuits-St-Georges, sharing its northern border with another dreamy site, the “Aux Malconsorts” of Vosne-Romanée.
It is no secret for those who know me that Boeuf Bourguignon is a favorite of mine when it comes to drinking Red Burgundy. However, pepperoni pizza with mushroom and hot pepper worked amazingly with these two elegant but well built Pinots.
Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er cru Les Boudots and Chambolle-Musigny 1er cru Les Baudes, are both produced under the “Domaine Gagey” label, meaning the fruit comes from the family estate for these wines.
What's Pressoir Cooking
Having just completed a three week journey to France, primarily to gather content for La Paulée Mondiale staring March 10, I was quickly reminded of the other reason for going back to France. The markets.
We have terrific farmers markets in New York and elsewhere but nothing jump starts my gastronomic imagination like a stroll through a market in France. The one here was in Chablis in the middle of January. January, when you would not expect to find much more than root vegetables. These root vegetables and mushrooms looked so fresh and inviting I must have planned 3 or 4 meals around just that theme. Well, maybe a poulet de Bresse or some nice andouillettte here and there but one could live and even thrive on these amazing vegetables and cheese.
Why not a dish of spinach, “la ratte” potatoes, carrots and salad with a little raw goat’s milk cheese and whole grain bread. Or an omelette of girolles mushrooms and spring onions? Maybe a stuffed cabbage with a mix of vegetables, rice, tomato, and some raw milk Epoisses cheese and a bottle of Chablis….
So much inspiration with so little expectation. Vive le marché and vive la France!
What's Pressoir Drinking?
by Raj Vaidya
Tuesday, February 15th, 2021
Inspired by Max’s Lunar New Year feast of Poon Choi, I decided to celebrate the new year with some Cantonese seafood delivery (call it the poor man’s banquet!) I chose eel sautéed with peppers and onions and wilted pea shoots for the main course.
The sweet and savory flavors of the take out prompted me to open a bottle which paired extremely well with the wide range of flavors I had in play. I wanted something with a seriously saline and even gamey edge, yet something low in tannins and delicate in structure, as I find that high tannin wines tend to clash with the spice elements in some Cantonese dishes. Digging around my wine fridge, I came across this lovely, mature example from one of my favorite domaines in Burgundy. 1990 was a warm vintage, and a very lauded one for sure, but often I find the wines a tad overripe, sluggish and in the worst cases, somewhat boring. But this bottle proved to be a tremendous and happy exception! The wine had a beautiful perfume, with notes of dried flowers and a distinct mushroom aroma akin to black trumpets. On the palate there was a sucrosity which preserved the fruit, cherries in particular, and this paired beautifully with the sweetness and spice of the eel as well as with the dish’s somewhat oily texture. Domaine Lafarge’s Bourgogne Rouge is sourced from a vineyard called ‘Petit Pré’ in the regional appellation just east of the Volnay vineyards. The domaine treats this simple Bourgogne just as seriously as the Volnay and Beaune wines, with aging of around 18 months in barrel. Back in 1990 the vines here were about 25 years of age on average. A perfect bottle for the new year!
What's Pressoir Cooking? Poon Choi for Lunar New Year
by Max Goldberg Liu
Wednesday, February 17, 2021
This is a memory from a Lunar New Year I spent a few years ago in Hong Kong with my father’s side of the family but I find it appropriate to reflect on today!
Lunar New Year is a time to return home and spend time with family. Among the many banquets and feasts we enjoyed during our two weeks in Hong Kong was a meal at home where the centerpiece was a magnificent Poon Choi.
Literally translating to “basin-vegetable,” the apocryphal story of Poon Choi is that the Emperor of China in the late Song Dynasty fled south from Mongol troops to what is now the Guangdong region.
To feed the Emperor (and in some stories his entire army), the locals gathered the most expensive ingredients they could muster and cooked them all together. This means that, despite the name, Poon Choi ironically has a very low vegetable to meat/seafood ratio, though this is not uncommon in Cantonese cuisine!
The size of the dish means that Poon Choi is usually served during special occasions where there can be a lot of people on hand to finish the copious amount of food.
Like so many of the world’s tastiest dishes, Poon Choi is not particularly attractive, and it would seem that all the ingredients put together would not be greater than the sum of their parts but somehow it works beautifully.
Manners dictate that the Poon Choi is eaten in layers, with the more delicate ingredients at the top, like prawns, abalone, poached chicken, and king mushrooms, with braised pork belly, char siu, roast duck, fish balls, rehydrated mushrooms in the middle. The prized bottom layer is the beneficiary of all the sauce and juices that slowly make their way down, with cubes of Chinese radish that absorb all the flavors being the most fought-over delicacy.
The panoply of ingredients makes this somewhat tricky for wine but for me the best pairing of the night was a Saumur Rouge whose peppery flavors and bright acidity made for a reasonably good foil.
Poon Choi is a potent symbol of the communal power of dining together at the table, and we all hope that next Lunar New Year we will be able to share one together!
Happy Year of the Ox and Gong Hei Fat Choi!
What's Pressoir Drinking?
by Raj Vaidya
Tuesday, February 9th, 2021
A few weeks ago while Daniel, Edouard and I were visiting producers in France and producing the content for our upcoming La Paulée Mondiale, I had the opportunity to share this tremendous bottle with three of my most revered and respected vignerons. I carried it with us from NY and planned to share it with them over a quick casse-croûte at the home of Frédéric and Jocelyn Mugnier, along with Christophe Roumier and Véronique Drouhin. When thinking of what to bring to share with them, Daniel and I discussed possibly going with a bottle of Chambolle-Musigny, perhaps even an Amoureuses, as this was the topic of our interview and recordings that day. But I figured that would be like bringing a knife to a gunfight, so I suggested a bottle that could invoke similar emotions to the great Burgundy wines we all love and even a slightly similar finesse and delicacy, albeit with totally different aromatics and flavor profile.
We chose to bring this 1961 Burlotto from Verduno in Barolo, a pristine bottle I’d been lucky enough to find at retail last year. Burlotto was responsible for a exceptional bottle of ‘45 Daniel and I drank some years back at a restaurant which was revelatory, so I was excited to try this. Layers upon layers of dried flowers, the typical dried rose for sure but also something akin to violet, even lavender. The wine had that character of tobacco leaves and rust with a distinct sanguine quality also, yet despite all these fairly intense notes was weightless on the palate, extreme and subtle simultaneously. It was a big hit with the Burgundians, which always puts a smile on my face!
