Recap: Dinner featuring the wines of Domaine Michel Lafarge @ Anton's

by Edouard Bourgeois
Friday, April 15, 2022

Everyone gathered last night at the charming neighborhood restaurant Anton’s in Greenwich Village to indulge in creamy Cacio e Pepe and perfectly roasted heritage chicken, but the star of the show at the table was certainly in the glass of our happy guests.

Twelve wines from Domaine Michel Lafarge were poured, all Volnay except for one Beaune from the Clos des Aigrots, drinking excellently by the way from the 2017 harvest.

In addition to this Beaune, the first flight included a very interesting comparison of two renowned Volnay Climats, Clos des Chenes 2017 and Clos du Chateau des Ducs 2018. Although only one year apart, the two wines were quite different and expressed the expected bright fruit from 2017 while the richer vintage of 2018, combined with the warmer site and rich soil of Clos du Chateau des Ducs, showed more weight and an almost authoritative personality.

If on paper the second flight may not have seemed to be the most exciting, all twelve guests and I ended up being very pleasantly surprised with the so-called “vegetal” 2011 vintage. Both the Volnay Vendanges Selectionnées, a wine sourced from different parcels including Les Mitans, and the Caillerets 2011 displayed great class and elegance. The greenish, stemmy character of the vintage seemed to be more present in the Cailleret but the finish was quite beautiful. I noted a touch of volatile acidity in the Volnay Vendanges Selectionnées, a trait that I find neither rare or disturbing in the Lafarge wines. And finally, 2012 Cailleret. In 2020, a portion of it got replanted in an intriguing spiral shape after an idea from Frederic Lafarge. Today, his daughter Clothilde, who represents the 9th generation at the estate, runs the operations and particularly enjoys ploughing this unique site with her beloved horse named “Quille”. Cailleret 2012 was a bit shy on the nose and the palate a bit tight. Some more time is needed for this vintage that I have always found quite heterogeneous among producers and therefore difficult to qualify overall.

The third flight really brought a smile upon everyone’s faces. This highly anticipated 2002 horizontal of Cailleret, Clos du Chateau des Ducs and Clos des Chenes, was admirable. Once again, I found the Clos du Chateau des Ducs to be a touch raisiny and stewy. A characteristic that did soften up a bit with oxygen though. I also understand that the chicken proved to be the ideal companion for that flight. Although a touch of volatile acidity was felt, I really enjoyed the damp, earthy notes of the Caillerets which paired well with the morels. My favorite performer was certainly the Clos des Chenes where I found the balance to be nearly perfect. Just enough flesh and volume while the crunchy cherry-like fruit made you beg for more.

I am pretty sure everyone could hear the imaginary drum roll that preceded the last flight: a 1990 duo of Clos des Chenes and Clos du Chateau des Ducs followed by the grand finale: a pristine bottle of 1980 Clos des Chenes, hands down the wine of the night. The same cooked fruit, jammy prune profile showed in the Clos du Chateau des Ducs. But once again, it was not so much “in the way”of the wine. Once again, I really thought the Clos des Chenes won the medal. Reading my notes from last night, this is what words came rushing down my pen: Incredible, pure, very long, majestic. Yep, I really liked that wine!

Nothing makes me happier than finishing a wine dinner with the wine of the night. If this is certainly a goal, it is also quite ambitious since typically the older wine is supposed to be the most memorable, it can also easily be faded or too old. This was certainly not the case last night. Another large vintage of very variable quality as magazine “Decanter” qualifies it, 1980 is easily overlooked. I was lucky enough to taste several amazing red burgundies from that vintage that also happened to be Raj’s birthyear, hence my multiple, lucky opportunities to taste it.

News from the vineyard - Spring Frosts in Burgundy

April 6, 2022

By Victoire Chabert

Interview with Lucie Germain from Domaine Henri Germain & Fils, Meursault

Domaine Henri Germain et Fils began life in 1973 when Henri Germain – from the same family as Domaine Château de Chorey-les Beaune – decided to set up on his own estate. Henri’s son Jean-François Germain was joined in 2018 by his daughter Lucie who is now helping to run this small (8ha) domaine. Jean-François is married to Sophie, François Jobard's daughter and Antoine Jobard’s sister.  In the vineyards they follow as natural a system of viticulture as possible (organic). 75% of the domaine's production is white wine, and they are among the very best examples of White Burgundy. I conducted this interview with Lucie a few days after the frost of the night of April 3 to 4 which I wanted to learn more about.

1) Can you explain the effect of frost on the vineyard?

There are several types of frosts which occur in different seasons, but we will talk about the spring frost, which we have just experienced. We’re at a moment right now where the weather is getting warmer and the vine starts to grow. It is this rise in temperature that wakes up the sap in the roots, start to flow through the vine, and make them "cry" as we say. [when you see sap dripping from previously pruned parts of the vine]. And following that, the sap will make the buds come out. In these buds, there is water and it is the cells present in the buds that risk freezing when the temperature drops too much. 

The vine can freeze depending on the temperature but it also depends on the vegetative stage of the bud. In fact, the more the vine grows, the less it resists temperatures. For example, a bud that has just emerged with its protective layer can withstand temperatures down to -3 or -4 degrees Celsius (25 degrees F) . But if temperatures drop too low, then it is possible for the buds to freeze and significantly reduce the crop.  

At the moment, and fortunately, the vineyard is not very advanced. But note that it depends on the sector. Some of our vines are more advanced than others.

2) What are the techniques used  to avoid frost?

The first thing is to have a good agricultural sense. The thing to do is to know the so-called prophylactic methods. To make it simple, we will try to prune the vine as late as possible so that the vine will bud as late as possible -  because the more we wait, the more chance of good weather. And if the vine is in “cotton” [where the buds still have their protective covering that looks like cotton balls], it does not risk anything. 

At the domaine, we have 3 people for every 8 hectares. It is therefore difficult to prune everything in 15 days in February (even if it would be ideal). Pruning is one of the tasks that takes us the most time throughout the year in the vineyard. We try not to prune before mid-December. 

Then, you also have to control the grass. If there is too much grass between the rows, it will be in contact with the buds and there will be much more chance that the buds will freeze because there will be too much humidity. 

Finally, we can play with the pruning dates according to the vines’ location by pruning the most precocious vines last. For example, Meursault 1er Cru Poruzot, which is located on the hillside of Meursault, is often our earliest-developing vineyard and is therefore the one that is harvested first. It is important to have a good sense in the choice of pruning schedules according to the different parcels of the domaine. Basically, we want to prune the latest vines as early as possible and the earliest vines as late as possible.

In terms of direct protection measures, we can mention some of them: ridging, water spraying.. but we have bet on moving air with windmills as well as heating with candles and, for the first time, tarpaulins. 

We put candles in the early vines like Perrières and Meursault Village, as well as a wind turbine to aerate Meursault Charmes that we bought with several other wine growers. We also tried for the first time to put a winter cover on to test. But as the vines did not really freeze, we cannot make a comparison to know if it worked or not. 

Disadvantages: the candles are polluting and expensive (note minimum of 10 euros per candle) and we in Meursault have to cover between 300 and 600 hectares minimum; therefore it is a real investment. It would be necessary to find other solutions which pollute less but for the moment we don’t really have them. 

3) Is climate change the cause? 

Spring frosts are partly the consequence of climate change and extreme weather shifts: when it seems like winter is over and the weather gets nice (up to 20 degrees=68F), the vine will grow rapidly. This is also the case for fruit trees and flowers. The high temperatures make nature wake up and start to grow, but then in that vulnerable state, suddenly the temperature drops and we have these dangerous moments.

4) Finally, last week's freeze, more fear than harm? 

Yes, fortunately more fear than harm. We are quite early in the season and the vines are not very budded (again, it depends on the sector). The pinot noir grape variety for example is quite late as well as the rest of the reds which are generally very late. But for the vines on the hillsides which develop a little faster, it can be more constraining. But we are still early in the season and the vines have not grown as much and are therefore less at risk.

Even if it froze on Sunday morning and especially on Monday morning, we were lucky that the days before, the weather was rather nice and windy, so it allowed us to have rather dry conditions and not to freeze the buds. In previous years, freezing was often due to rain the day before or to wet soil, and the humidity went up on the vines and crystallized the buds, thus freezing them. 

In Meursault in any case, more fear than harm, but it is only the beginning of the spring season and the vines are just starting to grow - we are crossing our fingers that we don't have another frost episode. 

Last year, the frost was very present. The domaine lost more than 60% of our harvest, which is quite rare. The vineyard was more at risk because it was at a more advanced vegetative stage and it had snowed the days before to the extent of 2 or 3 cm (1.18 in) of snow. The magnification of the sun’s rays on the frosted vegetation burned the cells of the vine leaves of the young shoots which is what destroyed all the vines, especially those on the hillside and particularly the chardonnay. But for this year, we cross our fingers for beautiful days to come!

What's Pressoir Drinking?

April 6, 2022
by Daniel Johnnes

Dom Perignon 1955

Our very own Raj Vaidya came across a bottle of Dom Perignon 1955 and very considerately thought of bringing it to share with me in recognition and celebration of my birth year.

After several attempts to find the time and place to open it we finally brought it to Runner Up, the fantastic gem of a restaurant owned by Daniel Eddy in Brooklyn. Daniel has several exciting projects opening in Brooklyn this spring and summer so keep an eye out. He also happens to be baking the best bread in New York right now!

So we settled down at our high stool table and we handed the bottle to the waiter to open it. He apparently pulled the cork with no problem and poured an ounce or so into my glass, giving me the honors. The small sample had a deep golden color with a hint of orange and browning. As he filled the other glass, you could see it was quite deep tawny, suggesting the wine had passed its time.

The first nose suggested oxidation but not fully Sherry-like. I found hints of baked apple, spice, a touch of VA but not altogether off-putting as it’s color might have suggested.

The pleasant surprise came when tasting it. Often the color and aroma is a precursor to what to expect and the taste only confirms the clues offered by the visual and aromatic markers. This wine still had sweet, ripe, clean fruit, good balance and was much more youthful than expected. There was barely a hint of effervescence.

We kept going back to it and all at the table kept commenting, “hey, it’s pretty good”. It was tasty yet we rather quickly suggested moving on to the Dauvissat Chablis Grand Cru Preuses 2017. Brilliant, saline, soft, with a mineral backbone and even better after twenty minutes while the DP started to fade away.

Having gone to the gym that day, I felt compelled to say to Raj, “Thank you for the beautiful bottle but some ‘55’s are aging better than others” :)

Interview with Romain Derey of Domaine Derey Frères

Friday, April 1, 2022

by Justine Puaud

Interview with The Derey Brothers

As I live in Burgundy now, I decided to drive for the first time to Couchey and to visit the Derey family. Couchey is the neighbor of Marsannay, in the northern part of the Côte de Nuits. I met Romain Derey who is a member of the young next generation of winemakers in Burgundy. The family team also includes his parents and brothers Maxime & Pierre-Marie, and together they are building a strong reputation in the Marsannay appellation.

Left to right: Pierre-Marie, Maxime, Pierre, and Romain Derey

1 - Your family is known for being winemakers since 1670 - can you tell me more about your family and the history around your domaine?

You know, in 1670 you were not really a winemaker. You were a farmer, a winemaker, a restaurant owner. At that time, my ancestors were making bulk wine to sell at their restaurant. Their priority was to make a living and not necessarily to make a “good” wine. It was really in 1850, two hundred years later, that Claude Derey was the one who started to truly focus on viticulture in the village of Couchey, in the heart of what was called the Dijon vineyard.

Claude’s son Pierre Derey was in the Resistance during World War 2. He was unfortunately arrested by the Germans and sent to a concentration camp where he passed away a few years later, which was a tragedy for his two orphaned sons, Maurice and Albert (my grandfather), who then took over the domaine in the 1950’s. They had two completely different personalities which was a strength for the business but not necessarily easy on an interpersonal level.

In the 2000s, the estate took a step up with the transmission to my father Pierre, who was joined by my mother Suzanne a few years later. It took many years for my grandfather Albert to accept my mother, who is originally from Rottenburg, in the south-west of Germany, because of the experience of losing his own father to the Nazis. They had to hide their relationship for a few years before he finally accepted it.

2 - You joined your father in 2010. How did you manage the job partition between your two brothers, your dad and your mom? Was it easy?

My oldest brother Maxime is the first one who joined my dad. We all knew he was born to be a winemaker. We almost think he said the word “tractor” before the word “mommy”. He was so passionate about farming and the vineyard, and is the true winemaker between us three. The quality of our wines has been getting better and better since his arrival in 2010. My dad doesn’t always agree with him about his choices but he trusts him.

A few years later, after my studies in business, I decided to join the family estate. I remember seeing my dad in the living room asking me nervously “are you joining us or not?” He was so happy when I said yes… With my background, I decided to take care of sales and building relationships with importers and sales representatives in Europe and in the United States.

My youngest brother, Pierre-Marie, is an artist but is also one of the best tasters I know. It is so annoying to taste with him because he always find mistakes. It is never enough. He does all the communications and marketing but spends lot of time with the pickers during the harvest and with me and my brother during the vinification.

We work really well together. In fact, nearly all of us live together too… My brother and I live on the right side of the house, my mom and my dad on the left side, and my oldest brother lives next door…

3 - Did you make any changes in the vineyard and/or cellar since you took over with your brothers?

The three of us have definitely made changes in the vineyard and in the cellar. However, our goal is not to change the style and the identity of the Derey wines. Maxime decided to stop using the harvesting machine. We plow our vineyards and have entered the second year of our conversion to organic farming. We also decided to limit the filtration of the wine and have recently started to do whole cluster fermentation. Depending on the vintage, we do between 20% to 100% whole cluster.

Our dad was really in a mindset of “laissez-faire”. But he said one day to us “you can do what you want but please never leave the cellar, always taste and make good wines”. It took him so many years to make changes with his dad that he didn’t want to subject us to the same restrictions.

4 - What do you think about the 2021 vintage?

We did 100% whole clusters for this vintage. It was not an easy vintage and there were many potential pitfalls… but we stayed spontaneous, believed in our vision and are happy with the results. My dad said 2021 reminded him of the difficult vintages in the eighties. He said “you had been lucky to only have easy vintages so far”.

5- Last month you were with us at La Paulée de New York. What were your best memories?

It was such an honor and also a dream to experience La Paulée de New York. We just couldn’t believe that we were part of the line-up of amazing winemakers, next to Domaine Mugneret-Gibourg or Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair. We of course had the chance to taste fantastic wines like 2013 Montrachet of Domaine Ramonet, 1990 Vosne-Romanée les Beaux Monts of Leroy. But this Paulée was really about the people. We discovered so many winemakers who didn’t know, all the sommeliers were fantastic and the clients were so generous. I think my craziest memory was sitting next to Chef Léo Troisgros at Wu’s Wonton King on Sunday. You can only experience this kind of moment in New York!

WHAT'S PRESSOIR DRINKING? (Spoiler, all the best Burgundy, of course...)

by Raj Vaidya

March 30th, 2022

When I worked as a sommelier for Chef Daniel Boulud, I was blessed with a cellar which allowed for a serious collection of Burgundy to be amassed as well as an appropriately engaged and excited clientele to draw from that cellar. Over my 11 years there some of the most fun I had was in putting together a few small ‘Cellar Raid’ dinners for serious Burgundy lovers, giving them a chance to taste wines in a manner that was both studious and pleasurable. We built up a great group of tasters over the years, and last night I was able to host one again with Chris Dooley, the new Head Sommelier at the restaurant, for much of that original group, with a few new faces thrown into the mix. It felt a little like a proper chance to pass the baton to Chris, and at the same time, to gain closure on the fact that I’d first planned this tasting of the top 2015 red Burgundy wines as a last hurrah, scheduled for March 12th in 2020, just prior to my planned exit from Restaurant Daniel…

Needless to say that the dinner in 2020 was cancelled at the last minute, as the world descended into chaos that fateful week. But the cellar at Daniel stayed cool and steady and we got to return to the subject a tad more than two years later. The line up included many of the top 2015 Grand Crus, with the addition of Les Amoureuses from Mugnier (which showed amazingly, the most aromatic of the line up) and Rousseau’s Clos Saint Jacques (also a tremendous bottle). As we’ve long stated, these two always deserve a place amongst the Grand Cru wines on the table…

A few takeaways on a vintage that is much lauded but easily misunderstood; firstly that the quality is uniformly excellent, second that it doesn’t always seem to follow the ‘rules’ or trends of a warm vintage (see DRC and Rousseau), and third that it is definitely open and drinking well despite the fact that these wines will be excellent for another 50 years at least. No hurry to drink up, but if you pull a cork on one, you won’t feel like you’ve made a mistake (just give the bottle 4-6 hours of air to open up!)

The line up:

Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier, Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses, Bonnes Mares 2015 & Georges Roumier, Bonnes Mares 2015

This line up impressed me, because Mugnier doesn’t always vibe with warm vintages, but his ‘15s truly spoke to me. The Roumier continues to be stellar, and was (along with the Dujac wines) an exception in being quite tightly wound albeit delicious.

Domaine Dujac, Clos Saint Denis, Clos de la Roche, Echezeaux 2015

Dujac’s 2015s showed more tannin and structure than the rest, by no means a negative thing as they were beautiful (though the Morey Grand Crus completely outshone the Echezeaux). Just need more time to resolve and become pretty…

Mugneret-Gibourg, Ruchottes-Chambertin, Clos Vougeot, Echezeaux 2015

Perhaps the most open and pretty flight of the evening, these were juicy, generous, complex, and overtly yummy. They are so damn delicious that nearly nobody was able to save a sip to compare with the subsequent flights :)…

Rousseau, Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques, Clos de Beze, Chambertin 2015

Rousseau is known for making excellent wine in warm vintages, and this was no exception, but the surprises for me were that the CSJ was so open and singing (it can often take longer than these two Grand Crus to resolve) and that the Beze showed more open and precise than the Chambertin (usually, my experience has shown, Chambertin outshines the Beze in warm vintages and the inverse in cool vintages, but not so in 2015.)

DRC, Grands Echezeaux, Romanée Saint Vivant, La Tâche 2015

Not much to say here except that they were all stellar, and La Tâche 2015 is nearly perfect!

What's Pressoir Cooking?

by Victoire Chabert
March 24, 2022

Gnocchi

Italian gnocchi is a real family affair. In this case, my father’s side of the family is from the South of France which historically shares many cultural aspects with Italy. (My mother's family is from Meursault, whose recipes I will be happy to share with you soon, stay tuned!). I remember, when I was very young, going to my grandparents' house on dark winter days to help my grandmother make the gnocchi that everyone loved. Indeed, she needed little hands to help her make every single gnocchi and that could get the hang of the technique with the fork. You will see in the recipe exactly what I am talking about. Through that repetition, this age-old Italian recipe has become my specialty. Allow me to share the secrets with you... 

Ingredients for 4 people

• 1kg (2.20 lbs) of potatoes (ideally an earthy type)

• 800g (1.76 lbs) flour 

• 2 eggs 

• Pinch of salt and pepper 

• 100g (0.2 lb) butter

Materials

• Puree press 

• Spatula 

• Saucepan 

• Skimmer 

• Salad bowl 

• Large plank

Preparation for the Gnocchi

1. Put your unpeeled potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with cold water, bring to a boil, add a handful of coarse salt, lower the heat and cook at a gentle simmer for about 30 minutes. Check the cooking with the tip of a knife. 

2. Once cooked, don't wait too long before peeling the potatoes, as the dough must remain hot as long as possible to form the gnocchi. In a bowl, mash them with a potato masher.

3. Gradually add the flour, and eggs, butter, pinch of fine salt and pepper. Start mixing with a spatula, then knead by hand until all the elements are well combined and the dough is smooth. Form a ball and flour your work surface. Be careful, the recipe says 800 g of flour but you may need more or less, depending on the water content of the potatoes. Work your dough for a few minutes but not too long.

4. Once your dough is ready, cut into a first piece and form a long snake (see photo) and cut your gnocchi to about 2.5 cm (1 Inch) each.

5. Place each gnocchi on the tines of a fork. Press lightly in the center with your thumb, to create a hollow. It's not that easy at first, but you'll soon get the hang of it. Place your gnocchi on one or more boards, making sure to leave them all flat. You don't want to end up with a big ball of gnocchi sticking together. You can let them rest for a few hours in the fridge or in the open air covered with a dishcloth. 

6. When ready to serve, boil some water in a saucepan and add a pinch of salt. Drop your gnocchi in it and after a few seconds they will rise to the surface, which means they are cooked. Using the skimmer, pick them up and place them on your serving dish. Add the sauce of your choice. My favorite is the Daube sauce (see recipe below) with grated cheese on top but they are also excellent with a tomato basil sauce, pesto or cheese sauce. 

For the Daube sauce

Cut up pieces of beef (bourguignon) , flour them and fry them in hot oil with minced onion. Add garlic, some sliced carrots and mushrooms if you like. Season and add a bottle of red wine. There is no need to add a good wine... save the good ones for dinner! You can add a vegetable stock cube and some thyme leaves. Cook gently for 3 hours. It's so good. You can actually use this sauce for gnocchi as well as pastas, raviolis… anything you want.

Bon appetit !

Champagne!

by Edouard Bourgeois
Friday, March 25, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

Another great dinner in great company.

WHAT'S PRESSOIR DRINKING? LA PAULÉE DE NEW YORK EDITION...

William Fevre Maison Bouchard Père et Fils Dinner at The Modern

by Edouard Bourgeois

March 16, 2022

Domaine William Fèvre, the largest owner of Chablis Grand Cru, is always a reliable reference when it comes to choosing an authentic expression of this Kimmeridgean Chardonnay. Didier Seguier, the cellar master, instructed me the day before the La Paulee Dinner at the Modern on how to open and decant the younger Chablis: 20 minutes before pouring them. A brilliant idea for these wines full of energy that need enough air to sing expressively. I am always a fan of 2018 for white Burgundy and the Chablis performed just as well as the Cote d’Or, with generous notes of peach and firm underlying minerality. 2015, often described as hot, is another vintage I think did particularly well in the cool rolling hills of Chablis. The magnum of Les Clos 2015 was still youthful but a source of intense pleasure with snappy acidity and a juicy character. We closed the Chablis act with a 2000 Les Clos. Just like 2015, 2000 was a warm year, even in Chablis… Add to this already generous wine a couple decade of age and the result is quite stunning. Bottle age gave it a rounded texture and almost exotic aromas of pear and caramel.

The lineup of red wines provided directly from the illustrious cellar of the Château de Beaune, where Maison Bouchard keeps its treasures, reminded me of the incredible wines that I was lucky to taste in Burgundy some time prior, a magnum of Le Corton 1961 and a magnum of Corton Charlemagne 1955, both in pristine conditions (pictured below). Not too many Burgundy producers have access to such a library of old vintages. At Bouchard Père et Fils, these ancient bottles are the soul of the domaine and for special occasions such as La Paulée, Gilles de Larouzière of Henriot generously gives us access to a few precious bottles for our dinners. Frederic Weber, who started at the domaine in 2003 before taking over the entire winemaking operation in 2013, told me the day before the La Paulee dinner in New York that he personally checked each magnum and bottle 2 weeks before the dinner. Understand that he opened, checked, and recorked each bottle with a brand-new cork to avoid any bad showing. Such a level of care didn’t surprise me from this Alsatian-born meticulous winemaker. We entered red wine territory loudly with a jeroboam of what Frederic like to call “Baby Jesus” 2009. Incredibly young still, the famous Beaune Grèves took a while to fully open. Served alongside 2005 and 1999 of the same wine, this horizontal was a great education on the terroir of Vigne de l’Enfant Jesus, the famous vineyard just short of 4 hectares that has been under Bouchard ownership for more than 100 years.

A the Chateau de Beaune in January 2021

The vertical of Corton was a showstopper. 1991 displayed black fruit and earth while 1985, a celebrated vintage in the region, was probably the most balanced and ethereal with an intriguing aromatic complexity of violet and black truffle. 1976 was the year of an intense heat wave throughout France. It gave birth to wine with a bit of a pruny aroma, reminiscent of roasted figs, which I found again here in combination with the already strong personality of the terroir of Corton.

As it is often the case on Burgundy, we finish the dinner with white wine, and not just any white Burgundy. At the top of the pyramid sits Montrachet, a legend whose name was formed by the words “mont”, meaning “hill” and “rachet”, meaning “bald”. Indeed, before vines were painstakingly planted on that austere mount, nothing would grow, leaving the land bare. We are glad the Romans decided to make it the home of some of the fanciest Chardonnays. The 22-year-old magnum we opened took some time to reveal its full potential. After twenty minutes, layers of white stone fruit combined with brioche and roasted hazelnut brought all the magic one would expect from this celebrated Grand Cru.

What's Pressoir Drinking? La Paulée de New York Edition...

3/16/2022

By Raj Vaidya

We, the Pressoir community, find ourselves in the throes of back to back La Paulée celebrations, but I wanted to take a moment to reflect on a truly special, once in a lifetime dinner we were honored to host at my alma mater, Restaurant Daniel, last weekend.

Guillaume D’Angerville has become a dear friend over the years. While planning our ideas for the Paulée program for 2022, Daniel and I felt we had to ask a little bit of the impossible of Guillaume; could we do a dinner of exclusively large format bottles of Volnay Premier Cru Clos de Ducs? Guillaume grumbled a bit at first, but then realized this presented a once in a lifetime opportunity to open a bunch of jeroboams that he’s been producing since 2009. We gladly accepted!

The line up started with a flight of Champans, Jeros of 2017, ‘14 and ‘11. While 2011 was a challenging vintage all around the Côte, Guillaume’s wines were likely the most balanced and compelling of the vintage, and this jero confirmed this truth robustly, with an unusual sweetness of fruit for the vintage.

Next two flights of Clos des Ducs, also all from jeros, with the first flight featuring the truly delicious 2017. While the ‘15 vintage was much more heralded (and featured alongside), the ‘17 lived up to its reputation as imminently drinkable.

The stars of the show were definitely in the final flight of Clos des Ducs, with one home run and one surprise showing. The 2009, a stellar vintage since day one, showed incredible power and precision, and was arguably the ‘best’ wine of the line up (as it should be!) But in a surprise to me, it was the 2013 that I found the most charming. The vintage has long been confusing to me aromatically, though I’ve always liked the acid structure. This bottle was astounding, layers upon layers of complexity, nuance and such an elegant and long palate that I was taken aback. As a fun side by side, a guest at the dinner bought a bottle of the same vintage from the restaurant’s wine list, and so we got to see a slightly more advanced example also, a lucky treat.

Lesson learned: wine, especially great, regal wines like these, are best drunk out of giant bottles…

Welcome to our new team member Victoire Chabert!

February 24, 2022

Please give a warm welcome to our new team member Victoire Chabert!

Growing up between Meursault and the French Riviera, Victoire has close family ties on her mother’s side to Domaine Buisson-Charles. 

Once acquired by his winegrowing grandparents and now run by her cousin Louis, oenologist , her aunt and uncle, the familial Domaine Buisson-Charles has been cultivating parcels of land in the Meursault area for several generations, supplementing them with wines from Volnay, Pommard, Corton and Chambertin for its red wines as well as Chassagne-Montrachet, Puligny-Montrachet, Chablis Premier Cru and Grand Cru, Pouilly-Fuissé and Corton-Charlemagne for its white wines.

Victoire decided to start her professional career in the wine industry and honor her family's work on the other side of the Atlantic after obtaining her Master's Degree in International Management. 

SCENES FROM THE SOMMELIER SCHOLARSHIP TRIP TO CHAMPAGNE (Part Deux)

Wednesday, February 23

by Raj Vaidya

As Max mentioned in last week’s newsletter, we have been hard at work formalizing our new 501(c)3 organization called the Sommelier Scholarship Fund. Last week I had the pleasure of hosting (and chauffeuring) 4 young sommeliers on their first trip to the region of Champagne, and it was an absolute blast! I have always said that I’ve learned much more about wine by standing next to a barrel than from reading any book on the subject, and these four scholars really had a crash course in their education on Champagne…

I was joined by Peter Liem and Pascaline Lepeltier to introduce the region in all its splendor. With Pascaline piping in often with astute questions and Peter providing context and critical direction during and in between visits, we had the chance to really dig into the subjects that are at the forefront of Champagne winemaking and viticulture, for example the rise of organic farming and the use of dosage in crafting the balance of these wines.

It was the first trip to Champagne for each of them, and so maybe the best part for me was watching them discover the people of the region, from the easy rapport enjoyed with Mathieu Billecart, to a conversation that swung from lees aging to hip hop music with Fred Panaiotis, and their wide eyes at the spectacle of Pascal Agrapart sharing a 1991 Cuvée Mineral or Vincent Laval disgorging a bottle for us to taste ‘ala volé’.

We shared a number of our photos and experiences on our new social media channel @sommelierscholarship, if you don’t already follow us there, please do! We will continue to chronicle more as we delve into our mission to educate via experience and human exchange…

To recap Max’s report from last week; the scholars were:

Femi Oyediran - Graft Wine Bar, Charleston SC
Luis Garcia - Per Se, New York NY
Ryanna Kramer - Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder CO
Dwight Alexander Phyall - Roots Fund Scholar

and we visited:

Champagne Moussé-Fils, Cuisles
Champagne Tarlant, Oeuilly
Champagne Agrapart, Avize
Champagne Pierre Péters, Le Mesnil sur Oger
Champagne Larmandier-Bernier, Vertus
Champagne Salon / Champagne Delamotte, Le Mesnil sur Oger
Champagne Henriot, Pierry
Champagne Billecart-Salmon, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
Champagne Philipponnat, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
Champagne Ruinart, Reims
Champagne Bérêche & Fils, Ludes
Champagne Georges Laval, Cumières
Champagne Chartogne-Taillet, Merfy

Interested in supporting the Sommelier Scholarship Fund? Email us.
The Sommelier Scholarship Fund is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.

Burgundy Vintage Report 2020

February 24, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scenes from the Sommelier Scholarship Trip to Champagne

Friday, February 18

You may have seen our announcement that our “Sommelier Scholarship” trips and activities we have been hosting for a number of years are now officially organized under a new 501(c)3 organization called the Sommelier Scholarship Fund.

Our first trip under the umbrella of the new organization is underway in Champagne! Raj has joined Peter Liem and Pascaline Lepeltier in guiding four well-deserving sommelier scholars through the region, visiting some of the top producers.

It is the first trip to Champagne for each of them, and it is such a rewarding experience for us to bring the terroir and winemakers to life for the scholars, who have great passion for the wines that grew through much tasting and studying at home in the US.

This trip’s scholars are:

Femi Oyediran - Graft Wine Bar, Charleston SC
Luis Garcia - Per Se, New York NY
Ryanna Kramer - Frasca Food & Wine, Boulder CO
Dwight Alexander Phyall - Roots Fund Scholar

They are visiting:

Champagne Moussé-Fils, Cuisles
Champagne Tarlant, Oeuilly
Champagne Agrapart, Avize
Champagne Pierre Péters, Le Mesnil sur Oger
Champagne Larmandier-Bernier, Vertus
Champagne Salon / Champagne Delamotte, Le Mesnil sur Oger
Champagne Henriot, Pierry
Champagne Billecart-Salmon, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
Champagne Philipponnat, Mareuil-sur-Aÿ
Champagne Ruinart, Reims
Champagne Bérêche & Fils, Ludes
Champagne Georges Laval, Cumières
Champagne Chartogne-Taillet, Merfy

Interested in supporting the Sommelier Scholarship Fund? Email us.
The Sommelier Scholarship Fund is a tax-exempt organization under section 501(c)3 of the Internal Revenue Code. Your donation is tax deductible as allowed by law.

What's Pressoir Cooking

February 18, 2022
by Justine Puaud

The famous blanquette de veau
A traditional French veal stew

Edouard and Daniel spent this week in Burgundy visiting winemakers in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits and tasting the fantastic 2020 vintage. For their last evening in Burgundy, they came to my place and had the privilege to eat my husband’s “madeleine de Proust”* - blanquette de veau.

We were lucky to have two young winemakers with us - Camille Thiriet and Thibaud Clerget. Camille is a passionate and talented winemaker who started to make wine in a garage in 2016. She now produces fantastic red and white wines from the Côte de Nuits. Thibaud of Domaine Yvon Clerget is based in Volnay. Antonio Galloni has said “the reborn Domaine Y. Clerget could very well turn out to be one of the great recent success stories in Burgundy”, so bravo to Thibaud!

*’La madeleine de Proust’ is a French expression used to describe smells, tastes, sounds or any sensations reminding one of childhood or simply bringing back emotional memories from a long time ago.

The origin of the term “blanquette” comes from the color of the white sauce that coats the stew meat.

Ingredients for 6 people

1 liter of cooking white wine

2 lbs veal , shoulder, chest or flank, cut into large cubes

1 onion , poked with whole cloves

1 bouquet garni (parsley, thyme, bay leaf, sage)

4 carrots , cut into large sections

1 cup dry white wine

10 oz. mushrooms , quartered

4 tablespoons butter

½ cup flour

¾ cup creme fraiche

½ lemon , juiced

3 egg yolks

Instructions

1. Put the meat cubes in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil and add salt.

2. Skim regularly at the surface so that the broth becomes clear. After 20 minutes, add the onion stuck with cloves and the bouquet garni.

3. Simmer for another 20 minutes, then add carrots and wine.

4. Continue to simmer uncovered over low heat for another 45 minutes or until meat is tender. Add a little water during cooking if necessary. Remove the onion and the bouquet garni.

5. Meanwhile, sauté the mushrooms in a frying pan for 2 minutes with a knob of butter. Add salt, pepper, a ladle of broth and continue cooking for 5 minutes.

6. Sauce (prepare a few minutes before serving).

7. In a saucepan, melt the butter. Add the flour while whisking over low heat for 5 minutes.

8. Gradually add cooking broth while whisking until a reaching a thick sauce consistency.

9. Add creme fraiche as well as lemon juice, and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

10. Take saucepan off the heat and add egg yolks. Whisk well to incorporate. Add this sauce back to the pan with the meat and vegetables. Add the mushrooms and gently stir to incorporate everything.

11. Immediately serve the blanquette with rice.

Wine pairing

We opened a few Pinot Noirs and finished with a Nebbiollo. 2019 is a really promising vintage. It is fresh and juicy. I really enjoyed the Chassagne Premier Cru “Clos de la Boudriotte” rouge from Domaine Ramonet. It smells of black fruit, boosted with an almost spiced note. Its fruit is pure and intense with a powerful tannic structure that firms up the finish.

WHAT(...WAS) PRESSOIR DRINKING - Domaine Réné Engel Clos Vougeot 1969

February 10, 2022
by Raj Vaidya

Some years ago at Restaurant Daniel, following a 2010 vintage Burgundy dinner I hosted, a handful of the participants assembled in the lounge to have their hand at the wine list. Seems they had not quite been satiated by the 18 bottles of rare (albeit young) wines I’d served that evening and needed to quench their thirst. The competitive energy that surrounds such groups of drinkers and lovers of fine wine took control of the ship and quickly we found ourselves in a melée of great old wine; 1971 Egon Müller Scharzhofberger, a pristine bottle of ‘61 Chave Hermitage, side by side Mugneret Gibourg Echezeaux and Ruchottes from 2002, a particularly savory magnum of 1998 Selosse… the corks were flying and the night felt like it was getting out of control. Then, one of the revelers pulled me aside and asked me about a bottle I’d been hoarding on the list, a bottle I’d bought from a famous and impeccable cellar in New Jersey which had lingered on the list for some time because I had been in the habit of telling guests we’d sold out of it when they’d inquire. I feared that a bottle in such great shape would never cross my path again, and it being so special, I didn’t want someone to order it and have it either run the risk of being under appreciated, or even worse, that the client who bought it wouldn’t offer me a giant glass :)…

Réné Engel

That night, however, I acquiesced and brought up the bottle from the cellar, much to everyone’s delight. It was almost weightless on the palate, subtle yet supple in texture, yet with tremendous intensity. It almost felt like the wine skipped the palate and immediately affected the mind, as only great bottles can. As it opened up though, the palate filled out and exhibited sweet earth flavors with roasted porcini and cardamon notes. Although up till that point we’d been in a mood of revelry, the experience of drinking great, old Engel brought us all together in introspection and reverence for this great bottle.

Lucky is an understatement, when referring to me, I always say. And this will prove true later this month, on the 24th of February when we get the chance to open another bottle of ‘69 Engel Clos Vougeot during our ‘6 Decades’ dinner at La Pavillon. So those of you joining us can start getting excited about tasting this with me very soon!

Gonon Dinner at Houseman

February 8, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois

Finding the wines of Jean Gonon can easily become a real mission, as sommeliers and a few savvy wine geeks hunt down anything Gonon. Although these bottles are typically not common, classic American wine collectors typically fill their cellar shelves with famous Bordeaux chateaux, well-known Burgundies along with cult Napa Cabs. Even within its own region of the Northern Rhône Valley, Domaine Pierre Gonon, located in Mauves, remains a hidden gem that produces the humble Saint-Joseph appellation. A growing number of Syrah lovers are falling in love with these intensely perfumed wines. The appellation has been subject to criticism since 1971, when the National Institute of Appellation d’Origine (INAO) decided to extend the appellation borders all the way north by Côte-Rôtie, resulting in a very uneven quality among the wines produced under the name Saint-Joseph. The heart of Saint-Joseph, which has been the historic area of the appellation, is where the Gonon family has been making wine since 1956. Their privileged location sits on top of a precious granitic bedrock and vineyards are planted on terraced hillsides, providing excellent exposure, airflow, and drainage. Chez Gonon, everything is done by hand and with extreme care. The domaine has been organic since 2004 and certified in 2013. One of the characteristics of the domaine is the generous inclusion of whole clusters during the fermentation process. I find that Northern Syrah can sometimes be too robust for my taste, with burnt aromas and a slight bitterness. I have never felt that way about any of the wines made by Jean Gonon. Their signature is a delicate but generous perfume of violets, barbeque smoke and olive tapenade with a discreet hint of black pepper. What also amazes me is how delicious the wines are whether young or old.

Speaking of age, on Tuesday at restaurant Houseman, we opened no less than 11 vintages of Saint-Joseph rouge and 2 white Saint Joseph from the lieux dit “Les Oliviers”.

Saint-Joseph makes a small proportion of white wine from Marsanne and Roussanne. Unsurprisingly, Gonon’s version is superb. Concentrated wines with typical herbaceous aromatics and a waxy texture, driven by rather low acidity and a mineral finish.

The youngest red wine, a 2018, was impressive, bright and juicy. As we tasted older wines, subtle nuances defined each vintage while keeping the unmistakable signature of Gonon. Surprisingly, the 2012 appeared to be clearly more advanced, entering another phase of its age with intriguing but superb tertiary aromas of tree moss and forest floor. 2009 and 2010, heralded for their greatness in the region, were more concentrated and powerful, promising the ability to age for another decade or two, if not more. The oldest wine, a 2007, was still graceful and suave. Not a single faux pas in the lineup made for a very memorable night among friends and Syrah enthusiasts.  

Henri Bonneau Dinner at la Tablée

On Thursday, La Tablée continued with a dinner honoring the wines of the late Henri Bonneau. John Junguenet joined our team to attend the event and shared some anecdotes about his upbringing around his father Alain Junguenet, the wine importer of famous Rhone producers. John started the event by saying how important it is to understand the perception wine consumers get on Rhone valley wines. Châteauneuf du Pape produces an average of 15 million bottles of wine each year, and there is no classification among these wines. So, it is solely the reputation of each domaine that makes the difference. Henri Bonneau certainly achieved a unique status. Anyone who has had the chance to taste a bottle from Bonneau always remember his or her first time. If some wines can be described as “polished”, Bonneau’s Châteauneufs are quite the opposite, without, however lacking elegance. I have never been to the domaine but from what I have heard, it is one of the most compelling visits. It is sometimes compared to a time travelling experience, with John telling the story of the abundant mold that would change coloration according to the time of year. John essentially grew up in Henri’s cellar, a certain magical underground cavern Daniel Johnnes remembered for its steps going downstairs - slippery because of the high humidity. Some of the barrels were older than Henri himself while he was still making wine in his 70’s… The facetious winemaker was also known for his interactions with the few journalists who managed to pass the gate. When asked about technical details on his wine production, he would answer: “I have no technical information, and I’m not sorry”. While some vignerons follow a detailed winemaking procedure that includes a certain percentage of new oak, a precise length for aging or an exact proportion of whole cluster each year, Henri followed no recipe, relying solely on his senses. Daniel recalled tasting with him: after Henri took a sip of wine taken from the barrel, he declared: “Well, that was not so good a few moths ago, but it’s getting better…”. He would not release his wines if he thought they were not ready, so it would not be rare to see a younger vintage before an older one hit the market, sometimes waiting 6 years before releasing a cuvée.

Henri passed away in 2016. We were lucky to source excellent bottles directly from his cellar with the help of John Junguenet for the dinner. I don’t have a detailed list of my tasting notes, but I am keeping a very fond memory of the 1999 Cuvée des Celestins. The wine was very elegant and soulful, with rounded tannins, aromas of ripe prunes, even dark chocolate. The finish was very long and silky.

John Junguenet (right) was the special host of the dinner at La Mercerie.

Kicking Off La Tablée with an ode to 1990 in the Northern Rhône

January 27, 2022
by Edouard Bourgeois

1990 was an important vintage in the Northern Rhône for two reasons. First, it offered ideal weather conditions that made for exceptionally great wines. Secondly, because this event happened in a much needed era during which these wines didn’t enjoy the great reputation they do today. In fact, besides a few producers like Guigal and its famous Côte-Rôtie trio, Robert Parker nicknamed “the Lala’s”, the terraced vineyards were largely abandoned. As a reference, only 100 acres of vineyards were planted in the Côte-Rôtie appellation in the 1950’s versus 500 acres today. And all the way through the 1980’s, the few vine growers who dared face the hard labor on these steep hillside vineyards would mostly sell their crop to the local négociants. Chapoutier and Jaboulet or even Vidal-Fleury were among them and still operate today. A fun fact, Marius Gentaz of the historic and now legendary domaine Gentaz-Dervieux was the first one to receive an offer to purchase a parcel of La Turque lieu-dit from Vidal-Fleury back in 1980. Because he already had enough work with his own vineyards, he declined the offer. The rest is history…

Going back to 1990, this ideal vintage was in fact part of a series of four great vintages from 1989 to 1992. Lush wines, evenly ripe and balanced that still evolve today after 30 years.

Last night’s wine lineup for the first event of La Tablée was impressive. Here is a quick recap on the wines and how they showed:

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Guests were welcomed with a glass of Condrieu from Chateau de Rozay. It is really interesting to see how an old Viognier can be so complex and highly mineral, especially when it seems that young Condrieu can develop a certain sweetness along with exotic aromas. This 1990 was dry and linear.

 FIRST COURSE

Oysters "Vanderbilt"

John's River Oysters Gratinées, Hazelnut, Parsley-Seaweed Crust

Domaine Marcel Juge, Saint-Peray Blanc 1990

I thought this wine showed a bit too much of the heat of the vintage and the fruit was overwhelmed by that characteristic. A bit of a downer but fortunately, nothing disappointed after that.

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage Blanc 1990

“The King of the Hill”, Chave may be famous for his brooding red Hermitages but he also produces a very large proportion of white wine from a blend of Roussanne and Marsanne. These whites are typically oily and very intense, built to age. The two bottles we opened were pitch perfect and fragrant with dry apricots and dried herbs.

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SECOND COURSE

Roasted Monkfish Tail

Carrot Mousseline, Bacon Lardons, Caramelized Pearl Onions

Sauce Côte-Rôtie

Domaine Jamet, Côte-Rôtie 1990

Domaine Jasmin, Côte-Rôtie 1990

Domaine Gentaz-Dervieux, Côte-Rôtie “Côte Brune” 1990

Stunning flight. Côte-Rôtie is often described as the Burgundy of the Rhône. I would agree on that for the Jamet. I have never been disappointed by a bottle from this producer. This 1990 was maybe the best bottle I’ve had. Everything was exactly in its place. A touch of smoked meat, black olives and tar, a real show-stopper. Gentaz-Dervieux’s Côte Brune took a little time to fully open but eventually displayed incredible depth and a lovely black fruit quality. Finding this wine today is nearly impossible. Finally, Jasmin delivered a great performance. Not quite as impressive as the other two but a great bottle and the only wine of the flight with a touch of Viognier co-fermented with the Syrah as well as a de-stemmed vatting fermentation.

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THIRD COURSE

Girelle Pasta with Wild Mushrooms

Broccoli Rabe, Comté Emulsion, Black Truffles

Domaine Jean-Louis Chave, Hermitage 1990

Domaine Bernard Faurie, Hermitage 1990

Domaine Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Hermitage “La Chapelle” 1990

Domaine Marc Sorrel, Hermitage “Le Greal” 1990

Chave was impressively vibrant and youthful, my second favorite wine of the night with a very long finish. Bernard Faurie may not be as famous on wine auctions or on wine lists but their wines are incredibly authentic. This bottle was exactly that, generous and with a touch of rustic earthiness. Parker’s 100 pointer La Chapelle clearly stood out in this flight, displaying a very modern style. It took a long time for the wine to unfold and its tight grain makes you believe it still has a few decades ahead. Overall exuberant and to me still too “one-dimensional”. Finally, the Marc Sorrel’s bottling had a dirty and animal edge not everyone loved. I would agree that the wine was probably a bit over the hill. Luckily that was the only cuvée that seemed past its prime that night.    

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MAIN COURSE

Whole Roasted Venison Loin

Blackberry and Red Wine Braised Cabbage, Confit Roots, Crosnes, Juniper Sauce

Sauce Grand Veneur

Domaine Noël Verset, Cornas 1990

Domaine Clape, Cornas 1990

Domaine Thierry Allemand, Cornas 1990 (tasting pour)

Domaine Courbis, Cornas “Sabarotte” 1990

The appellation of Cornas is the same size as Hermitage with roughly 320 acres each. But the former has been overlooked for a very long time until recently when both long established producers and newcomers changed the reputation of these wines and really put them on the map. This flight though was a perfect show of the old school artists. Noël Verset’s Cornas was probably my #3 wine of the night. At first reduced, it reminded me of roasted beets with a strong and in fact quite unappealing dirty nose. After much swirling and patience, I finally put it to my lips and the palate was much more profound and beautiful than expected. Long and brilliant finish, very elegant. Clape is still making very fine wines. It was amazing to taste such an old cuvée that also appeared a bit timid at first but eventually developed all the smoked meat and dried herbs one can expect from Cornas. I was also surprised by the high levels of acidity. The hyper rare bottle of Thierry Allemand’s 1990 did not disappoint. Multi layered and full of life. Finally, the Sabarotte expressed a soft texture and dark fruit aromas. A polished and delicious wine but unsurprisingly not playing in the same high league of the other three of this flight

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CHEESE

Black Truffle Moses Sleeper

Mâche Salad, Hazelnut Toast

Unforgettable night in NYC

Legend Dominique Lafon Officially Retires

After nearly 40 years at the helm of Domaine des Comtes Lafon, Dominique Lafon has hung the pipette and has officially retired from his function as winemaker of the legendary domaine. His daughter Léa and his nephew Pierre are the new generation in charge of the iconic estate. Dominique launched a separate négociant business in 2008 under the label “Dominique Lafon” and he will focus on that project from now on. The Lafon family established itself in Meursault as far back as the late 19th century. Back then, it was Jules Lafon, Dominique’s great grandfather, who was wise enough to buy some of the best plots in the appellation, including a spot in the supreme Montrachet Grand Cru.

Dominique certainly inherited a prime domaine but his personality, talent and hard work proved that he was the right person to take over in the early 1980’s. Always questioning himself, he continually experimented and faced challenges such as the tricky premature oxidation white Burgundy started to struggle with thirty years ago. His honesty and open mind pushed him to consistently try to tweak details here and there. For example, Dominique decided to switch to biodynamic practices entirely. He also switched to using exclusively Diam corks for the whole production with the 2013 vintage. A visionary, he was also among the first ones to look outside of his hometown of Meursault, starting with the southern tip of Burgundy where, in 1999, he bought great parcels in the Maconnais where his wine label “Héritiers du Comte Lafon” still produces delicious and zippy whites. Dominique also consulted for wineries around the world, in Oregon for example, at Evening Land and more recently with MS Larry Stone of Lingua Franca.

Our team decided to honor the man with a wine dinner last week and to change things up a bit, we thought of pairing his Meursault and Volnay with the superb food of Korean joint Atoboy. The lineup was very successful and flawless.

The three first courses were built on three verticals of 2012, 2009 and 2007. First with Charmes, then Genevrières and finally the unmistakable Perrières.

Overall, I was particularly impressed with the 09’s. Such a warm year typically meant Chardonnays that lacked acidity and freshness. Not at Lafon. all three Meursault were really clean and airy without great texture. 2012 is a strange vintage for white Burgundy and impossible to judge as a general style for the region. Although, if there is one common thing to say for all producers is that they struggle with challenging weather conditions, reducing their yields dramatically. Once again here, Lafon struck gold with wines that are singing and pure. The Genevrières really displayed the floral tones it is famous for.

Finally, 2007 kept its promise of a great vintage. I adored the mouth watering quality of the wine where the acidity makes you salivate but the sugar immediately coats your palate, leaving an irresistible fruity, candy feeling.

It was also a fascinating educational experience to distinguish the difference between Charmes, Genevrières and Perrières in such an ideal context.

Moving on to the reds, the focus was on the 2009 vintage, covering three Volnay climats: Champans, Clos des Chenes and Santenots du Milieu. Once again, each climat was true to its identity, with Champans exhibiting a lighter profile and delicious small red fruits, Clos des Chenes perfectly balanced and aromatic while Santenots, the “hybrid” climat that also covers the Meursault appellation, was tighter and more tannic.

News from the Vineyard

January 13, 2022
by Justine Puaud

Carbonic Maceration in Burgundy

Is carbonic maceration associated with Beaujolais? Not always. This technique tends to seduce more and more winemakers from other wine regions to make natural wines but also long aging wines. The carbonic technique is simple. This involves placing the whole berries, not crushed, in an airtight tank saturated with carbon dioxide. This triggers an intracellular fermentation inside the berries, under the action of native enzymes. It brings out the fruity aromas and reduces the tannins of the wines produced. 

I recently interviewed Arnaud Laventureux of Domaine Roland Laventureux in Chablis, who made a fantastic and delicious Bourgogne Epineuil with carbonic maceration.

Domaine Roland Laventureux has been an all white wine domaine, producing Chablis only. In 2019, the Laventureux brothers started to make the first red wine of the domaine. They harvested 0.4 ha of pinot noir, producing 350 litres of Bourgogne Épineuil. In 2021, they harvested the whole four hectares of what used to be Domaine des Noisetiers. 

Arnaud’s dream was to make Chambolle-Musigny, so to make red wine was always a goal. After many negotiations with the family, he was able to harvest a tiny parcel of pinot noir. It was his chance to make a great pinot noir, not from Chambolle-Musigny but from Épineuil.

Let’s be fair: Épineuil is not well known. The terroir is quite poor and the yield is very low. But as Arnaud’s parcel was really well exposed with a soil rich in limestone and kimmeridgian oysters, he decided to meet the challenge and make the best Épineuil anyone has ever tasted.

Winemaking is a recipe. You follow the instructions and then you add a bit of salt, cream and pepper to make a fantastic dish! 

Arnaud’s winemaking technique is totally unique in Épineuil.

In a few words:

• Debudding to help concentrate the juice

• 14 people who sort berry by berry to keep only the best

• Maceration for about 1 month and half

• Vatting (cuvaison) for more than a week

• Aging in stainless steel vats for 1 year and 2 months

The most difficult part in his vinification was to keep a beautiful elegance to the fruit. It was a winning bet. His pinot noir expresses the vintage. There is a beautiful fruit with silkiness and flesh. Bravo Arnaud. We cannot wait to taste the 2020 vintage!