News from the Vineyard

by Daniel Johnnes

February 10, 2023

Domaine de la Grange des Pères

My quick trip to France this week was inspired by an invitation from the Vaillé family to come visit.

Vaillé owns Domaine de la Grange des Pères in the commune of Aniane in the Languedoc about 45 minutes north west of Montpellier.

My first stop was the fast train train to Lyon and a quick drive to Côte Rôtie to visit my friends, Guillaume, Brigitte and Gilbert Clusel-Roch. Brigitte and Gilbert are semi-retired although Gilbert’s preferred form of retirement is rebuilding the stone wall terraces around his vineyards. A quick click on their website will direct you to a Rolling Stones song “Don’t Stop” with Gilbert performing a Herculean task of reinforcing his century old walls.

Of course I can’t visit Clusel-Roch without timing it for lunch. This time, it was Brigitte’s classic blanquette de veau, accompanied by Côte Rôtie La Viaillère 2010 (2nd vintage).

Next stops were Julien Cecillon, Maxime Graillot and Jean Gonon. All three taking me further south on my journey to the Languedoc and the Vaillé residence, providing snapshots of both the 2022 and 2021 about to be bottled. Both good to excellent vintages with more depth and concentration in the 2022s, which does not necessarily mean better. 2021 is delicious and more approachable early.

I was full of emotion arriving in Aniane chez Vaillé. This is a property I visited in 1993 when his first vintage 1992 was still in barrel. I remember that visit like it was yesterday. We took a quick tour of the cellar and then spent a very long afternoon by the canal with my wife, Sally and our young 4 year old Lionel and one year old Barnaby.

Laurent, the genius behind the wines, had spent several years learning from the masterful Eloi Durrbach of Domaine de Trevallon (Baux de Provence) and Coche-Dury in Meursault. Laurent had to dynamite a hillside to plant his Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussanne, Marsanne and a splash of Counoise, Chardonnay and Cabernet.

Over time, these wines achieved cult status and found their way onto the top tables of France and abroad.

Sadly, Laurent tragically died in the spring of 2021 and I had not been back until today. The wines are still magical, with deep rich flavors, yet light on their feet with fresh acidity, silky tannins and a hint of game.

These deep soulful wines never had a Languedoc appellation other than IGP Hérault or Vin de Pays de l’Hérault. Laurent did not want them to be associated with a place. They were and still are simply La Grange des Pères. May Laurent rest in peace.

Burgundy 2021, A First Look

Raj Vaidya

2/1/2023

I’m just back from a week of tasting the spoils of the minuscule 2021 harvest in Burgundy and wanted to share some of my (broad) observations about the vintage. At first glance, the season was such a difficult one that many producers saw production levels drop to levels as low as 20% of a normal crop, which can be truly disastrous for domaines which are small family owned businesses.

Veronique Drouhin’s Instagram post showing the candles burning in April 2021

The vintage was precursed by a mild winter which led into an unseasonably warm spring, allowing the beginnings of bud break as early as March 25th in some areas of the Côte de Beaune with Pinot Noir, and by early April both Chardonnay and Pinot Noir across both Côtes were full of sap and beginning to bud. Then, as happens often in April, the weather changed dramatically and temperatures plunged on the 4th of April to near freezing. Two nights of cold and dry weather wasn’t too worrisome, but on the morning of the 7th of April a frost warning was sounded, and much of the Côte prepared candles to burn in the vineyards overnight to combat the deep freeze.

There are several ways in which frost can damage the buds of the vine. If temperatures are cold enough, the buds simply freeze solid, and the sap inside the plant retreats towards the roots, leaving the buds lifeless. Other times, on mornings after very cold temperatures the rising sun can cause a sort of burning within the frost settled around the buds, effectively the magnified and refracted light of the sun burns the buds. On this occasion the frost damage was a combination of the freezing of the buds completely, along with a heavy snow which began to fall unexpectedly (mostly in the southern Côte de Beaune.)

The damage was truly epic, with vineyards on all parts of the slope severely damaged and in some cases, wiping out some mid-slope vineyards completely. Usually frosts tend to affect the highest parts of the slope (Village or Premier Cru) or the low lying flat areas (typically village or generic vineyards) but this time, the damage was truly universal, affecting all parts of the Côte.

Some buds survived the frost, and as the season warmed up and vegetative growth of the vine exploded, most vignerons were left to survey the damage and realize that their crop would be very small. This is always a tough pill to swallow, as the tiny amount of grapes does not mean any less work in the vineyards through the season, so they had to look forward to a big workload with very little reward. Sadly, the tiny yield was only the beginning of their worries. The uneven bud structure amongst what remained caused vineyards to overcompensate with vegetative growth, so the canopies of the plants grew quickly and wildly. This wouldn’t have been problematic by itself were it not for the weather of June and July, which saw a tremendous amount of rain spread throughout the months. Mildew and oidium pressure arrived by late June and with no end to the rain in sight, producers were scrambling with how to deal with the fungi. Quickly the powdery mildew took hold, forcing growers to spray copper and sulphur repeatedly throughout the growing season. The effect of the mildew further decreased the yields, leaving growers wondering what condition the few harvestable grapes would be in at the end of the season.

Finally, when August arrived, the region dried out a bit. As the harvest approached, many worried that because the yield was so small the level of concentration in the grapes would be heightened but this did not appear to be an issue after all, as the difficulties of the season caused the grapes to be light in color and alcohol, and a little bit diluted. The dilution actually helped fight that concern of over concentration and yielded wines that seem very pretty, light and a little ‘old fashioned’. The wines are in their infancy now, but still there are a few takeaways I gleaned from tasting quite a few…

Guillaume d’Angerville welcoming us to taste the 2021 range, perhaps for the first and last time!

Whites seem to show beautiful energy, but not in the way vintages like 2007 or 2014 would, rather a somewhat subtle and light bodied freshness and length. The wines are very salty, saline from the mineral expression. The lower yields caused some of the whites to have a slightly angular structure, but I believe these will resolve themselves in time. The reds are extremely fine, reminding me of vintages like 2001, 2002 and 2008 in some weird combination. They have sneakily good structure, but the velvety tannins and light body are the primary impression one walks away with after tasting them. At this stage, just prior to the bottling of the 2021 vintage, the Pinots are almost tasting like more mature wines, showing fragrances and openness suggestive of wines with a little bottle age. They will surely revert to being a bit closed after the shock of bottling, but I forsee them aging extremely well down the road.

That is, if there are any bottles to put away in one’s cellar to begin with. Guillaume d’Angerville welcomed us at his domaine stating, “we will be tasting the 2021 vintage, so pay attention, and remember this experience, because there are so few bottles that you may never taste them again…”. This was a sentiment shared by many, which must be all the more frustrating for the producers; a difficult vintage which produced beautiful wines which almost nobody will get to enjoy because of the rarity of the bottles.

Frédéric Mugnier

Daniel Johnnes
February 3, 2023

For me, the red wines of Domaine Jacques Fédéric Mugnier are among the most compelling in all Burgundy. Not only are they aromatically seductive; they often display the silky texture and vibrant intensity found in the best expressions of Pinot Noir.

Yet there is so much more to appreciating a wine than just its aroma and taste. I am lucky to have the advantage of knowing many winemakers and somehow this knowledge has an impossible to explain influence on my palate. If I don’t sympathize with a winemaker for whatever reason, I am less inclined to be moved by his or her wines.

If you know Dominique Lafon and his gregarious character, you understand (and perhaps like) a little better the exuberant style of his wines.

With Fred Mugnier or Freddy as his friends call him, a tasting is always more than a simple exhibition of the current vintage. There can be a deep reflective conversation about the world we live in and somehow the discourse makes a full circle back to the topic at hand, his wine.

On my most recent Sommelier Scholarship trip, I asked him if he had done experiments with biodynamic treatments in his vineyard and did he see any improvements. A simple question very commonly asked to winemakers. His answer was a simple, “no”

Biodynamics and organic viticulture have become more and more common in Burgundy, France and throughout the wine producing regions of the world. This movement also coincides with a growing awareness of our carbon footprint and also the commonly heard phrase, that ‘the quality of the wine starts in the vineyard’.

Fred answered my question simply by saying “no”. It was only later in the day that I realized he had unleashed a proverbial bomb recently in publishing an article on his website questioning biodynamic practices.

In the middle of harvest 2022, an article appeared in a wine publication saying how, ever since Mugnier started with biodynamics in his Clos de la Maréchal vineyard, his wines have improved dramatically. This article set him off and even with the harvest in full swing he published this article to set the record straight and express his thoughts on the subject, which he says have been percolating in his mind for 30 years.

It is a fairly long, thoughtful and factual article dissecting and questioning the adherence to this type of viticulture. So polarizing was the article that it provoked a response from several of his friends who have long embraced biodynamics and a call from Aubert de Villaine from Domaine de la Romanée Conti for a meeting.

Fred is not afraid of stirring the pot but he doesn’t do it for the sport of it. He does it in a most logical way to question practices that people apply. He thoughtfully weighs the risk benefit of it - something that many people do not do because they simply do it with a herd mentality. This is the same behavior people apply when they say “natural” wine is better or “organic” is better. No sulphur is better. Filtration is bad. These are just some examples that may or may not be true but so often are used and applied for the wrong reasons. Often, they are just marketing slogans.

Well, Fred pulled back the curtain and there is a dialogue that is now circling the planet on this topic. It may make some people uncomfortable but from discomfort comes change and intelligent conversation.

Because of his thougtful critique I think I like Fred’s wines even more today than before my visit!

Pressoir.wine Dinner - Pierre Gonon recap

January 27, 2023
by Edouard Bourgeois

Jean Gonon was only twenty years old when he started making wine alongside his brother Pierre and their father Pierre. It was in 1986 and the two brothers released their first vintage together in 1988. Not much has changed at the estate since then. Jean focuses on the farming while his brother is the man in the cellar, but he is also managing the horses that plough the precious land.

Father Pierre started as a vigneron in 1956 although back then, wines of the northern Rhône were certainly not where they are today in terms of recognition, which explains why many farmers would prefer growing apricots or cherries rather than the labor-intensive grapes to make wines they were not sure would sell. So, until 1964, the Gonons would sell their grapes to local negociant Chapoutier to ensure revenue. Raymond Trollat, another highly respected vigneron in the area, started bottling his own wine earlier in the 1950’s, leading the way to daring emancipation. Others followed such as the Grippat family in the 1970’s.

But back to Gonon. I remember tasting my first bottle years ago. I was with a bunch of sommeliers on my day off from restaurant Daniel and someone opened this “simple vin de pays” called “Les Iles Ferays”. Talk about a “sommelier wine” … I couldn’t believe vin de pays could taste so good! As I found out later on, it turns out this bottling is quite rare with less than an hectare of vines planted and it comes from the flatter land, technically in Saint-Joseph, but Gonon prefers to bottle separately as vin de pays instead. That already tells a lot about the level of dedication from this family who saves the very best, hillside vineyard grapes to produce what Jean calls the real Saint-Joseph. It needs to be said, the appellation Saint Joseph has an issue. It started as a mere one hundred of hectares spread around 10 villages on these hillside vineyards where granite reigns supreme along with gneiss. But in the early 1970’s, political decisions led to expand the appellation area stretching it all the way north by Côte-Rôtie, not only spanning many different micro-climates but also including the flat lands as part of the appellation. The result was inevitable. Today Saint-Joseph doesn’t mean much in terms of quality and unfortunately, consumers can easily be disappointed. Gonon’s Saint Joseph is always made from grapes grown in the initial designated area of the appellation, indisputably the best vineyards.

When you ask the very affable Jean Gonon the simple question “what do you do to make such good wine?” he quietly answers that the wine is made in the vineyard, not at the winery. Sure, you hear that answer often, but when I saw the vineyard workers came back from their long day in the field as I exited the three and a half hour long tasting, I understood. Although they seem joyful and glad to be done with their daily work as the sun went down, these courageous people look like they had run a trail marathon! It is no easy task to work on the steep incline, but it pays off. Only selection massale is used in the vineyard so the best performing vines are used. These vigorous plants respond better to the terroir for example by avoiding over ripeness. The same cannot be said about the cloned vines largely used in the area by the majority of producers in the area.

At the winery, at least 80% of whole cluster is used. New oak is not used and Jean describes the winemaking as “simple”, what we know as “non-interventionist”.

The farming has been organic since 2004 although certified only nine years later.

The wines were incredible last night and as usual, I started writing tasting notes going through the deep vintage vertical. But after writing “wow!” “amazing!” “pure” or “deep” for most wines, I figured it was pointless to continue. Sometimes there is not much to say when you’re so close to perfection. One particularity about superior wines like those of Gonon is that they amaze me whether they are in their adolescent stage or with more bottle age. Their irresistible charm is consistent no matter the vintage or the age, a trait that I find is rarely seen.

My conservative notes below. Note: all the wines were double decanted two hours prior.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph Les Oliviers Blanc  2019

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph Les Oliviers Blanc  2016

Les Oliviers is a tiny vineyard, not planted on granite. Mostly clay is seen there and Marsanne is king. The richer soil produces a generous wine with low acidity. The wine is fermented in oak and stays on its lees for a year with a few lees stirring the first months.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2017

Excellent quality of fruit.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2016

Amazing length and the brininess starts to show black olives.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2015

Flamboyant! The exceptional quality of the vintage paired with the expert craft of Gonon is a marriage made in heaven.               

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2014

2014 is known for its « greenness » in Burgundy but also in the northern Rhône. There was a touch of that here at the opening but it magically disappeared after aeration. Although tannins could be felt. Patience should reward the taster.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2013

A deep wine. incredible

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2012

2012 reminds Jean Gonon of a vintage of the past, with a lighter, elegant body. It was a rainy year that produced less ripeness and less concentrate wines. The tasting confirmed that with a wine that is a bit thinner, not a fault by any means.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2011

Juicy and vibrant! I have one bottle left at home and I will surely be saving it for the right occasion!

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2010

The tannic structure felt tighter here. A bit more austere with some bitterness. Like the 2014, a few more years should polish off the hard edges.

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2009

The fruit is more exuberant and lovely. Saying it was my favorite doesn’t mean much in this lineup, but I REALLY liked it!

Domaine Pierre Gonon, Saint Joseph      2007

I was amazed by the youthfulness. It is delicious now and I feel confident it will continue to amaze the drinkers for decades to come

What's Pressoir Drinking?

January 27, 2023
by Justine Puaud

2013 in burgundy

This week was clearly epic. I had the chance to follow Daniel, Raj, Max and 4 sommeliers on our Sommelier Scholarship trip on fantastic visits in the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. We were really fortunate to taste the 2021 vintage. It was maybe the only time I would be able to taste 2021… but my article this week is focusing on a different vintage! I think if we have to sum up what we tasted over the last 4 days we would say that the 2021s are incredible, delicate and fine wines. We were also all shocked how the 2013 has evolved and in such a good way. Every time we talked about vintages during the tastings, the winemakers and our team agreed on how well the 2013 wines are drinking now.

2013 was not an easy vintage but it is one of the great ones now because it surprises everyone and the winemakers are really happy about it.

Here is a quick overview of the 2013 vintage in Côte d’Or - marked by a difficult spring, 2013 was characterized by a production volume well below the average (approximately 20% less). The flowering was affected by rains and cool weather. Despite a pretty hot summer which favored good ripeness, the harvest only started at the end of September and ended, in some vineyards, in mid-October. These are the latest harvests in a quarter of a century. Nevertheless, these remain historically traditional dates for Burgundy.

Our first surprise was at Domaine Jacques Frédéric Mugnier when Fred Mugnier ended his 2021 tasting with a blind tasting… It is always difficult to say your thoughts to the winemakers. You don’t want to say Chambolle-Musigny Village if Fred just opened Les Amoureuses. For this one we all gave wrong answers, Echezeaux, Bonne-Mares … it was actually a Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Fuées 2013. Great concentration and good structure with florals, spices and dark cherries. .

Still in Chambolle, we went to see Charles Van Canneyt of Domaine Hudelot-Noellat. We did a vertical Les Suchots from 2021 to 1996 and we ended with Richebourg Grand Cru 2013. Definitely a cooler, red fruited vintage. The Richebourg was lighter, silky with a lot of elegance.

I will finish with THE Meursault Les Perrières of Domaine Jean-Marc Roulot 2013. Unbelievably focused nose displaying concentrated ripe yellow fruit. On the palate, it was incredibly rich yet pure. A big scale wine with a very good balance.

Pressoir.wine Session - 2012 Vintage Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
January 17, 2023

“What do you smell?” or “what food is best with this wine?” are questions I have been asked many times as a sommelier. But the one that might be even more common is “when is the best time to drink this bottle?” That last question, just like the other two, is never easy to answer. Although there is no doubt that some wines are meant for aging and others are deliberately made in a way that suggests early drinking, it remains a matter of personal taste. When it comes to Champagne for example, I like to feel effervescence and a vintage Champagne from the 60’s or even the 70’s is typically not my go-to. I know plenty of people who love these old Champagnes however…

Anyway, I thought that trying to understand how time affects a bottle of wine would be an interesting topic to discuss at a Pressoir Session. So I selected six wines with a decade of age, all from the 2012 vintage and from various regions of France, to see how a similar bottle age affects each wine differently, depending on the grape variety, the region and the winemaking style. And the goal was ultimately to determine which one showed best which turned out to be an engaged and polarized response from the attendees.

2012 was not an easy vintage for most French wine regions.

The damp summer that affected Burgundy gave mildew an ideal terrain to develop, forcing vignerons to drastically sort rotten grapes, resulting in low volumes at harvest. The quality can be very high in some places however, with soft tannins in red and concentrated whites. Champagne fared better and 2012 is recognized as an exceptional vintage with very healthy grapes and it is not surprising that most Champagne houses decided to declare the vintage for their prestige cuvée. The Rhône did good too and the particularity of the year was lower alcohol levels and quite surprisingly lower acidity levels too with some rigidity to Condrieu.

Here is a recap of the wines:

Champagne Pierre Paillard, Les Maillerettes Bouzy Grand Cru 2012

Pierre Paillard owns 11 Ha in Bouzy. Pinot noir 70%, Chardonnay 30%, 25 plots, average 30 years in age

Les Maillerettes (36Ares|0,9 Acre plot) is a single vineyard, single variety (Pinot Noir) and single vintage champagne crafted every year since 2007 and farmed sustainably. It was planted in 1970.

The wines are fermented in oak and aged sur lies for 11 months before bottling. Les Maillerettes then  benefits from extended aging“ sur lie”: 5 years in the 19th century cellars.

Dosage: 2 grams per liter (Extra-Brut) Soil: pure chalk with only 50 centimeters (20in) of clay topsoil.

The wine was incredible and maybe my favorite. Champagne has a long history of aging its wines for an extended period of time.

Domaine Moreau Naudet, Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 2012

Moreau-Naudet's holdings in Vaillons are around 1.7 hectares of 35-50 year old vines.

Fermentation is always with indigenous yeast, followed by a long maceration on lees (3 months). The wine is then aged for an average of 18 months (varies according to the vintage) on lees in a combination of stainless steel and 600-liter French oak barrels, of which only 20% is new.

Moreau-Naudet's holdings in Vaillons are around 1.7 hectares from Roncière, Séchet (75 year old vines) and Epinottes. In the new winery, the barrel room has a thermal floor that helps kick off fermentations.

The Chablis showed a lot of richness that made me a think of the presence of botrytis perhaps. I was expecting a crisper wine and if I knew how the wines showed, I would have served it after the Mâcon rather than before.

Domaine Olivier Merlin, Macon La Roche Vineuse Les Cras 2012

2.5 hour by car from Chablis, Macon produces 45 million bottles on average each year and many of these bottles can be forgetful and not very impressive.

Olivier Merlin however, is an old-school winemaker who prides himself on crafting non-manipulated wines with low yields in the Mâconnais and Olivier makes serious, long-lived, and delicious wines. Since starting his domaine in 1987 he has worked tirelessly to promote the wines of the region and now, as trends have come and gone, Olivier can be considered one of the region’s benchmark producers.

The majority of the wine is fermented in stainless steel tanks with around 10% going into older Burgundian barrels. The wine goes through malolactic fermentation and is bottled after 15 months of aging without being fined.

Superb bottle that should really help people realize the potential of this overlooked part of Burgundy.

Domaine Matrot, Meursault 1er Cru Les Charmes 2012

The domaine exists since the early 20th century. It went through farming changes to finally embrace organic viticulture along with ploughing, rigorous pruning and debudding in the spring to help control the yields. If necessary, a green harvest is carried out before veraison. The sanitary state, yields, and maturity are carefully observed.

Long and uneventful fermentations for 8-10 weeks are employed, and the quality of the lees is carefully monitored since they accompany the wine during the maturing process.

Bâtonnage (stirring of the lees) is done according to each vintage.

Chaptalization is avoided whenever possible and the alcohol content is never rectified by more than half a degree in order to maintain the natural balance of the grapes. It is important to recognize and respect variability with each vintage, for example, knowing that one year a grape can be ripe at 12 degrees of potential alcohol, and the following year reach ripeness at 14 degrees.

The wines are matured for 11-12 months in oak barrels with a capacity of 228 liters. One- to five-year-old barrels are used for the white wines and 10-20% new barrels for the reds.

When it comes to the climat Charmes, you enter the very best of Meursault. Matrot owns four plots within Charmes, of which 70% are located in Charmes-Dessus. Les Charmes is a well-balanced wine with both the ampleness of the Charmes-Dessous and the minerality and elegance of the Charmes-Dessus.

We all agreed on the classic profile of this deliciously hazelnutty and buttery Meursault. Quite opulent, I would drink this wine now although a few more years wouldn’t hurt.

Domaine Yves Cuilleron, Condrieu Les Chaillets 2012

The Cuilleron family domaine, located in the hamlet of Verlieu (part of the town of Chavanay), was founded several generations ago (1920). Yves Cuilleron’s grandfather was the first to bottle wine for commercial purposes in 1947. Antoine Cuilleron, the uncle and immediate predecessor of Yves, assumed control of the domaine in 1960 and significantly increased the percentage of wine bottled at the estate and extended the scope of the domaine. Yves assumed full ownership and direction of the domaine in 1987 and, since that time, has built an entirely new facility while at the same time acquiring additional vineyard property. The domaine is now (as of 2012) significantly larger in scope with 52 hectares of vineyards that cover multiple appellations, including principally, Condrieu, Saint Joseph Rouge and Blanc, Cote Rotie, Saint Péray and a series of Vin de Pays from the Collines Rhodaniennes.

A large majority of the vineyards are set on terraces which makes most mechanization difficult, if not impossible. Thus, much of the vineyard work continues to be done by hand. To control yields, Cuilleron does extensive debudding and, when necessary, practices a “green harvest”.

In the cave, the grapes (harvested manually) are fermented using indigenous yeasts. The fermentations of the appellation controlée white wines are done in small barrel of one to four years age; malolactic fermentations are done in barrel as well and the elevage continues for nine months before the wines are bottled.

Condrieu Les Chaillets: This cuvée is sourced from the best exposed and the oldest Viognier vines of the domaine (south-southeast exposure, planted on terraces in the commune of Chavanay). Barrel-fermented and barrel-aged with regular batonnage during the nine-month elevage. The whites are lightly filtered before bottling.

Condrieu is a very unique wine and Viognier may find its most exuberant expression in this appellation. Pineapple, pear and mango exploded from the glass. Low acidity.

Domaine Bruno Clair, Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Cazetiers 2012

The classic domaine farms around 24 hectares in Marsannay la Cote, at the very northern end of the Côte de Nuits.

The vineyard of Cazetiers is 0.9 ha (2.2 ac) and the domaine’s plot was planted in 1958, 1972, 1996. Direct neighbor of the famous Clos St. Jacques, Cazetiers shares its poor marl soil and limestone deposits.

“For a while, people mentioned a derivation of the word castel, in reference to the position of the climat above the castle of Gevrey-Chambertin. According to Françoise Dumas, the more plausible explanation is that Cazetiers was derived from cassis, which would indicate the presence of wild cassis or red currant bushes.”

Bruno Clair points out an interesting difference between Les Cazetiers and Clos Saint Jacques: In his cellar Les Cazetiers always has a higher pH (lower acidity). This translates into the flavors of the wines, with Cazetiers always feeling like blacker fruit, and Clos-Saint-Jacques like redder fruit.

Because of its location, it lies exclusively on stark white, completely decomposed marl, or terres blanches. Here, it has a very hard, cement-like quality, causing the vines to struggle. The topsoil is only about 10 cm deep and consists of up to 45% gravel and up to 10% cobbles. It is followed by a thick layer of laves, followed by a second layer of terres blanches soil before reaching the limestone bedrock.

Despite the fact that Les Cazetiers is more sheltered from the wind from the Combe de Lavaut than Clos Saint Jacques, Bruno says it systematically ripens one week later.

Of all the 2012’s we tasted, this Gevrey seemed the youngest with still grippy tannins and a certain austerity. The fruit was dark and concentrated in the glass. Notes of black pepper and cassis.

As a blind wine, we poured another Gevrey Cazetiers, from the Bruno Clair once again but this time from 2002. A good vintage. Summer was not especially hot, though it was reasonably dry. Sugar levels were boosted in September but some grapes were adversely affected by scattered rains then. Sugar levels were quite respectable in the end and most wines showed their charm at an early stage.

The wine clearly showed more age but probably not ten more years than the 2012. The austerity of the 2012 was well polished here although a hint of volatile acidity could be felt. It didn’t distract too much from the experience as the richness of fruit was in full bloom.

What's Pressoir Cooking?

Truffle season

Eggs and truffle purée by Chef Jean-Michel Belin of Le Beauvallon Hotel in Provence

by Justine Puaud

January 18, 2023

We are in the middle of the truffle season. The famous truffle market is in Richerenches in France and is open from November to March every year. If you plan to visit the Provence region around this time of year, you have to make a stop there. It is not like a traditional farmer market. You enter a quiet street where there are a dozen mini vans and people will be selling truffles from the back of their cars…

The tuber melanosporum, also called black truffle, is quite strong on the palate. I tried many recipes with truffles and I think overall the simplest recipes are the best (omelette with truffle, pasta with truffle, French coquilles Saint-Jacques carpaccio) But, I have to say, the soft boiled egg with a truffle purée is among my favorites. The mix between truffle, béchamel sauce and madeira makes this recipe just delicious and really enhances the truffle.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh eggs

• 120g fresh truffle

• 30g béchamel sauce (if you don’t know how to make a béchamel, check out this recipe)

• 40 cl heavy cream

• 120g of butter

• 25 cl of madeira

• 25cl of truffle juice (buy a can of truffle juice from Plantin)

• 6 slices of bread (ie traditional baguette)

• salt and pepper

Instructions

Sauce

1. Put the eggs and truffles in an airtight container in the refrigerator the night before.

2. Put the eggs in the blender to obtain a very fine purée or cut the truffle into very small pieces.

3. Make a béchamel.

4. Then, in the saucepan, reduce the Madeira and truffle juice to dryness, add the cream and the béchamel. Leave to cook for a few minutes, stirring.

5. Add the truffle purée and the béchamel to the Madeira and truffle juice and leave over low heat for 3 minutes.

6. Cook the eggs for 3 minutes in salted boiling water. Remove the egg from the shell, then using a teaspoon, remove the little white that is not cooked.

7. In a frying pan, brown the slices of bread with a little butter, then cut them into "mouillettes" and keep them warm.

8. It's almost ready to eat. Fill the egg cavity with the truffle purée, dip the bread in the egg with the sauce and enjoy.

Pressoir.wine Dinner - Grands Crus of Joseph Drouhin Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
January 13, 2023

Joseph Drouhin is one of the most recognizable producers in Burgundy in terms of the size of their operation but also when it comes to producing fine wines from some of the best terroirs. From Chablis down to the Côte Chalonnaise, Drouhin has been producing a myriad of ninety different appellations for four generations. The house was founded in 1880 and has been acquiring vineyards in the most coveted areas while their negociant activity also allows them to buy grapes from long term contractors.

Joseph Drouhin is also synonymous with clean farming practices, as the domaine became organic in 1990 and biodynamic a few years later.

Last night’s dinner at Le Pavillon was sensational with a focus on four iconic Grands Crus from Drouhin. We kicked things off with a flight of Grands Echezeaux followed by Clos de Beze and Griotte Chambertin and crowned the event with the majestic Montrachet from Marquis de Laguiche. My recap below:

GRANDS-ECHEZEAUX 2013/2010/2005

Out of the nine ha of this large Grand Cru climat, Drouhin owns almost half an hectare. The geographic situation of Grands Echezeaux is quite exceptional and that didn’t go unnoticed by the monks of Citeaux who already owned the nearby Clos de Vougeot. Although they didn’t get to put their hands on vines in Musigny, when they acquire Grands Echezeaux, the motivation was to make a wine as fine as its prestigious neighbors. The three vintages we tasted showed really well. Starting with the complicated 2013, a vintage that brought cold, rainy weather with an episode of hail, 2013 forced vignerons to be cautious to sort out rotten grapes. Here, I thought the 2013 showed really well and didn’t lack maturity as I sometimes find in 2013. Although I could detect a touch of dried grapes on the nose. 2010 delivered a cleaner, delicious fruit quality with the concentration often associated with the vintage. Great bottle with necessary acidity to lift the wine. Drouhin used a generous portion of whole clusters that year, good call! 2005 behaved as expected, a powerful, high alcohol wine that in my opinion need more time to develop secondary aromas. I could feel some “heat” in the finish.

CLOS DE BEZE 2013/2010/2005

It was really interesting to repeat the same flight of vintages from a very different site. Clos de Beze is one of the oldest clos in Burgundy. Although the walls are now gone, the Clos de Beze was a very important plot for the monks of the Abbey of Beze, who became owners in 630 AD, until they lost ownership in 1219. This exceptional vineyard, due east and on a mild incline, covers fifteen ha and Drouhin only owns a mere 0.13 ha of it. So tasting three vintages side by side is quite a treat!

That was a brilliant flight, starting with a really pretty 2013 that had a juicy fruit character. 2010 may have produced low yields, this was a stunning wine. I really am a fan of the vintage in general and this bottle had the ripe cherry and almondy aromatics I crave in a red Burgundy along with ultra elegant tannins. Bravo! Once again, 2005 felt a touch too alcoholic for my taste but finesse is indisputable.

GRIOTTE CHAMBERTIN 2002/2000/1990

Joseph Drouhin is among the nine lucky owners of Griotte Chambertin, this tiny gem of a Grand Cru nestled just below the Clos de Beze. Drouhin’s plot is about half an hectare, out of the total 2.5 hectares of Griotte. The dry summer of 2002 was saved by needed rainfalls at the end of August. The results were balanced wines that seem to have everything in good proportions, between alcohol, sweetness and acidity, while tightly packed in a fine tannic structure. The Griotte 2002 was superb with noticeable acidity that suggests a long life ahead. 2000 Griotte Drouhin has been a favorite of mine for a while. The wine is highly seductive and dare I say “Chambollesque”. The small red fruit profile is irresistible. Finally 1990 performed highly. We decanted the bottle right before serving it, not so much for oxygen but to get rid of the good amount of sediments in the bottle. The tertiary aromas were delicious and the wine still pristine with hints of confit oranges and a delicate body.

MONTRACHET MARQUIS DE LAGUICHE 2014/2012/2010

Sitting almost equally on both villages of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet, Montrachet is at the pinnacle of white Burgundy. Of the eighteen owners of this eight hectare grand cru climat, the Marquis de Laguiche family owns the largest plot, all in the Puligny-Montrachet side. Two hectares of glorious land in the Laguiche family since 1776. Joseph Drouhin started running the farming and making the wine from this plot in 1947 and continues to do so today. Along with Clos des Mouches or Griotte Chambertin, Montrachet Laguiche is an iconic wine at Drouhin.

2014 was powerful, a true Montrachet! The exuberance was matched by incredible minerality and a mind blowing length. Really impressive bottle. 2012 was another big hit. Pristine wine in a great spot. Some hints of coconut and again this powerful character with oily texture and mouthfeel. Delicious citrus jam quality. 2010 followed the same pattern. The harvest was a bit rushed by finnicky stormy weather conditions but the result is highly satisfying.

Finally, a special thank you to Eric Foster, our guest and Club Member, who generously shared his bottle of Montrachet Laguiche Drouhin from 1996. After having a few disappointing bottles from that tricky vintage, that bottle showed a healthy profile with no trace of oxidation. What a way to close the night!

What's Pressoir Cooking? Crispy Porchetta

by Max Goldberg Liu
January 11, 2023

Tasked with cooking the main course for a New Year’s Eve dinner party, I wanted to try something different than the typical prime rib or steaks that we usually spring for on special occasions. I’d always wanted to try making a porchetta, the savory rolled Italian pork roast that feeds a crowd - and then some. My go-to recipe source, Serious Eats, came through yet again with a dead-easy version of the dish that omits the often-dry pork shoulder component in favor of the pure succulence and fatty goodness of pork belly.

My local Whole Foods had slabs of rind-on pork belly that were around 12 inches wide, so I ended up making multiple porchettas. I deeply scored the meat-side and rubbed in a flavorful mixture of garlic, red pepper flakes, fresh thyme, ground fennel, and plenty of salt and pepper. Once rolled and tied, I rubbed the skin of each porchetta with a mixture of salt and baking powder which, Serious Eats tells us, lowers the PH of the skin and helps it get as crispy as possible, which definitely worked! After 24 hours in the fridge, the porchettas were ready to roast for 3 hours in a 275º oven, followed by around 25 minutes at 500º to put the final crisp on the skin.

This was seriously one of the best things I’ve ever cooked at home, and the ultra-crispy skin, super flavorful belly meat, and delectable fat made for an awesomely rich New Year’s Eve. We first paired it with a 2015 Barbaresco from Cantina di Glicine, whose acidity and tannin made for a great foil to the pork. A 2019 Côte-Rôtie from Clusel-Roch also paired quite well with it. And while ultimately we ended up hosting fewer people than expected at the dinner, it turns out that leftover porchetta also makes for great sandwiches!

I highly recommend giving this recipe a shot if you like crispy, fatty pork - I can’t overstate how easy it was to do.

All Belly Crispy Porchetta (from Serious eats)

Ingredients:

• 1 whole boneless, rind-on pork belly, about 12 to 15 pounds (5.4 to 6.8kg)

• 2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns

• 3 tablespoons whole fennel seeds

• 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper

• 3 tablespoons finely chopped rosemary, sage, or thyme leaves

• 12 cloves garlic, grated on a microplane grate

• Kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions:

1. Place pork belly skin-side down on a large cutting board. Using a sharp chef's knife, score flesh at an angle using strokes about 1-inch apart. Rotate knife 90 degrees and repeat to create a diamond pattern in the flesh.

2. Toast peppercorns and fennel seeds in a small skillet over medium-high heat until lightly browned and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind until roughly crushed.

3. Season pork liberally with salt, then sprinkle with crushed pepper and fennel, red pepper, chopped herbs, and microplaned garlic. Use your hands to rub the mixture deeply into the cracks and crevices in the meat.

4. Roll belly into a tight log and push to top of cutting board, seam-side down. Cut 12 to 18 lengths of kitchen twine long enough to tie around the pork and lay them down in regular intervals along your cutting board, about 1-inch apart each. Lay rolled pork seam-side down on top of strings. Working from the outermost strings towards the center, tie up roast tightly. Combine 2 tablespoons kosher salt with 2 teaspoons baking powder. Rub mixture over entire surface of pork.

5. If roast is too large and unwieldy, carefully slice in half with a sharp chef's knife. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate at least overnight and up to 3 days. If desired, porchetta can also be frozen at this point for future use (see notes).

6. Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). Place pork in a V-rack set in a large roasting pan, or if cooking both halves at the same time, on a wire rack set in a rimmed baking sheet. Place roasting pan in oven and roast until internal temperature of pork reaches 160°F (71°C), about 2 hours, basting with pan drippings every half hour. If you'd like to cook potatoes along with the porchetta, see note. Continue roasting until a knife or skewer inserted into the pork shows very little resistance asides from the outer layer of skin, about 2 hours longer.

7. Increase oven temperature to 500°F (260°C) and continue roasting until completely crisp and blistered, about 20 to 30 minutes longer. Alternatively, you can remove the roast from the oven and tent with foil for up to 2 hours before finishing it in a preheated 500°F oven.

8. Tent with foil and allow to rest for 15 minutes. Slice with a serrated knife into 1-inch thick disks and serve.

What’s Pressoir Drinking

Birthday Wines

Edouard Bourgeois
January 5, 2023

The end of the year is synonymous with many celebrations for me because in addition to the holidays, I also celebrate a few of my close ones’ birthdays, including my own. Born on December 29 1983, I wanted to revisit the vintage. After tasting so many great wines at La Tablée, I felt particularly inspired by the wonderful Syrah variety which happened to produce structured Syrah in the Northern Rhone, especially for the duo Hermitage-Côte-Rôtie that performed really well. Considered to be the best vintage since 1978, 1983 has given me pleasurable experiences and the two bottles I opened for my birthday last month did not disappoint. That year, June was quite wet in the northern Rhône, but the months that followed were warm and dry, leading to ideal climatic conditions for the harvest.

The first bottle I opened, a Cornas from Jaboulet, took some time to blossom but it had the olive notes and the funky notes from the appellation I enjoy. Yes, it showed its age and I honestly think this bottle should have been drunk sooner, though a very interesting bottle indeed with cassis fruit. The wine remained expressive and alive with slightly fading vibrancy.

The second bottle showed best, unsurprisingly. This Hermitage from E. Guigal offered a deeper colour and more complexity. The intense smoky character laced with roasted plum and bacon demanded the right dish. The sumptuous rack of lamb with rosemary and mashed potatoes we cooked that night proved to be a match in heaven. Just like Jaboulet, Guigal is one of the major producers and negociants of the Rhone Valley. The two not only produce large volumes of wine from the best appellations, they also played a crucial role in improving the image and reputation of the wine region after the punishing Phylloxera crisis, followed by the lack of interest in winegrowing which resulted in abandoned vineyards. In the first half of the 20th century. Guigal’s Hermitage is a bend of four lieux dits, as it is common for the appellation: Beaumes, Méal, Bessards and Hermite. Although Guigal is renown internationally for their Côte-Rôtie trio, also known as the “Lala’s”, this respected producer makes excellent appellations in the Northern and Southern Rhône.

What's Pressoir Cooking?

by Justine Puaud

January 4, 2023

Salmon Coulibiac
Holiday recipe for a festive evening

Happy New Year to you all! I hope you had a very festive holiday celebration and opened fantastic wines.

As some of you remember, gastronomy is part of my in laws’ DNA. They cook, they talk about cuisine when they eat and they think about the next meal after dinner. Christmas is an important celebration and we try to come up with new recipes and delicious menus.

My sister in law, who worked for 5 years at Le Flocon de Sel, the 3 Michelin starred restaurant in Megève, just joined the restaurant Le Carmin in Beaune. They made delicious salmon coulibiac for the holiday season and revisited the old recipe a bit. She loved it so much that she decided to make one for our Christmas dinner.

A few tips before sharing the recipe. She makes a brioche paste for the coulibiac instead of a puff pastry. She adds mushrooms with the spinach and put the rice on a side instead of adding rice and eggs into the stuffing. She makes a “beurre blanc” sauce (white butter sauce) on a side too…

Ingredients

For the brioche paste

18 oz (500g) sifted flour

8oz (200g) butter

4 eggs

0.5 oz salt

A pinch of sugar

0.5 oz yeast (7 ml instant yeast)

A deciliter of warm milk

For the stuffing

1¼ lb salmon tail fillet, skinned

1½ level tablespoons chopped, fresh parsley

salt and freshly milled black pepper

3 oz (75 g) butter

1 medium onion, finely chopped

4 oz (110 g) small button mushrooms, finely sliced

1 level tablespoon chopped fresh dill

1 level teaspoon lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 oz (25 g) butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

Instructions

Make the brioche dough the day before the dinner. It takes about 9 hours between making the dough and cooling. We use the recipe from the famous Escoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire. Check out the recipe here.

Once the brioche is ready, roll out the dough to about 12 x 15 inches or slightly larger. Once the dough is rolled out you can start the assembly.

Add the layer of spinach (sauteed with the shallots). Next, add the mushrooms, you’ll notice how dark they are. Let the mushrooms cook for about 15 minutes to allow them to caramelize to enhance the flavor.

The final layer is the salmon. Season the salmon well with sea salt and black pepper (don’t be afraid to overseason the fish). Then add pieces of the fresh dill on top of the salmon.

The last step is to add the top layer of puff pastry dough. Brush the edges of the bottom layer with the lightly beaten egg, before adding the top layer. The egg will help it seal. Next, use a fork around the edges to further seal the puff dough. If you have skills you can add your own special touch to the dough.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until the puff dough is golden brown or the internal temperature has reached 165 degrees F.

Cook basmati rice for the side and serve with a beurre blanc sauce…

Bon appétit!

A YEAR OF WINE - THE PRESSOIR.WINE TEAM MEMBERS SHARE THEIR FAVORITE MOMENT

2022 was filled with quaffable Beaujolais, sharp edged Blanc de Blancs, minerally driven Meursaults, perfumed Musignys and brooding Hermitages. Read below about the wines that left particularly strong impressions on each of us.

Raj - DOMAINE DE LA ROMANÉE CONTI MONTRACHET GRAND CRU 2003

I am a pretty lucky guy and get to taste so many great bottles in this line of work, but often the most memorable bottles are those experiences which surprise me a bit. We hosted a spectacular Domaine de la Romanée-Conti dinner in October and the only wine which I was less than thrilled about turned out to be the most memorable bottle of the year!

DRC’s 2003 reds are very much marked by the vintage; they can be a tad clumsy, four square even. But I had very little experience with the Montrachet prior to this bottle, and so I had presumed it would behave the same. I was quite wrong as it turned out. The aromas suggested little evidence of that cooked fruit or caramel nut character that is common in less grand 03 whites, and instead had a floral note I did not find super typical of DRC’s Monty. The palate had tremendous energy and freshness, downright zippy. On an evening where we had the chance to taste no less than 4 different vintages of La Tâche, and each a superlative bottle, this Montrachet reigned as the wine of the night for many.

~ Raj Vaidya

Edouard - JOSEPH DROUHIN MUSIGNY GRAND CRU 2002

On September 29th this year, we hosted a Burgundy dinner dedicated to the 2002 vintage at one of our favorite spots, Charlie Bird. Among all the gorgeous Burgundies (and Champagne in fact) we opened that night, the bottle of Musigny from Drouhin left a strong impression on me. It reminded me of a great experience I had the first time I visited Drouhin in Beaune with Veronique Drouhin, while we tasted almost the entire collection of wines made by the house. There must have been thirty wines in the lineup. We started with the regional appellations and ended up with the big guns, Clos Vougeot, Ruchottes, Griottes,  Clos de Beze, Montrachet Laguiche… And the last one, Musigny. Even after tasting so many wines and so many great wines, Musigny stood out. Drouhin produces a stellar version of that amazing Grand Cru.

Ranked as Grand Cru, the vineyard of Musigny is divided between eleven owners, with the largest one of them being Comte Georges de Vogue, who owns a whopping 70% of it.

The Musigny Grand Cru has three main sections – from the north Les Musigny or Grands Musigny – the main section. South of Les Musigny we find Les Petits Musigny – a de Vogüé monopole, and lastly we have a “recent” addition to the Musigny vineyard comprising of some plots in the climate La Combe d’Orveau (added to Musigny in 1929 and 1989)

Drouhin owns 0.6720 ha in Musigny so this is all “domaine wine” that has been in the family since the 1940’s with major additions from plots once owned by the Mugniers.
-Edouard Bourgeois

Looking back over an amazing 2022 full of fantastic wines that were shared at so many different events is part of the pleasure, remembering the wines, the moments, the people and the setting that helped make it memorable.

In October, I was in Burgundy with Daniel and Edouard on a trip visiting great wineries with a group of clients. Four days of incredible visits, conversations with winemakers and wines.

The wine that was most memorable during those days, and now stands out for me as I look back in search of the one :) was a 2012 Montrachet from Domaine des Comtes Lafon. Standing next to the vineyard with a glass in hand while Dominique, Lea and Pierre Lafon spread out through their vineyard map to show us the extent of their plot of Montrachet, it was humbling. A wine so delicious, pure, and rich that encapsulated the joy of great white Burgundy. Perfection in a glass. Nothing better.

~ Jaime Dutton

I can only agree with my colleagues Jaime, Edouard and Raj on their nominees for wines of the year. But how can one choose? We have been blessed by having a career affording us so many opportunities to taste and drink the greatest wines on the planet. How can the simple grape deliver a beverage of such sensorial pleasure and shocking intensity?

The legendary wines come with a great deal of pressure and expectation.

With that in mind, I will choose my most surprising wines of the year. It was a wine I had never heard of before and therefore had no expectations which left me with plenty of curiosity and anticipation.

While dining at one of my favorite restaurants in Amsterdam, Rotisserie Rijsel, I of course ordered the specialty, the rotisserie chicken. The restaurant, in an old school, is also known for its fantastic wine list.

“Let’s start with a crisp white”…as a big fan of Chenin Blanc, I tried to order the Richard Leroy, Les Noels de Montbenault, a sensational expression that could rival some of the very best Chenins Blancs and best white wines of France. The sommelier came back apologizing, the last bottle was just served to the table next to us but wanted to recommend another wine she was very keen on.

It was the Clos des Plantes, Whakapiripiri Mai 2020, a wine made by a young winemaker in only his third vintage. I have to admit, I am a little suspicious of taking recommendations on wines I have never heard of. But the sommelier was so engaging and knowledgeable I felt comfortable taking a chance and maybe making a discovery.

The wine was spectacular, with energetic aromas leaping from the glass. Lemon oil, pear, hay and apple. The wine was textured and juicy and kept us sipping and refreshing our palates over and over again. It was light yet intense and called for food and yet another sip.

We finished the bottle quickly and ordered a second. Turns out the table next to us had just ordered and drunk the last bottle. Again!

- Daniel Johnnes. Happy Holidays!!

The “Six Decades of Burgundy” Event will remain my most significant moment of my year 2022 because it appears to be my very first Pressoir Dinner at which I was able to discover and appreciate wines of exceptional quality.  I remember it like it was yesterday, a February evening at the Pavillon.

 I was so excited to have arrived, a few days before, in this city that never sleeps and all the surprises it was going to have in store for me… maybe too excited that evening!

 But indeed, I had no idea of ​​all that 2022 was going to bring me in terms of discovering and learning about wine (if I knew!).  And I'm extremely grateful for that.

Indeed, I started strong with this first Dinner.  From Louis Jadot, Chevalier Montrachet Demoiselles Grand Cru 1929 to Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Montrachet Grand Cru 1979, including all the intermediate vintages of each decade.  How not to lose your mind?  I remember Bouchard 1961 Domaines du Château de Beaune Montrachet which is and will remain precisely my discovery of the year.  Still so fresh and powerful for its age.  Not too candied as one could have mistaken.  I did not remember having tasted such an aged Bouchard previously, but this wine brought back a lot of memories and emotions.  I think of my grandparents from Burgundy at that time. All these feelings were confirmed during each festival in which I was able to participate and help in the organization.  Notably La Paulee, a few weeks later, where I was able to discover yet another Bouchard.

How not to mention Pierre Ponnelle's Musigny 1947?  My very first Musigny.  I hope I have done honor to these wines and their winegrowers of the time because this evening was a first for me and will remain etched in my memory.  This is when I realize my luck because all the events after have only confirmed my feelings.  2022 was definitely the year of my first discoveries, my first times... and you know what? I can't wait for 2023! 

Wishing you a happy Holiday to all of you from where I am - Mexico - and may that year be rich in wine discoveries again !

Victoire Chabert

---

It was a fantastic year of wine for me and the team, from the first Tablée of the year in January, through two Paulée’s in New York and Los Angeles, a summer full of amazing bottles, and then a busy fall with La Fête in Boca Raton and LA and then another Tablée back in New York. But if I have to be honest, my most memorable wine wasn’t at one of the festivals or Pressoir dinners but rather a jeroboam of Côte de Nuits Villages 2009, a gift from winemaker Didier Fornerol and his wife Marguerite, that we opened at my wedding in September.

Sitting down to a large glass of this wine while taking a break from the dance floor and inhaling the intoxicating aromas of spice and flowers was a profound experience that was greatly heightened no doubt by the intense emotions of the day. The wine had the richness and generosity of 2009, tempered by the freshness and crunchy texture of Didier’s whole cluster winemaking. Ultimately, for me, the greatest wine experiences are all about context - who you’re sharing the wine with and where - and I look back on this bottle as a reminder that even “humbler” wines can provide that magical moment in the right circumstance.

Max Goldberg Liu

Pressoir.wine dinner Domaine Arlaud Recap

by Edouard Bourgeois
December 15, 2022

Morey-Saint-Denis is located between Gevrey-Chambertin to the north and Chambolle-Musigny to the south, two very prestigious appellations with no shortage of grands crus and legendary producers. That is the reason why often, Morey-Saint-Denis can easily be overlooked. However, the 700 inhabitant village does produce amazing wines and is also home to grand cru vineyards. Domaine Dujac may well be the leading producer of the appellation but Domaine Arlaud is the one to watch. Founded in 1942, Arlaud progressively became the pioneer in organic farming, now fully biodynamic, and the quality keeps going up with each new vintage. Cyprien Arlaud has worked at the domaine since 1998, fully in charge of winemaking in 2004 and officially took the reins in 2013 after his two siblings decided to leave the family business. 

We tasted twelve gorgeous wines at restaurant Benoit in a small committee and this is my recap:

1st flight

Domaine Arlaud, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru Les Blanchards 2017

Domaine Arlaud, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru aux Cheseaux 2015

Domaine Arlaud, Morey-Saint-Denis 1er cru Les Ruchots 2010

We kicked things off with an interesting overview of three premiers crus of Morey-Saint-Denis. Blanchard, named after the fact that white wines were once produced there is rich in limestone and silt while affected by the cool air from the Combe of Morey-Saint-Denis. This vineyard has been in the Arlaud family only since 2004 but the vines are old, averaging 70 years of age. We tasted 2017, a vintage full of bright acidity that made a wine reminiscent of red currant, a great way to start indeed.

The second wine was from the climat Chezeaux, located up north by Gevrey-Chambertin. There, the limestone is the Comblanchien type, almost chalky, immaculate and unbriken. It is often used in housing construction thanks to its strong density and in fact, Chezeaux is the old French name for “building”. The site is cooler with very little clay. Fun fact, part of the climat is ranked premier cru and part of it ranked as village level. 2015 was the vintage we tasted. The firmness of that year was felt on the nose, being quite closed but the palate showed more charm and a lovely tannic quality paired with fine-tuned acidity.

Lastly for this flight, the Ruchots 2010, served from a magnum offered a much rounder profile. If the older age helped here, the terroir was also allowed to shine through. Ruchot is located down south of the appellation, close to Chambolle-Musigny and one can find the sensual signature of Chambolle in this wine. The clay is in abundance there with lots of iron and the Arlaud’s plot is planted with 75-year-old vines.

2nd flight

Domaine Arlaud, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2017

Domaine Arlaud, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2010

Domaine Arlaud, Charmes Chambertin Grand Cru 2005

This was the only flight not from Morey-Saint-Denis. This grand cru from Gevrey-Chambertin has the particularity to be called either Charmes Chambertin or Mazoyeres Chambertin. Most producers choose the former as it is the case here with Arlaud. The one-hectare family vineyard has been part of the estate since the founding of the estate and panted by Cyprien’s grand father. The 80 year-old vines produce a deep and gorgeous wine while the youngest vines of the plot are vinified separately and used to produce the Gevrey-Chambertin village level. 2017 performed well considering its very young age. I hope I can taste this wine again in a decade. Fun fact for that vintage, Cyprien had to “green harvest” so the vine, after being seriously affected by frost the year prior didn’t over produce. 2010 really struck me and it may well have been my “wine of the night”. Gorgeous nose of ripe cherries and secondary aromas of forest floor. The palate was cheerful with some real power and a long finish. 2005 seemed more austere with a bit less vibrancy of fruit. The alcohol also felt a touch higher.

3rd flight

Domaine Arlaud, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2017

Domaine Arlaud, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2015

Domaine Arlaud, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2012

It may seem surprising to serve Clos de la Roche, typically the most powerful Grand Cru of Morey-Saint-Denis before the usually more delicate Clos-Saint Denis. However at Arlaud, the two styles are reversed and there is a clear effort to tame the big personality of Clos de la Roche by limiting the extraction of color and tannins. The family’s plot is located at the bottom of the appellation in the lieu dit of Les Mochamps. The vines are also a bit younger there (50 years old) in comparison to the rest of the holdings. Back to 2017, the nose was quite developed and the palate very pretty with hints of violet and really well balanced. 2015 was gorgeous and a great example of the potential of the vintage. Black fruit on the nose and earthy notes of truffle, it beautifully blossomed after opening for a while and multi layers unfolded. Lastly, 2012 is a wine that I didn’t fully understand. The nose suggested lavender while the palate was marked by a surprising grapefruit rind and a certain bitterness. The vintage was tough for many Burgundy producers. The erratic weather made rot sorting a crucial step of the winemaking process. The result is wines of unusual concentration.

4th flight

Domaine Arlaud, Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2014

Domaine Arlaud, Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2010

Domaine Arlaud, Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 1999

The impeccable massale selection of the family, started by Cyprien’s grandfather typically produces small grape bunches subject to millerandage, a natural phenomenon where the berries do not fully develop and remain small, increasing the ratio of skin over juice which leads to more structured  but also more complex wines. Located in the heart of the Morey-Saint-Denis appellation, Clos-Saint-Denis at Arlaud is the finest wine made and the quality is consistent year after year. Unfortunately, the family’s plot is only 0.17 hectare so the wines are very hard to find. 2014 opened the show and clearly announced its presence and a very different style than the previous Clos-Saint-Denis. Impressive and complex, I really enjoyed the juicy, sweet cherries and the volume. I was surprised to get that from a typically lighter vintage such as 2014. 2010 was my favorite of the flight, dark and brooding. Finally, we served the only wine not made by Cyprien, but by his father Hervé, a 1999 Clos-Saint-Denis. Being much older than the others immediately put this wine in a different category and from what I heard among the guests, it left a strongly positive impression. I really liked it too. The evolution showed interesting earthy aromatics, mushroom, and forest floor while the fruit did shine through with the presence of black currant.

What's Pressoir Cooking? Pain d'Epices

by Victoire Chabert

December 7, 2022

This delicacy, whose name directly translates as “spiced bread”, is made with rye flour, wheat flour, or a combination of the two. There are as many variations of the recipe for pain d’épices as there are regions in France, but the two most famous are the original from Reims, made with dark rye flour and without the addition of milk and eggs, and a version from Dijon made with wheat flour. The most commonly used spices for pain d’épices are cardamom, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, and anise, the last of which is used especially in the Dijon version, while the Reims version always requires at least a pinch of cinnamon. Orange and lemon zest are also added in other regional variants of the recipe. Honey is the most important part of the recipe, and the variety of honey used should, therefore, be carefully chosen, as its aroma will dominate the taste of the bread. Many recipes suggest that rich kinds of honey like pine honey work best. The following recipe is my aunt’s, who has cooked it for all the end of year celebrations since my childhood and which, to this day, remains for me the best.

Ingredients :

250g (2 ½ cups) of rye flour or wheat flour or a mix of both.

125g (1/2 cup) brown sugar

1 tsp baking soda

1 egg 

1 tsp of ground cinnamon

 (1 tsp) of 5 different spices like for example : 

1 tsp of oregano

1 tsp of ground ginger

1 tsp of ground anise

1/2 tsp of ground cloves

1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg

half a packet of yeast (8 g)

175g (2/4 cup) real honey (flower honey)

170 ml (3/4 cup) milk

50 ml (¼ cup) oil 

Bonus : 

These are ingredients that are not necessarily put in the mixture, but add amazing flavor and texture to the bread. One can put any fruit or nuts according to their preferences, or add dried apricots, plums, almonds, and nuts, which are most commonly used in modern variations of pain d'epices. It is important to mix them evenly and keep the amount of fruits and nuts up to around 20% of the batter. You can also add orange zest.

Mix and beat in a food processor preferably but works well by hand - for a good 10 minutes. 

Bake at 150C for 45 minutes (depending on your oven)

Although spice bread is a treat in itself, it is a perfect accompaniment to sweet and savory recipes such as foie gras, salmon, rillettes, duck, as an aperitif.

Cheeses such as Roquefort and Bleu d'Auvergne will be even better with the flavor of honey. To cleanse the palate, tea, cider or Champagne are a common choice, although sweet white wines can make an excellent aperitif. To enjoy gingerbread for breakfast, put butter, jam and fruit on the toast and serve it alongside a cup of hot coffee.

The Power of Blind Tasting

by Edouard Bourgeois
December 7, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

What's Pressoir Drinking? A discovery from Spain...

By Raj Vaidya
November 29, 2022

At a friend’s restaurant recently, I asked her to pick a refreshing white wine for us to enjoy with the simple tapas menu on offer. The forté of this particular sommelier has long been fresh, mineral wines made in a mostly natural style, and she has spent a fair bit of time in Spain, so it is far from unusual for her to pick a Spanish wine given the chance. However, when the white was poured blind from a decanter, on my first impression I was sure I was drinking something French, and likely something from a cool climate. Aromas of shells and gunflint along with marked acidity and tremendous vibrancy made me sure this was from high elevation, cool, and old vineyards. My guess was a Chenin perhaps, but it had some waxy undertones that eventually had me settle my guess in the Pyrenees mountains somewhere in the south of France.

Turns out, I was close but far off at the same time. Carignan Blanc is a variety often seen in the Pyrenees regions between Spain and France, though of course it’s red skinned cousin Carignan is much more well known. South of the French border in Catalonia, the area around Girona is home to some pretty old vineyards of Cariñena Blanco, and to the small winery Còsmic Vinyaters. This project is the brainchild of Salvador Batlle who has a family pedigree in fine wines from Penedès but decided to work on a 3 hectare property of old vines he bought in Empordá. Salvador is a huge proponent of aging in amphora, or clay earthenware vessels, and this bottling of old vine Cariñena Blanco from vineyards planted in the 1960’s has about 20% of the cuvée aged in amphora, another 20% in chestnut barrels and the remainder in stainless steel. The amphora and chestnut bring the texture and richness to the wine, while the stainless steel keeps the palate super fresh and linear with salinity and great precision. This wine saw skin contact prior to pressing for four days which added to the complexity of aromas and made for an all around delicious lunch wine.

Pressoir.wine Dinner Recap - Etienne Sauzet

by Edouard Bourgeois
Wednesday, November 30, 2022

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

All wines were served out of Magnums!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The one and only Montrachet

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

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

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

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

No red wine? No problem!

Château Rayas Dinner - Recap

by Edouard Bourgeois
Friday, November 18, 2022

There is Châteauneuf du Pape, and there is Chateau Rayas.

We were reminded of that at restaurant La Mercerie Wednesday for our first dinner to kick off La Tablée this week. Martine Saunier, the grande dame who has been importing Rayas since 1969, was present with her successor Gregory Castells. The two gave fabulous insights and shared anecdotes for the pleasure of all the guests. One of them, told by Martine, was about the first time she visited the domaine. She arrived in the afternoon and was told that Mr. Reynaud was taking a nap. So she waited, for a good hour. Eventually, Jacques Reynaud arrived to greet her and the rest is history. Gregory then told his first time story of going to the domaine. He and his wife, who is Japanese, entered the cellar with Jacques’ nephew Emmanuel. Greg had told his wife to take as many pictures as she could. Emmanuel eventually got upset and cut the tasting short, feeling he was under the shooting fire of a paparazzo. Gregory would later tell Emmanuel: “well, she can’t help it, she is Japanese after all” these stories brought a smile on everyone’s faces, but the wines also did their part.

Martine Saunier shares her anecdotes

So, what makes Rayas unique? Four main factors:

The domaine is in the north of the appellation, exposed to the wind, surrounded by woods, and it is planted on sand. The sand at Rayas is almost like that found on a beach. Gregory explained that on a hot day, the sand is really hot to the hand when exposed to the sunlight but in the shade it remains cool. And if you dig a little, even on the hottest afternoon of July, you will find moisture, explaining that vines do not suffer from a lack of water. The canopy is expertly managed, according to the exposure to the sun, so the grapes are protected from excessive sunlight. The property is in fact divided into three plots: Le levant (where the sun rises), Le Coeur (the heart of the vineyard) and Le Couchant (where the sun sets). Each plot is harvested at a different time to reflect the ripening delay

Château Rayas also distinguishes itself from other Châteauneuf du Pape properties with their use of very old barrels or the choice made by the family to only release after many years (currently, it is the 2010 vintage that is being commercialized).

But ultimately, it is the magic touch of four generations of Reynaud that makes the difference at Rayas.

Gregory Castells

Here are my tasting notes:

Château Rayas Blanc 2007: I tasted this wine after being opened for a couple hours and it still had energy. A strong personality for this equal part blend of Clairette and Grenache Blanc. Also the rarest wine at the domaine. The wine had a lovely nose of dry almonds and great viscosity.

Chateau Pignan 2010: This was one of my favorite wines of the night. An exuberant nose of dried flowers, a very fine wine with amazing glycerol, and a sweet core of juicy fruit.

Chateau de Fonsalette Syrah 2006: Of course this wine stood out because of the grape. The Syrah expressed its haunting smokey aroma and I particularly enjoyed the fine grained tannins.

Chateau Rayas 2010: Even after a few hours of double decanting and sitting in the glass, I thought the nose was still timid. A better performance on the palate but I guess it is the current release for a reason!

Chateau Rayas 2009: If there was one wine I was the least impressed with, that would be the one. 2009 was a hot year, and it showed. The heat was noticeable on the nose and palate, making the wine a bit more dull than the others. These comments should be taken with a grain of salt as I know I would be really happy drinking this wine with a nice meaty stew and great company. But for the sake of vintage comparison, it was not my favorite.

Chateau Rayas 2008: Top notch! Quite a surprise considering that 2008 was not considered a great vintage for the appellation, but once again, this is Rayas. The wine was incredibly expressive and multi-layered. An expansive bouquet of spices, fragrant flowers and smoke. I can still taste it in my memory.

Chateau Rayas 2007: It was easy to miss after the show-stopper performance of the 2008 but 07 proved to be a very fine bottle with delicate acidity and a feather touch texture.

Chateau Rayas 2006: A good bottle with a bit less structure and a bit less fruit. Maybe a wine worth waiting for a bit longer.

Chateau Rayas 2005: Another favorite of mine. Grandiose, huge character with a very meaty flavor profile.

Chateau Rayas 2004: Being served right after 2005 didn’t help this more discreet vintage. 2004 appeared a bit meager and unfortunately suffered the comparison.

Chateau Rayas 1995: Polarizing wine apparently. My colleague Raj liked it more than I did. I found the aromatics a bit too funky, if not slightly maderized. It reminded me of old leather, something a bit dirty about it.

Chateau Rayas 1994: Once again, not a noted vintage for the region but I thought this was a lovely bottle. Lighter on its feet and pretty. Although it is customary to build a crescendo evolution starting with lighter wines and finishing with the more powerful ones, I thought the 1994 arrived at the perfect time to kind of “reset” the palate before the unanimous “wine of the night”: the 1989.

Chateau Rayas 1989: From tasting it right off the bat after I pulled the cork till seven hours later, the juice in that magnum was perfect and stayed fresh and vivid. People who have had this wine before agreed this was the best bottle they’ve ever had. Pristine condition. I don’t really have tasting notes for this one. Just perfect harmony and a extremely deep aromatic complexity.

A WEEK OF BUBBLES FROM COAST TO COAST

Edouard Bourgeois
November 11, 2022

It was great to see some of you last week and we are sorry to have missed the others. While we look forward to La Tablée this coming week, we wanted to share a few pictures from our team of a successful La Fete du Champagne.

Kicking things off in NYC at the excellent Gabriel Kreuther restaurant. Incredible menu and rare wines from Philipponnat.

Charles Philipponnat and Chef Gabriel Kreuther made everyone feel at home. Raj seems to agree.

Charles Philipponnat introduced us to his son Francois, standing, who already has the energy, humor and professionalism of his father.

The Philipponnats jumped on the plane to continue the festivities on the west coast. Here leading a seminar in LA!

Corinne and Anselme Selosse at my side after an incredible dinner. The wines were on a different planet. So was I…

Once in a life time dinner - Selosse!

Impeccable service from team Spago.

Jacquesson Lunch at Wally’s Santa Monica.

Raj and Peter Liem hard at work.

Probably the most photographed event of La Fete, the “Apéro” on the rooftop of hotel La Peer. The painted skies made for a memorable evening with the perfect music, French disco!

Caviar never fails!

Francois Philipponnat’s Photo Bomb Level: Expert

Not much Champagne left!

Some of the wines tasted during the Vilmart seminar with Laurent Champs and his audience of sommeliers.

Another seminar, around the legendary wine of Cristal.

Every bottle was in perfect condition. Impressive lineup and a very attentive audience.

Rodolphe Peters, starring here at the Grand Tasting, under the Santa Monica sun.

Our team in LA, from left to right:

Jaime Dutton, Dan Swinehart, Max Goldberg Liu, Edouard Bourgeois, Raj Vaidya, Victoire Chabert.

Missing from the picture was Justine Puaud who is heroically taking care of her two babies, her dog and her husband at home!

And of course, Daniel Johnnes and Sally Johnnes. We missed you.

Domaine de la Romanée Conti Dinner Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
October 25, 2022

No domaine better sums up the prestige of Burgundy than Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The history of the estate is as thrilling and complex as the wines it has been producing to this day. DRC was officially founded in 1869 when its first director, Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet, bought the vineyard of Romanée-Conti. More vineyards were purchased and added to the domaine’s holdings during the 19th and 20th century. Today, unlike many other prestigious domaines, DRC is a sizeable operation and the largest owner of each of the red wine Grands Crus it produces.

It was a real treat to open twelve different wines from the domaine at Gabriel Kreuther. The chef, whose passion for wine is truly inspiring (he explained to me he started collecting wine at age 14 after his uncle gave him a taste of Hospices de Beaune 1959) prepared a glorious menu to match the incredible wines.

1st flight: Romanée Saint Vivant 1991/2001

DRC owns 5.29 ha out of the total 9.44 ha of the appellation Romanée Saint Vivant.

The vineyard of RSV was acquired fully by DRC in 1988 after being farmed by the domaine since 1966. Known for its generous layer of clay, around 3 feet thick, and flat surface, the wines made there often provide a seductive bouquet of fruits. The 1991 was unfortunately a tad oxidized and didn’t show its full potential but the 2001 delivered what one would expect from the appellation. I thought the whole cluster aromatic signature was quite pronounced, and to my liking.

2nd flight: Richebourg 1999/2001

DRC owns 3,5 ha out of the total 8 ha of the appellation of Richebourg.

Described as the “body guard” for the other appellations by Aubert de Villaine himself, Richebourg is indeed a wide shouldered, authoritative wine. Replanted after the phylloxera crisis with cuttings from the prestigious vineyard of Romanée-Conti, Richebourg is not all about muscles of course. 2001, a cold year that produced small berries “millerandée” made concentrated wine with deep color. The Richebourg 2001 seemed still in its adolescent years and can use many more years to fully express its potential. Let’s try again in the 2030’s… The 1999 delivered more fruit but certainly embraced its reputation of being a bold wine.  

3rd flight: La Tâche 1991/2000

DRC owns the entirety of the appellation: 6,06 ha.

Today a monopole of DRC, the complex ownership history of La Tâche is full of twists and turns. The appellation is divided into several plots that were gradually acquired by DRC, the most important being “Les Gaudichots”, purchased by Jacques-Marie Duvault Blochet in the 1860’s. A major turn in the history of the vineyard was the acquisition, in 1933 of the missing plot, owned by the Liger-Belair family since 1833.

Although La Tâche is often considered the second best wine at DRC, after the obvious Romanée-Conti, and the price of each wine reflects that hierarchy, La Tâche often performs better than Romanée-Conti, being more flamboyant and impressive. La Tâche 2000 expressed this bursting personality perfectly. This was probably the wine of the night. I can think of a dozen adjectives to describe my experience tasting this wine. Perfect and sumptuous probably are the most accurate I can think of. The length of the wine was among the longest I have ever experienced in a wine.

In comparison, the 1991 was a bit more discreet - nonetheless it was grandiose and pure.

4th flight: Horizontal of 1990: Romanée Saint Vivant, La Tâche, Grands Echezeaux and Richebourg

Romanée Saint-Vivant 1990 was my favorite of the flight. Seductive bouquet so characteristic of the appellation and with over a decade of age, developed wide range of captivating aromas.

La Tâche 1990 commanded very high expectations but the wine turned out to be a bit shy. I haven’t had a chance to taste it after it opened up.

Grands Echezeaux 1990 had a deliciously sweet core and personality that almost reminded me of a Musigny.

Richebourg 1990 was superb. Once again a touch vegetal from the use of whole cluster but with pitch perfect balance and irresistible aromas of flowers and succulent ripe red fruits.

5th flight: Montrachet 2003/1979

DRC owns 0,67 ha out of the total 8 ha of the appellation. The Montrachet Grand Cru is arguably the most prestigious and valuable vineyard for white Burgundy. What is quite uncommon is its location, almost equally divided between the two neighbor communes of Puligny-Montrachet and Chassagne-Montrachet. DRC is the 5th largest owner in Montrachet with three different plots, all in Chassagne-Montrachet, with one touching the Puligny-Montrachet border. The different plots were planted in the early 1960’s and 1980. DRC is famous for picking its Chardonnay in Montrachet rather late. In the very unique 2003 vintage, marked by historic heatwaves, I was surprised with the intense freshness of the wine. I would typically expect the jammy, cooked fruit aromas often associated with the vintage but not here. Sure, the wine was massive and abundant with volume but the length and intense minerality confirmed the exquisite nature of the terroir of Montrachet. This bottle wowed everyone around the table.

Unfortunately, the 1979 was marked by a hint of TCA. Despite that cork taint that altered the experience, one could “see” the beauty and complexity of what should have been a decadent bottle.