What's Pressoir Drinking - Jaboulet Ainé Chateauneuf du Pape "Les Cèdres" 1978

Edouard Bourgeois
December 5, 2023

I Iike to get in the mood before our wine festivals by opening a nice bottle of the appropriate wine. So, a week before we kicked off La Tablee, I decided to taste a bottle of 1978 Chateauneuf du Pape “Les Cedres” from Jaboulet Aine. I had bought it just last month as a full twelve pack in original carton at one of the rolling Global Acker web auctions. I usually find amazing deals on this rolling auction and boy that lot surely was a hit! I couldn’t believe the perfectly impeccable conditions of each of the twelve bottles. Individually wrapped in plastic film by their previous owner, the fills were right under the cork, the color super healthy and the foils all spinning (a sign to look for in old wines that most likely mean no wine has leaked through the cork). When I pulled the cork, it appeared as a brand new one, as if the wine had just been bottled last year. At this point I thought it was too good to be true but then, the wine spoke, and it delivered the most satisfying pleasure. The nose immediately gave these typical roasted fig jam and herb aromatics Chateauneuf lovers crave. This rich palette kept intensifying as the wine opened up. I decided to decant it after judging a little oxygen would help amplify the richness. I was expecting heady alcohol and weight on the palate but found the most refined elegance instead. I am a strong believer in letting high quality Chateauneuf du Pape age and this bottle just confirmed my sentiment.

Les Cedres 1978 is no ordinary Chateauneuf du Pape. First, this was arguably the best vintage of the decade and maybe even until the exceptional 1989.

Back then, a typical Les Cèdres blend was two-thirds old-vine Grenache, with the balance largely Syrah. The winemaking was classic: whole-cluster fermentation in concrete tank, a month-long maceration and 12-18 months aging in foudres.

Jaboulet was known as the leading negociant in terms of volume produced but also as the one with access to some of the best fruit available. It is believed that sources may have been from Henri Bonneau and Domaine de Pegau among other growers, today known as reference producers.

I also like how these wines are somewhat mysterious. It is quite difficult to know exactly where the grapes came from but it is almost better that way, as it leaves the taster wondering. This wine will only become more sought after as Jaboulet is progressively stopping their production of Southern Rhône wine altogether.

La Tablée Dinner Recap - The Genius of Noël Verset

Raj Vaidya
12/4/2023

As the kick-off dinner for our La Tablée festival, we were honored to host a dinner with Mannie Berk, founder of the Rare Wine Company, and share a glimpse into history, with 14 vintages of Cornas from Noël Verset sourced from Mannie’s private collection.

Noël was born in 1912 and joined his father in the vines in the early 30’s. He continued to work in the vines, making the benchmark wine for the appellation of Cornas for more than 7 decades, and finally retiring after vinifying the 2006 vintage. The first vintage bottled at the domaine was 1943, and the winemaking was very classical in approach, all whole-cluster, food tread, large demi-muid barrels, very long aging. Each bottle felt like a walk back in history, a delicious time machine.

Overall, the evening was a tremendous showcase of how consistent and long lived the wines of Noël were and are.  The youngest vintages (even despite the differing vineyard sources) were very much linked energetically and in flavor profile to the wines from the early aughts, ‘90’s and even the 80’s.  And each bottle showed tremendous depth and complexity, clearly proving his mastery of the craft of vinifying Cornas.

Mannie Berk led the discussion about the wines, and all the wines we served came from his private collection.  Our founder, Daniel Johnnes, introduced the evening and the wines, and I piped in with some observations about the terroir, as in years past I’ve been lucky enough to visit Chaillots with Franck Balthazar and Sabarotte with Olivier Clape, each of whom acquired these parcels from Noël prior to his passing.  

We enjoyed additional commentary from Walla Walla winemaker Christophe Baron, who was in attendance and had worked with Noël in the early 2000’s.

 A few thoughts on the vintages that stood out as more special than others:

2006: Impressive showing for Noël’s last vintage, according to Mannie Berk this was made exclusively from the Champelrose lieux dit.  Super delicate, ethereal even.  

2005: According to Mannie, entirely from the Chaillot parcel, today farmed by Franck Balthazar.  More powerful than the ’06, spicier and more austere in structure.

2004: The prettiest of the flight of ‘young’ wines, a blend of the Chaillot and Champelrose vineyards.  This was a vintage I’ve had little experience with, but it stood out from the other great wines of the older flights in that the tannic structure was much more delicate, likely because by this point the Sabarotte vineyard was excluded (having been sold to Domaine Clape by this era.)

1998: While the ’01, ‘00 and the ’99 gave us a clear view of the precision and structure of the earlier blend, the ’98 truly gave us our first look at the intensity and elegance of the Verset legacy.  The vintage managed to toe the line between an animal intensity and floral aromatics that made the domaine’s wines stand out.  Spectacular.

1995: Similar in structure to the ’98 but a touch richer in fruit, giving it a plush character.  Spicy with pepper notes but less savory and gamey than the ’98.

1991: This was my clear ‘wine of the night.’  Stunning aromatic profile of classic black olive, rosemary, layers of green and black peppercorns, animal gamey notes and a blood-rich iron finish.  This almost tasted younger than all the subsequent vintages, its age only showing in the wine’s depth of expression.  The longest finish by far of all the wines in the tasting.

1989: Perhaps the most beautiful of all the wines.  While the ’91 seemed to edge ahead in qualitative comparison the reason for it was not any fault of the ’89, perhaps just the ‘more-ness’ of the ’91.  The ’89 presented with the same profile of complexity as the ’91 but was softer, leaner on tannin, a touch less body, more mellow in its finish.  Seamless and simply breathtaking.

1985: Perhaps the only mature tasting wine of the entire tasting 😊… delicious palette but slightly musty nose.  The maturity manifested in a very compelling smoky, tobacco notes.  Tannins still definitely present but softened with age.  Gorgeous.

Pressoir Dinner - Rayas

Nikita Malhotra
November 13, 2023

Much has been said about Rayas - it is the gem of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is singular in its representation of this region and Grenache. Unlike the quintessential round pebbles that dominate the region’s vineyards, Rayas, composed of three separate vineyards — Le Couchant, Le Levant and Le Coeur, is planted mainly on sandy soil. Apart from the exclusive sandy soils, their unique microclimate, featuring surrounding pine and oak trees, and their northern exposure make Rayas the coolest terroir in Châteauneuf du Pape. This allows for the harvest of optimally ripe grapes while maintaining low alcohol levels, intense purity of fruit, and an elegant and silky style and texture. There is also the Reynaud style of winemaking to consider, something we had a chance to delve into with bottles like Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 2006 and 1994. Even with a different region and grape variety, there are certain Reynaud signatures, the kirsch notes, ethereal mouth feel and Burgundian leanings, that persist in terms of the winemaker’s signature.

We started with a flight featuring Rayas Blanc 2007, Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 2006 and Rayas ‘Pignan’ 2010. Rayas Blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc and Clairette and is quite rare, as it is made in extremely small quantities. 2007 was a warm vintage, and the weight of the wine conveyed that. Honeyed and rich, a bit more acid would have garnered more fanfare, one this wine ultimately already receives due to its rarity. The Fonsalette and Pignan allowed for a discussion for what to look for in terms of Reynaud’s style of winemaking. There are certain vintages where I prefer Pignan to Rayas, and many at the table agreed. Pignan comes from the more northern vines, and although younger vines are planted here, the oldest vines are around 100 years.

The next flight was from 2010, 2008 and 2007 - unfortunately the 2009 was corked, but luckily Raj was able to bring his bottle of Fonsalette Cuvee Syrah 1994, which will be discussed with the last flight. I was trained to mistrust 2008 in the Southern Rhone as it sits between two great vintages, but every time I have a chance to try 2008 Rayas I am impressed. It displays all the quintessential Rayas charms. The 2008 also felt more approachable, it was ready to be enjoyed, and this being a cooler vintage meant the acidity drew out a longer finish. But this theme of appreciating the cooler vintages will come up again in other flights. And perhaps, in our justification for comparing Rayas to Burgundy, we lean towards these cooler years. The 2010 holds much promise, Emmanuel Reynaud really begins to convey his undertaking of a style his uncle managed to immortalize. It feels young, and since Emmanuel has held back vintages to the point where 2011 is the current release, it should be seen as a wine to hold.

The next flight was 2006, 2005 and 2004 - and this brought about a discussion on the transition from Jacques to Emmanuel. Jacques passed away in 1997, and his nephew Emmanuel had been making wine at Château des Tours before he took over for his uncle. These vintages represented the beginning of Emmanuel’s role as the winemaker at Rayas. His actual first vintages usually do not compare in the same way as the vintages his uncle Jacques presided over, but with this flight you see a continuation to the Rayas narrative. Sitting in the middle of this flight was a bigger more classic vintage for the region. The 2005 felt dense with higher alcohol and riper fruit. The 2004 was lean, as was to be expected in a cool vintage, but the bouquet was charming, with classic kirsch cherries and a bit of spice.

The last flight featured Raj’s rescue bottle of Château de Fonsalette ‘Cuvee Syrah’ 1994, which really stole the show. In this flight was also Rayas 1995 and 1994, so it was quite a special flight to end with. 1995 is universally a well regarded vintage, and the bottle showed well, but not as spectacular as it ought to. The 1994 Rayas delivered in terms of quintessential Rayas with age, with more Rooibos tea notes in addition to kirsch liquor. The Fonsalette proved to us that Jacques and now Emmanuel are masters of not only Grenache, but of Syrah, and the pepper and verve of Syrah matches those classic Reynaud signatures quite well. The Fonsalette also presented fresher.

All in all it was a memorable evening. Unfortunately Rayas continues to become more difficult to source and the pricing is now on par with Grand Cru Burgundy. There won’t be too many chances for a dinner like this as there were before, and it was insightful to share this wine with those who had both had many of these bottles before and with those tasting Rayas for the first time.

What's Pressoir Drinking?

Edouard Bourgeois
November 3, 2023

I thought it would be timely with La Tablee approaching to share this old picture from my phone. It was taken in 2014 in NYC and this was my first time tasting a bottle from Domaine Pierre Gonon. I vividly remember being blown away by this “simple” vin de pays. Les Iles Feray is a gem, produced from flatter vineyards at the bottom of the slope (between the Route Nationale and the Rhône) and young-vine fruit from hillside vineyards. Although the domaine is known for using a generous amount of whole cluster for the Saint Joseph, Iles Feray is made with mostly destemmed Syrah (50-80%, depending on the vintage). I made it a mission to find wines from Gonon ever since that very first bottle and I was of course amazed when I first tasted the Saint Joseph.

We recently hosted a Pressoir dinner pouring wines exclusively from the domaine and every single vintage was better than the previous one. A rarely seen consistency. I was also fortunate to visit the small domaine in Mauves and Jean, who runs the estate with his brother Pierre, was an extremely gracious host.

I have been wondering why their wines are so good. Is it the massale selection of his Syrah and Serine? The low yields? As often, I think the answer is in the acute feeling the producer gets when farming and making the wine. Jean was explaining for example that there are many manual tasks he and his brother do in the vineyard that are simply skipped over at other domaines. The échalas method is one of them, with a single stake per vine. Less and less people are capable of working that way as this practice requires much labor.

Don’t forget to watch Jean Gonon’s interview from our At Home Session we taped in May 2020. You can find the video on our website

News from the Vineyard - Innovative Vessels

Daniel Johnnes
November 3, 2023

Just back from a two and a half week trip to France visiting Champagne and Burgundy. The timing was perfect to hear various assessments of the 2023 vintage just tucked away.

Overall, we got positive feedback about the vintage yet it will be variable due to when people picked and made decisions on a number of influencing factors such as  harvest date, crop load, rot, sunburn, oidium, and drosophil suzukii (a nasty fly that infects ripening fruit and causes the development of acetic acid (vinegar).

Overall, the cellars were full, which in addition to a good size crop in 2022 promises to take some pressure off the market. Demand remains extremely high for both Champagne and Burgundy and with very high prices and limited availability there is fear of longtime consumers of these wines going into other wine regions to satisfy their thirst for fine wine.

The bad news: even with full cellars there is little chance prices will come down.

Going into numerous cellars in Champagne and Burgundy, I was struck by a vast array of different size tanks, barrels and all sorts of innovative vessels such as glass globes, ceramic globes, porcelain eggs, tronconic shaped wood tanks, clay amphorae and even titanium and gold cigar shaped recipients. It used to be a rare appearance in the corner of a cave but it now seems like everyone is experimenting with these different shapes, materials and sizes to learn how they affect the evolving wine. Oak barrels have been used since Roman times. Their primary function was to transport the wine to market but over time they realized the oak had an effect on it. It can impart a certain flavor but it’s main function then and today is to allow for a slow micro oxygenation which helps the wine develop to a point where it needs to go to bottle.

With this knowledge and science, growers found the beneficial effects of oak barrels and other recipients that have less oxygenation such as stainless steel, glass, cement and epoxy. The lack of oxygen will create a reductive environment and in a way freeze the aging process in time to preserve freshness and other reasons.

The egg shapes and the other spheric shapes are important in how they affect the suspension of yeast cells and thermal transmission, all of which contribute to how the wine ferments and then ages. All in all, it is a complex topic which is inspiring many producers to experiment with various formats all with a common goal of making the best wine possible.

Pressoir Dinner - Cool Verticals Recap

Nikita Malhotra

October 4, 2023

We had a chance to gather together on a rather chilly and wet autumn evening last Thursday to taste through wines that we had assembled under the playful term of ‘cool’ verticals. The term cool bringing to mind the aloofness of James Dean, Sandy’s spandex/leather outfit at the end of Grease, or Lana del Rey’s recent short stint at a Waffle House. It is hard to define cool, quite often because that which is cool is ever changing, but we can generally agree that the term applies to a sense of attitude and style that is admired. We view Burgundy through the lens of tradition and history, and yet there are discussions of change and shifts in attitude and the evolving idea of what can be ‘cool’ in Burgundy. Being in the apartment space above Winner was the ideal space to organize a tasting that was investigating what we had pinpointed as cool. Sheltered from the rain, with plates of sliced sourdough bread to start, we were ready to begin the journey of tasting through three wines from four producers.

William Fèvre was the first producer we tasted, starting the night off with Vaillons from 2018, 2017 and 2016. The domaine’s history starts in 1959 with seven hectares. Now they have 78 hectares, 16 hectares of Premier Cru sites and 15.2 of Grand Cru sites. William sold his domaine in 1998 to Joseph Henriot and Henriot moved his winemaker Didier Séguier from Bouchard to Fèvre. Tasting these three vintages side by side, you could see just how transparent the wines are and how varied they can be vintage to vintage. The 2016 was surprising for some; many of us remember it as a difficult vintage with hail being a problem in the region. It was a small volume vintage for the region. The wine showed a good balance of riper fruit up front and austerity and minerality on the finish, and it is unfortunate that you won’t find too many 2016s out there. The 2017 shimmered in its tension between citrus fruit and crystalline energy; this felt like classic Chablis. Both 2016 and 2017 saw lower yields so tasting the 2018, a vintage that is marked by high yields as well as being known as a warmer year, brought about an overall discussion of how we view 2018 in Chablis. Raj pointed out that perhaps a decade or so from now we will realize that 2018 is a better vintage than we have contemporaneously prescribed.

We had a chance to talk about the perception of an outsider and the dedication it takes to making world class wine with the next estate in the line up, Domaine Clos de la Chapelle. The Clos de la Chapelle was originally part of the historic Bousse d'Or estate. American Mark O’Connell owns and manages 4 hectares in the Côte-de-Beaune and purchased the estate in 2011. We had the opportunity to taste Volnay 1er Cru ‘En Carelle’ from 2017, 2010, and 2006. This particular site sits just below the chapel with the same exposure as Champans. Dr. Lavalle listed this vineyard in his 1855 classifications as a "Tête de Cuvée", meaning one of the best of the commune. The 2017 was perfumed and very open with exuberant riper red fruit balancing the elegant and transparent mouthfeel. The 2017 was a perfect example of what Volnay is known for, aromatic intensity of riper red fruit and elegance. 2010 was a good vintage for the region and this wine felt darker on the palate in comparison with the 2017. The 2006 was a bit reticent, especially after the 2010 and the near perfection of the 2017. This was also a vintage that Mark was not involved with, so the differences found in the glass in terms of density of fruit could be equated to different practices in both vinification and farming.

Our next flight came from Domaine Fourrier with their bottling of Vougeot 1er Cru ‘Les Petits Vougeot’ from 2015, 2014, and 2013. This site is situated between Clos de Vougeot and Musigny, and Fourrier owns about one third of a hectare here. The 2015 was brawny and bigger in comparison with the other two vintages, but all three had a similar red fruited component at the core of the wine. The 2014 was more high toned and had a more Chambolle disposition. I was surprised by how much I liked the 2013, there was a density to the fruit on the mid palate that was quite inviting in the glass. Edouard had a chance to show off the video he made in the vineyards last time he visited which highlighted the uniqueness of this particular 1er Cru site. You can see the Château du Clos de Vougeot in the background from the vineyard with Clos de la Perrière bordering the west and Le Cras flanking the southeast.

Henri Gouges is a producer steeped in history, for 400 years the family has been growing grapes in Nuits-Saint-Georges, and Henri was at the forefront of domaine bottling a century ago. This is where our discussion centered on generational shifts in Burgundy. The wines tasted were Nuits-Saint-Georges 1er Cru ‘Les Vaucrains’ 2016, 2015 and 2007. The name of the site - Vaucrains - is a reference to the infertility of the soil and in the absence of Grand Cru sites this is considered one of the best sites for the region. With modernization initiated through the passing of responsibilities to the next generation, one could see a bit of a shift in style. The wine was still clearly Gouges in style, but there was a more expressive style to the recent vintages.

Book Review

October 5, 2023

Nikita Malhotra

I agreed to meet a friend at the Strand earlier this week; he is a chef so wandering into the food/wine section upstairs was inevitable. Between dissecting the mid 1990’s obsession with Tuscan cuisine and our shock at how many vegan cookbooks were bursting from the shelves, I came across an out of print edition of Simon Loftus’ Puligny-Montrachet: Journal of a Village in Burgundy. The book was written in the early 1990’s and I was more taken aback with the recognizable Ralph Steadman font, which at first glance tricked me into thinking Hunter S. Thompson had stumbled around Puligny-Montrachet in full Gonzo mode.

A glance at the author information on the back sleeve clarified that this was indeed a book written by someone in the wine trade. And flipping through the pages I gleaned that the book was a glimpse at the village suspended in a particular time. It felt more like an anthropology book than a book about a wine region. Since retired, Simon Loftus was a British wine merchant, restaurateur and brewery chairman and has published several books during his career. I discarded the slightly depressing novel I was willing to gamble on and left the bookstore with this fun discovery.

As I had suspected, upon reading the initial pages of the book, I found a charming snapshot of the village of Puligny-Montrachet. A sleepy village and one at the precipice of change back in the early 90’s. As Loftus sketches out the lives of the inhabitants of the village, the past, present and future weave in and out. At this particular point in the history of the village there is almost a ghost town ambiance being described. The children have to venture into the enemy territory of Chassagne-Montrachet (a rivalry that is explored in depth in the book) because they had to shut down the school. There is now only one bakery in the village and the butcher travels with his wares twice a week. For the elderly these vestiges of village life are essential, but the ease of supermarkets in larger and more urban centers lures many. The next generation doesn’t seem too attached to the past - there is a reference in the book to Loftus asking after the winemaker’s family name on a very old monument in town, the man shrugs and says he doesn’t know anything about that.

I enjoyed the author’s sense of taste, he has no qualms in telling his readers that the vigneron he had just described, and taking care to note their history and struggles and joys, makes mediocre wine. It’s a good balance of narrating a person’s story and being pragmatic in matters concerning taste. You can see the juxtaposition between the writer and the wine merchant, but it works well with this type of book. I will certainly keep an eye out for more from this author and take a chance on more out of print books on a wine regions.

What's Pressoir Drinking? Harvest Edition

September 30, 2023

Raj Vaidya

As I noted in the last newsletter, I was lucky enough to enjoy a week long stage at Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier in Chambolle-Musigny earlier this month. I learned a lot about the winemaking at Mugnier, but also about the way in which Frédéric thinks about wines, and how he likes to drink his own wines. The French vignerons tend to take eating and drinking very seriously, and the experience at Mugnier was no different. Lunch often consisted of a refreshing beer (German witte) for an aperitif to reflect on the hard morning’s work, followed by a bottle of something humble and delicious with lunch. Dinners were a little more involved, as many friends and family attend the harvest every year, and so Frédéric and his wife Jocelyn welcome no less than 20 guests to stay with them at the Château de Chambolle for the duration of harvest, and every dinner is a grand feast of sorts. Multiple bottles of the same wines are opened, and at least two different vintages or crus are shared by the jovial group, buzzing with energy despite the long day’s work behind them and the early morning to follow.

The very first day I sat with the team for lunch and had a wonderful surprise; a cuvée of Mugnier I had never even heard of before. I’ve been visiting the domaine for over a decade and I had no experience with the wine, so it was quite a treat, and luckily for me my introduction came by way of the delicious, extremely generous 2017 vintage, which showed incredibly well. The Saint-Seine bottling comes from a vineyard just due south of Clos de la Maréchale. The Clos is the southern border of the Nuits-Saint-Georges appellation so Saint-Seine falls under the Côte-de-Nuits Villages appellation, (in this case) covering wines from the communes of Corgoloin and Comblanchien. The wine is truly lovely, with aromas of small red berries, a touch of baking spice and great mineral lift (Comblanchien is pure limestone, and despite the humble appellation it makes wines which are usually very racy and mineral.) On subsequent days and evenings, I was lucky to taste a few others; a somewhat heavier and more brooding 2018, a riper but deliciously fruity 2019, and a sadly somewhat closed example of 2020. This cuvée is never sold in the market, it isn’t a large parcel and with so much Clos de la Maréchale to take to market (9.55 Ha), Fred decided to keep this wine for the team to drink at home throughout the year.

The second evening was a rambunctious one, and Fred treated us to a couple of great, somewhat underrated vintages. First was a return to the 2017’s with a lovely Clos de la Maréchale. Bright in the same way the Saint-Seine showed, but with more density and length. Second was a vintage that I flubbed in guessing (this wine was served blind), as it has matured beautifully and has lost some of its early aromatics of citrus and green vegetal tones, which I found distracting and sometimes unpleasant in youth. It was a fuller, riper wine than I’d expected from this vintage, so I called it a 2015, and it turned out to be the Fuées Premier Cru from the cool, October harvested 2013 vintage! I learned a lesson about the ‘13’s that night, and have since drunk a few other domaines’ bottles from the vintage to great pleasure. Worth checking in on these again!

The following evening, Fred shared a wine which I was completely certain I’d identified correctly again, but this time (thank goodness) I was right…it was a bit of an easier puzzle to solve than the evolving 2013 vintage. The 2004 vintage in Burgundy is somewhat fraught with a very distinctive vegetal aroma which I recognized immediately in the glass, but on the palate the wine was much more complete and deep than many ‘04’s I’ve had. The length of the palate combined with its intensity made it clear to me that this had to be a Grand Cru, and it was soft and velvety on the palate, so I guessed it to be the 2004 Musigny. Thank goodness I was right, or my dining companions would surely have given me a hard time for two wrong calls in a row! I forgot to take a picture of the cork, but since the wine was so good and the two bottles Fred opened disappeared so quickly, he went down to the cellar and grabbed a magnum, setting it in front of me and proclaiming “Enough blind tasting, now just drink the Musigny and enjoy it!”. My first sip of the magnum surprised me; I generally expect a magnum to show more closed than the same wine in 750ml but this was a different profile, heavier, more structured and decidely less vegetal, though definitely closed also. I was confused, so I grabbed the cork for a photo and realized Fred had made a mistake, and grabbed a Bonnes Mares instead by mistake, and a different vintage also, 2002. An embarrassment perhaps, but only one of riches… The wine was spectacular once it had opened up, certainly a different texture than the Musigny, more tannic and fuller in body, but perhaps a tad less fine especially in texture.

On the last day I was with the team I was treated to a mature bottle, and from a vintage that Fred himself struggles to enjoy today. The 1990 vintage was Fred’s 6th harvest, still fairly early days, when he was not yet farming organically and was still (in his words), “unlearning everything I had been taught in wine school.” This was a vintage where several of his cuvées were acidified, and that addition of tartaric acid (the hope having been to find balance to the high alcohol of the vintage) has left a certain mark on the wine. I found it to be quite intriguing, and not unpleasant at all, though it did taste of a somewhat iron-rich, blood like flavor. Fuées is a Premier Cru on the north side of the village of Chambolle, just abutting Bonnes Mares, and like with Fred’s Bonnes Mares this ‘Morey-like’ structure is apparent in the wine. Higher and harder tannin was still present, but age had softened them into something quite lovely.

On my final evening I was treated to my favorite appellation from the domaine: Les Amoureuses. I have been enraptured by this vineyard, especially from chez Mugnier, since very early in my wine career; the depth of Musigny is matched by the aromas and palate, but Amoureuses always seems more layered and with greater finesse, truly a wine in which I cannot help but get lost.

Fred was so kind as to open two bottles of 2000, and this was great since he had, while expressing his worries about the current harvest to me some days earlier, mentioned that in some regards it reminded him of the harvest of 2000. He had terrible memories of the difficulties of that harvest and vinification, but also said that the subsequent wines turned out lovely, so he was holding out hope for the 23’s nonetheless. Needless to say these two bottles disappeared quite quickly. So once again he opted for the magnum approach, but he checked the cork to make sure he got it right this time, and so I had the honor of tasting the wine from both 750ml and magnum formats. Both were incredible experiences, and once the magnum had opened up a bit, it was truly the most magical wine I’d tasted all week. Lavender and cherry aromas that my mind’s eye brings back in clear focus today as I remember that glass, and an earthy spice that indicates mature Burgundy in the most enticing way. A very nice note to end my experience at Mugnier with, and a memory I’ll cherish forever!

Two lovely formats of 2000 Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses. Magnum cork above, bottle cork below.

Pressoir Dinner - Gevrey Chambertin Recap

Gevrey Chambertin sits among the best appellations of the Cote de Nuits and its reputation as one of the most powerful wines from Burgundy is undeniable.

We had the privilege to taste twelve wines from this glorious appellation on September 14th at the delicious neighborhood restaurant Hearth. All four producers featured during the dinner were shining brightly!

I am pleased to share my tasting notes below:

FIRST FLIGHT:

We kicked things off with three vintages of Domaine Faiveley’s Gevrey-Chambertin Cazetiers. This 1er Cru climat is ideally located near the Combe de Lavaux where the star vineyard of Clos Saint-Jacques lives. But more on that later… Cazetiers was already ranked as Tete de Cuvee back in 1855 when Dr. Lavalle came up with his own ranking system. The name Cazetiers originates from the word “castel”, an indication of the proximity of the Chateau de Gevrey. Domaine Faiveley proudly owns half of the climat and this is certainly one of their most renowned wines. A varying proportion of whole cluster gets included during the winemaking.

The 2017 was really nice. The pretty fruit and juicy acidity were delightful. It was really compelling to taste the 2019 next to it. Much darker fruit was detected in this warmer vintage and I really enjoyed its grandiose character. An intense wine. The last one, 2016, fell a bit short I found. I couldn’t get past the dustiness on the nose and I found the balance to be a bit off with sharp tannins. Aeration did help but it was not the star of the flight for me.

SECOND FLIGHT:

Domaine Denis Mortet is an institution in Burgundy. Denis’ mentor was none other than the mythical figure of Henri Jayer. Denis worked with his father in the mid 1980’s until he founded his own eponymous domaine in 1991. His son Arnaud has been working at the winery since 1999 and took over the reins after his father passed away in 2006. Arnaud did reduce the proportion of new wood during the elevage and one of the particularities of the winemaking is the laborious removal of the main stem in the grapes, a way to “half destem” essentially.

The flight was comprised of three vintages of Lavaux Saint Jacques. The vineyard is close to Cazetiers but closer to the Combe, which makes it a cooler site as the Combe brings cold air. This climatic situation prolongates the ripening of the grapes. 2015 showed a massive personality. Even if the alcohol felt high, it was nicely balanced with fragrant sweet cherry and no shortage of glycerol. A concentrated wine that really embodies the style of the vintage where millerandage (a natural phenomenon that causes berries to remain small, thus concentrating the level of skin in the juice). 2014 was a different story. If 2015 is sometimes described as an ideal vintage, the previous year threw a few curve balls with too much rain being one of them. However, Mortet did really well and the wine was delightfully elegant and complex. A much lighter wine than 2015. The real surprise for me was met with the 2013. Not always the best performer, the vintage showed beautifully here. The fruit quality was gorgeous, and it was my favorite wine of the flight!

THIRD FLIGHT:

Domaine Bruno Clair was founded after the dissolution of the iconic and now extremely hard to find Domaine Clair-Daü. Today, Bruno Clair and his two sons manage a jaw-dropping twenty-seven hectare estate with vineyards in the most notorious villages of the Cote de Nuits, Aloxe-Corton, Vosne-Romanée, Chambolle Musigny, Morey Saint Denis and of course, Gevrey-Chambertin. Here we tasted the highly anticipated Clos Saint Jacques from three distinct vintages. In fact, only two of them, as the 2012 was unfortunately corked. However, 2013 was perfectly sound and performed quite well. Still young, the tannic structure remained a bit firm. Clos Saint Jacques is also known for its power and perfectly embodies the style of Gevrey as a big wine. The generous inclusion of whole cluster at Bruno Clair brought freshness and the complexity of this exceptional terroir shone nicely. 2005 showed its age quite a bit with secondary aromas of forest floor and mushroom. The texture was quite nice and very soft with a reminder of the warm season in 2005, illustrated by generous, jammy fruit notes suggesting figs. We replaced the corked bottle with a really nice 2012 Gevrey-Chambertin from Philippe Rossignol. A great wine that managed to find its place as a village level wine next to the main performer, that is Clos Saint Jacques.

FOURTH FLIGHT:

Finally, after a focus on 1ers Crus, we closed the dinner with three pristine Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Trapet. The historical, family-owned winery has been managed by seven generations of Trapets and marked the winekaing history of Burgundy when they illegally grafted their vines onto American rootstocks to fight the invasion of the phylloxera at the end of the XIXth century. This practice obviously became not only legal but the only recognized solution to save the Burgundian vineyards against the devastating bug. Pioneers in biodynamic farming, Trapet is an example of ultra ecological farming. Generous with whole cluster, the wines at Trapet are not the most powerful in the region. Rather light and elegant even with these Grand Cru bottlings, they were nonetheless intense and full of life with a certain vibration. 2017 expressed small red fruits and tart cherries. 2012 offered a superb nose of spice mix and pepper. A certain rusticity on the palate gave it an authentic character. The last wine, a 1999, was gorgeous. Still youthful and beautifully textured, it impressed with a long finish and layers of irresistible aromas ranging from violet to damp earth and red berries.

Harvest Report from the Château de Chambolle-Musigny

September 19, 2023

Raj Vaidya

I returned to NY Saturday after having spent a week working with the harvest and vinification team at Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier in Chambolle-Musigny. I returned with my fingernails black from all the grapes I processed, my shoulders and back muscles pained from all the heavy lifting, yet smiling from ear to ear with amazing memories of the experience and the satisfaction that comes from a hard week of physical labor. And also thanks to several delicious bottles shared over the course of the week! More on those in the next newsletter…

This harvest has proven to be a challenging one; white grapes were badly affected by oidium, and reds will suffer a bit from the high yield and the sunburn effects on the clusters facing south, caused by a huge heat spike towards the end of the season. Add to this the challenge of managing acetic bacteria which showed up in the clusters in the days around harvest, requiring a careful trie, or sorting, to remove affected grapes. Frédéric said to me at one point, “I’d almost rather have had another hale vintage…”.

But despite the challenges, there is some silver lining in that there was a huge crop. I worked 6 full workdays at the domaine, and for 5 of them we kept receiving grapes from the Clos de la Marèchale, and I learned exactly how giant that vineyard is (9.55 Hectares!) There was a respite from the Clos when the team picked Musigny and Les Amoureuses on Tuesday. Overall there will be lots of wine, and the quality of the grapes that made it through the destemming process into the vats was quite lovely.

Clos de la Marechale grapes arriving at the destemmer in small (but heavy) cases.

Frédéric trying to calculate the yield as the team places clusters on the destemmer and sorts for any compromised grapes.

At Mugnier, the grapes arrive in small cases weighing around 50lbs on average, 50 at a time. We would pick them up one case at a time and slowly pour out the grapes onto a vibrating table which dropped any tiny dried berries and a huge population of spiders, ladybugs and beetles through a sieve. The clusters then fall down into the destemming machine which further filters out affected berries and removes the remaining berries from the stems. The destemmed berries and free-run juice then get hoisted up via a forklift and poured into the vats to begin fermentation.

The destemmer hard at work.

Frédéric likes to say, “we don’t really do very much, just remove the stems and pour the grapes into the fermenting tanks…” but in reality , there is some sorting done at the vibrating table. Once the grapes have been in the vat overnight, the free run juice from the bottom of the tank is pumped into another tank to cool the juice to a low temperature, then the juice is returned to the tank with the berries. Grapes take forever to cool down, so it proves more efficient to cool the juice and then return it to the original vat. Several ferments started quite quickly, the Bonnes Mares (which was picked the day before I arrived) and the first 4 vats of the Clos were raging by the time I left Friday, and both Musigny and Amoureuses had begun robustly as well.

Filling the fermenting tanks with destemmed grapes from Musigny.

Even before fermentations begin, the wines go through one or two pump overs per day, where the juice from the bottom of the vat is pumped up and over the cap of floating grapes and skins on top. This keeps the cap wet, and manages the fruit flies who are trying to get to the delicious juice and grapes bringing along with them the threat of more acetic bacteria (the danger being that the bacteria could start moving the must in the direction of vinegar.) Once fermentation has started, these concerns diminish as the yeasts are so active that the acetic bacteria get overwhelmed, and the pump overs are less important.

Pumping over Les Amoureuses.

The reds will be pressed once fermentation has concluded, usually within two weeks or so. Then the wines will descend into the cellar to begin their slow aging in the cool, humid cellar.

Frédéric is a vigneron who often seems a bit pessimistic about his own wines; he is surely his harshest critic. But despite noting how the harvest left him nervous and unsteady, he was quick to remind me that many of the vintages he loves to drink today were fairly worrisome, even dire on occasion at the time of harvest. So he is (in his own way) keeping his outlook for 2023 relatively positive…

What's Pressoir Drinking? A Visit to Beaux Frères

by Raj Vaidya
September 5, 2023

I had occasion to visit some wineries in the Willamette Valley in Oregon last week. One of the great surprises I was treated to was my first visit to the storied Beaux Frères estate in Newburgh, located in the Ribbon Ridge district of the Chehalem Mountains.

Ribbon Ridge has a very typical soil mix for the region, a base of basalt derived from ancient, underground lava flows that originated in the mid-west, in addition to some schist, sand and gravel. This mix of soils with a sandy texture, coupled with the absence of phylloxera in the early days of the wine region led to a lot of ungrafted vine plantings. At Beaux Frères there are still quite a few ungrafted plants dating back to the estate’s origins in the late 80’s. Phylloxera has since arrived, and so more recently planted blocks and some individual plants have been planted after grafting on American rootstock.

Mike Etzel founded the winery starting in 1986 with the help of his sister Pat and her husband, famed wine critic Robert Parker. It took a few years to plant the vineyard, during which years Mike worked harvests at the Ponzi winery and bought grapes to make the first few releases from Beaux Frères, finally bottling the first estate wines in the 1991 vintage.

Mike had a fairly heavy hand with wine making, lots of oak, extraction, power and while there was no lack of fine-ness, the overall profile of the wines was rich and powerful. Very much in line with Bob Parker’s preference for a fairly rich, extracted and opulent style of wine! Mike retired in the later part of the last decade when the Bouchard and Henriot family took a controlling interest in the winery, their first acquisition in the US. This allowed Mike’s son Mikey to step up into the role of winemaker. Mikey’s approach is somewhat different than his dad’s - the wines have definitely moved in the direction of more balance, less oak, less alcohol and extraction. The winery was recently acquired by Artemis Domaines, and as result there is a renewed energy at the estate, viewing this I was super impressed! At the end of tasting of young vintages, 2018 to 2021, all of which showed greater finesse, we tasted a couple of delicious oddities that surprised me.

The ‘Rogue’ Chardonnay is a bottling of co-planted Chardonnay vines that were accidentally planted along and amidst the Pinot Noir planted back in 1988. Every harvest the team combs through the vineyard prior to picking the Pinot and isolates these vines for an early pick, always producing a lean expression of high altitude Chardonnay. This bottle was super delicious!

After we had tasted many of the wines that Mikey had made, our conversation drifted to his father’s era, and to Bob Parker’s palate. I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for Bob, truly one of the greats, a legend in the industry, but for sure I’ve noted that his favorite expressions of Pinot Noir often seemed too heavy for my tastes. That had long been my impression of the wines of Beaux Frères (I should note, given his fiscal involvement, Bob did not rate this estate’s wines) and Mikey jumped at the opportunity to open another bottle, and to prove me wrong. The 2010 vintage showed evidence of some structure and richness which surely came from a ripe pick date and some robust oak, but now, with 12+ years in the bottle, the wine showed beautifully, seamless in texture and very fine. Aromatically the wine was phenomenal, amazing aromas of spice and smoke with some delightfuly, brambly red currant notes. Very long on the palate. I was very pleasantly surprised at how fine the tannins were, which just goes to show, if a Pinot Noir seems a bit burly in its youth, the answer is to let it age!

Pressoir Dinner - Strolling Through Burgundy Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
August 25, 2023

We strolled through Burgundy’s vineyards during a tasting of twelve wines at Al Coro last Thursday and as one would expect, we were blessed with the charm of the pure Chardonnay and fragrant Pinot Noir grown in this very special place. Here is my recap and tasting notes.

We opened the party with a flight of 2007. The vintage is known for its light profile and pronounced acidity. In other words, this is a year that was not hammered by extreme heat unlike more recent years. The result is a fresh expression of Pinot, reminiscent of red berries such as cranberries and tart cherries. Even Galleyrand’s Gevrey-Chambertin, an appellation that’s typically associated with bold wines, showed finesse and a light body. It should be mentioned that Galleyrand uses whole cluster and his winemaking style is more geared towards infusion rather than extraction. The second wine was a superb Volnay from Ben Leroux’s monopoly Clos de la Cave des Ducs. Really impressive and perfectly balanced, it was among the favorites of the night without a doubt. Ben really pampers this Volnay’s half hectare plot with biodynamic farming of a massale selection from Clos des Epeneaux, in Pommard. We closed this 2007 flight with a more concentrated Nuits Saint Georges Les Vaucrains from legendary Domaine Henri Gouges. Founded in 1919, the domaine was among the first ones to label their soulful Nuits St Georges under their family name, and it has been regarded as a leading estate in the village for generations. The typically low yielding Vaucrains is located just above the iconic climat of Les Saint Georges. Although plenty dense, the wine didn’t lack juiciness and the dark fruit gave it an intriguing, complex personality.

We followed with three remarkable wines from the more solar 2009 vintage with the pasta course. Domaine des Croix, a specialist when it comes to the Beaune appellation, bottles six different climats of Beaune with impressive precision. Here, his Pertuisots gave an interesting perspective of a Burgundy with wider shoulders. The heady aromas of figs were a reminder of the hot weather in 2009. More Mediterranean, it remained an excellent bottle. Hudelot Noellat’s Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Murgers was irresistible and full of charm. I am often impressed with the wines of this excellent producer, now led by the founder’s grandson Charles Van Canneyt. Murgers is part of the northern portion of the village, close to Vosne-Romanee, where it seems to borrow the classy aromatic frame. Finally, a more rustic 2009 from Bruno Clair’s Gevrey Cazetiers offered yet another style, interesting to compare. Neighbor of the one and only Clos-Saint-Jacques, Cazetiers benefits from an ideal geological matter and is a touch warmer than Clos Saint Jacques. I was however surprised by an unexpected vegetal note in the wine that translated into a quite lovely menthol finish. Hudelot Noellat was my favorite of the flight.

Jumping back in time with the main course, we served three expressive wines from 2005. Pierre Morey’s Pommard ended up showing a disappointing cork taint, but we were able to replace it on the spot with a red Chassagne Morgeot 2005 from Lamy Pillot, served blind. As expected, tannins were felt and the wine was quite rustic, true to its appellation. Lafarge’s Clos du Chateau des Ducs 2005 clearly won first prize, not only for this flight but maybe as the wine of the night. It showed the best of 2005, with ripe, sweet cherries, a cocktail of red fruits but with a very refined profile. The half hectare vineyard is a bit like the Lafarge’s family garden, nestled just outside the family house. Chickens roam loose in between the rows of “Pinot Fin” (the delicate cultivar of Pinot prized in Burgundy) and participate in the regeneration of the biodynamically farmed soils. The site is warmer because of the walls that surround it, therefore this Clos gives a rich and generous wine, especially in a vintage like 2005. The third wine of the 2005 flight was a weighty Corton Clos du Roi from De Montille. The plot was recently purchased by the estate from Thomas Moillard and this was in fact the first vintage of Clos du Roi produced by De Montille. With an eastern exposure just above the famous Bressandes, this Corton was huge with no lack of alcohol! A bit much for my taste.

As it is often seen in Burgundy, we decided to serve white  wines to close the dinner. And what a flight to end the night! 2011 is a vintage that clearly performed better for white wines than it did for red in Burgundy. We started with a pristine Genevrières from Antoine Jobard. This 1er Cru of Meursault needs no introduction. In the hands of expert winemaker Antoine, who favors extra long aging, around 24 months with very little intervention, the wine was extremely vivid and fresh even after over a decade of age. Smoky with a touch of butter and candied lemon drop, it was close to perfection. Bouchard’s mythical Corton Charlemagne surely didn’t disappoint either. The talent of the domaine to produce white wine was evident. Broader than the Meursault, with notes of caramel, the Corton Charlie was lush without falling into gaudiness. The acidity didn’t fail to provide the lip-smacking finish that makes you want another sip. Lastly another Grand Cru, this time from Etienne Sauzet, was poured. The Bienvenues Batard Montrachet, developed a lovely anise flavor and undeniable Grand Cru material with plenty of texture.

Pressoir Dinner Recap - Domaine Bernard Morey

Edouard Bourgeois
August 10, 2023

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

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

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

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

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

First flight:

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

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

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

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

Second flight:

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

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

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

Third flight:

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

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

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

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

Fourth flight:

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

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

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

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

Pressoir Dinner Recap - Domaine Pierre Morey

Edouard Bourgeois
July 25, 2023

On Thursday last week, we had the pleasure of hosting some of you at a memorable dinner at Hearth and I think I can speak for everyone who attended to say the wines of Domaine Pierre Morey certainly met expectations.

Here is a little recap of my tasting notes but first a few words on the domaine. It is no wonder that the family name Morey is so present in Burgundy, especially in Meursault, where the family settled back in 1793. Immediately, the Moreys started growing grapes and making wine, generation after generation, perpetuating the name through marriages over the decades and even centuries. But going back to Domaine Pierre Morey, it is Pierre’s father Auguste who started playing an important role for the future domaine, as a sharecropper for the Lafon family (another famous name in Meursault with Jules Lafon, founder of La Paulée de Meursault a hundred years ago and his eponymous Domaine des Comtes Lafon). When Pierre Morey joined his father, he created what we know today as Domaine Pierre Morey. This was in 1971. Until 1984, Pierre was still in a sharecropping agreement with the Lafon family, making stellar wines from the best appellation of Meursault. 1984 marked the end of these sharecropping contracts and the Lafons recuperated full control of their vineyards. But shortly after, in 1988, Pierre was assigned the prestigious role of cellar master at the celebrated Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet. He excelled there for twenty years and was responsible for making wines that are still considered legendary today, while still making wine under his own name at Domaine Pierre Morey.

For about two decades now, Pierre’s daughter, Anne, has joined the family domaine, already converted to biodynamic practices since 1997. The wines continue to impress a loyal clientele of sommeliers and enthusiasts around the world.

RECEPTION:

We picked a trio of Aligotés from three different vintages: 2020, 2018 and 2014. All showed refinement and proved their ability to age, two features that are not often associated with that grape variety. The domaine planted their first Aligoté in 1969, all in the commune of Meursault on the clay-rich plots they own. What a great way to kick off this dinner!

FIRST FLIGHT:

A meli-melo of village Meursault from three vintages.

First, a 2019 Meix Tavaux, not to be confused with its more famous neighbor Meix Chavaux across the small valley that separates them. This wine is rarely seen as 2019 was the first vintage made by Pierre Morey and it comes from tiny parcel of just 0.29 ha. Beautiful, clean wine…

Meursault 2018: A blend of three parcels (Forges, Pellans and Chaumes), it perfectly illustrated the epitome of Meursault, with generosity while full of vitality in that vintage.

Terres Blanches 2017 closed the first flight brilliantly. The vineyard is on rather flat land right next to 1er Cru Goutte d’Or.

SECOND FLIGHT:

This vertical of Tessons did not disappoint!

Sourced from a 0.89 ha plot, Domaine Pierre Morey proves here the superior quality of this village level wine. While many wonder why Tessons was not ranked among 1er crus, the Moreys may have the explanation. This climat has been known for its remarkable quality for centuries and Dr. Jules Lavalle made no mistake when he ranked it “1ere Cuvee” back in 1855 with his own classification. But then the phylloxera crisis hit. And while most vineyards were replanted in time for the INAO government regulated appellation system, Tessons had been instead used for housing with not enough vines for the INAO to consider it 1er cru. Tessons only started to be replanted with vines in the 1950’s, two decades after the official ranking system was put in place.

2018, a vintage characterized by intense heat but large volumes of juice was excellent, showing precision and no “hot aromatics”.

2017, a perceptible acidity was felt and underlined intense minerality.

2013, While I find this vintage often difficult to love for red Burgundy, I have had better luck with whites. It was my favorite of this flight. Ten years looked great on this Tesson, perfectly delineated and homogeneous.

THIRD FLIGHT:

Perrieres is arguably the most famous and recognizable 1er cru of Meursault. Perched higher on the slope, its intense minerality can sometimes be a bit austere and the wines might need more time to soften up and gain charm. But it is important to point out that Perrieres is divided into two areas: Perrieres Dessus (above) and Perrieres Dessous (below) with the latter richer in top soil which gives roundness to its wines. Domaine Pierre Morey owns its 0.52 ha plot of Perrieres in the “Dessous”. Perfectly located, it is protected from the wind and receives generous sunlight.

2014: The classic example of Perrieres, electric and superior. A reminder of how special this climat is. From the moment I opened the bottle to a few hours alter, I tasted the multitude of facets it offered.

2010: My favorite of the flight. Such a gorgeous vintage for white Burgundy. Pitch perfect and screaming minerality.               

2009: I was first impressed by the freshness despite the nature of this hot vintage. However, I felt that the wine showed its true colors after aeration, revealing more alcohol on the nose, nonetheless a great wine.

FOURTH FLIGHT:

How to finish with a bang?

The grand finale was assured by a stunning vertical of Batard Montrachet, one of the Grands Crus in the communes of Chassagne-Montrachet and Puligny-Montrachet. In comparison to its neighbor, Batard often stands out with a big personality, a wine that can be massive in fact. However, I have always thought that in the hands of Pierre Morey, the beast is tamed and the minerality is mesmerizing. This could be explained by the fact that the domaine owns a plot in the upper section of the Grand Cru in the Clos Poirier, just below Montrachet and in the commune of Puligny-Montrachet.

2011: Really youthful and incredibly complex. This wine still has a long life ahead. It started to show lovely notes of evolution, suggesting orange peel and the impressive volume of Batard. Maybe the wine of the night.

2005: Another hit. Although more sturdy than 2011, this concentrated wine showed ample ripeness but not too much of it either. Impressively long finish and an exotic profile of tropical fruit with accents of pineapple and even pear.

1988: unfortunately, this bottle was corked but we were able to replace it with a bottle of Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 1992 from Morey-Blanc (the negociant label) The golden color showed evolution but the wine remained very pleasurable and characteristic of the rich profile of the climat.  

What's Pressoir drinking - Pedres Blanques 2019

Edouard Bourgeois
June 14, 2023

Just last week, I spent a couple nights at a dear friend’s in Montpellier. Known on his Instagram account as the punny name @accordhedoniste, he always finds ways to taste me on some eye-opening wine discoveries from tiny productions and under the radar producers. Together, we opened many fun wines including a mind-blowing bottle of “Pedres Blanques”. This wine is like nothing else. Driven by the talented Japanese couple of Rié and Hiro Shoji, this tiny domaine makes the epitome of what we refer to as a unicorn wine. After working for Fred Mugnier and Domaine de Chassorney in Burgundy, Rié and Hiro settled in Collioure, France where they founded Pedres Blanques, (“White Rocks” in Catalan), in 2017.

The young Japanese couple have since then produced just a handful of vintages that are really difficult if not nearly impossible to find, such as the 2020 vintage of which they only produced 230 magnums.

Their holdings cover 3.5 hectares of vines acquired from a retired vigneron in Languedoc-Roussillon, just above the town of Collioure and the vineyard is planted with 50 year old Grenache on granite.

Collioure is a charming little town in the Roussillon, France. It faces the Mediterranean Sea and this is where I spent many of my summer vacations as a kid for as long as I can remember. These family gatherings were filled with excitement and impacted my childhood with memories of fresh seafood, warm smells of wild rosemary and thyme, so exotic and unfamiliar to me who grew up in cold and rainy Champagne. I also remember the powerful wind, locally known as “tramontane” that would blow all kinds of flotation devices from the neighboring beaches. It really felt like Christmas in July when all the kids, me included, would gather on the other side of the beach to collect them!

The proximity of “La Grande Bleue”, the Mediterranean Sea, coupled with the forceful wind, can be felt in Pedres Blanques. The wine magically encapsules this brininess, a feature I rarely see in a red wine. I was also blown away by the energy and the life in the wine. Every time I would bring the glass to my nose, a new aromatic layer would unfold, revealing notes of smoke and stone before expressing aromas of tart cherries and clove with hints of candied, ethereal Grenache. A wine so profound, you can smell it for minutes and keep finding new accents.

On the palate, the personality is felt right away. While certainly not shy, Pedres Blanques sings loud and clear, but it is also pitch perfect. The acidity is the structural element of this well built but elegant wine and in a region that is so hot, with so many heavy wines, this is quite a masterstroke that should be pointed out.

Luckily for the Shojis, this arid and windy area leaves no chance for frost to strike and there is very minimum rot pressure which allows them to farm organically. They do not need to use copper either, but they do have to do everything by hand or with a rototiller. Unsulfured, the wine is raw but squeaky clean and you should not miss an opportunity to taste it.

Paired with delicious “Tielles Sétoises” from Maison Dassé, the brininess of the wine perfectly matches the saltiness of the dish, made of octopus, red peppers and tomatoes, wrapped in pastry

Remembering Patrick Bize

France June 29- July 2, 2023

This is my third trip to France in the last two months. While the others were work related, this was different.

About 3 months ago I got a call from Chisa Bize, the current winemaker of Domaine Simon Bize and the widow of Patrick Bize. She was calling me to ask if I would attend a small ceremony at the domaine on June 29th, calling it a “Memoire de Patrick”.

Patrick died tragically in October 2013 after suffering a heart attack while driving his car. Now ten years later, Chisa - who has been brilliantly running the domaine and making some of the best wines ever - decided it was time to honor the loss of her husband and memorialize his legacy among friends and family.

We met at 6pm in Les Vergelesses vineyard and, after a short speech by Chisa, we witnessed the inauguration of a limestone monument dedicated to Patrick, overlooking the vineyards and the landscape of Burgundy.

The moment allowed all of us to savor the special times he gave all of us. For me, it brought back memories of the first days of La Paulée of which Patrick was an integral part. He was one of the originals, along with Jean-Pierre de Smet, Jean-Marc Roulot, Christophe Roumier, Domnique Lafon, Etienne Grivot and Jacques Seysses.

Back at the winery in Savigny, we enjoyed a feast of Bize wines surrounded by his best friends including Lafon, Roulot, De Smet, Raveneau, Seysses, Boudot, Gouges, Claude de Nicolay, Veronique Drouhin, Fred Mugnier, the Graillot brothers, Patrick and Chisa’s children Nasca and Hugo… Then the mayor of Savigny officiated over a ceremony naming Chisa a Chevalière dans l’Ordre du Merite Agricole. Our congratulations go to Chisa for the extraordinary good work she has been doing.

The emotions were strong. We ate, drank and laughed late into the evening remembering our good friend, husband and father and I cannot imagine a better way to spend 72 hours in France. Here’s to Patrick.

Irrigation allowed on Hermitage?

June 15, 2023
Edouard Bourgeois

Hermitage: there is a bit of a mystical feel around “The Hill”. Hermitage distinguishes itself by many factors, starting with its location, along with Crozes-Hermitage, the only two appellations of the Northern Rhône on the left bank of the Rhône. All the other vineyards are on the other side of the river. Because the river turns a sharp ninety degrees there, the steep hill is perfectly nestled in the river’s elbow with ideal southern exposure providing plenty of sunlight.

It’s a small appellation, with just 137 hectares of vines, mostly planted with red grapes (exclusively Syrah), but there are some 30 hectares of white varieties (Marsanne, with a bit of Roussanne) that give ethereal and singular white wines. Although very discreet on wine lists and even among collectors due to its rarity, the white Hermitage is a wine of wonders. Once the most expensive white wine of France when Thomas Jefferson described it as the best white wine in the world in 1787, this blend of golden Roussanne and Marsanne is like nothing else and can age for decades.

There is a small group, about a dozen landowners, on the hill of Hermitage. Chapoutier owns the most with 34ha, followed by Jaboulet Ainé, with 25ha, including the vineyards of “Hermitage La Chapelle”, a wine on the list of “legends” with the 1961 vintage. The third place goes to one of the longest father-to-son-run wineries in the country, Domaine Chave, with its 25ha. A few others who grow grapes on Hermitage are Delas, Ferraton, Faurie and the Sorrels. 

On a recent visit to the Rhône, it was brought to my attention from some of these producers that after the punishing drought in the regions they have experienced for the past few years, the question of irrigation surfaced. Allowing this practice on the Hill of Hermitage, dry-farmed for many centuries, would be groundbreaking news in the world of wine. It also raises another question. If Hermitage allows it, what about Côte-Rôtie, or even further north, dare I say Burgundy?   

In Hermitage, the extreme 2020 vintage first raised the question of irrigation. Fortunately, rain eventually came that year. In 2022, a similar weather pattern brought a long period of drought and today, the conversation is no longer just gossip. Locals talk about using water pumped from the nearby Rhône River that would be stored in tanks at the top of the hill of Hermitage. It is also said that the vines would have to be watered manually (as if labor was not difficult enough on Hermitage!) so no drip system would be used.

And one important factor in the decision making of this proposition is that each landowner’s vote would weigh proportionally to the size of their land on the hill.

Although Michel Chapoutier was mentioned in a 2013 Decanter article as pretty confident in the future of winegrowing in the Rhône, I heard that he could accept the decision to irrigate on Hermitage and as the main owner of the appellation, that would make a substantial difference. Producer Guillaume Sorrel from Domaine Marc Sorrel is among those against irrigation. I haven’t heard about the others.

But after all, is irrigation even beneficial when rain fails? Grapevines originate from the Mediterranean basin where summers can make the thermometer rise over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. And these grapes have been producing wine for over two thousand years. So is the plant really suffering that much from the drought? Or is it adapting to the new environment as some of the most established vignerons suggest? In fact, many think that irrigation may be detrimental to making high quality wine since it may promote superficial growth of the root system, since water becomes available on the surface, roots don’t need to dig deep to find it, resulting in wines with less character. Irrigation may also give wines with higher alcohol, making them unbalanced and heady.

What's Pressoir Drinking - Savigny Les Beaune!

Victoire Chabert

June 2, 2023

Yesterday we celebrated Justine and Daniel's birthdays, as they were both born within 1 day of each other and ... a few years apart! A new opportunity for the new holder of the Ordre Nationale du Mérite medal, Daniel, to dig into his cellar. He brought out a Chablis, a Riesling... and a Savigny les Beaunes 1998 Aux Guettes from our friends at Domaine Bize.

Deep on the nose, balanced and long on the palate, this wine was ideal and delicious with freshly cooked flank steak.

Let's take a closer look at the Savigny appellation, which I think is a little underestimated.

What follows is taken from one of my Uncle Patrick Essa's articles which, like all his other writings, are the original expression of a personal analysis that combines field knowledge, regular tastings over more than 30 years and winemaking experience at Domaine Buisson Charles.

Theological would be this cru from Savigny Lès ("near" in old French) Beaune! I'm sure it's enough to seduce even the most demanding wine drinker, but to win the good graces of discerning tasters the world over, you need more than that! And as is the case everywhere in this blessed Côte de Beaune, the commune has no shortage of assets, thanks to its easy-to-digest, pleasing crus that enthrall with their subtle, witty personalities. Always straightforward, without being able to do without it... Times change, but adages remain!

A vast commune situated between the Montagne de Corton and the magnificent Coteau de Beaune, its vineyards start off to the south against the A6 freeway, which covers land that was once part of its finage, the cru de Marconnets in particular, and ends up right up against the Vergelesses de Pernand. This is one of the largest communes in the Beaune area, with over 375 hectares planted and classified - mostly Pinots - and like its larger neighbor Beaune, many of its climats are rightly classified as Premier Crus, covering 140 hectares.

Notably, not a single one of these is open to dispute, and it's rather difficult to define an accepted and relevant hierarchy. In any case, I'm not going to do so, as they all have assertive characters that should lead wine-lovers to discover them in depth. An experience that will undoubtedly be fascinating for those who try it!

The first slope begins to the south, continuing along the Beaune finage towards the Marconnets and Peuillets climates. Clay-limestone at the top and sandier as you descend the slope, it faces north-east and is comparable in many ways to the wines of Beaune. Its best portion is in the center, with the cru des Jarrons, topped by the Hauts Jarrons, and its sub-division long known as La Dominode or Dominaude. It's a deep, fleshy wine that rivals the best Beaunois crus. Underneath it, Narbonne is a little finer but also less dense on average, so it ages well. I have a weakness for Peuillets, which has the tenderness of Volnay with a characteristic freshness. Rouvrettes is firmer, and the little Redrescul, which can hardly be mechanized, is planted in an east-west direction and produces taut, fairly fine whites.

A second hillside faces the first, with different but predominantly south-east-facing slopes. Less clayey at the top and very stony, it produces the most delicate wines in the area, with notable exceptions such as Serpentières. This is an admirable area and one of Burgundy's finest hillsides for pinot fin. Vergelesses to the north against Pernand, Lavières and Serpentières form a trio of perfectly constituted crus, always impeccably ripe and balanced. They are undoubtedly the most representative of this commune, as their red fruitiness combined with a spicy character is most original. I fail to understand their relative lack of notoriety and can only emphasize their remarkable value for money. Note the existence in Les Vergelesses of a sub-place called Bataillère, which has always been considered locally as the best portion of the cru.

The village areas are mostly located on the alluvial fan on the way to Chorey. Productive, they give healthy, full-bodied wines that can be better than Chorey and Beaune village, particularly in the Liards zone. Another, higher sector lies to the west of the Combe de Barboron and is sometimes planted with Pinot Blanc or Chardonnay. Les Gollardes is, I think, the best lieu-dit.

Recommended producers: Domaine Rodolphe Demougeot (Peuillets), Domaine Bruno Clair (Dominodes), Domaine Albert Morot (La Bataillère), Domaine Pierre Guillemot (Serpentières), Domaine Pavelot, Domaine Chandon de Briaille

The Serpentières climate:

Les Serpentières is located on the outskirts of the village, not far from the cemetery, in a relatively flat, stony area combining red clay and limestone. This southeast-facing climate produces long-keeping wines that always take a little longer to reveal themselves than other Savigny wines. From this point of view, they are often the most discreet and austere wines of the finage when young. However, as they age, they take on a unique bouquet of wild rose and blackberry, reminiscent of the best Côte de Beaune crus. It's quite precocious because it's sunny, which also gives the crus a fleshy tannic texture that's never too firm. This is unquestionably a wine that Burgundy connoisseurs should seek out. Domaine Guillemot - among others - produces here a straightforward, fine wine from just over one hectare in the middle and lower parts of the finage. Having tasted some very old ones, I can attest to their remarkable density and proverbial ageing capacity. Delicious : 76/78/79/85/88 and 90.

There are quite a few good producers in this appellation, and all of them make wines that can compare with the best of neighboring Beaune and Corton. To get almost the same quality for half the price of a Côte de Beaune Grand Cru is only possible in Savigny les Beaune. One of the most underestimated villages in the Côte de Beaune, its alluvial plain is too large, in the shape of a "wine well". The presence of the town of Beaune right next door has also been somewhat detrimental to the finage, which is often perceived as a sub-part of this AOC. A real pity, as Savigny is always a refined, perfectly balanced wine. The rusticity of some of the "village" cuvées on the lower slopes is undoubtedly a minor drawback.

Domaine Ecard: fine, bouquety and sappy, the old wines are superb.

Domaine Pavelot: Concentrated and tannic, with proverbial longevity.

Domaine Lebreuil: the latest vintages are splendid.

Domaine Giboulot: very elegant.

Domaine Guillemot: one hectare ideally placed.

Domaine Drouhin: a regularly successful, gourmet cuvée.

Domaine Bize: a wine with staying power and elegance from a young age.

La Paulée des Champs - Troisgros

Daniel Johnnes
June 8, 2023

The La Paulée team is just back from France where we had an extremely busy month of May.

We took on a divide and conquer mentality.

Raj and Matt Conway started the month with a scouting trip to the northern Rhone in preparation for the upcoming La Tablée, this December 2nd. I then flew over to meet Edouard and Jaime in Bordeaux where we were riding for the Bike to Care organization raising funds for mentorship in hospitality. Our team raised over $28,000 for Sommelier Scholarship Fund. Edouard then guided a few of our Pressoir travel clients to the Rhone for 4 days and another group to Burgundy and Champagne.

In spite of all the planning and activation of those commitments we were able to produce one of our most memorable events ever.

At the end of a trip to Burgundy last May, Jaime and I were sitting in the kitchen at Troisgros with Michel and Marie-Pierre. Almost out of nowhere, they asked how we would feel about collaborating with them to create a Paulée type event at their home restaurant in Ouches, France near Roanne. It didn’t take long to answer that question so off we went back to the US to start planning.

The first question Michel asked was, “which winemakers should we invite”? My answer was easy and immediate: Dominique Lafon, Jean-Marc Roulot, Véronique Drouhin, Frédéric and Chantal Lafarge, Marie-Andrée and Marie Christine Mugneret and Christophe Roumier. Michel’s response was equally easy and immediate: “me too”! Each winemaker quickly jumped on board this ship and we collectively started the planning process.

We have been hosting La Paulée for close to 25 years but - something about collaborating with the Troisgros family, who have been awarded three Michelin Stars for 55 years - the stakes took on another proportion. Fear was not one of the emotions. Quite the contrary. The challenge of raising the bar and performing on the same stage as a family with 4 generations of the best culinary talent in France was exilarating for all of us.

The winemakers put their best foot forward by offering their top appellations from great vintages. The reaction by our clients to the announcement was swift and furious and the Paulée team was energized.

The months go by and in between all the other projects of the month we celebrated this petite Paulée like never before, with perfect spring weather, a bike ride from Beaune to Ouches with Christophe Roumier and Edouard Bourgeois and two days of feasting and celebrating the pinnacle of Burgundy: cuisine et vin.

The attached photos will tell the story much better than words. We can only hope to do it again so stay tuned!!!

Bike to Care Bordeaux

Jaime Dutton
May 31, 2023

As the festivities began on opening night of Bike to Care Bordeaux, we were welcomed by our hosts at La Ferme Suzanne, the courtyard of the winery of Château Giscours. Veronique Sanders of Château Haut-Bailly, Alexandre Van Beek of Château Giscours and Jean Charles Cazes of Château Lynch-Bages took the mic and opened a 3-night and 2-day charity bike ride in Bordeaux. They shared a few safety tips for the program, thanked all of us for coming and thanked all the other Bordeaux châteaux who were supporting the ride and the initiative. But really, we were there to thank them. 

I was overwhelmed and humbled to be amongst all the incredible people that had been brought together from Bordeaux and around the world. Steeped in history all these châteaux and the wines that were brought to the table - it was impressive. 

At the three dinners that we enjoyed together as a group, there were incredible wines shared - just check out the lists! What was also memorable were the winery visits that we enjoyed of Lynch-Bages, Haut-Bailly, Yquem and La Louvière.

The opportunity to meet the personalities behind the wines, see the joy and their pride when they open the doors to their cellars and share their passion, is memorable. Walking through the vineyards, the cellars and wineries while telling their story of how they started, or their family history or point out their favorite places, and views, to feel the elements around you while gaining a new perspective on wines and winemaking, to finish with a glass in hand and ask questions to engage them and keep them talking because you just want to keep listening, these are the stories that I enjoy sharing.

These moments allow us to be passionate wine professionals and that is what we want to create and aim to share through our non profit Sommelier Scholarship Fund. Thank you for your support and for helping us create opportunities and experiences for young wine professionals. 

I left Bordeaux with a new excitement to continue to enjoy and learn about the great wines from this region.