Sommelier Scholarship trip to Champagne - Part I

by Max Goldberg Liu
June 4, 2026

Sommelier Scholarship

The Sommelier Scholarship Fund is our non-profit that offers educational travel experiences to rising wine professionals, with the goal of furthering wine culture in the US through the profession of the sommelier.

This initiative is near and dear to our hearts as a way of giving back to the sommelier community. Visiting the regions and winemakers plays such a key role in wine education, and as access becomes harder and harder, these trips offer an opportunity to young, driven sommeliers that we hope will offer more fuel to a lifelong passion for the great wines of the world as well as the terroirs and personalities behind them.

I was thrilled to help lead this trip along with Nikita, and we were privileged to be joined by our co-founder of La Fête du Champagne, Peter Liem, who is probably the number one person in the world that you would most want to guide you through Champagne. His expertise and depth of relationships in the region are unrivaled, which has helped make La Fête so successful over the years, but this week our travel group was the beneficiary of his knowledge.

This trip’s scholars were:

Dora Grossman-Weir - Stars, New York, NY
Adam Hopkins - Nella Kitchen, S.Y. Kitchen, Stica, Santa Ynez, CA
Taylor Weston - Bōm, New York, NY
Amy Wright - SAGA, New York, NY

We landed in Paris on Sunday, May 24 and headed straight to Epernay to pick up Peter from his home (he is the only Champagne critic to live most of the year in the region). A quick trip up to the village of Hautvillers was a great first stop in Champagne - both symbolically, as it was the home of the legendary Dom Pérignon who is often (erroneously) credited with “discovering” sparkling wine, and educationally, as we immediately found an exposed wall of Champagne’s iconic chalk and a great vantage point to orient ourselves in the region.

After a lovely lunch at L’eurasienne in Epernay (perhaps the only restaurant in France where you can get authentic Vietnamese bùn chà and classic Neopolitan pizza with a great selection of grower Champagne), we headed down to Troyes in the Aube subregion of Champagne.

A wall of chalk in Hautvillers

Day 1 - Côte des Bars

The Côte des Bars is the southernmost part of the Champagne wine region, southeast of the departmental capital of Troyes. Around 100 miles south of Reims, it’s actually closer to Chablis than to the other parts of Champagne. The terroir follows suit - rather than chalk, clay, and other soils, the Côte des Bars is dominated by Kimmeridgian and Portlandian limestone, again just like Chablis, although here the main grape variety planted is Pinot Noir, not Chardonnay.

The area has a long history of growing and supplying grapes to houses in the north but was treated for a very long time as a second class region. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Marne (the northern part of Champagne) was dealing with an ongoing issue of grapes from outside the region being used for wine production and labeled as Champagne. The desire to strictly define the region, however, led to the exclusion of the Aube from the official classification in 1908, greatly upsetting local growers and in some cases causing violent riots. A “compromise” in 1911 classified the Aube as Champagne deuxième zone (“second Champagne zone”). It was not until 1927 that the Aube was recognized as a full part of the appellation, and the region still flaunts its proud individuality.

Winegrowers in the village of Polisot (where Marie-Courtin is located) head to the local government building in 1911 to protest the Aube’s second class citizenship in Champagne. Dominique Moreau has a copy of this photo in her tasting room.

The wines are usually considered to have a roundness and fruitiness to them that contrasts with the more angular and chiseled Champagnes of the north. That perception was challenged by the two growers we visited, although it should be noted that their wines are rather atypical for the region!

Pierre Gerbais

We began the day with Aurélien Gerbais at his 18-hectare family estate in Celles-sur-Ource. Contemplative and soft-spoken, Aurélien did much of his training in Burgundy, including with Olivier Lamy, whom he refers to as his “spiritual father.”

Aurélien’s vines are on slopes on either side of the east-west flowing Ource river. Historically, the south-facing slopes were more desirable as they would more reliably ripen every year. However, Aurélien is grateful that his family acquired a number of north-facing parcels as well - in modern times, these cooler plots are proving to offer more restraint and balance even in the hottest weather.

Like in Chablis, the mid-slope is where you find the Kimmeridgian soil, while the top has the Portlandian. Aurélien compares the effects of the soil on the wine to the shape of the rocks themselves. Portlandian is harder and more angular, while Kimmeridgian is more curvaceous and supple.

It was very exciting to taste the 2021 release of Aurélien’s solera reserve wine project started in 2011. These single-vineyard single-varietal wines are an amazing expression of the terroir of Celles-sur-Ource - Champ Viole, south-facing Chardonnay, Bochot, west-facing Pinot Meunier, Les Grandes Côtes, north-facing Pinot Noir, Beauregard, north-facing rosé de saignée of Pinot Noir, and the very special La Loge, south-facing old-vine Pinot Blanc. Gerbais is actually the largest producer of Pinot Blanc in all of Champagne! The wines have an amazing energy and drive to them that Aurélien characterizes as the inverse of how Champagnes from the Marne behave. Rather than initial chalk and soil softening on the palate to reveal fruit and other flavors, he describes his wines as landing with a burst of fruit that then gives way to intense minerality and savory notes. Stunning wines! A favorite joke of Peter’s is that winemakers in Chablis should consider planting more Pinot Noir and other grape varieties to make sparkling wine if this is what growers can do in the Aube on similar soils.

Marie Courtin & Piollot

We then made the 15 minute drive to the quaint town of Polisot located on the Seine river - yes, that same Seine that flows northwest through Troyes, then Paris, then empties into the Atlantic just south of Le Havre.

The cheerful yet spiritual Dominique Moreau created her estate Marie Courtin in 2005 and named it after her grandmother whom she describes as a “woman of the earth.” Farming biodynamically, eschewing commercial yeasts in both vin clair and bottle (very rare in Champagne), and exclusively crafting cuvées that express one grape, one parcel, and one vintage, these are intensely expressive and transparent Champagnes.

Tasting through the lineup is like experiencing a rock concert - thrumming power and electricity on the palate.

Dominique and her husband Roland Piollot (who has his own separate label) have more recently been joined by their daughters Jeanne, who also has a project in Burgundy called Dame Jeanne, and Rose, whose partner Nathan is an Australia-born chef. Together, Rose and Nathan have created a small hospitality operation at the estate, and we were delighted to enjoy a very extensive tasting menu cooked by Nathan along with pairings selected by Rose from her parents’ wineries.

Standout dishes included a beautiful spring tartlet with asparagus (not usually an easy wine pairing, but delightful with a 100% Pinot Blanc from Piollot) as well as an absolutely delicious lamb saddle from an individual that (sorry buddy…) had to be culled from a herd the family uses to mow the cover crop in their vineyards because it was prone to eating the vine buds.

Each dish and pairing was incredibly thoughtful, and it was a unique experience with a chef who knows the wines so well.

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Quick sidebar - we’re excited to share that we will be bringing this experience to La Fête du Champagne this October in NYC!

A Marie Courtin lunch will be one of the featured events at La Fête, and Nathan will be creating and executing the menu. We can’t wait to share this with you, and as a Pressoir Club Member, you’ll have early access to the program and to have seats held.

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It was hard to believe that this was only day 1! Stay tuned to hear more about our incredible week, including visits with Anselme Selosse, Jean-Baptiste Lécaillon of Louis Roederer, and more.

A visit to Hermitage

by Daniel Johnnes
May 14, 2026

The hill of Hermitage is one of the most majestic sites in the world of wine. 

This world famous appellation is only about 140 hectares - about 300 acres - made up of a complex patchwork of soil types, with granite forming the core of the hill. This contributes to the powerful, structured style of the wines.

The various “lieux-dits” of the appellation, notably Bessards, Meal, Greffieux, Rocules, Varogne, Maison Blanche, l’Ermite and others have varying degrees of granite, loess, limestone, clay and alluvial deposits, with Bessards being the backbone of the greatest examples of Hermitage.

The history of winemaking here extends back to when the region was a Roman encampment. It is home to the Syrah grape for the red wines and mainly Marsanne for the whites with small degrees of Roussanne.

A quick visit last week with Edouard and Justine in preparation for this year’s Tablée reinforced my belief that Hermitage makes some of the greatest red wines on the planet. Wines of character, complexity, nuance, finesse and a true culture. Wines that speak loudly of a place and a history.

Two visits in particular provided moments of intense clarity on why this hill is so special.

The first one was to a now retired winemaker, Bernard Faurie. Fortunately, years ago, I was able to make a connection with him. It was a connection deeper than that of a client. He is a bit of a wizard and he saw that my interest went beyond commerce. I saw in him an old school winemaker in love with his craft and the place where he performed it. Authentic, committed and  guided by instinct, not science. In the mold of Marius Gentaz, Henri Jayer, Jacques Reynaud, Pierre Ramonet. 

We spent two hours with him in his quirky wine cellar/lounge (see photos) hearing his stories about his passion for tending his rose bushes and the wines he made. 

Most of his vines have now been gifted to his son in law Emanuel Darnaud but he has kept a small parcel of Meal for his own production only available to his closest friends. 

After tasting recent vintages of Cuvee Papy VDF (Syrah grown just outside the appellation) and the spectacular Méal based Hermitage 2023 he generously opened the 2018 which is a blend for the English market of Bessards, Méal and Greffieux. A wine of incredible depth layered with smokey and floral notes. Lastly he opened one of three remaining bottles of his 1983 vintage (also Edouard’s birth year!) The wine was intact but the enjoyment was based more on feeling privileged to be the recipient of his trust, generosity and friendship.

The other visit was with Jean-Louis Chave, who one might call “The King of Hermitage”. No one in the appellation is revered as much as Chave.

His roots in the small one-horse town of Mauves extend back to 1481. He is the largest private owner of land on the hill, with about 13 hectares of Syrah, Marsanne and Roussanne across a number of “lieux dits” that make up his final blends of Hermitage Rouge and Blanc and occasionally, the famous Cuvée Cathelin.

Having known Jean-Louis for almost four decades, a visit with him can last three-four-five hours wandering along the cavernous depths of his cool cellars, occasionally tasting from barrel and bottle but always accompanied by engaging thoughtful conversation about Hermitage, the world we live in, the wine market, friends, trends and memories of past dinners and shared bottles. 

After getting a glimpse at the current vintages we relaxed into what seemed like the deepest, darkest corner of the cellar where we continued to converse and drink an Hermitage 1971 and then a 1964.

This was a true demonstration of passion, love of place and the desire to share with friends and colleagues. In short, isn’t this what our world of wine is all about???

The complex geology of the hill of Hermitage

Bernard Faurie & Daniel

Bernard Faurie’s idiosyncratic wine cellar/lounge

Edouard, Daniel, Jean-Louis Chave, Justine

Daniel & Jean-Louis

The incredible library of old wines at Domaine Chave

The Chicken or The Bottle of Burgundy

5/01/2026
by Nikita Malhotra

The chicken discourse has taken over New York; countless articles and social media posts continue to add more texture and conversation, so much so that I feel compelled to add my voice to the fray. To start, for those not initiated with this contentious topic, we can pinpoint the origin to the opening of Gigi’s, a restaurant in Greenpoint, where a half chicken for $40 sparked the intense discourse on inflation, restaurant economics, and cost of quality. So now the question has arrived, how much should a rotisserie chicken cost? As someone in the wine world, I have the privilege of being in a space defined as a luxury good, although a lot of my job entails breaking the barrier so that we can talk about wine as an agricultural and historical item. But chicken is an everyman staple, and Brooklyn, as gentrified as she looks these days, is not afforded the same prices as Manhattan.

Why do I want to even enter this debate? The last time I lived in Brooklyn I was in my early twenties. I lived off the Wilson stop on the L and the most expensive bottle in my apartment was a bottle of Sylvie Esmonin Clos Saint-Jacques. I am now happy to live on the island I was born on, Manhattan, but I do venture out to the neighboring borough for a good dinner and drinks with friends. I balk at the strollers that barely fit on the sidewalks of Williamsburg, remembering my high school days where we only stayed on Bedford, shuffling between the vegan cafe by the L train, the Salvation Army and Beacon’s Closet. Now I might walk over to Four Horsemen, and if I get a chance to walk in, I would probably spend more money there than back in Manhattan. Just because I remember the neighborhood and can recall the dive bars and seedy characters doesn’t mean I expect pricing and the environment to stay the same. Just because I used to sell Roumier Chambolle-Musigny at $300 ten years ago doesn’t mean I expect those prices to stay the same. Again, I ask, how much should a rotisserie chicken cost?

As I approach the midpoint of this year, the best dishes I have had, ironically, have been chicken dishes. I just witnessed historic auction prices the week of La Paulée with Acker’s sale of the iconic 1945 DRC Romanée Conti at $812,500! I don’t berate the person drinking Grand Cru Burgundy and just because there is also great Bourgogne Rouge, doesn’t mean that is what should define the narrative. The most expensive chicken dish I had this year was also the best, on a chilly January Saturday in Paris, I walked over to L'Ambroisie to meet my friend Michael who is a cook and my boss Daniel Johnnes. What followed was a memorable lunch, with the highlight being the chicken dish, Poulet de Bresse, finished with with black truffles under the skin, and separated in two courses.

“$40 half chicken at a wine bar? Really?” wrote New York City Councilman Chi Ossé on an Instagram post, calling out Gigi’s, which is not even located in his district. I think Councilman Ossé would have been horrified by the prices of the wine I selected when I went to Gigi’s, but I think a wine collector would have been delighted. I choose a bottle of 1994 Domaine Labet Cotes du Jura 'Fleur de Marne' Le Montceau that was $444, and it’s hard to price unicorn bottles such as this one. I had never had a Labet made by Alain, and I savored every drop. His son Julien took over in 1997, after a stint at Ramonet, and is now joined by his other two siblings. Alain’s wine was more lactic than Julien’s style, but after a couple of hours the wine became more focused, the acidity found its space and everything was well integrated.I know Gigi’s serves chicken, I know the chicken is $40, and I know for some that seems outrageous. But what about that bottle of Labet? Where else am I going to find bottles like this? Why isn’t that in the narrative surrounding the chicken discourse. Gigi’s isn’t just a rotisserie chicken place!

An Iconic Bottle at Gigi’s

Another piece that hasn’t been explored within the chicken discourse and that is specific to Gigi’s is that the price includes service; you do not need to add additional gratuity. Gigi’s has their whole team on salary. But many have mapped out how much chicken dishes cost across New York City, and that has been quite interesting. A restaurant I admire recently took off their popular rotisserie chicken dish because it was coming in as one of the more expensive on comparative lists. Here are some links to other stories about the discourse from Vinepair where Eliza Dumais wrote a very thoughtful piece to Luke Fortney’s piece in the New York Times which came out at the beginning of the whole debate.

I will of course see correlations between issues of pricing between food items like chicken and the current state of wine. I think it is an interesting perspective, and I think it is important to both question and then understand why certain things are priced in a way. It is important to understand costs and time and energy that go into both wine and something like rotisserie chicken, and I guess my take is that there should be a space for a diversity of price points and spaces to enjoy these things.

Frost in Chablis

by Justine Puaud
April 17, 2026

Chablis is one of the most iconic wine regions in the world. 

As a quick reminder, the Chablis vineyards belong to the belt bordering the “Bassin Parisien”. There are actually two types of soils formed during two periods of the Jurassic era: Kimmeridgian, and also the more recent Portlandian (also called Tithonian). The Petit Chablis appellation is located primarily on Portlandian soils, on the upper slopes or plateaus, while the other appellations—Chablis, Chablis Premier Cru, and Chablis Grand Cru—developed on the hillsides, are found mainly on Kimmeridgian soils.

While some in the Côte d’Or are recently complaining about difficult vintages and small crops (2021,2024, 2025), the Chablisien have been fighting against frost for the last 80 years… Is mother nature just not nice to this region? Or is frost actually just part of its entire DNA?

The Chablis region lies at the northernmost limit of French vineyards, a latitude beyond which producing still dry wines becomes unreliable. This extreme location makes the vines particularly vulnerable to frost.

I was lucky enough to spend two days in mid-March with Marni and John, wonderful Pressoir Club members in Chablis. We couldn’t complain - there were warm temperatures and beautiful sunshine every day. But the problem was the temperatures were too cold at night (some nights the temperature dropped to -1 C / 30 F).

Vincent Dauvissat was explaining to us that back to the 60s, the Chablisiens were not making wine every year. Frosts, once frequent but now less so due to climate change, the challenges of cultivating steep slopes in the past (before the advent of tractors), the poor sales of wines from the early decades of the last century, the many Chablis winegrowers who perished in the First World War, and the exodus of young people to Paris are all factors that caused the vineyards to stagnate until their resurgence in the 1960s and 70s.

As the winemakers know frost hits every year, I asked them if they have a plan and can prevent against frost or, can they tell us now if frost hits one specific part of the region of Chablis or if actually everything changes every year and is just unpredictable…. Vincent Dauvissat was explaining about different types of frost.. Last year, he was referring to the frost “of the spring” hitting the Chablis villages, this year frost was coming from the south and hitting his premiers crus.

The Chablis wine syndicate and all the winemakers have set up different methods to fight against frost. You can tell that for now they haven’t found THE solution. Some are using candles, but is it great for the environment? Others have the finances to invest in heating cables. It costs between 40 000-60 000 euros per hectare. Many producers say that water spray works very well and costs less. They created an artificial lake to take water from near the Chablis Vau de Vey (Domaine Lavantureux) named Etang de Beine.

The very steep hills of Vau De Vey

I was also wondering if old vines are more resistant to the frost than young vines. Vincent was saying that old vines are more resistant to disease and heat wave but with frost it will be the same whether one has old vines or young vines, unfortunately…

Everything is happening very fast this year. It reminds them of 2020 or 2021. They are almost 6 weeks in advance compared to regular years. Buds are growing fast, frost is hitting and bud eaters are around…

Current enemy in the vineyard: the Boarmie caterpillar or "bud eater"

In March, the winemakers were subject to a second frost week! It was happening right in the middle of La Paulee de New York between March 26 and March 29… Everyone was super worried and a bit frustrated to be in NY to be clear… When Maxime Raveneau came back the first week of April he noticed that over 50% of the buds were dead… Can we tell he already lost 50% of his crop? It may be too soon to tell and maybe it is not over yet… It is commonly said that there is a risk of frost in the plains until the Ice Saints, on May 11, 12 and 13.

La Paulée San Francisco 2026 - Gala dinner Insights

by Max Goldberg Liu
April 3, 2026

With La Paulée in the rear view mirror, it is always fun to look back at our records from the Gala Dinner to see just how much wine was opened.

La Paulée San Francisco returned to the beautiful glassed-in Conservatory at One Sansome for the Saturday events, and the room’s airy, open feel transitioned beautifully from daytime light to the evening’s soirée vibes.

173 guests joined us for the Gala Dinner, which featured over 25 of Burgundy’s great domaines and an all-star lineup of SF chefs: Brandon Rice of Ernest, Dana Younkin of Boulevard, Melissa Perello of Octavia/Frances, Stuart Brioza of The Progress/State Bird Provisions, and Sebastian Brown of Holbrook House.

Total amount of Burgundy at the Gala Dinner
106 bottles
76 magnums
13 jeroboams
2 5L bottles
…which is the equivalent of around 318 bottles or more than 1.8 bottles per person. Hats off to our amazing team of sommeliers for keeping everything organized and the juice flowing!

Vin Blanc ou Vin Rouge?
Whites represented 38% of the total amount of wine, while Red took centerstage with 62%.

Burgundian Prestige
Our guests came to play! 44% of the wines in the room were Grand Cru, 43% were Premier Cru, and the remainder were Village and Regional.

Appellation Breakdown
Chambolle-Musigny (11%) squeaked ahead of Gevrey-Chambertin (10%) and Meursault (10%) with Morey-Saint-Denis (9%) and Puligny-Montrachet (8%) just trailing.

Most Common Producers
Amiot-Servelle (6 magnums) and Dujac (2 magnums, 4 bottles) led the pack, with Rousseau (1 magnum, 4 bottles) and Bonneau du Martray (5 bottles) barely behind.
The variety this year was incredible: 93 different domaines were represented at the dinner with at least one bottle opened.

Oldest wines
1929 Meursault Charmes from Roger Caron (quite mature…)
1937 Mazoyères-Chambertin from Thibault Liger-Belair (quite alive!)
1959 Richebourg from Charles Vienot: this plot of Richebourg dated back to 1920 and was divided in 1984 when half was sold to Mongeard-Mugneret and the other to Jean Grivot.

Most common vintages
2005: 14 wines, including a magnum of Dujac Malconsorts, jeroboam of Ponsot Clos de la Roche, and magnum of Rousseau Clos Saint Jacques!
2017: 12 wines, including a jeroboam of François Carillon Folatières and magnum of Thibault Liger-Belair Richebourg
2022: 11 wines, including magnums of two of Camille Thiriet’s Côte de Nuits Villages Lieux-Dits La Robignotte and La Montagne (absolutely delicious)

Non-Burgundy
4 bottles of Framboise liqueur
2 bottles of Allemand Cornas
2 bottles of Bordeaux
35 bottles of Champagne, including the Champagne Delamotte Brut poured at the reception

If you were there with us, you know no one went thirsty!

Pressoir wine dinner: domaine leflaive montrachet

Edouard Bourgeois
March 18, 2026

It is 1:41am on this Tuesday March 17th, a date that has been on my calendar in big bold letters for months. Pink Floyd is playing in my headphones at home and I can’t go to bed just yet. I usually wait for the next morning to write my usual recap of the wine dinner but tonight, inspired by Gilmour’s dreamy guitar solos and the lingering taste of the world’s most prestigious white wine, I feel it is time to write my article.

Montrachet is rare. Montrachet from Domaine Leflaive is more than rare. You just never see these bottles. Tonight, we poured ten vintages.

I remember when Daniel first launched the idea. “Why don’t we do a Montrachet dinner?” You can guess my reaction... The initial thought was to feature Montrachet bottles from different producers. Instead, we first convinced Dominique Lafon to provide us with 13 vintages, back to 1986 for a dinner during La Paulee 2024. Spectacular, of course.

We then had to wait a couple more years for the stars to align until Brice de la Morandière agreed to release 10 vintages of Montrachet from the esteemed Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet, the estate he’s been running since 2015, succeeding another legend, Anne-Claude Leflaive.

Leflaive’s three-hundred-year history and Chef Ripert’s three Michelin stars for twenty consecutive years made icons match. 

While preparing for this dinner, we asked Brice de la Morandière for his preference on when to open the bottles. To our surprise, he requested that the bottles be opened 4 hours prior. Frankly, I was puzzled by this decision, considering white Burgundy a fragile wine that should not be exposed to too much oxygen. My tasting notes below proved me wrong. A wine like Montrachet has so much to say and I realized that gentle aeration really helps the wine to unveil its unbelievable complexity.

Before I share my humble tasting notes, I need to mention that all the wines we served had in common to be spectacular. Grand Cru Burgundy, made well, share a common feature: incredible length. It was certainly the case tonight.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2018 : Immediately rich, expressing honey with a gentle reminder of the copious heat that year. It kept on evolving in the glass after a few hours. A young wine

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2017: Compared to 2018, more sizzled and sharp. However, the extra year combined with the nature of a cooler vintage makes for a superb drinking experience. Fresh, lively with a delicate touch of almond.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2015: Power! Heat. But again, the terroir plays its magic because under the exuberant character hid a delicious accent of nougatine I always love in white Burgundy.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2014: intense nose. A highlight for me and I believe everyone else. A wine so complex, I was too distracted to take any tasting notes! Fun fact: Brice took over the domaine on April 2015, so he claimed having some winemaking influence in the 2014 (wink).

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2013 : Described as “usually austere" by Brice during the dinner. However, this bottle showed no signs of shyness. The wine was very expressive and lush. I found a certain rusticity, a word that may be harsh to describe Montrachet. After a couple of hours, the wine became purely delicious and following back up on my notes, oxygen did so much good to this bottle.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2005: one has to perform the least. 2005 gave various results among white Burgundies. This bottle was no exception, offering a more advanced profile with aging notes suggesting butterscotch. However, the incredible length defined by this exceptional terroir remained evident.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 2001: I will confess that I got concerned when I poured this wine as I saw the glasses fill with a liquid slightly darker than I was hoping for! Upon tasting it though, I was shocked by the liveliness and depth. Hints of white truffle on the nose and once again, the signature overwhelming length. You can taste the wines minutes after you tasted it. 

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 1999: Immediately striking and charming, sensual even. 1999 was for me, just like 2001, an astounding wine. 1999 is a magical vintage at Leflaive and coincides with Anne-Claude's prime time at the winery.

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 1998: More restraint even after 4 hours being open. It slowly woke up but remained a bit timid. It really opened up and bloomed after a good six hours. 

Domaine Leflaive, Montrachet 1994 : The last wine closes the show, a tough act. This 1994 surprised me. it was youthful with noted of sweet orange but also suggested a certain wisdom only bottle age help reach.  

Darren Waterston’s painting

Domaine Leflaive, montrachet grand cru

By Daniel Johnnes
March 20, 2026

Tuesday March 17 was a historic night in the world of wine.

La Paulée had the honor of hosting Brice de la Morandière, director of Domaine Leflaive in Puligny-Montrachet for a first ever vertical tasting dinner of the Domaine’s miniscule parcel of MONTRACHET.

The domaine owns 0.08 hectares (800 square meters) of the magical terroir. They produce one small barrel a year for the entire world, with an average of about 250 bottles depending on the vintage.

Because of my long attachment to the wines of Burgundy and the name Montrachet (restaurant where I started my career) this evening was particularly special and emotional.

Below, I am including just a couple of remarks from a few guests who attend the dinner:

“Thank you for sharing this rare opportunity with us.  I have been at a loss for words to describe the wines.  Epic.  Unforgettable.  Dreamy.  The list goes on. The wines were extraordinary, as was the company, and I look forward to seeing you and my fellow lucky guests again”.

“Daniel, thank you for your imagination and persistence over ten years to bring this event to life, for your understanding of the importance of quality, subtlety, and compatibility needed in the food, for adding beautiful and perfect art to the room, and for including all of us.  On Tuesday night, we were all in exactly the right place :)”

“Thank you Daniel and Brice for putting together this truly once in a lifetime dinner. Immense beauty, emotion and energy on each and every bottle, unique memories that will stay forever.

Great camaraderie and energy around the table from our fellow dinners, including their thoughtful impressions on the masterpieces.

The food was bright, clean and precise with pristine ingredients, perfectly executed. Exactly what was needed to enjoy these gems. Exquisite hospitality and service from Le Bernardin and charming attention from Daniel and his wonderful team. The government (my wife) asked me this morning why I was happier than usual: the emotion of Montrachet!”

“Obelix to Asterix: call it what it is - “magic potion””

#1 - 1999 - Mineral, energy driven with a wink towards maturity. Fresh, vibrant, noble
#2 - 2017 - Balance, brilliant youthful, with endless length on the palate. Grand vin!
#3 - 2015 - Fleshy but the terroir holds it in balance and length. Very beutiful and easier to enjoy young

Not every Paulée or Pressoir wine dinner is this rarefied but, I am proud to say that if you are looking for the absolute topshelf, first class, perfect provenance event, look no further than Pressoir, La Paulee, La Fete du Champagne and La Tablée.

And, don’t forget the La Paulée des Champs Troisgros this June!!!

Have a wonderful winefilled weekend!!!

Daniel

Fornerol dinner recap

by Edouard Bourgeois
March 3, 2026

I will always remember my first visit to Didier Fornerol, in the quiet town of Corgoloin. It was a cold, rainy autumn day, and I found Didier in his yard meticulously fixing wood vineyard pickets. He explained that while most people simply buy new ones, he prefers to repair them himself. This dedication to his craft, even in the smallest details, reinforces my belief that winemaking is his life’s work.

Tasting in his cellar is equally remarkable. During a recent three-hour visit, I had the pleasure of tasting expressive and complex wines that far exceed their humble Côte de Nuits Villages appellation. Didier’s pedigree is impressive; he was at Domaine de l’Arlot from 1982 to 1998 before taking over his family business in 1999. In 2006, he was joined by the legendary Jean-Pierre de Smet. Inspired by the whole-cluster fermentation techniques of Jacques Seysses and Patrick Bize, they have produced stunning wines from this often-overlooked part of Burgundy. This partnership also led to the creation of the “Rue des Foins” bottling, sourced from a specific half-hectare parcel of old vines.

We recently hosted a Pressoir dinner at Popina to showcase these wines. While we typically select 12 bottles for our dinners, the depth of our inventory allowed us to present 22 different selections. The evening focused on side-by-side comparisons of the "Rue des Foins" and the regular Côte de Nuits Villages from the same vintages.

The results were incredible. The 2019 Côte de Nuits rouge was a standout for its solar, fruit-forward character, while the 2010 was my personal favorite for its crunchy fruit and perfect acidity. The "Rue des Foins" bottlings also performed exceptionally well, consistently showing darker and more concentrated profiles than the regular cuvées. Notable highlights included the accessible 2017, a surprisingly savory 2016, and the excellent 2010. The evening concluded with a rare surprise from Daniel’s cellar: a 2002 "Rue des Foins" that was never commercially released, which was arguably the wine of the night.

February 17, 2026

by Daniel Johnnes

One of my most meaningful endeavors is the creation of the Sommelier Scholarship. I created this 501c3 about 10 years ago as a non-profit completely independent of all of our activities - La Paulée, La Fete du Champagne, La Tablée, Convivio, and Pressoir.

I realize how lucky I was early in my career to be able to enter the cellars of the most respected winemakers in Burgundy, the Rhône, Bordeaux, and Champagne.

This privilege is not nearly as accessible to today’s sommeliers - worldwide demand is much greater compared to 40 years ago, wines are distributed around the world making allocations smaller and smaller, and there is a large wine-loving public willing to travel which can overwhelm winemakers with visit requests.

My intention with the Sommelier Scholarship is to pass the privilege that I had to the next generation of sommeliers. I believe that in order to have a true understanding of a wine, it is important to see the terroir, smell the mold of a Burgundy cellar, see the wine-stained hands of the winemakers and come home with stories to tell and a more complete picture of a region.

The Sommelier Scholarship has been embraced by the winemaking community because of their understanding of the importance of sommeliers' role as their de facto ambassadors doing the yeoman's work of getting their lovingly crafted wines onto tables in restaurants and homes. 

The hardest-to-access domaines have opened their cellar doors to us and uncorked their most precious bottles, grateful for the work we are doing in furthering the culture of wine in the United States.

These all expenses paid trips to France are funded by the generosity of our wine loving community.

I invite you to support this endeavor by making a direct donation to the Sommelier Scholarship.

We are also hosting a Pressoir Apéro on Tuesday, February 17 at Restaurant DANIEL whose proceeds will benefit the fund. There will be a number of silent auction lots available during this tasting - you can bid in person or remotely. Stay tuned for an announcement on the lineup of lots and how to bid.  

Roulot Perrieres/Rousseau Clos saint Jacques Dinner - recap

An engaged Pressoir group

Edouard Bourgeois
January 16, 2026

When it comes to legendary names in Burgundy, Roulot and Rousseau sit at the top of the pyramid. With over a century of winemaking history, both domaines continue to inspire their peers and delight sommeliers globally - while the prices have now achieved all time highs.

In Burgundy, it is common to discuss Premier Cru vineyards that arguably deserve Grand Cru status. While climats like Malconsorts or Les Saint Georges often come to mind, Meursault Perrières and Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques are equally exceptional examples.

The Roulot family purchased their current quarter-hectare parcel of Perrières in 1976. Jean-Marc Roulot, who has led the domaine since 1989, has solidified its reputation as one of the most sought-after white wine producers in the world. This Meursault is celebrated for its precise, chiseled minerality, balanced by the signature texture of the village which combines volume with a nutty/buttery character.

Domaine Armand Rousseau was founded in the early 1900s and began estate bottling in the 1920s—a bold move that not many winegrowers dared at the time. The domaine produces six different Grands Crus, yet their Premier Cru Clos Saint Jacques is widely recognized as Grand Cru in quality. The vineyard’s south-east orientation, gentle slope for drainage, and proximity to the Combe de Lavaux create a unique microclimate that ensures both ripeness and a cooling effect that elongates the ripening process. 

Below are my notes from the tasting.

Domaine Roulot, Meursault Premier Cru Perrières vertical

- 2010: This particular bottle showed some oxidation on the nose, though the palate remained in better shape.

- 2009: Despite the richness of the vintage, this wine was clean and beautifully balanced with a superb, exuberant finish.

- 2006: A great surprise from a difficult year. While a storm hit during harvest, Jean-Marc picked just in time, resulting in a fresh wine with delicate grapefruit rind notes.

- 2005: Amazing and exuberant; the aromatics jumped out of the glass.

- 2004: The highlight of the vertical. Nearly two decades of age have developed notes of nougatine, honey, and hazelnut, complemented by a discreet vegetal accent.

- 2002: Similar to the 2010, this bottle had a touch of oxidation but remained exciting.

Meursault

Domaine Armand Rousseau, Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos Saint Jacques vertical

- 2009: Still very youthful on the nose with primary red fruit. The palate offered classic Gevrey power and elegant tannins.

- 2005: Seemed even younger than the 2009. The structure was tight initially but opened beautifully with time, though the alcohol was noticeable.

- 2001: Superb. A wine that "pinote" as the Burgundians like to say, showing secondary aromas of bruised fruit, glycerol, and earth.

- 1996: Known for high acidity, wines from that vintage may sometimes be angular and austere. But here, the high acidity brought an intense structure without compromising the fruit. Excellent with a long finish.

- 1993: Arguably the wine of the night; an incredible show-stopper with a sensual sweetness at its core. It kept on opening up and evolving in the glass.

- 1990: Like an elegant grandmother with stories to tell, this wine showed its age with grace. The palate remained in great form, featuring delightful tertiary notes of forest floor and violet flower.

Clos Saint Jacques in the morning light of the 2021 winter

sommelier scholarship fund trips in 2026

Jaime Dutton
January 16, 2026

SOMMELIER SCHOLARSHIP TRIP TO BURGUNDY

Starting off the New Year in Burgundy was a perfect way to take the time to reflect, plan and share. To reflect on the year behind us through discussions with the winemakers about the vintages that they were tending to in their cellars. Planning for the year ahead by taking into account the challenges and perspective that was shared on how the winemakers in Burgundy will manage the minsicule crop of 2024, as they start to bottle those wines and communicate with their clients. Sharring a passion for Burgundy with the four sommelier scholars that joined the trip, highlighted by visits to a selection of domaines where we were welcomed into the serene vineyards, the quiet cellars and their warm homes.

Sommelier Scholarship Fund is a non-profit we started, offering a once in a lifetime experience, hopefully career changing, for sommeliers that have never been to the vineyards in France, and to further their education and fuel their passion. This year we went to Burgundy (Jan 4-9), were in Bordeaux (Jan 11-16) and will head to Champagne in May. Four sommeliers were selected for each region and accomapanied by members of the Paulee/Pressoir team.

If you are interested in learning more about Sommelier Scholarship Fund and supporting this organization, please visit the website or follow along the trips here.

In the vineyards with Lucie and Marie-Andrée of Domaine Georges Mugneret-Gibourg. Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru “Les Chaignots”

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Predicting 2026 Trends

January 5, 2026

Nikita Malhotra

I love giving my predictions for the year, and some of them might be wishful thinking, whereas other thoughts stem from observations. I think that we will stop saying that Gen Z is a generation that doesn’t drink wine, I think that we will continue to see a decline in “natty” wines, but the importance of sustainable practices will still dictate a good amount of the conversations, and I think we will continue to open amazing wines at our events!

Let’s drink red wine again!

I am always drinking red wine, but I have seen a shift in how people are ordering wine, especially when out for dinner with friends or family. More are opting for white wine or champagne, and if they want red wine they ask for “chill-able reds” - meaning easy to drink ‘glou-glou’ type wine. But as steakhouses are coming back in vogue (did they ever truly go out of fashion?) - we should all revisit the red wines that have been poured for decades and centuries around a dinner table. I have a fierce love of Grenache and recently a 1998 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape felt like a warm embrace, delicious but thought provoking as well. Maybe we need to drink wines that force us to think a bit more than the easy and ready to drink ‘chill-able’ red?

Death of traditional wine media: rise of podcasts and Substack

Would you rather see a short video of a young winemaker walking in the vineyards and explaining technical aspects of his wine in a well edited and fun medium? OR would you prefer reading through pages of points attributed to wine found in most supermarkets? Maybe I’m pulling a little too hard on the dichotomy here, but the diversity of voices found in social media and with platforms like Substack has been most beneficial. And it has allowed more of the vigneron’s perspective as well. Some saw the influx of wine writers and content on platforms such as tik tok as a threat, but wine books are still being published and I think having more voices and opinions is always a good thing. I don’t know if we need the expert reviewers anymore, with their morning sessions of tasting through hundreds of bottles, a quick sip, gurgle, and spit to evaluate a wine. Wine should be enjoyed, and wine writing and media should reflect that.

Substacks to follow:

Victoria James - Wine director and partner of Gracious Hospitality Management, she started her sommelier career quite young and has published 2 books. She has the weight of an expert with the ease of someone cool and in the know.

Raj Vaidya - Many of you know Raj from his time with our team, and I have really enjoyed keeping up with his thoughts and ideas with his Substack.

Everyday Drinking - I think Jason Wilson is one of my favorite writers out there. As I went to put the link in, I noticed he also has an In and Out list. Totally agree that dive-y wine bars will be in this year, hoping next year as well…

Aaron Ayscough - I read Aaron’s blog Not Drinking Poison in Paris years ago when I was 21, and although I am not entrenched in the natural world, Aaron’s perspective and writing style still has me checking in on this Substack. Plus, he has a very cool wine bar in Burgundy - in Chagny! He also translated essays by Jules Chauvet, and anyone who loves Beaujolais will know just how cool that is!

In terms of print, I have a subscription to Noble Rot and BYOB and I check out the digital copy of SWURL.

Château d'Yquem

Dessert wine is trendy…

I had a glass of Yquem 1990 the other day and I immediately thought, why don’t we drink more of this?! Probably because sweet and high alcohol have not been trendy for some time. But I think we all want to go back to a time where we finish a dinner with a dessert wine; it is a good conclusion to the evening, also such a delight. There are those who are pushing the boundaries with dessert wine. I did an all Tokaj pairing recently at Frevo, a tasting menu hidden behind a tiny gallery in the West Village. It was fun, the pairings worked well, and even after all the sugar I consumed I felt fine, I was concerned I would feel ill consuming 8 courses of Tokaj, but again, I left happy. I always have fortified wine on hand as well, and maybe I can convince the team that we should do a Madeira dinner fashioned after the gentlemen dinners they used to have in cities like Charleston. Maybe we have a Sherry dinner in the works as well, maybe we all remember Peter Liem’s book on Sherry. I’ll stop there before I give too much of the 2026 Pressoir calendar away.

What happens in champagne doesn’t have to stay in champagne

Edouard Bourgeois
December 12, 2025

It is always a great pleasure to share our knowledge in magnificent wine regions, such as Burgundy and Champagne, with our dedicated community of wine lovers.

A couple of weeks ago, Justine and I were privileged to embark on a five-day journey through Champagne. We visited some of the most respected producers, including Anselme Selosse, Cédric Moussé, and Salon, to name a few. All of that punctuated by meals in the exciting restaurant scene of Reims and beyond.

Pressoir was founded in 2018 with the idea of building a strong community of wine lovers. In addition to the tastings and dinners we organize, Pressoir has developed a wine travel activity, and we are clearly noticing an ever-growing demand from our guests.

Below are a few pictures from our last trip in Champagne and if you feel inspired, please reach out to us to organize your next unforgettable trip with Pressoir!

Abyss, a special cuvée by Leclerc Briant, was created around the ambitious idea to age Champagne under water. the bottles are left to age at a depth of 180 feet for about a year. There, the pressure matches the one inside the bottle. The result is stunning, with a wine that’s full of life and complexity.

This was just the opening amuse bouches at the fairly new restaurant Arbane. Named after one of the heirloom grape varieties of Champagne, Arbane is led by Chef Philippe Mille, formerly of one of Reims’ most respected restaurants, Les Crayères.

The one and only Anselme Selosse. His vision continues to inspire many producers, acting like true disciples. I often like to say that my favorite Champagne is Selosse. They’re certainly no other Champagne that tastes like his. I am always particularly stunned with how oxygen plays a role in the winemaking process, revealing a personality directly linked to the terroir.

Yes, you can drink still wines in Champagne! It is called Coteaux Champenois and comes in white and red. There’s also an even more rare still rosé called Rosé des Riceys (look for Olivier Horiot). Anyway, this red from Egly-Ouriet once again proved that Francis Egly is a master of Pinot Noir. A beautiful wine that reminded me of the elegance and explosive fruit of a Volnay…

We were standing at the top of the Clos des Goisses, one of Champagne’s most storied vineyard sites. In a wine region not known for steep slopes, the Clos des Goisses is a dramatic exception and we found ourselves out of breath from our climb up the stairway built into the side of the hill.

(5.5 hectares). Unusual site, steep pitch, chalky soils and uncommon warmth even though it is near the Marnes river.

The chilly cellar of Champagne Philipponnat.

With our wonderful host Francois Philipponnat, the 16th generation of the family domaine.

Yes, opening a bottle of Cristal makes one happy.

The clay is greener at Moussé’s. It was my first time visiting Cédric and what an experience. He is based in the village of Cuisles which is the prime Meunier country, with vines growing on various clay, marls and sands. In addition to this, his land also contains green illite, a clay, crystalline mineral that I haven’t seen anywhere else in Champagne. Les Terres d’Illite - named for green clay mineral found in this area, is nearly all Meunier, showing an expansive, fragrant richness on the palate. Delicious champagne!

Cédric has been a force in the Marne Valley. His constant innovations are incredible. Check out the new bottle he has developed and just revealed to the world on the next slide.

Tada! Cédric Moussé was particularly excited to share his latest creation. In a nutshell, a 750ml bottle that acts like a magnum, with a slow aging process due to the specific design and shape of the bottle. It is also a much lighter bottle than the traditional one

Mold is a good sign in a cellar as it indicates a necessary high level of humidity. In Champagne, the immaculate white chalk found underground is easy to carve and today, it is no less than 250 miles of galleries that are dug under your feet in the whole region.

What Raph Bérêche has created since he started working at the family domaine in 2004 is truly amazing. When I ask sommeliers who they would love to visit in Champagne, the answer is invariably Bereche. The passion from this man matches the solid personality of his wines

Our lovely little group at Champagne Salon. Behind us is referred as the “jardin of Salon”, a one hectare plot of one of the most admired Chardonnay. Salon is the gem of the Mesnil sur Oger.

The unmistakable lobster signature dish of l’Assiette Champenoise is an absolute must try.

Grand Finale farewell dinner at l’Assiette Champenoise was incredible!

Rosalía’s Love of Sauvignon Blanc: Pop Culture Musings

Nikita Malhotra
December 2, 2025

I am sitting thinking about writing about my favorite holiday wines, or a new wine bar, or a good recipe as a probable next article for this newsletter - and then I let Rosalía’s new album LUX wash over me and in particular her song titled Sauvignon Blanc - my cue to explore what young musicians might be drinking these days. And I am just so tickled about this song, as her voice swells with every Sauvignon Blanc I just sit here in awe and wonder. The AI generated response about the meaning of the song is: “Rosalía's song "Sauvignon Blanc" uses the wine as a metaphor for a simple, fundamental aspect of a spiritual and less materialistic life. In the song, she renounces worldly luxuries, but keeps her love for the wine, which represents a humbler and more loving existence.”

Rosalía

Besides my distrust of AI, I really appreciate this theme in Rosalía’s song, it’s a theme that pulls and tugs at my heart strings, it’s a great mission statement for wine in general. Sometimes as you pour wine worth thousands of dollars into fancy glassware in expensive dining rooms you begin to crave those simple moments, an afternoon watching the sunset in the vineyards, dirt caked shoes and a bistro glass of honest wine. I found a translated article from two years ago that confirms Rosalía’s love of this grape variety, and specifically for Sancerre. I have a bit of distrust of those who claim Sauvignon Blanc as their favorite grape, but there is something endearing with Rosalía’s preference, I might skip getting a bottle of white Burgundy or Riesling and join her in imbibing on some Sancerre, maybe a bottle of Vacheron?

The song itself is also inspired by the story of Saint Teresa of Ávila, a a mystic and writer from Spain who gave up materialistic things due to her devotion to God. Rosalía’s calling out of Sauvignon Blanc is like a contemporary version of Gregorian chants.In a modern world where wine is very much a commodity, how refreshing to see a pop culture moment where it is referenced as a product of nature? Another singer that champions wine is Dua Lipa, and sometimes she writes about it as well on her website, Service95, where you can find an array of talented writers and themes. Dua embraces the world of natural wine and in this article she gives a little background into that. I find both Rosalía and Dua Lipa to have compelling stories and relationship to wine because they are embracing wine in a sense that is detached to the claims of modernity. Whereas some other celebrities might make moves to buy a winery and diversify their financial assets, these two singers are appreciating wine in the same space that wine lovers exist in. Wine brings people together, and brings comfort to us in all matters of life.

Dua Lipa visiting a winery

As the holidays take hold and suddenly I find myself at holiday parties and moments where I want to uncork the flashy bottles in my eurocave, maybe I should enjoy the simple act of drinking a glass of wine, no frills, and with the same sentiment that I did on a warm day in August. Maybe it might be the unusual choice for me, a glass of Sauvignon Blanc, a toast to Rosalía.

1996 in Champagne. What happened?

Ratings for 1996 often use words like "exceptional" and "grandiose," with some comparisons to 1928. What made 1996 objectively unique was the high average potential alcohol (10.3%) combined with high total acidity (10g/litre)—figures rarely seen together. As Charles Philipponnat noted, this is a significant jump from the 9.3% potential alcohol common forty years prior.

Acidity and potential alcohol work together for balance, but typically, when one is high, the other is low. In 1996, both figures were high. Bruno Paillard called it a 'naughty boy' vintage due to its unpredictable nature and the anxiety it caused producers while waiting for acidity levels to drop. However, the result for those with patience is "fantastic."

While acidity is key for aging, the true test is time. Over two decades later, the remaining 1996 bottles reveal which producers succeeded. The best examples are still complex and alluring, where the high acidity is balanced by a wide range of aromas, from brioche to stone fruit. Unfortunately, some other bottlings show only residual acidity, resulting in unbalanced and tart wines.

I recall opening a glorious bottle of 1996 Cristal for my son's birth seven years ago; the wine was still vibrant and charged.

Another fabulous example was made by Krug. As Olivier Krug said, "It’s a year where a good house or a good winemaker will make a good wine... It’s a tricky vintage." Other industry professionals have shared similar sentiments, noting that some vintners either opted out of making a vintage bottling or failed to achieve balance, resulting in wines that are already clumsy or tired.

The 1996 vintage often draws comparisons to its predecessor, 1995. These were the last two great Champagne vintages following the 1988, 1989, and 1990 trio. The 1996s are powerful wines; the best combine weight from ripeness with tension from acidity, providing the interest, complexity, and structure needed for long-term aging.

Interestingly, more houses released 1995 as a vintage Champagne than 1996, with a ratio of roughly 60% (1995) to 40% (1996).

Given its unpredictability, the safest bet for 1996 Champagne remains to go with producers you trust.

While looking for pictures of 1996 Champagne on my IPhone, I also found several other wines from various regions where the 1996 vintage truly shone, as seen in images.

I now would like to invite you to join me on December 3rd to taste the golden era of Champagne at our favorite Omakase restaurant Sushi Nakazawa. Click here to save your spot!

To Till Or Not to Till

Nikita Malhotra

October 31st, 2025

Recently I was part of a conversation with young sommeliers, we were talking about Oregon, and many had fresh experiences from winery visits and working harvests. We were in dialogue about farming techniques; and then I overheard someone exclaim that “Tilling is evil!” She did it in a way that the whole room went silent, many nodded in agreement to this puritanical statement, whereas I looked both amused and concerned. I have never been dogmatic in my opinions on farming or viticultural practices, as these choices stem from ideas steeped either in history and culture or on very personal relationships with the land and with the vision of farming. No one makes wine in the same way.

But from this conversation I saw an interesting schism in a dialogue that was once just described as conventional farming vs. natural or organic farming. Now we talk more about regenerative agriculture, which has been a movement that evolves from organic and biodynamic farming. The key message of regenerative agriculture is that if you leave a soil covered with a permanent mat of vegetation it will become an important store of carbon through the build-up of organic matter. In California and Oregon, young farmers are very concerned with tilling, as it poses a threat to soil health, something that is essential to regenerative farming.

Tilling is still very important in classic regions such as Burgundy, and it is more interesting when we consider soil erosion being an issue there as well. Some producers will point at the different soil types being at the center of understanding tilling, with clay there shouldn’t be as much of a worry. But that would still be at odds with regenerative farming.

I started posing this question to winemakers, and here are some of the responses I got. It will continue to be an topic I will investigate, but thought that these different answers might encourage us all to think about this topic. I might not be the girl that screams that tilling is evil, but maybe I can inspire your next question to a winemaker.

William Kelley

“That’s a very open-ended question on a subject that is very complex and situation-dependent. In Burgundy, with our soils and planting densities, I would go so far as to say that it is in most instances essential. But the nature of the tilling itself, especially as regards depth and timing, is hugely important for its positives and negatives.”

Martha Stoumen

Ooo, this is my favorite type of question. And CA is so different than Burgundy (rain patterns, weather, soil all completely different)

Since I dry farm the vineyard I lease and farm, I was always taught by the old timers in the Ukiah area that you need to till/cultivate the soil to create a dirt mulch to wick water up higher in the profile during the late summer (the hottest & driest time of year).

While the old timer’s vineyards look VERY healthy—especially for 75+ year old vines—I was worried about breaking up mycorrhiza in the soil (esp AMF that are adapted to survive dry CA summers—see brief article link about AMF and grapevines). We stopped tilling two years ago and moved towards using a roller-crimper to create a straw mulch rather than a dust mulch. Currently—during the hot, dry summer—the vineyard floor is still very hard even with the dry grasses crimped (crimped so we don’t have bare exposed soils). We’re in transition period for the next few years. Long term (5 years or so) the soils should soften—more towards that springy “forest floor” feeling. Domaine Leon Barral, where I worked in the South of France (much more like CA weather-wise at least), was successful using a roller-crimper long term.

Long story short:

AMF are not the only consideration, but they are very important to grapevines (similar to our own gut microbiome, for grapevines AMF increase resiliency against pests and disease, and increase mineral and water availability). So I’m a fan of anything that helps/doesn’t impede this relationship, including no till. And I’m willing to have patience during this transition period in my own vineyard.

Of course, every vineyard (like every body) is different, so practices need to be fine tuned to each unique site.

Camille Thiriet

Yes we are tilling, both with the tractor and with horses. Ideally we would use the horse everywhere as it is much less compaction on the soil and no diesel obviously! But it is too cost prohibitive to do all of the vineyards like Bourgogne with this method, otherwise we would have to raise the price. Also it is difficult to do 5 hectares with a horse because the timing is so tight with the weather if it’s too dry they can’t go and same if it is too wet. So we use the tractor everywhere else. We try to go as little as possible one griffage to open the soil in spring and help the compost and fertilizer enter into the soil. A second griffage to put everything « a plat » and then one or two passages of intercep to stop the weeds under the vines. In burgundy the weeds can be pretty invasive « ronce, chardons, liseron, etc » dans une année sec ça peut tirer beaucoup sur la vigne, baisse de rendement, feuille qui sèche etc) in wet years a cover crop can be beneficial but still needs to be taken care of and cut or removed at some point in the year. So lots of options to consider and nothing is the perfect solution you have to adapt to the soil the site the year and the financial considerations. Hope this helps! Matt ( Camille Thiriet)

Pressoir 1990’s Burgundy Dinner - Recap

Edouard Bourgeois
September 26, 2025

I'm excited to share a recap of the exceptional wines we had the pleasure of tasting last week at Gabriel Kreuther. The 1990s were a truly generous decade for Burgundy, offering wonderful vintages for both white and red wines. These vintages feel like they belong to a different era than our current one, where global warming and early harvests are the norm. Yet, tasting these 90's wines today proves that the best producers were able to maintain balance and acidity, even in what were considered "hot" years like 1990 and 1999.

We began the evening with a Bouchard Père et Fils Domaines du Château de Beaune Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru 1991. Philippe Prost, the winemaker at the time, crafted an excellent 1991. Bouchard's valuable 4-hectare parcel in Corton-Charlemagne, located just below the wooded area of the famous Corton hill, yielded a youthful wine, thanks in part to the magnum format, which was a perfect start to the night.

The first course featured an incredible flight of Domaine Coche-Dury:

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots 1999

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault Les Rougeots 1996

Domaine Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Perrières 1990

When tasting Coche wines, their singular character always stands out. After researching and even meeting Jean-François Coche himself, I believe this singularity stems from an unparalleled dedication to their craft. It's said the Coches are the first in the vineyard in the morning and the last to leave. Their farming is more akin to gardening, with meticulous attention given to each vine and grape, alongside an exquisite selection of barrels, all part of a slow, "old school" process. This dedication is perfectly encapsulated by the French expression "le bon sens paysan." These three wines were particularly open and expressive. The Rougeots 1999 showcased the domaine's intense reductive signature, beautifully complemented by floral notes and flint. The 1996 Rougeots revealed more of that delightful "popcorn" character. The Perrières 1990, despite its age, was initially more restrained and almost austere, but after aeration, it truly blossomed into an explosive display.

For our second course, we enjoyed a selection from Domaine Michel Lafarge:

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos du Château des Ducs 1999

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 1991

Domaine Michel Lafarge Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes 1990

Our relationship with the Lafarge family has granted us access to incredible library wines from their 13th-century cellar in Volnay. We are always impressed by the impeccable condition of these bottles, even when covered in a thick layer of mold. Unfortunately, the 1999 Clos du Château des Ducs was faulty, but the other two wines were singing. Clos des Chênes is located in the south of the Volnay appellation, and the Lafarge's tiny 0.9-hectare plot sits just above Caillerets (another climat where they farm a unique spiral-shaped vineyard). While 1990 red Burgundy can sometimes exhibit "hot" characteristics with cooked fruit aromas that aren't always appealing in Pinot Noir, this Clos des Chênes surprised us with remarkable brightness and lift.

The third course highlighted two esteemed négociant houses:

Louis Jadot Bonnes Mares Grand Cru 1990

Louis Jadot Chambertin Clos de Bèze Grand Cru 1990

Joseph Drouhin Griotte-Chambertin Grand Cru 1990

Louis Jadot, a renowned Beaune-based négociant house founded in 1859, cultivates 270 hectares across Burgundy's most prestigious vineyards. In the 1990s, the highly respected Jacques Lardière was in charge of winemaking. His artistic personality, paired with the generous vintages of that decade, perfectly aligned to produce flamboyant wines. Jadot's plot in the Grand Cru Bonnes Mares has a lower calcium content, often resulting in more robust wines. The Clos de Bèze was, regrettably, corked, but we successfully replaced it with a very good Louis Jadot Clos Vougeot 1993 from Kreuther's wine list. As for the Griotte-Chambertin by Drouhin, it did not disappoint. This famous Drouhin holding is tiny—only half a hectare out of Griotte's already small total area of 2.7 hectares—making it a collector's trophy that is hard to find but always rewarding (the 2000 vintage is exceptional!). Griotte-Chambertin is a Grand Cru among Grands Crus, literally surrounded by Chapelle-Chambertin, Charmes-Chambertin, Clos de Bèze, and the king, Chambertin itself.

Finally, we reached a "mic drop" moment with an incredible vertical of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti:

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux Grand Cru 1990

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Richebourg Grand Cru 1990

Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche Grand Cru 1990

These wines were deliciously accessible, incredibly aromatic, yet refined. At DRC, It's always fascinating to experience the distinct character of each of these climats, offering a true Burgundy masterclass. The flight showcased the rather light Echezeaux, the more robust Richebourg, and the ethereal La Tâche. All three were sensational and in a perfect phase of their life. Similar to the Lafarge Clos des Chênes 1990, there was surprisingly no trace of that "hot vintage Pinot Noir" character whatsoever. Instead, the trio delivered rich and noble red fruit, along with more subtle violet and earthy notes, beautifully complemented by the distinctive vegetal undertones provided by whole cluster fermentation.

Harvest 2025 in Burgundy

by Daniel Johnnes and Justine Puaud
9/11/2025

I have tried to visit the vineyards of Burgundy, Champagne or the Rhone just before harvest for the last 25 or 30 years. My calendar doesn’t always allow me to do it and the vagaries of the weather - which can delay or advance the harvest start date- make timing a trip very difficult.

The value in such a trip is to get a first hand and up close look at the vines and hear from the winemakers their impressions of how the season has been.

I always cringe when a journalist claims to be the first to declare what the vintage will be like - sometimes as early as June when a region has had beautiful or rainy weather. There is no way to know what the vintage will be like so early. Even winemakers are surprised when they thought they would have a large harvest yet the grapes are stingy with the amount of juice they deliver.

This was the case this past August. I went to Burgundy and spent 3 days traveling with Justine and my deputy sheriff, Eric Railsback, to about a dozen or more producers. Justine writes below in more detail about her experience and vision but overeall I believe there are no longer any bad vintages in Burgundy. The 2025 will be good. Maybe very good. Maybe great. The climate, now changed, nearly always delivers ripe grapes. Yet there is so much more involved in determining the final outcome: disease, rot, hail, drought, sun burn, rain, under ripeness, thick skins,etc.

To find the true expression of a vintage, one must have patience. Of course, an outline of the wine’s personality will appear early but one must allow time for the must to ferment, for bottling, for another year or two for it to settle and then watch it evolve over time.

Only when a few years have gone by, the wine will speak when it is served in the right company with a delicious dish.

-Daniel

with Ben Leroux in Beaune

with the legendary Bernard Morey in Chassagne-Montrachet

I love the harvest spirit! There is a lot of activity and conviviality but it is also the time where the winemakers open their doors for you to see what’s going on at the sorting table, in the vineyard or during the fermentations.

I had the chance to do the harvest at Domaine Camille Thiriet in Corgoloin this year. It was a special harvest as 2025 marks the 10th vintage of their estate. Camille is a dear friend of mine and I have been following her since the beginning. When she started in 2015, she was buying grapes and was making wine in her garage… Now they own over 6 hectares of vines in Côtes de Nuits and a small parcel in Pommard. I was so impressed to see that people from all around the world came to help for the harvest - Italy, China, U.S, Canada, Netherlands but also from Bordeaux and Normandy! Days are very long but everyone worked in such a convivial and fun environment.

The overall statement was low yields (probably 50% less compared to 2022 or 2023) but beautiful grapes with good promises of a good vintage. For Matt, it was difficult this year to pick the right date to start the harvest. In some areas, grapes were not ripe yet but in other parts, we started to see rot and over ripened grapes …

A morning in Pommard - Cuvée Bourgogne les Blanc from Domaine Camille Thiriet

After seeing the vinification at Thiriet’s place and also at Fourrier’s in Gevrey-Chambertin, I notice there is this recurrent question for the vignerons about punching down or pumping over.

To quickly refresh your memory, punching down consists of pushing the “cap” into the juice (manual or mechanical punching down) while pumping over consists of pumping the juice to the bottom of the tank to water the “cap” (made up of the solid parts). As you might imagine, both of these methods have a big effect on how much pigment, tannins and flavors are extracted. These are some big decisions. According to Jean-Marie Fourrier, pumping over is currently a trend. Punching down is the ancestral gesture that made Burgundy wines famous.We need to let nature and the yeasts do their job and not try to move them too much. For Camille it is all about flavours and fining the right extraction and infusion.

Anyway, I love both wines and can’t wait to taste the 2025 vintage!
—Justine

The wonderful harvest team at Camille Thiriet

Pre-Phylloxera Wines & Château Lafite

August 9, 2025
Raj Vaidya

Over the course of my career as a sommelier I have had some amazing opportunities to taste some of the rarest bottles one can imagine, lucky guy that I am. I am keenly aware of how special these opportunities have been, but especially so when the wines and bottles have been examples of wines made from vineyards before the plight of the phylloxera aphid that caused the vines to be uprooted and replanted on grafts to American rootstock.

The effects of this aphid were first noticed around the 1870’s in central France, where the vineyards were decimated as this foreign creature, imported from America, began to feed on the roots of the vines. By the end of the 19th century, this blight had spread all over Europe and the few vineyards that survived were rendered quite sick, holding on but producing less and less wine, as vine upon vine succumbed to certain demise. By the late 1870’s, it had been theorized that grafting the European genetics onto American vine varieties’ roots was a solution; since the pest existed in the Americas alongside American vines without killing them, it was correctly suggested that the roots of these varieties were resistant to the aphid. Large scale grafting projects began around 1881, and over the subsequent 30 years the vineyards of Europe slowly recovered.

The prettiest ungrafted Romanée-Conti I have ever tasted.

Prior to 1879 or so, it is safe to say that all wines from European vineyards were ungrafted. From that point on it requires some knowledge of the individual château or domaine or lieux-dit as applies, case by case, to know when the grafting took place. Some famous vineyards remained ungrafted well into the 20th century, most famously Romanée-Conti, which was finally replanted as grafts after the 1945 harvest. I have been lucky beyond my wildest dreams to have tasted that wine twice, both occasions in 2007, and it remains one of the most mind blowing wines in my experience. The most recent experience I’ve had with pre-grafted Romanée-Conti was a phenomenal bottle of 1935 tasted in October last year, a delicate and highly aromatic wine which had tremendous length and a distinctive menthol-like element on the palate.

Several things stand out as unique amongst ungrafted or pre-phylloxera wines, key amongst them the wildness of the aromatics and the intensity of the tannins. The former of these two was on display with that menthol note in the RC, the latter less so (perhaps on account of it having been a less ripe vintage?).

2 pre-phylloxera bottles recently released from the cellars at Bouchard.

This past July I had the opportunity to taste some 1865 reds from Bouchard, and the best of the lot was Chambertin Grand Cru, which at that era was likely purchased from the Camus family holdings. The wine’s tannin level was astounding, manifesting as a textural component which kept the wine’s impression on my palate for what seemed like a lifetime. I was still able to taste the complexity and definition of the wine several hours (and several other bottles) later that night as I lay down to sleep. Spectacular aromatics were present on these wines as well, with the Chambertin displaying a garrigue, or wild herbal note akin to a mix of rosemary, sage and lavender.

Bordeaux is more well known for the longevity of its wines than Burgundy (which I clearly take issue with given the examples above), and the greatest examples of pre-phylloxera wines I have tried from the region have all been from Château Lafite-Rothschild. Funny enough, the bottles I tasted were courtesy of a collector friend who acquired them not from Château Lafite but actually from the cellars at Château Latour. As result the bottles I tasted had no labels on them, but had been recorked by Latour, at Latour, and sealed with lead capsules with the Château Latour emblem. Nonetheless these had perfect provenance, having been acquired in the 1920’s via an exchange between the two iconic Pauillac properties. The collection of bottles we opened to taste included a slightly corked 1865, musty from a bad cork but texturally interesting, a spectacular 1870 (one of the most famous vintages at Lafite) which had a black pepper spice element that was confounding, very unlike Cabernet and perhaps an example of the practice we know as common in that era of blending Bordeaux wines with Hermitage Syrah, and a smoky, high acid example from 1891. While the 1870 was my favorite, the 1891 was one of the more compelling wines I remember for sure. It is actually possible that by 1891 the vineyard had been grafted already, making it a post-phylloxera wine, but I remember the wine having that gripping tannin that I associate with ungrafted wines, and a great deal of texture also. In October, Pressoir will host a dinner featuring the 1891 at Le Veau d’Or, along with Saskia de Rothschild of Château Lafite-Rothschild, so you have an opportunity to taste for yourself if you are able to attend!

When Mr. Dom perignon makes sake

Edouard Bourgeois
July 25, 2025

A few weeks ago, I had the unique opportunity to taste a beverage I rarely drink – sake! This ancient alcohol drink, with origins tracing back to ancient China around 4800 BC, was an eye-opening experience.

What made the tasting even more special was the presence of Richard Geoffroy. For those familiar with Champagne, his name might ring a bell, as he was responsible for crafting Dom Perignon for twenty-eight years. It was incredibly insightful to hear his vision for his new venture into sake-making in Japan. I was particularly surprised that someone known for producing high-acidity, rather low-alcohol Champagne would transition to sake, a beverage whose production process is closer to beer brewing than winemaking. Moreover, his sake, called IWA, is 15% alcohol with almost no acidity, on paper: the opposite of Champagne.

Richard Geoffroy

But one consistent element in Mr. Geoffroy's style is his precision and poetic mindset whether he works with grapes, or with rice. This trait aligns perfectly with the Japanese culture he adores. IWA sake is crafted from rice, koji (a type of mold), yeast, and water, using a unique brewing process. Shiraiwa, located in Tateyama (Toyama Prefecture), was chosen as IWA’s home for its breathtaking natural beauty, pristine soft snowmelt water, and deep roots in sake-making. The name IWA is derived from the brewery’s location, Shiraiwa, which translates to ‘white rock’, a reference to Champagne’s white chalk perhaps?

The contemporary kura (brewery) was designed by globally renowned architect Kengo Kuma, who drew inspiration from traditional Japanese long houses and the concepts of inclusivity and community, bringing everything under one roof.

For IWA, the number 5 symbolizes Assemblage, the art of blending. This is IWA's unique signature, with a new Assemblage crafted each year to showcase new facets and characteristics.

If you haven’t tasted IWA, I encourage wine people to give it a try. I found it to be compelling with a real soul and story to tell.