Becoming Gevrey-Chambertin: a village synonymous with the notion of terroir

The last edition in 2018 of BIVB Live Training by the Bourgogne Wine Board was broadcast to an eager audience in world markets on 5 December. We ended the year with one of the most famous villages of the Côte d'Or, Gevrey-Chambertin. Boasting 9 Grand Cru appellations covering 73 hectares and 26 Premier Cru climats covering 81 hectares, Gevrey is a large village in terms of surface area.  The total area under vines in Gevrey is 402 ha, compared to 112 ha in Morey-Saint-Denis or 150 ha in Chambolle-Musigny.  At Gevrey, the Premier Cru production is about 20% of the total production of the village.  Only one colour (red) is permitted here, and with a single variety, Pinot Noir.

Traces of vines planted on the plains dating to the 1st Century were uncovered in the village in 2008. Vines were not planted on slopes until the monastic communities became involved in viticulture and winemaking in the 6th and 7th Centuries. An abbey built in the village in 630 CE, at the location of Bèze, received donations of vineyards, one of which was to become Clos de Bèze. The abbey of Cluny which was created in 909 CE also received vineyards in Gevrey and built a château here. During the 16th and 17th Centuries, the vinous reputation of Bourgogne was defined by the wines of Dijon and Beaune. Then in the late 18th Century, the wines of Chambertin and Clos de Bèze began to sell for more prices than those of the Dijon wines. This prompted the village to devise an initiative to boost the reputation of the village wines. In 1847, the village name was changed from Gevrey to Gevrey-Chambertin. This ingenious and effective initiative was followed by Chambolle and other villages.

To understand the diversity of this prestigious village, Jean-Pierre Renard, the Official Educator of the L'Ecole des Vins of BIVB, guided us through an explanation of the geology of Gevrey-Chambertin. Essentially, the geology of Gevrey is defined by the presence of two combes (closed-end valleys) which cut through the escarpment of the Côte de Nuits. They are Combe Lavaux, which is the largest combe in the Côte de Nuits, forming an alluvial fan of 2 - 3 metres into the plain, and the smaller Combe Grisard.

 

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

It is possible to divide Gevrey into three zones. The first zone starts from the northern side of the Combe Lavaux, continuing along a semi-circular slope into the village of Brochon. (Note that despite being a winemaking village, Brochon is not entitled to its own village appellation. Therefore, the vineyards on the southern side of Brochon, abutting Gevrey, are classified as Gevrey village vineyards. Those at the northern end are classified as either Fixin village wines or Côte de Nuits-Villages wines.) For this first Gevrey zone, vines are planted from 280 metres to around 380 metres near the climat of Combe Aux Moines. The vines either face fully south near Combe Lavaux to fully east at Brochon. The soils are rich in limestone and clay. The vineyards near the top of the slope often have very thin topsoil of marl, around 30 cm. The mid-slope is largely formed from a stratum of crinoidal limestone from the Middle Jurassic period, whereas near the bottom of the slope, it can be around 60 cm of topsoil on marl. Renard noted the presence of fossiled marl from the Bajocian period, Marnes à Ostrea acuminata , at the Premier Cru climats of Clos Saint-Jacques, Lavaux and Poissenot. The soil's high mineral content or its accessibility to minerals for vine roots explains the finesse and structure of these wines.


The second zone largely consists of the alluvial fan that is formed by the Combe Lavaux. At places, the top soil lies above Comblanchien limestone several metres deep that offers good drainage properties.  This area accounts for over 50% of Gevrey's production.


The third zone begins from the southern side of the Combe Lavaux, following the hillside curve where the Grand Cru appellations are located, and finally stretching to the border with Morey-Saint-Denis.  Most of these vineyards face east, with some village appellation near the top of Combe facing north east.  The altitudes are from 260 metres to 300 metres for the Grand Cru climats stretching to 340 metres for the Bel Air climat.  A number of prestigious premier cru climats are located near the Grand Cru appellations, including Champonnet, Le Fonteny, Les Corbeaux, La Petite Chapelle and Aux Combottes. The presence of  Marnes à Ostrea acuminata is noted here, in particular in the climat of Chambertin.  

Jean-Pierre Renard, L'Ecole des Vins de Bourgogne, BIVB

Renard gave us an interesting illustration of the notion of terroir. Near the exit of Combe Lavaux, the vineyards on the southern side are less sheltered from the winds and face north east.  As a result, Combe de Lavaux and Les Marchais are only classified as village appellation lieux-dits, whereas the vineyards that are on the opposite side of the Combe face fully south and they are classified as Premier Cru climats, for example, Les Verroilles, Lavaux Saint-Jacques, Poissenot and Etournelles.

Grégory Patriat, winemaker of Maison Jean-Claude Boisset, added to the demonstration of the notion of terroirs by talking about his two favourite Premier Cru climats, Lavaux Saint-Jacques and Les Cazetiers. Both are located in the first zone described above, and separated by a few hundred metres. Lavaux is a south-facing climat and generally the vines are harvested earlier here than for Les Cazetiers. There is a higher limestone content and thus explains the greater finesse and elegance of the wines, perhaps a more feminine style with more fruit-forward aromas, such as dark berries and spices.  At Les Cazetiers, whose name refers to a little castle, there is more clay in the soil and the wine here is more restrained and structured,showing silky but firm tannins.  The style is much more masculine, with perhaps a greater ageing potential than Lavaux.  The wines of Gevrey can age very well. Patriat recalled opening a bottle of 1969 Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Bel Air a week ago for a client and the almost 50-year-old wine still showed vibrancy and no sign of deterioration. 

Gregory Patriat, Maison JC Boisset (source: www.jcboisset.com)

Of the 26 premier cru climats, Renard highlighted some renowned ones including Aux Combottes, Les Cherbaudes, Les Corbeaux, Clos Saint-Jacques, Champonnet, Les Cazetiers and Champeaux.  He also remarked that a number of winemakers had started to indicate on the labels the lieu-dit for some village level production.  Some noteworthy lieu-dit names include Les Corvées, Les Etelois, Les Jeunes Rois and En Songe. 

A village with so much prestige to its name has only the reputation of its wines to defend and sustain. The current generation is working hard at ensuring the quality of the soils.  Nicolas Rossignol of Domaine Rossignol-Trapet mentioned the increased use of ploughing to work the soils and control the vegetative growth around the vines, to give the soils better aeration and improved organic content of the topsoil. The village now has about 8 domaines certified organic or biodynamic, evidence that the growers are keen to preserve nature for the sustainability of this prestigious heritage.

Source: www.bourgogne-wines.com

This unique delivery of masterclass finished with a tasting of six wines, from one village lieu-dit and six premier cru climats of Gevrey.  In fact the lieu-dit is Clos Prieur, which is partly a village lieu-dit and partly a premier cru, below Mazis-Chambertin.  

The six wines were:

Gevrey-Chambertin Clos Prieur, 2016, Domaine Marc Roy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru les Cherbaudes, 2015, Domaine des Beaumont

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Clos du Chapitre, 2015, Nuiton-Beaunoy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Lavaux Saint-Jacques, 2016, Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Champeaux, 2016, Domaine Henri Magnien

Gevrey-Chambertin Premier Cru Les Cazetiers, 2016, Domaine Henri Magnien

Being faithful expressions of their climats and vintages, the six wines all varied in styles. Some showed more violet and darker fruit, others more red fruit and roses. Oak was overall very well-managed and was nicely integrated, even for the three younger Premier Cru wines from 2016.  All three wines showed an invigorating freshness and a classic vibrancy, while flaunting some lovely ripe fruit, a generous mid-palate and long finish.  It was indeed difficult for us to choose a favourite. However, the most votes did go to the Lavaux Saint Jacques by Domaine Harmand-Geoffroy, followed by the Les Cazetiers by Domaine Henri Magnien.  Les Champeaux by Domaine Henri Magnien and Les Cherbaudes by Domaine des Beaumont shared an equal third. 

Kudos to this new generation of winemakers in Gevrey for having made these high quality and expressive wines. Their work has enabled us to appreciate the nuances of the climats and the rich diversity of Gevrey-Chambertin. Gevrey was a village made by the prestige of Chambertin but its future is a living tale of application, sensibility and persistence of its men and women.

Thank you BIVB for allowing me to host this masterclass and to share this experience with our trade and media friends in Hong Kong. #BIVBRDV

Italian Diversity by Vinitaly International Academy

9 Nov 2018: To assign one hour for a seminar on the diversity of Italian grape varieties and wine styles was indeed a challenge for the speakers, Sarah Heller MW and Henry Davar, of the Vinitaly International Academy Faculty. With such tight schedule, the pair managed so gracefully to present to the curious audience six indigenous and lesser-known varieties amongst Italy's overwhelming number of indigenous varieties. Depending on who counted them, the number could be different. In the book "Wine Grapes" by J Robinson, J Harding and J Vouillamoz, the authors attributed 377 indigenous varieties to Italy out of a total of 1,368 from around the world (I guess if the authors were to include any more, this book would need to be presented in two volumes!) Anna Schneider, Italy's eminent ampelologist as quoted in "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by I D'Agata, counted over 2,000 grape cultivars.  Whatever the number, it's impressively vast! Most of us would be lucky to have tasted 50 of Italy's indigenous varieties!


The seminar highlighted the biodiversity of Italian viticulture, citing the unique organoleptic qualities of Italy's grape varieties and how they have adapted over thousands of years to the local terroir. Although they express regional identity extremely, they do not travel so well, hence there are very few successful examples of Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Aglianico (amongst others) grown in regions outside of the grapes' comfort zones in Italy, even less so in other wine regions around the world.


Apparently, the top 75% of Italian vineyards are grown with 80 varieties, whereas the top 90% of Italian wine production comes from just 30 varieties. In France, the top 90% of French wine is made from 15 varieties and in the US, only 9 varieties. Just think about that for one moment.


We tasted 3 white wines and 3 red wines at this seminar.

Verdicchio: La Staffa, Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi DOC Classico Superiore 2017According to our speakers, the indigenous grape variety from Le Marche, Verdicchio, is usually a cheerful wine to accompany seafood. However, this superior version by La Staffa is vinified in casks of acacia and cement, aged on fine lees for a few months. Bright freshness and complexity of flint, herbal (fennel), green apple, citrus, with some notes of yeast. Crisp finish that lingers, a beautiful expression of Verdicchio from this coastal region. Our readers reminded the participants that there is also another version of Verdicchio from inland where it enjoys bigger diurnal ranges, resulting in fleshier and riper fruit wines: Verdicchio di Matelica DOC.


Fiano: Ciro Picariello, Fiano di Avellino DOCGFiano is a thick-skinned variety from Campania. Its natural high acidity allows it to ripen well, given its late ripening tendency. This wine is made from grapes from two parcels, one parcel at Summonte (650 metres above sea level) and the other Montefredane (around 500 metres). Vinified in stainless steel, and aged on fine lees for about 10 months. Bottled with minimal sulphur, with no fining or filtration. This wine shows its typical character of almond, citrus and a delicate fruit character, almost star fruit-like. There is also an underlying mineral/flint character. Fiano has a great ageing ability - this wine can be cellared for a further 8 - 10 years, with very interesting evolution.


Timorasso: Vigneti Massa, Timorasso Derthona, 2016
Contrary to the last grape variety, Timorasso, a native of Piemonte, which was almost abandoned for 'dead', and was revived by Walter Massa, has much thinner skin. Therefore, skin contact is essential to help the skin release its aromatic compounds and a phenolic quality to the wine. To make this wine, the grapes typically undergo skin contact of 48-60 hours before fermentation. There is an unmistakable apricot, orange blossom and honey tone to the aromatic complexity.  With age, petrol-like character can develop, according to the speakers. The acidity is vibrant, that balances well the fleshy body.  It is a textural wine, but beautifully balanced. This wine is almost too young to enjoy properly at the moment.  Another 1 - 2 years will see it unfurling its potential to charm the palate.  Definitely a food wine!


Nerello Mascalesse + Nerello Cappuccio: Girolamo Russo, Etna Rosso 

Nerello Mascalese, the high-toned indigenous variety of Sicily has always been compared to Pinot Noir or Nebbiolo for its delicate red fruit and linear structure. It makes a perfect couple with its cousin Nerello Cappuccio in this almost "Burgundian-like" Sicilian red wine. This is typically a blend of 94% Nerello Mascalese and 6% Nerello Cappuccio, vineyards grown on ancient lava flows with varying age, mineral content and topsoil composition, giving the wine much complexity.  The wine is made with indigenous yeast, with no temperature control during fermentation.  No fining or filtration before bottling.  This wine exudes red fruit and rose-like aromatics (strawberry and raspberry) and a minerality underlines its core, soft tannins still showing some youthful astringency. This is an attractive wine and it is only the entry level for this former pianist turned winemaker!


Dolcetto: Cigliuti Dolcetto d'Alba 2016
The Cigliuti family has been living in this Piemontese region since the 18th Century.  Renato Cigliuti was the first member of the family to begin bottling his own wine in 1964.  Their vineyards are planted on the Serraboella hill, looking over Neive from the east. Their signature wine is Barbaresco but they also have the Dolcetto grapes planted in this Barbaresco region.  There is a nice taut astringency to this youthful expression of Dolcetto, but the tannins are beautifully managed.  Violet, plum, mulberry with cherry fruit completes the aromatics for this generous and charming wine, designed to be drunk early, within the next 12-18 months. A great lunch wine with good friends. 


Sagrantino: Arnaldo Caprai, Sagrantino di Montefalco Collepiano DOCG 2010
Sagrantino from Puglia is probably the most tannic red grape variety of Italy.  Arnaldo Caprai has invested a lot of time, energy and resources into the research of this indigenous variety to tame its tannins and to showcase its inner charm. This wine was aged in French oak barriques for around 22 months, with six more months in bottle before release.  This 2010 version has started to show some tertiary character, dusty and savoury notes, with ground coffee, mocha, dried flowers, some notes of vanilla "creme brulee" rounding off the finish.  This is a broad-shouldered wine, that has had its tannin structure tamed by age, now showing a firm but elegant presentation, with soft acidity just gliding off the palate.

This seminar was like taking a peep inside Italy's vinous treasure trove, but it was a very well-structured and educational introduction to Italy's diversity.  I believe it has left us all wanting to learn more about Italy's rich wine heritage. Our speakers on behalf of VIA extended a warm welcome to the audience to join its growing family of Italian wine ambassadors and experts!

The Majesty of Soldera: A Tasting of Five Vintages

10 Nov 2018: Widely acknowledged as a cult wine, Soldera (the wine) rarely features at wine tasting dinners. A conscious and defiant decision in 2012 to become an outcast of the Consorzio del Vino Brunello di Montalcino by bottling his 2006 vintage wines as Toscana IGT has no doubt elevated the cult status of the wine and the celebrity image of its owner, Gianfranco Soldera, whose genius and temperament divides opinion.

But Gianfranco was already an outsider before he even started. A native of Veneto and a former insurance broker working in Milan, he was determined to make the highest quality wine in this prestigious region. He purchased the 23-hectare estate of Case Basse located in Tavernelle, southwest of Montalcino, Tuscany, in July 1972. Located at an altitude of 320 metres, the Soldera property is adjacent to Gaja’s estate Pieve Santa Restituta which was purchased by Angelo Gaja in 1994. The area has long been recognised as an ideal region for Sangiovese. Kerin O’Keefe particularly noted the advantageous microclimate of this region in her book, "Brunello di Montalcino: Understanding and Appreciating One of Italy's Great Wines". She wrote “Averaging between 300 and 350m above sea level, fresh nocturnal breezes cool down hot daytime temperatures during the growing season, generating aromas and complexity. The vineyards are also elevated far enough above damaging spring and autumn frost and fog, but when compared to higher areas are just low enough to enjoy warmer temperatures that guarantee more consistent ripening. In fact, most producers in this area feel they have the best of everything: perfect altitude combined with complex and predominantly rocky, well-draining soils as well as warmer temperatures.”


Vines were planted between 1972 and 1973 at Case Basse and the slightly lower altitude Intistieti. The soils are low in fertility, well-draining, allowing the roots to access depths of around 10 metres. Only around 10 hectares are planted with vines to ensure that all the vines receive the best possible natural vinegrowing and winemaking from vineyard to cellar. After fermentation with native yeasts, the wine is aged in large (50-85hl) Slavonian oak casks for an extended period (typically between 48 and 70 months, much longer than the 2 years oak-ageing requirement by the Consorzio) in the underground cellar built of natural materials 14 metres below ground maintaining consistent temperature of 13°C and humidity of 85%. The wine receives minimum intervention with racking being the only intervention. No pressing, fining or filtration, and only minimal sulphites are added. Gianfranco and Graziella Soldera believe in respect for the soil and the biodiversity and sustainability of the environment to nurture healthy vines. At Case Basse the vineyards are planted in a complex ecosystem, made up of a wide variety of other plants, animals and insects. The botanical garden created by Graziella is widely acclaimed to be of extraordinary beauty.


The first vintage of the Soldera Brunello was 1977, commercialised in 1982. Soldera also produced a Brunello di Montalcino Riserva in the best vintages, until 2006. In 2008, a group of prominent producers were accused of blending other grape varieties to make Brunello, which by law should be a 100% Sangiovese wine. This became known as the Brunellogate. As a defiant gesture to protest against the Consorzio, Soldera decided to bottle his wines as Toscana IGT Soldera 100% Sangiovese dall’Azienda Agricola Case Basse® from the 2006 vintage (commercialised in 2012), as a message that the winery’s name was sufficient guarantee of quality.


Approximately 600 hectolitres or the equivalent of 85,000 bottles of wine from the vintages between 2007 and 2012 ended up on the floors of Soldera’s cantina in December 2012 as a result of an act of vandalism committed by a disgruntled employee who opened the valves of 10 casks of wine and drained these casks. The 2010 vintage suffered the most. Only 450 litres were left of the 2010 vintage. As a result, Gianfranco decided to only bottle the 2010 vintage in large formats (3,5, 6, 9, 12 and 15 litres) to be sold at specifically held auctions in aid of sick and poor children. Prices for Soldera wines (particularly for these vintages) skyrocketed as a result. (To illustrate, according to wine-searcher.com, a bottle of 2013 Soldera would cost around US$435, cf Gaja Pieve Santa Restituta 'Sugarille' at around US$ 135 a bottle or 2013 Castello Banfi Poggio alle Mura Brunello di Montalcino DOCG at around US$55 a bottle.  But price for wine is such a subjective measure!  These prices are for illustration only.)


Our very special wine dinner featured Soldera wines from the vintages 2006 to 2012, with the noticeable absence of the 2010 vintage, for the reason explained above. And to make it more special, we paired with Chinese dishes!

We started with a magnificent magnum of 1996 Pol Roger Extra Cuvée de Réserve. A beautifully aged champagne, with layers upon layers of umami and sweet spicy nuances, revealing notes of field mushroom, toast, honey, nougat, pear compote, marzipan and hint of candied ginger. The creamy mousse caresses the palate and leaves with a persistent finish. Glorious champagne, gracefully mature and deftly balanced. At a most harmonious place now! 19/20

 

The next wine was 2011 Meursault Clos des Bouchères, Roulot. I paired this wine with a curry-flavoured crab meat baked in its shell. This bottle showed much more ripe/bruised fruit than the bottle of village Meursault of the same vintage by Roulot that we opened earlier in the week. There is a moderated freshness despite the rounded texture of the wine, showing notes of hazelnut, cardamom, curry and honey. Overall, it lacks energy and seems much more evolved. But the coincidentally perfect pairing with the curry-flavoured crab meat was serendipity! Based on this bottle, drink now! 16.5/20

2006 Soldera: The earlier reductive note slowly dissipated with aeration in the glass. This is a wine of immense proportions that have now settled into a beautiful harmonious vinous state, showing velvety texture of well-honed freshness and supple tannins. Complementing the fruity notes of kirsch, dark plums and damask rose, are savoury and spicy notes of bacon, tar, cigar tobacco and liquorice. It is sensual and seductive, intense and persistent. Drink now and over next 10-15+years. 18.5/20


2007 Soldera: Here we find more herbal (tea leaves and mint) and dusty notes amidst the vibrant fruity notes of cherry, pomegranate and cranberry. The tannins were more delicate here but well-integrated into a silky texture. This made a strident contrast with the 2006. There was a ballerina elegance, aromatic purity and subtlety that transcended the appreciation of the wine. Drink now and over next 8-10+ years. 18/20


2008 Soldera: This demonstrates a return to the 2006 style. At this stage, it shows a hefty structure with a concentration of supple tannins, ripe and intense fruit flavours of dark cherries and plums, overlaid with savoury and wild herb notes. A distinct minerality fills the core of the wine, throughout the palate, that belies its bold and opulent first impression. This is a wine for the very long haul. Drink now and over next 15-20+ years. 19/20


2009 Soldera: Despite the warm vintage, there is a vibrancy and fruit purity that seems at odds with the vintage characteristics. The redcurrant and cherry fruit is ripe and succulent, but not overripe. Herbal and savoury notes adorn the layers, adding tea leaves, heather, violet and an exotic mocha nuance to the wine. This wine has an energy, purity, precision and finesse that makes it so enigmatic. Drink now and over next 10-15+ years. 18.5/20


2011 Soldera: A plethora of aromas and flavours leap out of this beauty. Red plums, kirsch, black cherries, blackberry, damask rose, tea leaves, wild herbs, sweet earth and liquorice are the immediate characters as the wine continues to evolve in the glass. Everything is in perfect proportion here giving a very harmonious picture of beauty and gratification. Underlying it all is a masterly crafted precision and balance that is so well managed in this warm vintage. This wine kisses the palate and leaves with a persistent aftertaste. Not quite in the same style as the 2006 and 2008 but I find a much more harmonious equilibrium here without losing the Soldera qualities. Drink now and over next 15-20+ years. 19/20


2012 Soldera: very sadly this met the fate of cork taint!


I thought it would be hard to ask everyone to come up with his/her top wine, but trying to come up with two top wines seemed equally challenging! In the end, 2006 and 2011 received the most votes, with 2008 closely following.  Were they Burgundian in style?  I would say they have their own unique elegance, finesse and harmony.  They are creations of passion and respect, crafted in this particular piece of Tuscany with its distinct terroir and ecosystem. 


Not having tasted these wines before, it was difficult to try and pair dishes exactly with each vintage.  So I put together a menu with a selection of dishes that could possibly work with most of the wines. The pan-fried Angus beef with garlic was a China Club signature dish that went particularly well with the 2006 and 2008 Soldera.  I thought there was a nice complement between the pork and lotus root patties and the 2007 Soldera. The chicken baked in rock salt was simply too succulent and delicious to complicate it with any wine!!!  The stir-fried string beans with minced pork and fermented beans did a nice job with the 2009 vintage, but equally it could have worked with the pork patties.  The stir-fried flat noodles with beef in satay sauce was an inspired choice to finish with - for me, it worked rather well with the 2011 vintage too!


Memory of this dinner and the superlative wines will stay with us for a long time!  And I have to thank The China Club for a fabulous job with the food and wine service! 

Building the case for Chablis Premier Cru

8 November 2018:
Chablis Premier Cru Seminar
Chablis Climats & Vintage Variations: Why They Matter?


Around 50 local and international trade representatives attended this edition of the Chablis Premier Cru seminar presented at the HK Wine & Spirits Fair 2018 by Chablis Wines (www.chablis-wines.com). The focus of this seminar was to highlight the diversity of Chablis Premier Cru wine styles across climats and vintages. Formally recognised on 4th July 2015, the climats of Bourgogne are specific terroirs, each possessing a unique identity based on the altitude, orientation, degree of shelter, soil type and structure, and expressed by a grape variety.

 

Chablis is not just Chardonnay. Chablis is a matrix of diverse styles. We start from the three appellation levels (from Petit Chablis to Chablis & Chablis Premier Cru and finally Chablis Grand Cru), understanding that the specifications for AOC Chablis Premier Cru are covered within the AOC specifications for Chablis. Then we qualify their identities with 47 individual expressions at the Premier Cru and Grand Cru level, including 40 Premier Cru climats and seven climats for Chablis Grand Cru. We then add to this complex matrix individual house styles and vinification preferences by over 300 estates in the region. Finally we take into consideration vintage variations and harvest dates for different producers. There is a Chablis wine for each occasion, and there is a style for individual preference, whether for the consumer or the trade professional. Each side of the Serein Valley is made up of a number of side valleys, each bringing to the picture their own orientations, altitudes and soil types.

 

The aim of the seminar was to emphasise this very point, as the audience was guided through a tasting from Beauroy to Vaillons to Montmains on the left bank, then from Fourchaume, to Montée de Tonnerre to Vaucoupin on the right bank. Vintage variations were explored through the tasting of wines from the vintages of 2014, 2015 and 2016. 2014 and 2016 both had difficult growing seasons, but 2014 vintage was saved by September, after a gloomy and damp summer, producing wines of precision and crispness. The beautiful summer of 2016 turned the vintage into a success in 2016. 2015 however was one of the earliest vintages, with wines of perfect maturity. Except for hail-affected areas in Les Clos, Blanchot and Montée de Tonnerre, 2015 produced accessible wines with good maturity and balance.

 

Although there are 40 climats at the Premier Cru level, 17 climats are considered the main ones, with a number of them being flag-bearer climats. For example, Fourchaume is the flag-bearer climat for the sub-climats of L’Homme Mort, Vaupulent, Côte de Fontenay and Vaulorent. Eight of the 40 climats are considered to be the most famous: Fourchaume, Montée de Tonnerre, Mont de Milieu and Vaucoupin from the right bank, and Beauroy, Côte de Lechet, Vaillons and Montmains from the left bank. At this seminar, we would be tasting a wine from six of these eight climats. In terms of production level, eleven climats produce about 80% of the total Premier Cru production.


The wines were divided into three flights. The audience was asked to choose their favourite wines for each flight and finally, they were asked to suggest a dish to pair with their favourite wine out of the seven wines.

 

Despite the terroir diversity, all the wines clearly showed the hallmark of Chablis: freshness, purity, elegance and the unique marine minerality. This marine minerality is closely associated with the region’s geological make-up that dated 150 million years in the Upper Jurassic period, where rock movements resulted in a ‘millefeuille’ of soil formations alternating between Kimmeridgian marl and limestone, embedded with a myriad of Exogyra virgula (oyster fossils).

 

The tasting:
Flight 1: This flight compared two wines from the same vintage, produced by different producers, hence different vinification techniques. They were also from different banks and different orientiations, one facing east on the left bank, the other south west on the right bank.

Wine 1: Chablis 1er Cru Les Lys, 2016, Domaine William Fèvre 
Les Lys is a climat under the flag-bearer Vaillons on the left bank. 40-50% of this wine was vinified in French oak barrels, with average age of 6 years, and the rest in stainless steel vats. The portion in French oak barrels was aged 5-6 months on fine lees. A total of 13-14 months of ageing, with the last few months of the ageing in stainless steel vats.

Food Pairing Suggestion: Seabass or yellow tail ceviche with lime and coriander dressing


Wine 2: Chablis 1er Cru Fourchaume, 2016, Maison Simonnet-Febvre 
Fourchaume is on the right bank, with a south west exposure, hence a sunny terroir. This climat produces wines that are floral and accessible when young. They have a rounded texture and tend to be very charming. This is one of the smoothest climats.

The vinification of this wine saw no oak but long ageing on fine lees was preferred, with the wine spending 10-12 months on fine lees in stainless steel vats. The location of this climat makes it easily accessible.

Food Pairing Suggestion: I would recommend a Cantonese styled steamed garoupa.


Flight 2: Two vintages from the same climat of Montée de Tonnerre and same producer were tasted. Montée de Tonnerre is a west-facing climat on the right bank, well-protected from the east winds. The strong presence of marine minerality is explained by the concentration of Exogyra virgula and blue clay. Refined and elegant, the wines also have a powerful element, vibrancy and aromatic persistence. A prestigious Premier Cru climat with probably the greatest ageing potential.

The vinification method again differed from the previous two wines. Here the alcoholic and malolactic fermentations both took place in new barrels, with the wine then aged in stainless steel vats.


Wine 3: Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, 2016, Charlène et Laurent Pinson Food Pairing Suggestion: Grilled lobster with butter sauce (the participant particularly referred to superior harmony, elegant structure and understated power of this wine that could only be paired with the delicate but fleshy texture of lobster with the richness of the butter sauce)



Wine 4 : Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre, 2015, Charlène et Laurent Pinson
Food Pairing Suggestion: Roasted chicken with black truffle (again the participant who suggested this dish visualised a perfect pairing, invoking the earthy notes of the truffle, married with the richness of the roasted chicken, that would pair so well with this deftly balanced while beguilingly accessible 2015 wine, with the freshness so well disguised by the opulent texture and well-portioned structure)

 

Flight 3: The last flight compared three wines from the same vintage but from different producers and different climats. All three wines were vinified in stainless steel vats, with no oak influence at all. 2014 was a tough vintage and one that could be called a vigneron vintage. It was a vintage that allowed terroirs to express themselves.


Wine 5: Chablis 1er Cru Beauroy, 2014, Domaine Sylvain Mosnier 
Beauroy is the northern most climat on the left bank, very exposed to the dry winds from the east. The slopes are very steep. Generous wines are produced here, but the smooth texture gives the impression of lower acidity and earlier approachability. The wines show more fruity character than floral.

Food Pairing Suggestion: Chiu Chow style cold crabs with be perfect with this wine. The crabmeat has a natural sweetness and the wine’s rounded texture and moderate acidity would pair extremely well. I would also add steamed har gau (Cantonese prawn dumplings)!


Wine 6 : Chablis 1er Cru Butteaux, 2014, Domaine Servin 
Butteaux is a climat under the flag bearer climat of left-bank Montmains. Butteaux is at the highest point of this side valley and has good exposure to the sun, but is also a cooler microclimate. The wines show strong minerality and generosity, but restrained by a tension that is uniquely Butteaux.

Food Pairing Suggestion: A participant said this wine took him back to an earlier Chablis and oysters experience. Nothing would pair better with this wine than the best oysters from Marennes-Oléron!


Wine 7: Chablis 1er Cru Vaucoupin, 2014, Château de Chemilly
This is naturally a warm terroir on the right bank, with exposures due south and west. However, this is also extremely exposed to wind. Here the wines are powerful and persistent, with a good volume, vibrant acidity and minerality. Citrus, white flowers and dried herbs are characters of the younger wines. A powerful wine that will evolve over time.

Food Pairing Suggestion: I loved this one. A participant suggested grilled mackerel (with horseradish). The fattiness of the fish would work very well with the acidity of the wine and yet the minerality of the fish would go so well with this broad-shouldered wine.

 

One hour was not enough time to realistically explain properly the diversity of Chablis premier cru climats and vintage variations. As the Bourgogne Wine Official Ambassador, I could only remind the participants that there was not just Chablis Premier Cru, that there were 40 climats across both left and right banks, and that vintages mattered, sometimes much more than others!

Please keep exploring to find your favourite style!

Talking Cheese with Ivy Ng: Laurent Mons

Mons Fromager-Affineur (www.mons-fromages.com) is an international cheese business comprising cheese wholesale and retail, affinage (cheese ripening), cheesemaking and production of yoghurts and other dairy products, and training and education. Headquartered in Saint Haon-le-Châtel in the tranquil country of the Côte Roannaise, Mons now employs around 80 staff (almost 50% in affinage and the rest in the shops) and boasts a network of nine shops in France, with franchised businesses in Belgium, Switzerland and the UK. Mons works with partners around the world to export to more than 20 countries. In France, they also supply to top restaurants including Troisgros, Pic and Têtedoie.

 Hubert Mons had a vision to start a cheesemongering business in the 1960s. In 1964, he started selling cheese out of a mobile truck that would travel around the markets of the Roannaise region. There was no real ‘affinage’ in those days, except a separate cold storage area to store cheeses. In the 1970s, the business gradually took shape and became a well-recognised business at the main square of Roanne. The Mons family comes from the Auvergne and these roots run deep. One of the Mons affinage facilities is in the Auverge and almost 100% dedicated to Saint Nectaire.

Inside the mobile cheese truck in the 1960s

The original cave at Saint-Haon-le-Chatel in the 1960s

In 1983, his elder son Hervé joined his father in the business, after having gained work experience across the country with cheese retailers as well as with cheese producers, and decided to take up a permanent stall at the Halles Diderot in Roanne. This was soon followed by other shops in Renaison and Montbrison. It was around the same time when the affinage cellars at Saint-Haon-le-Châtel were created. Laurent joined his brother to help develop the retail side, leaving Hervé to focus on sourcing the best quality and authentic cheeses for their discerning clients, while supporting traditional farmstead practices. Mons now offers around 250 cheeses year round, depending on the season and availability. Hervé went on to gain the prestigious title of Meilleur Ouvrier de France (MOF) in 2000.



  

Apart from the retail business, Laurent was also tasked with the formalisation of staff and client training. Thus was born Mons Formation (formerly Opus Caseus) in 2001. Initially the training was conducted in French. When Laurent wanted to reach out to their clients and other cheese professionals in other countries, he was introduced to Susan Sturman (by his brother actually)! The duo created the Anglophone Academie MonS in 2012. The English-language based training academy has grown to a network of training associates in the US, Brazil, Japan, Russia and Italy. Today, Academie MonS (www.academie-mons.com) provides training in different aspects of the cheese business, including retail, retail management, ripening (affinage), cheesemaking as well as city tours to world cities with a strong cheese culture.

Laurent Mons and Susan Sturman

During the training weeks, students have the opportunity to gain hands-on experience by working alongside Mons staff, and to put into practise their classroom knowledge. My impression from brief encounters with Mons staff during my two weeks of training in cheese retail and affinage is that there is a strong and cohesive team spirit that keeps alive the Mons philosophy and practices with exigence the Mons methodology. To be a part of this ‘family’, you need to firmly believe in their philosophy and follow it rigorously. It is impossible to do a job half-well-done at Mons and not be spotted. In their pursuit of excellence, Mons people are demanding on themselves and their co-workers. But the ones who stay are those who are proud of their ability to deliver the country’s finest products to clients in France and around the world, conforming to the strictest safety and hygiene standards, while preserving the taste profiles of the cheeses in the best possible conditions.

Their adherence to strict safety and hygiene standards applies to all aspects. I noticed how the instructions on how to wash hands and keep the toilets clean were the most detailed and thoughtful I had ever seen, and with pictures to demonstrate!

Mons people believe in constantly striving to improve. Driving this desire or obsession is a strong conviction in the ability of teamwork, a strong innovative spirit, and the ability to question status quo. From the days of just cheese retailing to cheese affinage and now cheesemaking, the company has gone through a number of transformations that have required substantial investment in time and resources, backed by visionary foresight and firm conviction. An example being the investment in the immense project of rebuilding the affinage facilities at Saint-Haon-le-Châtel into a state-of-the-art complex of affinage facilities, using their own unique concept and design (patent pending), a project that took two years to complete (2015-2016). The design process took into consideration the optimisation of human and material flow, future capacity requirements, aerodynamics and humidity controls, and safety and hygiene requirements.

There is a very human side too - Mons people have their unique sense of humour. An example is the cheese 1924. To put this into context, Roquefort was granted its AOC in 1925. Hervé and his team created their own version of blue cheese 1924 from a mix of sheep and cow milk, perhaps a defiant sign to show that their creation was even more original. [Author’s note: We tasted this during the sensory analysis on the course. It is a very harmonious blue cheese, with the salt deftly balancing the acidity, evenly spread blue veins and a creamy texture that allows the cheese to melt in the mouth. The faint buttery and nutty flavour complements the blue mineral flavour so well, adding much complexity. Finish is long and very fine.]

As the week of training drew to an end, I gingerly approached Laurent if he would be happy to be interviewed by me, not quite sure what his response would be…. He said yes! So let’s find out: Who is Laurent Mons?

Laurent Mons

IN: Was it your childhood dream to work in the cheese industry? What is your dream career? When did you decide to join the family business?

LM: In fact, I wanted to be a journalist or actor (more like a comedian as I do not have the look of Leonardo di Caprio!!) or teacher… [Author’s note: For those of you who have not met Laurent, he has successfully combined his comic acting skills with his teaching capability at Academie MonS. He often had us in stitches!]


IN : What is the Mons philosophy? LM: To be honest, straightforward and direct. We try to do the best possible, even with the least important tasks. To share and to instill a team spirit.

To hold true to the human values you inherit from the family and to transport them to the professional domaine. Never to shine just for the sake of shining. Help your business partners succeed and cherish their success stories!

To have all the knowhow!!!


IN: Which of the two is more important for you: The Auvergne or Mons?
LM: The two are related. Our roots are in the Auvergne and the Mons family are the branches.


IN : What is your vision/ambition for Academie Mons?
LM: A multi-cultural team where each person enriches the other. [We value] people who are humble and loyal. [We foster] a community that is serious and humane at the same time.

I envisage it as more than just a social network, rather like a network of neurons.

The multi-cultural training team at Academie MonS

IN: How do you keep yourself being challenged in the business/in life?
LM: Thanks to all of you who join us at Mons Formation. Thanks to all the people who believe in what we do. This consistently provides us with challenges.

I see it as a personal challenge to demonstrate that training is not worth less than operations, and that our ideas promote trade.

It is a challenge in the family where you are being stuck with being the Number 2 and you know you will be nobody if you do not create anything.


IN: Who is your hero? Who has inspired you most? Why?
LM: On the professional front, definitely my brother. In terms of human relations, definitely my father.

Hubert Mons and his two sons

IN: You are the second generation in the business. Is the third generation in place? What have you done to prepare the third generation?

LM: We are preparing the third generation, but it is a bit like a “prototype”, we keep it a secret at this stage. It is in the incubator!

Herve and Laurent inside Le Tunnel de la Collonge

IN : Is cheese a part of culture or lifestyle?
LM: Yes, it is an essential part. More globally, it is a part of the world of food, cooking and history.


IN: What is your favourite cheese/wine/beverage pairing?
LM: A farmstead Saint Nectaire paired with a Bandol red. [Author’s note: I must try this!]

Farmstead Saint Nectaire

IN: If you were a cheese, which one would it be? And why?
LM: It would be a Salers Tradition. [Author’s note: a farmstead cheese from the Auvergne, that is different from a cheese simply called Salers. Both are AOP cheeses, but to qualify to be Salers Tradition, the milk has to come from Salers cows.]

AOP Salers Tradition (source: www.aop-salers.com)

A cheese with an authentic history and an incredible identity association, a timeless cheese with an extraordinary taste. Best paired with a Meursault premier cru! [Author’s note : Another must try!]

Herve with Salers cows

1997 Barolos

19 October 2018: To prepare for our upcoming trip to Piemonte, we decided to serve a few Barolos to get into the spirit of Piemonte!

1997 Barolo Brunate, Roberto VoerzioThis La Morra-based Barolo delivered a true to form elegance and delicate structure. The bouquet was black plum, blackberries, dried rose petals with some mature balsamic notes. The silky tannins were well-integrated and the wine delivered a sense of harmony and serenity. It's in a beautiful place to be enjoyed now. Drink now and over 3-4 years. 17/20

1997 Barolo Cannubi Boschis, Luciano SandroneHere there was much more riper and sweeter fruit. The core of the bouquet was baked plum, redcurrant, with a noticeable note of tar and mocha. This was a more flamboyant expression than the Voerzio Brunate,with more flesh, more textural fabric and more concentration, but somewhat lacking in finesse. This wine appealed to palates seeking a hedonistic experience. Drink now and over 4-5 years. 17/20

1997 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, Paolo ScavinoThis wine showed an immense depth and a stylish mineral core which was very different from the other two Barolo expressions. There was a core of vibrancy complementing the elegant red fruit and spice notes. A very stylish wine that is drinking very beautifully now. Drink now and over 3-4 years. 17.5/20


Our fourth bottle to join the ranks was:

1998 Barolo Bric del Fiasc, Paolo ScavinoThis revealed a wine with intense ripe black fruit and velvety tannin structure. Notes of tar and liquorice abound. There was a firm structure from this Castiglione Falletto cru. While it was fleshy and opulent, and very enjoyable, it did not deliver the same class as the 1997 Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva. Drink now and over 4-5 years. 16.5/20

And staying true to the region, we began with a delicious bottle of 2014 Timorasso, Derthona, Vigneti Massa.  

Marco Simonit shares his passion of preserving vine DNA

18 Oct 2018: An unusual discussion was about to take place at the stylishly designed tasting room of Fine+Rare Wines's well-appointed Hong Kong office located on a high floor of a commercial building with spectacular hillside views of the densely populated Mid-Levels residential area and the rooftops of the re-energised Lan Kwai Fong restaurant and bar area.

The barrel and cork inspired wine display corridor at Fine+Rare's brand new office in Hong Kong

The speaker was Marco Simonit of world-renowned peripatetic grape vine pruners Simonit & Sirch who count such prestigious properties as Château Latour, Domaine Leroy, Château d'Yquem, Château Ausone, Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Roederer, Bellavista and Silver Oak amongst their clients.  Marco recounted how a phone call to Angelo Gaja brought in his first pruning and consulting contract and set the course of development for the company.  Since its inception in Friuli, Italy in 2003, Simonit & Sirch has now established itself as a world leading consulting company in the techniques of vine pruning and training (www.simonitesirch.com) .  The team of 20 technicians is committed to training a new generation of vinegrowers, using a modern pruning technique. 

Marco Simonit has written two bookings on pruning techniques: this shows the second book on cordon trained vines

His first book on Guyot trained vines

On the occasion of Marco's brief visit to Hong Kong, Fine+Rare invited a group of sommeliers, media and other wine experts to attend a chat with Marco to learn about their important work in global vineyards to help clients who care about the longevity of their vineyards to save old and disease-infected vines. Marco asserted that being organic or biodynamic was not enough to preserve the vines' DNA. Poor vine health affects production yield, quality of wines and eventually the style of wine - the heritage of every domaine, chateau, estate.


Vines are pruned year after year so that they will continue to produce the desired yield and quality of fruit the following year. However, aggressive or carelessly administered pruning inflicts potentially mortal wounds to vines, allowing fungus and other diseases to infect the weakened vines. The most talked about grapevine trunk disease is esca, but there are others too such as eutypa dieback and black dead arm.  Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc have long been known to show much more susceptibility to these diseases than other grape varieties, but this is about to change too with Pinot Noir and Chardonnay also displaying susceptibility. Marco showed us pictures of infected vines when dissected and how the pruning wounds and fungus infection could affect sap flow.  Marco thus explained that the infected vines would not be able to interact with the terroir.  The infection rate can be as much as an alarming rate of 10% of vines in some vineyards every year.

Marco's passion was felt by everyone in the room!

Simonit & Sirch's mission is to educate vineyard workers on how to prune to prolong the longevity of vines, and to develop a new school of thinking in pruning techniques. They now have a network of 12 pruning schools in Italy, and they have formed an international research and information sharing alliance, working with universities in Bordeaux, California (UC Davis), Stellenbosch and Melbourne. To save disease-ridden vines, they practise meticulous surgical operations using vertical chainsawing motions so as not to disrupt the sap flow. They will do everything possible so as to prolong the lives of vines, without having to pull them out. During the past six years, his company has operated on 11,000 vines using this surgical method. If cures are indeed not possible, they would consider grafting techniques, by grafting preserved young shoots extracted from healthy old vines onto rootstocks.


Marco knew he was not addressing a group of wine producers amongst this group of Hong Kong audience but he talked to us with so much enthusiasm and passion that it was not difficult to imagine the tremendous impact he and his team were having on vineyards around the world.  I had heard him speak before, about 3 years ago, but I felt that this time, he delivered his speech with even more passion and spoke with much more conviction and vigour than the last time, sharing with us his enriched experience. This is amazing work that is keeping old vines alive, preserving the vines' DNA and producers' heritage.  We must all spread the word about the importance of preserving old vines!

You can watch Marco talk about his work here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhV7Fc01u_A - Ted X


Fine+Rare Wines were extremely hospitable and had prepared Philipponnat Clos des Goisses and Château Latour, as well as a generous spread of charcuterie and cheese for this tea-time chat. Before the talk started, Amy Yim, their Client Experience Manager, proudly showed us the brand new tasting room called HOME.  The centrepiece was a barrel-inspired corridor, fitted with wine-bottle display cabinets and cork tree bark decorating the ceiling.  All bottles were labelled with price tags.  One side of the cabinets showed an eclectic collection from international wineries, whereas the other side featured more classic showstoppers including bottles of DRC, Domaine Leroy and other top Burgundian producers. The bottle of 2015 Leroy Musigny particularly stood out for its lack of a price tag!

Amy Yim, Client Experience Manager at Fine+Rare Wines, Hong Kong

We only scratched the surface of Marco's work but this was truly one of the more interesting wine-related talks I have been to in Hong Kong.  Thank you Amy for inviting me!

Talking Cheese with Ivy Ng: Who is Susan Sturman?

I recently completed a week of training in affinage at Academie MonS, the English language affiliate of Mons Formation, the professional development center at Mons Fromager-Affineur based in the medieval village of Saint Haon-Le-Châtel, in the country of Côte Roannaise in the Loire Valley, France.

[Please see bottom of page for more on Academie MonS.]

It was a week of intense classroom learning supported by hands-on practical experience and sensory analysis training. We were a cohort of 5 students plus an instructor-to-be as an observer, all from different backgrounds and nationalities, including Ukraine, UK, USA, Spain, France/Mexico and Hong Kong/China. Our diversity made the learning even more interesting and enriching. The Academie's US-born Anglophone Director Sue Sturman was our chauffeur, instructor and minder from the induction lunch on Sunday at the Mons shop in Les Halles de Lyon-Paul Bocuse until Friday, when she put us on the train to Lyon at the end of the 5-day course.

Since 2012, the Academie's duo, Laurent (Mons) and Sue have created a training programme that is incredibly educational, relevant and interactive. Not only did they share with us their wealth of knowledge gained through years of experience, they also knew how to spice it up with a bit of humour too, making the week thoroughly enjoyable and memorable.

Our 3 instructions, from left to right: Sue Sturman, Laurent Mons and Eric Meredith

What did I learn? A lot but the most important lesson is that there is no shortcut to affinage. To do affinage well, it requires patience, knowledge (the art and science of it) and above all, investment. It is no longer sufficient to be just the craft transmitted from father to son - it has been refined into a professionally acquired skill through better understanding of the science behind the microbiology and the technical engineering of the environment. Above all, this skill is honed through years of experience - you may call it a long apprenticeship!

During my week of training, I spent a few moments with Sue to find out: "Who is Susan Sturman?"

Sue Sturman in a Mons technical coat

Sue Sturman's Brief Biography:
Academie Anglophone Director Sue Sturman has over 25 years in cheese education. At the ACS, as Committee Chair she led the creation of the American Cheese Society’s Certified Cheese Professional™ Exam program, and has been a frequent presenter at ACS conferences. Sue started teaching cheese in 1993, as Assistant Director of the Ecole Ritz-Escoffier cooking school at the Paris Ritz Hotel. She continued in New York as an instructor at New York retailers including Murray’s Cheese, and for private and corporate clients. In 2011 Sue was inducted into the Guilde Internationale de Fromage. She serves on the Board of the American Cheese Society and is on the the Advisory Board of the Massachusetts Cheese Guild. She has served as cheese judge in France, Spain, the UK, and the USA.

IN: Is cheese a passion or a career?
SS: I think cheese is a vehicle for my passion, which is to serve and to promote and to help advance the passion and careers of others. In the community of cheese professionals I have found many that I admire, who have fire in their belly, who dream big and have the capacity to commit. And there is such warmth, such conviviality, such a spirit of sharing. I wouldn't want to be anyplace else.



IN: Reflecting on the success of Anglophone Academie MonS, what is your secret to this successful 'marriage' of two cultures - French and American? SS: Humility, persistence, a love and respect for the French, an ability to adapt. The differences between American and French work culture are not obvious on the surface, but they are real. Having lived and worked in France earlier in my career, I was ready to do so again. The French are very rigorous, and the best of the French (like the maison MonS) are the most rigorous. That is why their gastronomic culture is so great. It's also a tough environment to work in....we Americans need more ego-stroking than is the norm in French culture! So it takes a bit of a thick hide.

The success of the Academie is based, I think, on quality. The company has done such great work, it is such a leader in affinage, an innovator in cheese export, merchandising, and retailing, and also in education. We teach methodologies that have been proven through 2 generations, in the context of a spirit, an approach, a culture that is really inspiring.

We bring together in our very small classes people from the four corners of the world: as I write this we've just said farewell to a group of six people from Ukraine, England, Spain, Hong Kong, USA, and Mexico.

Also our teaching method is special: all of our courses rest on a pedagogical tripod of classroom work, sensory analysis practice, and hands-on work alongside the MonS professionals. It's unique.

Me practising the 'washing' of Soumaintrain

Eric doing some classroom teaching

Laurent explaining to the group how the organoleptic profile of each cheese changed during different stages of affinage

IN: Has the role played by France changed during your career in the cheese industry? Vis-a-vis other countries?
SS: France was the place my career in cheese started, when I started teaching the cheese class at the Ecole Ritz-Escoffier in Paris. French cheese styles have been my reference point from the beginning. When I moved back to the US in 1998, I discovered the newly emerging world of American artisanal cheese, and my mind was blown. So while French cheeses were my reference point, American cheeses became more of my focus. I also started giving cheese classes including Spanish cheeses and Italian cheeses, and expanded my repertoire. From 2012, my focus started shifting back to France as I was involved in writing about French cheese luminaries and starting to work with Laurent Mons to develop the Academie MonS.

Developing sensory analysis skills

Now my role is one of bridging the Atlantic to a certain extent: I've given several presentations and written articles for French cheese professionals on American cheeses, and have brought Americans (and other English-speakers) to France to study cheese in a French context. I now translate the French publication Profession Fromager from French into English for an international online edition. As far as other countries are concerned, I have been incredibly fortunate to learn about what is happening in cheese in countries as far afield as Romania, Mexico, South Africa, Australia, Sweden, the UK, Spain, Mongolia, Kenya...the list goes on and on...from our students who come to the Academie to study. I have been fortunate to serve as judge in Paris at the Concours Générale Agricole, and at the World Cheese Awards in London, San Sebastian, and (in November) Bergen, and for the past three years I've been the only American judge at the Spanish GourmetQuesos competition. I have programs organized for 2019 to bring groups to Madrid, London, Paris, and Vermont, San Francisco, and New York.



IN: Describe the achievement you're most proud of so far, personally and professionally?
SS: Two, actually: The Certified Cheese Professional exam program at the American Cheese Society, which is truly a legacy project, and the development of the Academie MonS, opening opportunities to English-speakers from around the world to learn from some of the top French experts. Both projects support people in developing their careers and success. I'm extremely gratified and proud that I've been able to develop these vehicles to empower cheese professionals.


IN: Who is your hero? Who has inspired you most? Why?
SS: The first person who hired me back in my previous career as a caterer, Ann Vivian, taught me the simple grace of saying thank you to people who are simply doing their jobs.

I'm inspired by people like Laurent and Hervé Mons, for their vision, tenacity, and entrepreneurial spirit.

And ever since I first moved to France, I have been deeply inspired by all the people who have picked up their lives and moved elsewhere, braving the unknown, to find opportunities and open up their lives. I've seen that in Tamil dishwashers in Paris restaurants, in Croatian concierges, in housekeepers from Morocco, in cab drivers from north Africa....having lived as an expatriate in pretty cushy circumstances, I have vast respect and awe for those who expatriate themselves with nothing: no language, no money, no network.....and make a life for themselves. Some of the strongest people I've known, and for whom I hold endless respect.

Our international student group

IN: What is your most memorable experience in the cheese industry?
SS: Again, working with Laurent Mons, and working with the incredible team of volunteers at the American Cheese Society to build the CCP exam. Cheese professionals are incredibly generous and I am in awe of the expertise of the people I am fortunate to associate with.


IN: What do you think is the most challenging aspect about cheese judging? And the most rewarding?
SS: Being an aesthetic judge at the American Cheese Society! We can only find good things to say, we can only add points. Even for cheeses that have obvious organoleptic faults, we must be positive. It's a fabulous exercise in divorcing observation from opinion.....this is the first principle we emphasize in our sensory analysis training.


IN: Do you have a favourite cheese and wine/beverage pairing? Or a cheese and jam/honey/food pairing?
SS: At home I love making grilled cheese sandwiches with aged cheddar and Sarabeth's plum-cherry jam on cranberry-pecan bread. Just yum. Pure comfort food.

Our cheese tasting platter on the last day of the course

IN: Do you eat cheese at home with your family?
SS: Yes, but my husband probably eats more cheese than I do on a daily basis! My kids are also pretty discerning.....last year my son started working part-time as a cheesemonger (both my kids have completed our basic mongering course - a job perk - and both have worked as cheesemongers) and we loved evaluating and enjoying new cheeses he would bring home from work to share.



IN: If you were a cheese, which one would it be? And why?
SS: I think maybe a St Nectaire. Well-ripened as I am, I can be craggy and a bit intimidating on the outside, but on the inside I'm all soft and gooey, with a lot of complexity. Not everybody's cup of tea.....

Watching curds being cut during the production of Saint Nectaire

Saint Nectaire

Academie MonS:

The Academie MonS is the English-language affiliate of Mons Formation, the professional development center at Mons Fromager-Affineur. Established in 2012, the Academie currently offers five week-long courses, for retailers: Cheesemonger Essentials, The Big Cheese: A Manager's Toolkit, and Affinage: The Art and Science of Maturing Cheese; and for cheesemakers, Cheesemaking 101 and Cheesemaking 201, taught by Ivan Larcher. The programs were translated and adapted for an English-speaking clientele of cheese professionals from around the world, based on the curriculum and methodologies developed by Laurent Mons. The courses are unique in that students do hands-on work during the programs alongside the MonS professionals, cementing their experiential learning. In addition, six different Insiders' Tours are offered: Paris, London, Madrid, San Francisco/Marin, Vermont, and New York. To date, the Academie MonS has trained students from some 26 countries. MonS Formation works with partners in Japan, Russia, Brazil, and Italy, offering training in these countries' local languages.

Find out more at: www.academie-mons.com