Thursday 25 October 2018

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


Saturday 20 October 2018

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!

Wednesday 10 October 2018

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

Tuesday 9 October 2018

Revisiting Curnonsky's Famous Five

8 October 2018: This was a very special dinner. At Arcane Restaurant in Hong Kong, our host had invited nine friends to revisit and assess Curnonsky's famous white wine classification from the 1930s. Born Maurice Edmond Sailland in 1872 in the town of Angers, France, Curnonsky became a most influential food and wine writer of his generation. He was voted "Prince of Gastronomes" by Le Bon Gîte in 1927. In the 1930s, Curnonsky declared the following to be the world's top five white wines: Montrachet, Clos de La Coulée de Serrant, Château Grillet, Château Chalon and Château d’Yquem. And of course they were all French!

The chef had curated a very thoughtful and daring menu to go with the white wines. We were fascinated by the thought of pairing Château d'Yquem with Wagyu rump steak and a blue cheese fondue.

As we were 10 people, we had two wines instead of just one for each of Curnonsky's famous five. 

Château Grillet:
For this monopole appellation of 3.8 hectares based on 100% Viognier, we were served two vintages: 2006 and 2013, ie one pre-Pinault acquisition and one post. Château Grillet has long been a wine of great repute, and has featured in the collection of famous personalities. Thomas Jefferson visited it in 1787 and the inventory of the cellar of Château de Malmaison, residence of Empress Joséphine de Beauharnais, first wife of Napoleon I, featured 296 bottles of this wine in 1814. This property remained in the family of Neyret-Gachet between 1827 and 2011, when it was sold to François Pinault, also owner of Château Latour in Pauillac, Bordeaux and Domaine d'Eugénie in Vosne-Romanée, Bourgogne.  The property was awarded the appellation d'origine contrôlée in 1936.

Planted on steep slopes of the Rhone Valley and over 76 terraces supported by stone walls, the vines average 45 years. Detailed vineyard analysis has allowed each lot to be separately vinified, whether in oak or in tank. Ageing in French oak barrels for 18 months, with around 20% new oak.


2006 Château Grillet: a perfumed bouquet of honeysuckle, ginger and dried apricot. A voluptuous wine of intensity and concentration, with the soft acidity highlighting the succulence of the wine. Long finish. 17/20

2013 Château Grillet: by comparison, this wine showed a taut mineral core despite the relatively moderate acidity for the grape variety. The signature pear and apricot note was subtle, underscoring the youthfulness of the wine.  I particularly liked saline finish which gave the wine much needed freshness and a point of difference leading to the dry finish. I find it a very much more linear and precise expression of the appellation. It went particularly well with the dish of lightly smoked mackerel with herb mayonnaise. 18/20


Clos de La Coulée de Serrant:
Next we had the Clos de La Coulée de Serrant, a 7-hectare appellation in the Loire Valley, based on 100% Chenin Blanc, exclusively owned by the Joly family.  Vines were first planted here in 1130 by the Cistercian monks.  Declared the 'golden drop' by King Louis XI, this wine has enjoyed a very long reputation. Planted on steep slopes on thin (20-40 cm) topsoil above a red schist bedrock, the vines are oriented S/SE, with an average age of 30-40 years. The yield is around 20-25 hl/ha, compared to the permitted 40 hl/ha for the appellation.  The harvest takes place over a long time allowing the pickers to pick the grapes with the most colour maturity and presence of botrytis. The objective is to allow the grapes to express the most minerality.  Aged in 500 litre barrels, with no more than 5% new barrels. The Joly family has been practising biodynamics since 1980 and all the vineyards of the family have been fully biodynamic since 1984.


1996 Nicolas Joly, Clos de La Coulée de Serrant: The wine revealed a deep amber-golden hue. The bouquet showed maturity and complexity of toasted hazelnut, bruised apple, with caramelised notes. There was a marked level of volatile acidity. Depending on the taster's sensitivity, this VA either enhanced complexity or reduced enjoyment but it certainly gave the wine a fresh lift to the palate and finish. 16.5/20

1997 Nicolas Joly, Clos de La Coulée de Serrant: The wine showed a bright golden colour.  An attractive bouquet of honey, stewed apple, dried fruit and herbal notes. It was an opulent full-bodied wine, boasting a richness that was deftly balanced by vibrant acidity.  There was a chiseled minerality that filled the core of the wine. A wine of understated finesse. Very long finish 18.5/20

The pairing was less obvious for me as the Alaskan King Crab had a lightness to it, whereas the wines were full-bodied, though with heightened acidity.  The spiciness of the gazpacho essence was carried off nicely by the very ripe Chenin Blanc fruit though.

Montrachet: 
Possibly the finest expression of Chardonnay and a Bourgogne Grand Cru appellation, Montrachet is located across the villages of Puligny and Chassagne.  Its greatness owes much to the early study and work carried out by the Cistercian monks and the Lords of Chagny.  This Grand Cru appellation covers 7.8 hectares, and is shared by 16 owners.

The dish to accompany below wines was a Sautéed potato gnocchi with charred cévenne onion, cep vinaigrette and shiitake duxelle.  It was a very tasty dish but I thought it was a bit too overwhelming for the delicate (non-oxidised) Bourgogne wines.


2004 Comtes Lafon, Montrachet: unfortunately this bottle was heavily oxidised

2004 Ramonet, Montrachet: This was a very classy wine, showing an attractive bouquet of pear, blossom, almond and nougat, with light toast notes. The acidity was bright and the wine showed great energy in a youthful state. There was an impeccable harmony and finesse presented in a most elegant and sophisticated manner, with a core of minerality that gave the wine a very desirable tightness. Very long finish. 20/20

Our host inserted an outlyer to the Montrachets, given the disappointment with the Lafon Montrachet:
2015 Benoît Ente, Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Truffière
A wine still showing mostly primary and secondary notes. Green apple, lime zest, blossom, almond, with flinty notes. Linear, with racy acidity and a long finish. 17.5/20



Château d'Yquem:
Château d'Yquem needs no introduction as the most famous Sauternes estate, renowned for its extraordinary richness and complexity. Included in the 1885 Bordeaux classification as the only Premier Cru Classé Supérieur in its class of Sauternes/Barsac, it has been owned by the LVMH group since 1999.  Located on the highest hill in Sauternes, the estate covers 110 hectares, 80% planted with Sémillon and 20% with Sauvignon Blanc.  Now vinified in 100% new oak barrels and aged in barrels for 36 months before release.

The chef had ingeniously paired these two wines with a Wagyu rump cap with spinach and onion compote, blue cheese fondue and girolles.


1959 Château d'Yquem: A well-matured wine, showing complexities of orange marmalade, tea leaves, apple toffee shortbread, dried fruits and honey.  There was a very positive vibrancy on the palate, reflecting a good level of energy.  The hint of VA was a positive developmental addition. Finish was dry but not unpleasant. 18/20

1996 Château d'Yquem: It was a luscious wine with a creamy texture, bolstered by bright acidity. The bouquet had dried apricots, honey and toffee apple. It was not the richest or most complex of vintages but it was elegantly presented in a nice refreshing style.  17/20


Château-Chalon:
Château-Chalon is an appellation for wines made around the village of  Château-Chalon in the Jura region.  Only wines based on 100% Savagnin in the Vin Jaune style can be made using this appellation.  The grapes are late harvested, without botrytis.  After vinification, the wine is aged for 6 years and 3 months before bottling in the squat-shaped 62cl clavelins.  The wine must be stored in oak casks, partially filled, to allow the development of the voile of yeast, which gives the wine its peculiar characteristics, just like the function of flor in the production of sherry.  Only made in the best vintages.

Arbois-Pupillin is an appellation for wines made in the village of Pupillin, just south of Arbois in the Jura region.  This appellation covers white, red, rosé wines and Vin Jaune, as well as vin de paille.




1989 Emmanuel Houillon-Pierre Overnoy, Arbois-Pupillin AOC, Vin Jaune, Jura: My first experience of this wine by the legendary Pierre Overnoy.  It was in the year 1989 when he delegated the winemaking duties to Emmanuel Houillon.  This was a deep amber colour, showing notes of white chocolate, nuts and balsamic, with a prominent saline character. VA is marked here but it is an additional positive to the appreciation of the wine. Finishes extremely long. 19/20

2005 Domaine Jean Macle, Château-Chalon AOC, Vin Jaune, Jura: This was a golden colour. Marked notes of saline, sea salt, yeast with nuances like curry/cardamom. Excellent with the aged Comté cheese. Long finish. 18/20


Towards the end of the evening, our host asked all of us to think of our own choices of top five white wines, from anywhere in the world. It was interesting how we all gravitated towards France. While Montrachet, Château d'Yquem and Pierre Overnoy's Vin Jaune would still feature for some of us, there were suggestions of Haut Brion Blanc, Raveneau Chablis Les Clos or Chablis Montée de Tonnerre, Krug Clos du Mesnil, Trimbach Clos Sainte Hune, Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Trockenbeerenauslese, and an ageless Madeira Malvasia or Bual.  The question remains unanswered is when we get together to do the 'new' classification tasting?!