Le Domaine Famille Picard - Burgundy

by Paige Donner (photos © 2017)

After enjoying a successful career in marketing with Nike, Francine Picard rejoined her family's Burgundy wine estate the same year that her brother did, too - at the end of the 1990s.  Since 2010 they have cultivated a large part of  their vineyards biodynamically and the rest with a keen eye  to environmental consciousness. The goal being to cultivate vines that yield grapes that make wines that are of the highest quality, exhibiting magnificent precision all the while enjoying a harmonious relationship with nature. 

The following wines are a privilege to enjoy. Most can be found in Paris and also at the family estate in Chassagne-Montrachet.  

Domaine Famille Picard, 5 chemin du Château, 21190 Chassagne-Montrachet, France domainefamillepicard.com 

NOTE:

For a real treat, reserve yourself a table for lunch or dinner at this new Paris restaurant where some of the more exclusive of these bottles are served in perfect accompaniment to the chef's flavor pairings: La Table du Caviste Bio, 55 rue de Prony, Paris 75017 latable@lacaviste.bio 

Le Domaine Famille Picard

• A total of 6 domaines in Bourgogne.  136 Ha. 60% red/  40% white
• 110 ha in the Côte Chalonnaise
• 26 ha in Côte de Beaune
• 41 ha of communales appelations
• 33 ha of Premiers Crus
• .33 ha of Grand Cru

 

Corton Grand Cru, Clos des Fietres, Millésime 2014  (rouge) Estate price: €130

These vines are cultivated biodynamically and are situated in the center of the celebrated village, Aloxe-Corton.  Nose is wild forest strawberries, raspberries and red fruits with hint of coffee.  Mouth is subtle possessing great suaveness and beautiful finesse. Then smoked ham, toasted bread, earthy and slightly saline. 

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Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru, La Garenne, Millésime 2014 (blanc) Estate price €66 

These vines grow right in the village of Puligny-Montrachet at an altitude of about 250M. They have south-southwest exposure.  These are 70 year-old vines and are cultivated biodynamically.  Nose explodes with citrus bouquet of orange, lemon and grapefruit. Mouth expresses energy and balance in this slightly sea-saline and sapid; agreably flavorful. 

 

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Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Les Vergers, Millésime 2014, Estate price €66

These soils are filled with Chassagne stones, rich in minerals and white chalky marls. This climat dates from the last centruy only when fruit trees were once planted here. Fifty+ old vines cultivated biodynamically.  Nose offers notes of flint-stone and citrus like lime and grapefruit. The Mouth has welcoming precision, agreeable notes and an enormity of finesse and elegance.  It is aged 17 months in barrels and was bottled in April 2016. 

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Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru, Les Chenevottes, Millésime 2014 (blanc), Estate price €64

This vineyard is actually at a depth of 55 cm. The red soil has traces of iron oxide which hints at the remnants of a tropical ground covering from millions of years ago. 60+ year old vines cultivated with respect to the moon cycles of biodynamic viticulture. NOSE has peppermint, linden blossoms, verveine and some lemon and orange zest with a hint of vanilla. MOUTH plays with a tension between power and tension. Beautiful length and refreshing salinity. 

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Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Clos Saint Jean, Millésime 2014 (blanc) Estate price €60

This is one of the oldest climats of Chassagne.  Soil is red from the iron-oxide and the vines have a Southeast exposure.  All harvesting is done by hand of these 60+ old vines, tenderly cultivated biodyanmically. Aged 17 months in barrels and bottled in April, 2016. NOSE is fruits and white flowers like peach and pear and also fresh baked bread like brioche. MOUTH is generous with perfect acidity and balance. 

To contact Paige for hosting and speaking engagements and for sponsorship for the podcast as well as media collaborations:
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Champagnes William Deutz and J. Pierron Leglise

by Paige Donner

One bottle of Champagne requires the equivalent of all the fruit from a single vine.

• Grands Marques & Maisons de Champagnes 

A few things these two different champagnes, from very different houses, have in common is that the Chardonnay used in each comes exclusively from the Côte des Blancs, and the best of the Côte des Blancs at that:  Mesnil-sur-Oger, Oger, and in the case of William Deutz cuvée add to that list Avize, Cramant, Chouilly and Villers-Marmery. Each distinguished champagne presses only 1ère and Grand Cru grapes from the region's harvest and uses only the first pressing or cuvée. 

And the other commonality is that both cuvées are prestige cuvées. Meaning one is lucky to get the chance to taste them, let alone own a bottle or two. 

William Deutz by Deutz

This extraordinary house, founded in 1838 is, of course, based in Aÿ one of the most attractive villages in Champagne and certainly home to some of the most prized Pinot Noir from the region. 

For this remarkable champagne, only the best years are chosen and only the juice from the first pressing, the cuvée, is used. For the blend of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay you'll find an exclusive vinification of Aÿ, Bouzy, Ambonnay and Verzenay for the 55% - 65% of Pinot Noir and, as mentioned above, only the Côte des Blancs' most sought after grapes to make up the rest. The technical sheet from the house does suggest a zeste of Pinot Meunier added to lend that varietal's generosity and fruitiness but in the recent tasting it was not mentioned, in fact, by the house. 

This is the champagne to open when you are enjoying caviar, lobster, foie gras and also sushi and, yes, many Asian cuisine dishes that are subtly flavored with the exotic. 

Nose: Characteristic of wines cellared for a good length of time (minimum 5 years and usually much longer) but sort of shy to reveal its age. Hints of mirabelles, white peaches seared, soft hints of spice and flower scents such as aubépine (Russian hawthorn). 

Mouth: A distinguished burst of freshness, complexity tells of its minerality and also that telltale roasted flavor of a great vintage champagne. It washes down tenderly with velvet softness, leaving the sensation of balance and absolute refinement. 

Deutz is one of the great houses of Champagne. It is also one of the great houses of Aÿ, France.  Worth visiting one day, to be sure. 

Champagne Deutz  Aÿ, France 

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Champagne J. Pierron Leglise 

Vendanges 2010 Millésime (Vintage 2010 Blanc de Blancs) 

This grower champagne is surely one for the connoisseurs. It's the kind of champagne that, nearly impossible to find in certain export markets abroad, makes a trip to France imperative for a certain kind of wine appreciator, if only to get the chance to taste such a rarefied grower champagne. 

This family-run estate is based in Oger, one of the Côte des Blanc's most prized villages when it comes to Chardonnay vines. The estate, now run by the family's 2nd generation, is comprised of a generous 4.5 hectares. For champagne that is a large estate, given that these are some of the world's most expensive vines, and some of the most prized in Champagne itself, too. 

In this connoisseur's bottle of blanc de blancs you'll find only Mesnil-sur-Oger and Oger chardonnay from vines averaging a mature 30 years.  Champagne J. Pierron Leglise does not do malolactic fermentation which of course lends his champagnes that slight edge of freshness and heightened acidity as well as the ability to age. For this Vintage 2010 it has been kept in the cellars for a full 5 years before being disgorged. The 8g of sugar softens and offers a touch of roundness to this perfectly fresh and crisp profile. 

Nose: Candied lemon, acacia honey, mimosa, hazelnut, Carensac licorice, pear and marzipan. 

Mouth:  Softness yields to that mineral chalkiness so emblematic of the best champagnes, which then flows into a creamy sensation of great refinement stewed ripe fruit. 

Try this with foie gras accompanied by a mousse de yuzu.  Also lobster with seaweed (Japanese Nori) infused butter. 

The total production of this champagne house is 24K bottles. At time of writing there are 400 bottles of this champagne Millésime 2010 left. 

Champagne J. Pierron Leglise,  51190 Oger, France

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If you'd to book your Perfect Pairing wine + food seminar to learn more about French wines and how they pair with food, please go to Paris Food And Wine and click on Events Calendar. 

 

 

Episode 30: Paris Pigalle Tiki Bar & An Author / Original French Basher, Stephen Clarke

by Paige Donner

For our October Show of Paris GOOD food + wine we get the down and dirty of Paris... namely, we hear about the genesis of Paris' first Tiki Bar, Dirty Dick...

Dirty Dick Tiki Bar on Facebook

Scott Schuder is the owner of Dirty Dick Tiki Bar in Pigalle and his 19 ½ years in Paris, during which he raised his son here, too, taught him a lot about the city's bar scene and where to go to find the best Michelin star restaurants in France...

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Next we'll be hearing from the Original French Basher, Stephen Clarke, whose runaway success with his Merde books – the first one being A Year In The Merde – gave this writer the greenlight to live the life many of us dream of, namely a novelist in France who spends his days writing and the rest of his time exploring the finer things of life...

 

He'll explain to us how Merde is not necessarily a pejorative word in French and he'll also give us a tip about where to find the best lunch restaurants in the City of Light.

So sit back and relax as you listen to another deliciously informative episode of Paris GOOD food + wine....

Paris GOOD food+wine is generously brought to you by Paris Food And Wine.

If you'd like to learn more about French wine regions, French wines and how they pair nicely with food, book your Perfect Pairings food+wine seminar today. We take groups of 2 to 20 people. More information and instant booking is at ParisFoodAndWine.net

Thank you for listening to our October 2017 show of Paris GOOD food+wine, episode 30, season 4.

For information about where to find Scott's Dirty Dick bar in the Pigalle district of Paris, please go to our website , ParisFoodAndWine.net and click on Blog or click on the Facebook link above. You can also refer to Local Food And Wine at wordpress.com and find us on twitter @localfoodwine and also @parisfoodwine and on Instagram @Paigefoodwine

For information about Stephen Clarke's upcoming stand-up shows based on his trilogy of A Year In The Merde books, you can find that info also on his website and Twitter page: 

www.stephenclarkewriter.com

@sclarkewriter

 

Until next time, … Feel free to write us with any tips, suggestions and questions . Our contact information is on the blog LocalFoodAndWine.wordpress.com

ParisFoodAndWine.net

I'm Paige Donner, the host and producer of Paris GOODfood+wine. Find us on iTunes, Stitcher, Tune In radio and Souldcloud and wherever you download your podcasts.

Music, Good Vibes, is courtesy CP Bryan via FreeSoundTrackMusic.com and is free of rights. Show Intro/ Outro Jazzy Paris background courtesy of BenSound Music.

To book a Perfect Pairings food+wine seminar in Paris, make your reservations on parisfoodandwine.net click on Perfect Pairings food+wine. This 2 hour wine tasting and food pairing class in St Germain des Pres, Paris, walks you through the ABC's of French wines and food+wine pairing Do's & Don'ts (Mostly the Do's!!!)
@parisfoodwine
parisfoodandwine.net

This episode has been generously brought to you by Paris Food And Wine @ParisFoodWine  parisfoodandwine.net and also Bordeaux Food & Wine @bordeauxfoodvin bordeauxfoodandwine.com

To contact Paige for hosting and speaking engagements and for sponsorship for the podcast as well as media collaborations: 
Paigedonner.info © All rights Reserved 2017 Paige Donner

More Info @ParisFoodWine
Instagram @PaigeFoodWine

Listen to Paris GOOD food + wine on :

All photos copyright 2017 Paige Donner

iTunes – Paris GOODfood+wine / 

Prints available by contacting http://PaigeDonner.info