When you want to enjoy a “good wine,” what do you look for? Many wine lovers might think this means the right wine for the price, or occasion.

Others dive straight for their favorite appellation.

Yet some people simply look for a trusted vine-growing family who’s been doing business for more than a century.

Today I will speak to you about the wines of Albert Bichot.

The Terroir of Burgundy

Many people might recognize the meaning behind the slogan “location, location, location.”

Yet it’s possible that today many might think of it just in terms of a recent real estate fad.

However, this was a “mantra” in Burgundy even before the Cistercian monks erected the Clos de Vougeot in 1336, recognizing the micro-terroir of the Burgundy region.

The word ‘clos’ means something like “wall” or a division by rocks to close off a special part of the vineyard.  

Albert Bichot Wine Tasting at Ammos Restaurant

The tasting took place at the Ammos restaurant, near Times Square.  Careful attention had been taken to pair each of the many wines served with a specific course to bring out the true “marriage” between the food and the wine.

Representing the Albert Bichot family was Jim Opalka, president of Albert Bichot USA. And Jen Brady, District Manager NY/NJ.

The First Albert Bichot Wines

The first wine to be served during the reception was the Ô de rosé AOP Languedoc from Chateau Lorgeril. The pale pink wine was a refreshing blend of Grenache, Syrah, Viognier. 

Other Bichot wines served during the mezze appetizer course included the C’est La Vie Chardonnay 2019 and the Horizon de Bichot Pinot Nor 2019. Both the red and white wines in this course are affordable examples from this classic French Burgundy family estate.

The Second Course: Two Reds with Chicken

What would you pair with free-range chicken? Red wine? That’s exactly what the Bichot USA team did.

Chateau de Ciffre is an estate in Saint Chinian I recently visited. This is an AOP  region famous for its terroir – with good terroir being the backbone of good wine. The other wine was Domaine de la borie blanche from high altitude vines in La Liviniere from Minervois. Both wines were vintage 2019 and blends of Syrah and Grenache.

Third Course: White Fish with White Wine


The third course of fresh white fish brought a prestigious white wine to the table, the Albert Bichot Chassagne-Montrachet 2019.

Main Course: Grilled Rack of Lamb

For this special course, one needs a special wine. The Bichot USA team chose the domaine’s Pommard 1er Cru “Les Rugiens” Domaine du Pavillon. This 2019 vintage was very young, but shows every promise of aging for ten years and much longer.

Third Course: Albert Bichot Wine with Dessert

What’s the best wine with dessert? The Bichot family thinks it’s a sparkler. The Cremant de Bourgogne Brut Rose was served with a mixed dessert … incredibly refreshing and delicious.

History of Albert Bichot Family Wines

It’s not every day in America one can taste a wine whose family traces back to 1214.

Especially one whose coat of arms has not changed in that time.

In 1831,  the family founder created a wine trading business in his name in the Burgundian town of Monthélie. 

His son, Hippolyte, succeeded him and bought the first vines in Volnay, another, more prestigious village in Burgundy. 

Then his son, Albert Bichot, gave the family business new momentum in the late 19th century from Beaune (one of the larger Burgundian cities) in 1912.

In the second half of the 20th century, his four sons, Albert, Bernard, Bénigne and Jean-Marc, inherited this knowledge. 

A new era of expansion began with the construction of a large aging cellar, a new bottling center and winery … and so it is today.

Thanks to ancestor Bernard Bichot, every wine lover can enjoy these wines today.

And special thanks to the Bichot USA team for creating such a brilliant food and wine pairing. 

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Pommard Pinot Noir

Pommard is a region in Burgundy, France.

It is in the Cote de Beaune.

Of all the regions in the Cote de Beaune, Pommard is said to resemble the deeper, darker wines of the Cote de Nuits.

Pommard Pinot Noir

Pommard Pinot Noir is a closely held secret among those who love red wine from Burgundy, France.

What is Pommard Pinot Noir?

The Burgundy region of France has been famous for centuries.

Mostly only for two reasons.

Pinot Noir.

Chardonnay.

And there are two key regions in Burgundy, France.

The Cote de Beaune and the Cote de Nuits.

The Cote de Beaune is marked by a lighter style of Pinot Noir.

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Pommard Pinot Noir Characteristics Deeper and Darker

Pinot Noir from Pommard is deeper and darker.

As Volnay is next to Pommard, some people even say that Volnay is the more “feminine” side of Pommard.

Pommard Pinot Noir

Now the red Pinot Noir grape and the white Chardonnay grape in the North and South of Burgundy.

Yet “collectors” and “wine experts” through the centuries have given the highest rankings to Pinot Noir grapes grown in the Cote de Nuit.

But they have praised Pommard in the Cote de Beaune as well.

The reason?

It could be the typically darker, more saturated color of Pommard Pinot Noir.

Pommard for Pinot Noir

Pommard is one of the top regions in the Cote de Beaune for growing the Pinot Noir grape.

When I was first learning Burgundy grape characteristics, I asked one of my less credentialed teachers about Pinot Noir from Pommard.

“That’s tricky …” she said, trailing off.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Pommard is not tricky at all.” display_tweet=””] Pommard is not tricky at all.

Pommard is the most full-bodied red wine of Burgundy’s Cote de Beaune

This might be what she meant by “tricky,” since the “stereotype” of the Cote de Beaune is the production lighter red wines with fresh bright red cherry flavors.

We expect wines from the Cote de Nuits to be deeper, darker, and with an aura of mystery.

Taste of Pommard Pinot Noir

Wines from Pommard above others are velvety and round with intense red and dark fruit flavors and ripe tannins.

We know Pommard for substantial wines.

Now just having seen the film “Colette” and also read her biography, if Pommard was a literary character it would be like Colette.

Seductive. Feminine. Yet firm and always in control.

Pommard Pinot Noir Improves with Age

These are wines meant to improve with age.

In time, you will find flavors of leather and chocolate.

Depending on your personal palate and whom you talk to, Pommard wines can have rustic notes on the palate.

Some might call them “classic big Burgundies.”

As contrasted to a delicate young Cote de Beaune Bourgogne wine you might pair with duck, these are wines for braised beef.

Premier Cru Pommard Pinot Noir

The Pommard appellation includes 28 Premier Cru vineyards recognized for producing exceptional wines.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Many experts have memorized each of these 1st Cru regions and know the characteristics of them all.” display_tweet=””] Many experts have memorized each of these 1^st Cru regions and know the characteristics of them all.

In this regard, MAPS are very helpful.

You will be able to see how – and why – the specific location of each plot can determine the quality of the grapes.

These include factors like the location on the slope.

Also visiting the producers in the area and tasting the wines from their region can be of enormous help.

For example, Domaine Anne Parent has several top properties in Pommard and elsewhere in Burgundy.

Pommard Pinot Noir on a Road Show

Thanks to the dedication of New York’s French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), Pommard has come to New York!

And other French wine regions as well.

This French wine program at FIAF is offered several times a year.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”Each time, a wine theme is presented, along with wines, a discussion of the region, and food from that region.” display_tweet=””] Each time, a wine theme is presented, along with wines, a discussion of the region, and food from that region.

This program was called “An Aromatic Wine Journey Through Burgundy”

I have been to a few of these FIAF programs and the structure is similar.

First, there is a panel of Pinot Noir  producers or representatives.

There is an emcee … for the last few times they have been editors from Wine Enthusiast magazine.

There is usually a set of wines to taste and food such as cheese, bread, or dessert to pair with the wine.

Exploring Pommard Pinot Noir and Other Burgundy Wines

On this night we had a few wines to try before the Pommard Pinot Noir.

Neil Ruane, Export Manager for the USA from Boisset, was the first to speak about the delicious Boisset wines he brought.

The first was the Chateau de Rully 2016.

This is a white wine from Rully in the Cote Chalonnaise.

Rully makes twice as much red wine as white wine.

The wine was fresh, crisp, and delicious.

The second wine was a red from the commune of Mercurey, also in the Cote Chalonnaise.

This was the 2015 Domaine de la Bressande,

Lots of fresh red cherry and very delicious, from a very old domain.

Pommard Pinot Noir :  Chateau De Pommard

The next four wines were produced from the owners of one of the oldest domains in Pommard.

Michael Baum is CEO and Owner of Chateau de Pommard.

He represents the fifth family to own the Chateau since its inception.

And as a master storyteller, he explained the history in a very vivid fashion.

From his name, you might correctly guess he was American.

He made his fortune in a variety of high tech companies in San Francisco.

This is what allowed him to buy, and more importantly renovate, the Chateau de Pommard.

This includes improvements in the vineyard as well as the Chateau itself.

One example of an improvement is that Chateau de Pommard is now in the process of turning itself biodynamic.

Another example is the list of activities and ways to visit you can find on their website.

During the course of his talk, Michael also explained that the winery is very child-friendly.

This means that children have tutored “juice” tastings instead of Pommard wine.

Chateau de Pommard Stories

French Chateaux have many stories to tell.

Drama. Drama. Drama.

In one of the rooms of the Chateau, one of the family owners suddenly fell down dead.

According to Michael, a sister entered the room shortly afterward.

Though startled, she reached for her watercolors/paints and quickly sketched the grim scene.

That work of art can be scene in another chateau in the region today.

Pommard is filled with beautiful chateaux you can visit. One of great interest can be found in Domaine Parent.

Chateau de Pommard Wines

While you might think these are all Pommard Pinot Noir wines, Chateau de Pommard produces an elegant white as well from vines in Ladoix.

We started with the Famille Carabello-Baum Ladoix Premier Cru “Les Grechons” 2015.

Then we moved on to the Chateau de Pommard Vivant 2015.

This was a Pommard Pinot Noir in the classic style, very delicious.

Following was the Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey Monge 2015.

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”This comes from a single vineyard, so it was very intense and concentrated.” display_tweet=””] This comes from a single vineyard, so it was very intense and concentrated.

A Wine to age.

The last wine was the Chateau de Pommard Clos Marey-Monge 2012.

Now these two wines we tasted side by side to study the effects of the vintage on the wine.

Perhaps next year it will be in Gevrey-Chambertin.

Wine Enthusiast EMCEE at French Institute Alliance Française

Wine Enthusiast emcee Matt DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen are the Entertaining and Lifestyle Editors at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. They wrote a fantastic book called Red Wine. 

We also know them as the World Wine guys, and did an outstanding job at moderating the panel.

So when you go to Burgundy, be certain to put Pommard on your list as you travel up and down this gorgeous region.

For more information, check out this video on Pommard from the BIVB

If you like this post you will like:

Willamette Valley Pinot Noir Auction

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Pairing White Burgundy and Pinot Noir

La Paulée du Meursault Wine Pairing Lunch 2018

Imagine yourself a chef. Your mission is to present a four course food and wine pairing menu for the 2018 La Paulee du Meursault lunch.

The focus is always on pairing White Burgundy and Pinot Noir with food.

Most important, each dish must pair with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines from various regions in Burgundy (Bourgogne, in French).

The annual La Paulee du Meursault, focusing on pairing White Burgundy and Pinot Noir with Food is held in the village of Meursault, France.

This village is famous for its white Chardonnay wines from village and premiere cru vineyards.

For this lunch pairing White Burgundy Chardonnay and Pinot Noir with food, tradition holds that each guest brings their own white or red Bourgogne wine to the lunch.

Pairing White Burgundy Chardonnay with Pinot Noir Food Basics

As a chef, what dishes will you prepare that can pair with the diversity of wines people will bring? After all, these wines can range from priceless Pinot Noir Grand Cru classics to younger, fresher expressions of village and 1st cru Meursault Chardonnay wines.

Some people call Meursault white wine “white Burgundy.”

While this is technically correct, Burgundy wine lovers prefer to be very specific as to the region the “white burgundy” is from, and its quality levels.

Such is the challenge Chef Dominique Dansard faces for the 2018 La Paulee du Meursault wine and food pairing lunch. The harvest celebration lunch takes place at the famous Chateau du Meursault winery. In this wine pairing situation, he will not have the luxury of tasting the Pinot Noir or Chardonnay wine guests bring on their own in advance.

Why Advance Tasting of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in Burgundian Food and Wine Pairing is Important

Both Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are international grapes. They are made all around the world in many different styles. Many wine experts can blind taste a Pinot Noir or Chardonnay wine from diverse, broad regions such as South Australia or Sonoma, California and correctly deduce its origins.

But Burgundy is different. Though it is a very small region, each Chardonnay or Pinot Noir wine can taste different depending on its specific village. And within that village, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can differ dramatically depending on its quality level. Quality levels can range from a simple village designation to a Grand Cru. And even within that narrow range, the style in which it is made is producer dependent.

On top of that, the vintage in terms of weather can affect the taste and food pairing ability of the Chardonnay or Pinot Noir wine dramatically.

So as you can see, Chef Dansard must create a menu that will literally go with every Pinot Noir or Chardonnay wine that could be imagined.

History of La Paulee Du Meursault Wine and Food Pairing Lunch

The year 1923 sees the first La Paulee du Meursault. At the time, Jules Lafon of Burgundy’s Domaine des Comtes Lafon invites 35 of his vigneron friends to share in a post-harvest feast.

The Lafon family is well-known in Burgundy and now the world. This is largely due to the charismatic Dominique Lafon who so well carries on the legacy of his grandfather Jules.

Jules remains an innovative and personable figure. He is known for a passion for art and literature. He remains a major force in promoting the region and its wines. For this reason, by 1932, the La Paulee du Meursault wine and food pairing lunch is a regular event, growing steadily over the years.

Today the La Paulee du Meursault food and wine pairing lunch celebration is under the direction of Philippe Ballot. M. Ballot is President of La Paulée de Meursault, and an owner of Domaine Ballot Millot. A major focus of La Paulee today is to pay homage to the most influential writers and scientists each year. In 2018, author Irene Train wins the “laureate du prix” for La Paulee 2018 for her work with women’s rights globally

The Tradition of La Paulee Du Meursault Food and Wine Pairing

La Paulee offers attendees an opportunity to visit the cellars of the host winery, Chateau du Meursault. Before lunch, guests enjoy  a glass of the new vintage of Classic Meursault Chardonnay. Guests descend down to the Chateau de Meursault cellar.

Though I visit hundreds of cellars over the years, few experiences can match the thrill of this ancient historical cellar.

Near one o’clock, guests find their tables and begin the food and wine pairing lunch feast. Between each of the four courses, the event’s honorees come up to the podium to give a short speech about their research.

Once the food and wine pairing meal resumes, Meursault wine producers visit each table to pour their wines. Friends “table hop” to greet one another, and a chorus sings “Le Bon Bourguignon.”

Each year, the La Paulee wine and food pairing menu has certain constant, classic dishes. Foie Gras. Crustaceans. Fish. Beef. Fromage. Dessert. Yet always with a new expression, presentation, or sauce.

The November 19, 2018

La Paulee Du Meursault Menu Pairing White Burgundy Chardonnay with Pinot Noir

1^st Course Foie Gras de Canard
Petit epeautre de Sault et paleron confit. Cannelloni de celery et pomme vert releve au poivre Malabar

Of course, many meals in Burgundy begin with Foie Gras. The food and wine pairing twist in this course is the subtle spice and slight confit accent. A textural element is the “crunch” the crisp diced celery and green apple tucked inside the cannelloni provides.

Classic wine pairing with foie gras usually involves a sweet wine such as Sauternes, but this is Meursault.

Which means Chardonnay wine. Because of the contrast between the rich Foie Gras and the snappy “crunch” of the celery and apple, I really liked the 2016 Domaine LaFourge Auxey-Duresses from by my seat neighbor Gilles LaFourge.

Like many domaines in Burgundy, the LaFouge Family conveniently have their cellar, vats, and their barrels, built beneath their relatively modern looking home.  The secret of the success of their delicious Chardonnay wine is their diligent approach to viticulture and their special Le Boutonnieres and La Chapelle vineyards.

2^nd Course Navarin de homard Breton
Aux petits legumes et son cremeux au corail

This dish is Breton lobster, served with “coral cream” — heavy cream infused with tarragon, rich fish stock, carrots, and tomato paste.

Most guests at the tables choose to pair white wines with this lobster dish. As the winemakers circulate the tables with their bottles, a producer pouring a 1999 Les Genevrieres Meursault Premier Cru approaches. This is a 1st cri white wine from the Chardonnay grape.

With nearly 20 years of age, this Genevrieres Meursault Premier Cru wine has richness, concentration, and is a great pairing for this dish. This is especially true as the subtle sea brine nature of the lobster enhances the subtle salty minerality of the wine.

This said, I personally would prefer to try a red wine with the lobster as it is served with a red wine sauce. As I write many articles along the lines of “how to pair red wine with fish and seafood” I believe the way a dish is prepared makes it possible to pair with red wine.

So in this dish, the red wine sauce surrounding the lobster makes a red wine pairing possible. Here, a great pairing choice would be a softer, aged, more “feminine” Pinot Noir. This could be the 2005 Domaine Parent Volnay 1er Cru Clos des Chênes from Domaine Parent. The vibrant acidity of this wine will cut through the crème in the sauce, while the infusion of tarragon in the sauce picked up on a certain subtle herbaceous quality of the wine.

3^rd Course La daurade royale sauvage de la cotiniere cuite a l’etouffe, agrumes, avocat et coriander

Chef Dansard enjoys the discreet use of fresh herbs to give his dishes vibrancy. In this dish of fresh and simply cooked daurade, Chef Dansard adds punch with coriander and citrus.

This dish is best paired with white wine, and in this case the 2007 Meursault-Charmes 1^st Cru, “Les Charmes Dessus” presented by Jean-Baptiste Bouzereau of Michel Bouzereau. Like all of this producer’s wines, elegance and purity are the signature here, especially with its long length of finish and concentration of fruit.

Pairing White Burgundy with Pinot Noir

4^th Course Le dos de Charolais servi comme une cote de boeuf sur ses legumes du moment

“Charolais” is a breed of beef cattle that is very tall and muscular.  Connoisseurs appreciate it for its special flavor and tender texture.

For this dish, Chef Dansard cut the beef in a fashion more typical of cote de boeuf. As you can see from the picture, the Charolais is served very pink and tender.

It was subtly infused with flavor from the delicious mushrooms that accompanies it. This dish demanded a fuller bodied wine, such as a classic vintage of Les Rugiens Pommard or Corton Grand Cru Les Renards.

Finale of an All-Day Food and Wine Pairing Event

Throughout the lunch, singers sing, speakers speak, and everyone has fun as they chat and enjoy the delicious food and wine.

I am sure Jules Lafon, its founder, would be proud of the international acclaim Chardonnay wine from Meursault now receives, and impressed by the food and wine pairing abilities of Chef Dansard.

Many thanks to the organizers of La Paulee du Meursault, including M. Philippe Ballot for keeping this beautiful tradition alive.

You can see a video here

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Visiting Domaine Silvain Langoureau with Jeanne-Marie De Champs

[socialpug_tweet tweet=”One can always count on Jeanne-Marie Du Champs to represent the very best producers in their region.” display_tweet=””]

One can always count on Jeanne-Marie Du Champs to represent the very best producers in their region.

Each time I visit I appreciate this charming couple and the dedication they have to their vines and wine.

Domaine Silvain Langoureau : Original Burgundian Winemakers

One feels a sense of excitement upon entering the driveway of the couple’s gorgeous residence, boasting pretty flower pots, charming miniature doors, and a hidden wine cellar in the home’s basement.

And as one enters the cellar, one can often hear wine bubbling away during the malolactic fermentation.

Meursault – Puligny – Chassagne – Saint-Aubin

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For the first time, we were joined by the next generation of Paul Pernot & Fils, the lovely Alvina, who just finished university and speaks very good English.

The estate has developed over several decades, having its origins as a negociant company in Puligny before the turn of the last century.The Pernot brothers have been purchasing vineyards over the last thirty years, buying many Grand Cru sites before the prices rose to today’s dizzying heights.

Though fermentation and maturation varies by grape variety and plot, the white wine is generally barrel fermented and lightly fined and filtered. The reds are mostly destemmed, then have a ten day maceration in concret tanks. They are rarely filtered.

We tasted many wines, including the crisp refreshing 2016 Aligote that gains complexity from aging on the lees. It’s interesting to note that Aligote can also be used in Cremant if there are not enough Chardonnay grapes.

We tasted many wines, with Mr. Pernot helpfully pointing out where each parcel was located on the map.

We began with the crisp refreshing 2016 Aligote that gained complexity from aging on the lees. It’s interesting to note that Aligote can also be used in Cremant if there are not enough Chardonnay grapes.

The Bourgogone  2016 came from a variety of villages, it was very buttery and rich. The wine spent 10 months in barrels before clarification and bottling. The Puligny-Montrachet village 2016 came from an assortment of parcels, very elegant and structured with 20% new French oak. The 2016 La Piece Sous le Bois, Meursault Premier Cru was quite delicious, as was the Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru Chalumaux 2016 was very structured with great integration of oak – a more feminine expression of Chardonnay.

Then there was the tight, structured Puligny Montrachet Clos de la Garenne 2016 with a long length. Very mouth filling, and here a more masculine style of Chardonnay. The 2016 Champ Canet-Clos de la Jacquelotte Puligny-Montrachet Premiere Cru had an intense structure and very long length of finish. Good integration of French oak with lively acidity and concentrated ripe yellow fruit. The 2016 Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clos des Folatieres was quite rich and complex, with the complexity coming from the blend of three different parcels. The Puligny-Montrachet Les Purcelles had very floral and more feminine aromas, and lots of complexity such as “heavy” white flowers and also orange zest.

The Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2016 had very intense concentrated flavors and long length. The finish goes on for more than 20 seconds – absolutely amazing. There are floral notes, but with this Grand Cru it is all about the structure and mouthfeel.

A fabulous visit to one of Burgundy’s best producers.

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