The 2020 vintage was challenging for most vignerons. But for the Durantou family, it was a year that demanded everything of them. Denis Durantou – patriarch and leading light of Pomerol – passed away on 12th May. For many people, their day-job would be the last thing on their minds. But for the Durantous, they threw themselves into work, into the vines.  “Dad passed away right in the middle of the pouring rain in spring," Noëmie Durantou 
Reilhac, Denis’s daughter – who has taken over running the estate – explains. “… Working is our way to deal with things.” With the rain, there was immense mildew pressure and risk to their crop – they had to go on, getting into the vineyard to spray and protect their fruit. Her voice unsurprisingly thick with emotion, she tells me how it was a way to be close to her father – in amongst the vines that he so loved.   Denis Durantou was first and foremost a vigneron – an increasingly rare breed in the polished world of Bordeaux. While Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet had been in the Durantou family for generations, it was leased out to Pierre Lasserre of neighbouring Clos René for over 40 years. Denis arrived in 1982, fully taking over the property a year later, and transforming the then rustic estate into one of the region’s most respected.   The 1998 vintage was pivotal – putting the property, and the talents of Denis Durantou, firmly on the map. While the wines earned high scores (and even higher prices), Denis remained grounded. He continued to run the show, staying just as involved in the day-to-day work; walking the vines and making the wine, getting dirt under his fingernails.  As the reputation of l’Eglise-Clinet soared, he became committed to producing more affordable, “everyday” wines. He acquired Ch. les Cruzelles (in Lalande-de-Pomerol in 2000) and Montlandrie (in the Côtes de Castillon in 2009), while also leasing vines in Saint-Emilion at Saintayme (from 2012). These “lesser” wines might not have been the reason for his fame, but they have long been an insider choice – offering stunning value. Each of his wines was made with precision, finesse and elegance – but he constantly questioned his decisions and sought to do better.  While Denis himself may have passed away, his passion and philosophy lives on. There was something very salt-of-the-earth about the way that Noëmie tells me: “When you have no choice, you have to take action.” The family – Denis’s widow and artist Marie Reilhac, and his three daughters, Alix, Constance and Noëmie – pulled together, dedicating themselves to crafting wines worthy of Denis’s legacy. Not – of course – that they’d take any of the credit.  “We can thank the vines,” Noëmie tells me. “They are living beings and we ask them to go through a lot.” Explaining the unusually extreme conditions of 2020, she says: “If you were drinking a gallon of water every hour for a month, and then no water for two months…”  The vintage kept them on their toes, but for Noëmie it was a fascinating and exciting year, one she saw as an opportunity to learn more than ever. While the property’s style is always elegant, with careful extraction and cool fermentations (never over 25 or 26˚C), this year that was particularly crucial because of the thick skins and ripeness of the fruit. “I like this idea that the vines had gone through so much, [we] had to treat [them] with delicacy,” Noëmie explains.  As for the wines, she’s pleased – and thinks they’ll be even better in six months’ time when they’ve finished élevage. She describes them as very fruity and juicy, but like “a flower garden in the rain”. For her, élevage was of particular importance this year – a risk that it could have been “very charming, very seductive, but not as deep as it could be”. Time in barrel, however, has brought depth to the year’s “flashy fruit”.   The emphasis chez Durantou is on purity of fruit, and expressing each property’s respective site. The barrels used are key: they have always been very loyal to Darnajou. Denis conducted many trials over the years, and the aim is to bring texture – rather than flavour – to the wine with oak. “We want the pure flavour of the bunches of the vines,” Noëmie says. This is why their barrels are double-toasted, to avoid a vanillin character. They find Darnajou lends “sucrosity” – but it’s not wooden or too smoky, something they want to avoid. They use a tiny percentage of Taransaud as well – barrels that are “much more exotic and vanilla-like” – but only want a touch, as this intensity can easily overpower the wine.   Our conversation drifts into white Bordeaux – prompting a twinkle in her eye. “I’m a huge admirer of white winemakers – it’s so technical, you have basically 48 hours. With red wine, you have this little margin to adjust…” So can we look forward to white wines joining the Durantou portfolio? “I would love to – but I have a lot on my plate right now,” she says, laughing. “It might not be for another decade, definitely. First, I want to make sure things go well here.”  Heading up the team, working with Olivier Gautrat (who worked with Denis for 20 years), there’s certainly a lot for Noëmie to tackle – including the current replanting of plots used for La Petite Eglise, l’Eglise-Clinet’s second wine. But she’s not doing it alone – along with her mother, sisters and the rest of the team (“I have an amazing team – I loved working with them,” Noëmie gushes to me).   If the 2020s are any indication, there are no concerns about Denis’s legacy. These are stunning wines, with an aromatic finesse that belies the warmth of the year. Delicate florals are complemented by a glorious weight of fruit, fine but structured tannins, and yet also great freshness.   Only in her 20s, Noëmie is clearly talented – and her love of the vine shines through. Talking to her is energising, her joy infectious – but what is apparent is how she empathises with her vines. She might look fashionable in a tan leather jacket on our call, but you can feel that she’d sooner throw it off to get her hands dirty. She’s not just a winemaker, but a sensitive farmer. While I never had the privilege of meeting her father, I can only imagine he’d be incredibly proud.  Find out more about Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet or read more Editorial

Having taken over from her late father, Denis Durantou, Noëmie Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet tells Sophie Thorpe how the vines were a constant in an emotionally wrought year – and what lies ahead for the vigneron family 

Noëmie Durantou Reilhac of Ch. l’Eglise-Clinet on how the vines were a constant in an emotionally wrought year – and what lies ahead for the vigneron family 

Ch.’Eglise Clinet's constant farmer

The constant farmer: Noëmie Durantou Reilhac

It was a small yellow aphid that disregarded national borders, wiping out the livelihood of every grape grower in its way and there was no known cure nor effective prevention in its first devastating years. Even when a cure was discovered, growers were reluctant – and often financially unable – to use it.  As a result, phylloxera vastatrix  – vastratix meaning ravager – continued to nibble on the roots of vines across western Europe, sucking the lifeblood from the vines and leaving wounds for any passing infection. By 1900, 2.5 million hectares of France's vineyard had been uprooted, causing production to slump, encouraging dodgy dealers to make fake wine, and leading to mass protests.  The story of phylloxera in Europe started as a well-intentioned gift. In 1862, an American grape grower sent some cuttings of native vines to his friend in the Rhône Valley who planted them, unaware of the damage it would inflict on his compatriots. Within a year, local growers were lamenting their sick vines. Phylloxera had wanderlust, sparing no French region; nor did it respect the country's finest terroirs or illustrious châteaux.  However, a concerted national response to the potential ruin of the country's national beverage was not forthcoming. The French government was too busy putting on International Exhibitions in Paris (1867), opening the Suez Canal (1869) and waging war on Prussia (1870-71). In 1870, the government acknowledged there might be an issue, offering a 20,000 Franc reward for a cure. Remedies were offered including burying living toads in the vineyard, adding volcanic ash from Pompeii to the soil or inviting a marching band to play to the vines. Unsurprisingly, the vines continued to die. In 1880, a solution was finally accepted: graft European varieties to the roots of American vines. However, grafting noble French varieties - vitis vinifera - to the roots of these lowly American varieties seemed like sacrilege to many growers. It was thought they would affect the nobility of their precious wines. There was also the issue of cost: uprooting your vineyard, replanting and then having to wait between three and five years for a crop did not feed a family and the concept of state aid was still a long way off.  As a result, many tried to limp on for as long as possible, injecting carbon bisulphide, an expensive and toxic solvent used to vulcanise rubber, into the soil to stave off the inevitable.  The producers in the south of France were the first to be hit in the 1860s and they replanted with high-yielding hybrids. By the turn of the century, the Languedoc was producing more wine than ever before. However, the region's unscrupulous merchants made up for the initial shortfall at peak phylloxera by bulking out grape juice with sugar and water while others made wines from raisins. These practices continued despite the replanted vineyards returning to full production, causing a huge oversupply and depressing prices.  Urged on by a growing labour movement, hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets in 1907 to call for change. The Champagne Riots of 1911 The Champenois followed suit, rioting in the streets in 1911 and the root of their troubles also lay with phylloxera.  In 1892, the Marne was invaded by its first phylloxera aphid and, by 1910, 40% of the region had been affected. But this was no time for production to fall: Champagne sales were booming and to make up for the shortfall, dodgy merchants (and some of the seemingly reputable houses) brought in wines from the Loire and the south of France by the train-load. The wines were made sparkling in their cellars and the bottles emerged, as if by magic, as Champagne. Supply and demand economics suggested that the growers should have been earning more for their fruit as phylloxera affected supply and sales boomed, but fake Champagne kept prices low. Having borne the cost of replanting their vineyards, this was not how growers imagined they would be rewarded and protests ensued.  While most vineyards in Champagne and beyond are now planted on American rootstocks, there are some vines and vineyard owners that play wine roulette and grow vitis vinifera on their own roots. For example, three plots belonging to Bollinger were planted in 1960 in the traditional pre-phylloxera way. One has succumbed to the vine louse but the remaining two parcels are the source of Vieilles Vignes Françaises, a rare Pinot Noir-based Champagne that provides a taste of a bygone era.  We asked Denis Bunner, Bollinger’s Deputy Cellar Master, about the Aÿ-based Champagne House's rarest wine, Vieilles Vignes Françaises, which is produced on its own roots.  Why did Bollinger begin producing Vieilles Vignes Françaises in 1969?  An English journalist Cyril Ray proposed the initiative to Madame Bollinger following a visit in 1967 and this inspired Madame Bollinger to create a wine from the precious vines to commemorate her 70th birthday, which saw the first bottle produced in 1969. The wine was launched in 1974. Are the vines pre-phylloxera? If so, they must be more than a century old. No, the current plots in Aÿ were planted in the 1960s but it is impossible to give an age to the vines due to the perpetual renewal and the way the root system grow [the system is called provignage, which is like vine fostering when there is an empty space to fill. Take a cane from one vine, train it down into the soil and partially bury it with the end sticking out until it forms a separate vine. This is also done in the Nacional vineyard at Quinta do Noval]. There were three plots that weren't grafted but there are now only two. What happened? third plot succumb to phylloxera?  The third plot in Croix Rouge de Bouzy was attacked by phylloxera at the end of the 1990s – the vineyard didn't have protective walls around it. The last vintage was 2004 as we had to uproot it when it fell prey to the infestation. How many acres do the two remaining plots cover?  The Clos Saint-Jacques (Aÿ) covers just over half an acre while the Clos des Chaudes-Terres, which lies within the boundaries of Bollinger’s own lands, covers a little over a third of an acre. In total, they represent 0.36 hectares. Is there anything special about the soil of these two plots that means it resists phylloxera?  The soil is not remarkably different from that in the rest of Aÿ and as per the rest of Champagne it features chalk. Is this special cuvee made every year?  No. Only in declared vintages. What is the average production of Vieilles Vignes Françaises?  This varies by vintage, but falls within the range of 2,000 to 3,000 bottles. A total of 2,420 numbered bottles of the 2009 Vieilles Vignes Françaises vintage were produced. Read more Editorial

Following the release of Bollinger’s latest vintage of Vieilles Vignes Françaises, we talk to Denis Bunner, Bollinger’s Deputy Cellar Master about the Aÿ-based Champagne house's rarest wine, as well as delving into the archives to explore the history of the fatal vine louse.

Phylloxera and Bollinger’s Vieilles Vignes Françaises on the wine grown from vines planted on its own roots and thus vulnerable to attack by the louse.

Phylloxera and winemaking

Phylloxera: a vine pandemic

Politicians don’t always follow through on their promises but US President Franklin D. Roosevelt made good on one of his 1932 election pledges: repealing Prohibition just weeks before the start of 1934. After nearly 14 dry years, producing and drinking alcohol was once again legalised and revellers could happily toast the New Year.  For Californian winemakers, however, there was still little to celebrate. What had been a fledgling wine industry before 1920 had been left in tatters, the number of Napa wineries falling from 120 to less than a third of that. A long, bumpy road to Cabernet greatness was barely conceivable for those remaining with so-called Burgundy, Chablis and Claret making the running.  However, there were some bright notes. The region’s pioneer, Robert Mondavi, arrived in the Valley in 1936 and said that he was "tremendously impressed by what I called the big four of the California wine industry . . . Inglenook, B.V. [Beaulieu Vineyard], Beringer Brothers, and Larkmead" and allegedly bowed his head when he drove past the first two. It would be another 50 years before Bill Harlan bought his 240-acre property that became Harlan Estate, which would go on to craft the “single most profound red wine made not just in California, but the world” according to Robert Parker.  On the other side of the Atlantic, there was little to smile about in the 1930s either. France –and the world’s finest vineyards encountered the same malaise as the world’s economy but 1934 provided the one bright spot. Admittedly, the vintage didn’t quite produce the fireworks of 1928 or 1929, but it would be more than a decade until there was anything to match the 1934 vintage.   Among the recipients of a bountiful harvest was Burgundy. The late Henri Jayer –the man who converted an artichoke patch in Vosne-Romanée to the esteemed Cros Parantoux vineyard–said,“In Burgundy, it is a rare occurrence to see quantity happily associated with quality, as in 1999, 1959 and 1934.” Amid a depression, though, it wasn’t enough to simply make great wine; you had to sell it. In an effort to breathe life into the market, a fraternity known as the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin was established. Its founders declared “If our cellars are full, we must invite our friends to help us empty them.” Their evenings of Pinot-swilling bonhomie brought some cheer before they were brought to a halt by the onset of war in 1939. With little appetite for parties in the mid-thirties, long-term vision was required for the Champenois, too. The powers that be at Moët & Chandon stepped up to the plate, designating what was an excellent year for the region as only the third-ever vintage of its super luxury cuvée Dom Pérignon. The wine wouldn’t see the light of day until 1951, when the president of France, foreign kings and the future Pope Jean Paul XXIII saw off several of the 1,200 cases at various events.  It wasn’t just eastern France that enjoyed a break from the string of dismal vintages. A prodigious harvest in Bordeaux produced some muscular wines destined for the long haul. Their longevity remains evident to this day, particularly in magnum, and has been a pivotal vintage for Neal Martin, imbuing him with greater respect for Saint-Émilion property Cheval Blanc.  “The vintage that alerted me to the pedigree of Cheval Blanc’s old vintages is not the legendary 1947 nor the fabled 1921, but the 1934,” he explained in 2019. “This was several years after Albert Laussac Fourcaud passed away, having created a société civile between his children to ensure that the property would remain in his family. First poured at a remarkable tasting in London themed around that vintage, the 1934 Cheval Blanc lit up the evening”. The world might have changed in the last eight decades but some things, it seems, can be counted on to remain the same. Read more Editorial 

For the latest installment in our Vintage Series, we explore the 1934 vintage. A year that saw the US wine market begin its slow recovery after the repeal of the Prohibition Act and Europe finally ended a dismal streak, 1934 produced some of the finest wines in the pre-World War II era.

Exploring the 1934 vintage, when the US wine market began its slow recovery after the repeal of the Prohibition Act and Europe finally ended a dismal streak

Exploring the 1934 wine vintage

A year in wine: 1934

Based in the village of Morey St Denis, the domaine is today run by the ever-thoughtful
Benoit Stehly, the great grandson of Georges Lignier, who has been in charge of
the property since 2007.  It remains one of the great value domaines in the Cote de Nuits and the wines are undoubtedly the top-value picks from these top sites in 2018.  This week we met with Benoit in London for a second look at his 2018s, following our initial autumn tasting at the domaine. The times are changing Benoit’s honest approach to his viticulture, his confidence to experiment and his continual
strive towards creating “thought-provoking” rather than “perfect” wines, always makes for an inspiring visit. He is not one to shy away from making changes in the vineyard in accordance with the
undeniable rise in temperatures over the last decade in Burgundy. Warm vintages are becoming commonplace and therefore he thinks a fresh approach is required to make the most of it.  Benoit is unique in Morey in keeping a permanent grass cover in the vineyard creating competition with the vines and forcing deeper root systems. It also serves to increase humidity, off-setting the heat of a hot vintage and slowing down the ripening, thus retaining freshness and protecting against the grapes cooking on the vine.  It also protects against erosion as well as creating more biodiversity in the soils. Others in Morey have since tried and failed with the same technique and this he believes was down to his own luck. First planting the grass in 2012 he was fortunate to have had three consecutively wet springs that enabled the roots to bed in. His neighbours who have since tried have seen much drier Springs in 2014, ’15, 16, ’17 and not been able to maintain them. 
In a warmer vintage like 2018, Benoit looked to similar steps he took in 2015 to best deal
with the heat. He has thrown out the rule book of picking 100 days after flowering, knowing that in vintages like these the grapes ripen much quicker.  “Two distinct style changes today exist in Burgundian Pinot Noir due to climate
change”  Benoit believes the very real effects of climate change has seen two quite different
styles develop in the Cote du Nuits and in recent vintages this has only become further
exacerbated by ever warmer summers. According to Benoit, about a third of Burgundy producers, typically the younger (or at least younger-spirited vignerons), of which he includes himself, are picking on freshness. The older generation continue to pick on ripeness – governed by the general rule of picking 100 days after flowering.  Both styles have their advantages, picking later gives you fully developed aromatic
complexity but with the risk of escalating alcohol levels and less freshness. Benoit prefers to pick on freshness, retaining “classical” alcohol levels – between 13.2 – 13.6% abv and terroir specificity, whilst avoiding what he believes is over-ripeness in the fruit flavours. The risk seems to of paid off with his 2018s.  The French government no longer calls the shots in a warmer Burgundy Picking times were regulated by the French government in Burgundy up until 2005. The
practice was discontinued following the disastrous timing by the government during the very hot 2003 vintage in which they only allowed picking to start in September (too late for many). The delay was due to government officials unable to declare until they returned from their summer holidays. Many vignerons broke the law to save their crop, others were not so lucky. Following the outcry, the government in 2004 declared that producers could pick from August 1st, effectively making their declaration pointless. Ever since, the practice has
been discontinued. However, as Benoit explains, many vignerons had become reliant on officials to tell them when to pick, rather than making their own judgements. Abandoning the declaration exposed all the vignerons that had little understanding on when was the right time to pick. It also further debunked the now outdated notion that you pick 100 days after flowering. A fresh approach 
Many of Benoit’s neighbours, even in 2018, were still picking 100 days after flowering and in his opinion were producing overripe wines with huge alcohol levels. For Benoit, Burgundy over 14% abv loses its typicity and sense of place. He states how Burgundy has always been one of the coolest regions in the world to produce Pinot Noir, and in the past the leaner, difficult vintages were all too common.  Climate change has produced warmer, riper vintages which according to Benoit has at least given the vigneron more choice in the style of wine they want to produce. With the warmer weather, one can either opt for a fresher style or a riper style and this comes down to choice of when to pick.  For Benoit, the picking time is the key factor to get right and remains the most stressful time
of the year. With high temperatures and a persistent drying wind at harvest, picking times in 2018 had never been more important. Picking just five days later saw the alcohol level rise by 1%. Fortunately, Benoit was one of the first out in the Morey St Denis vineyards beginning to pick from the 5th September, with all the grapes in within 10 days, starting with his Grand Crus and ending with his coolest Village sites. The 2018 wines Chambolle Musigny 2018 The oldest vines dating back to the 1930s gives this village wine plenty of personality coming from two plots north of the Chambolle village whose soils are rich in iron. The wine has wild floral aromas and light mineral ferric notes with silk-like melted tannins. The purity of fruit on the palate is fantastic with great mid palate weight and expansive breadth. This is excellent
quality for village level. 
Morey St Denis 1er Cru 2018 Bright translucent purple colour with perfumed notes of violets, wildflowers and red berries. The palate has a lovely spectrum of fruit from vibrant crunchy blackberry fruit to more candied red cherry and cassis. This interplays with a more Morey-esque savoury tone of fresh soil, hints of sage and bay providing more refreshing earthiness to offset the ripe fruit. The tannins are beautifully integrated and very fine, well-balanced with refreshing crunchy acids. Morey Saint Denis 1er Cru – Clos des Ormes 2018 Benoit calls this his baby Clos de la Roche, sitting directly below the Grand Cru vineyard and sharing the darker spice, brooding fruit and complex perfumes of orange bitters and sweet herb notes alongside rich plush blackberry fruit. This is a very serious gourmand style of Burgundy that is built to age and will develop beautifully in bottle over the next decade.  Gevrey Chambertin 1er Cru Les Combettes 2018 Surrounded completely by Grand Crus, this has a lovely elegance and sweetness on the nose,
the intensity and generous character of top Gevrey and a really wonderful balance. Red fruits, raspberry, a touch of juniper, pepper, silky tannins that are already so soft and integrated. Mulberry and macerated raspberry on the finish. Great length and freshness. This is serious. 
Clos Saint Denis Grand Cru 2018 Vines between 60 and 70 years old – powerful red fruits with fresh peppery notes and minerality on the nose. Superbly balanced tannins with a light sweetness, an expansive palate of dark berries and cherries opening to a long and elegant acidity, which amplifies the minerality of the terroir. Dry and powerful, the spine of this Clos St Denis provides amazing structure and exciting length on the finish. Will age incredibly well.

Clos de la Roche Grand Cru 2018 Deep nose of blueberry and purple fruit, savoury herbs and spice. Tightly wound and intense, the palate shows a hint of dark chocolate, oak, dark cherry and red fruits. A chunky personality, touch of pepper on the finish and good length. So much potential here. 
Bonne Mares Grand Cru 2018 Grown exclusively on the red limestone soil (Morey-side) of Bonnes Mares rich in iron, from 100-year-old vines. A captivating nose of mandarin, touches of spice and a broad spectrum of red and dark berry fruits. A core of red cherry and raspberry on the palate, mouth-watering acidity balanced by sensuous tannins. Structured yet elegant with an intense fresh berry finish. Outstanding. Explore more Editorial 

Domaine Georges Lignier has some of the most enviable Grand Cru sites in Burgundy with significant holdings in Clos de la Roche, Clos St Denis and Bonnes Mares

Exploring Domaine Georges Lignier and its enviable Grand Cru sites in Burgundy in Clos de la Roche, Clos St Denis and Bonnes Mares. 

Domaine Georges Lignier, 2018 vintage update

Domaine Georges Lignier: 2018 vintage update

Alsace – Olivier Humbrecht Food and wine are taken very seriously indeed in Alsace and Olivier has provided a wealth of options to consider. Worth noting, Alsace has more Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else in France. Top recommendations for wine lists at reasonable prices in the region are Tavernes lsacienne in Ingersheim and Restaurant de la Gare in Guewenheim. The best for food /wine list combo would be Villa Lalique in Wingen sur Moder, Chambard in Kayserberg. Table du Gourmet (1 Michelin Star) in Riquewihr and Auberge Bouc Bleu in Beblenheim. For a special occasion, don’t miss Aub de l’Ill (€€€) in Illhausern, which is a 2 Michelin Star restaurant. It was in fact a 3 Michelin Star restaurant up until recently but for Olivier it still is very much a 3 Star and worth the visit. 
Burgundy - Christophe Roumier "If you consider Burgundy to be larger than only the Cote de Beaune and Cote de Nuits, then my favourite restaurant is certainly Aux Terrasses in Tournus, which although only one Michelin Star, has a lovely creative cuisine full of energy and based mainly around local produce. The wine list is just perfect, although, like many places, it's full of young vintages. I like this place a lot! Closer to Beaune, one of my favourite restaurants is Hostellerie de Levernois for the high level of its cuisine and its very accomplished wine list. But here the place is a little more fancy." Brunello di Montalcino – Gianlorenzo Neri The most authentic place in Montalcino area is Trattoria Il Pozzo or Il Leccio in Sant'Angelo in Colle (a village in south area of Montalcino). Inside Montalcino village do not miss Il Giglio, Alle Logge di Piazza, and Drogheria Franci. For special fine dining you must try Osticcio. The best wine lists in town are at Il Giglio (you can find very old and rare vintages of Brunello from great wineries) as well as Drogheria Franci (same ownership of Enoteca La Fortezza who have an extensive wine list to choose from). Do not miss "Pinci" with meat sauce or pecorino cheese and pepper (in italian "cacio e pepe"), it is the typical pasta of the area, or "Peposo" which is a braised beef meat cooked in
a Brunello sauce. Santa Barbara – Matt Dees (Jonata & The Hilt) For dinner I would recommend the El Encanto restaurant which has beautiful sweeping views across Santa Barbara city. The food is awesome too. Don’t forget to stop off at the Mercado Ice Cream Parlour too. This place has got to be making some of the best ice cream in California. The Lark is pretty awesome. My personal favourite is Ca’Dario, a sort of no thrills Italian restaurant - the food is really authentic. We also have some of the best Mexican food being made in the US. These restaurants really are some of the jewels of the city. I love El Bagio
but there are loads of great ones to choose from! 
Chablis – Olivier Bailly – Domaine Billaud Simon Too few people make the one hour drive from the Cote d’Or to Chablis; the region is an overlooked culinary hot spot that offers exceptional value compared to the Cote d’Or. Olivier Bailly’s favourite restaurant in Chablis is Au Fil du Zinc for "the precision" of the Japanese Chef. According to Olivier, "he produces very good French cooking with a Japanese influence". Le Syracuse is another restaurant he recommends for the quality-to-price
ratio: "it is excellent!" 
Burgundy - Veronique Drouhin Veronique Drouhin also recommends the Bistrot du Bord de L'Eau in the commune of Livernois (just outside of Beaune). She describes it as “delicious, fairly priced and a lovely location both indoors and outdoors if the weather suits". Another recommendation is the L'Hermitage de Corton, just outside of Beaune, on the way to Aloxe Corton. Again it offers "delicious food at a good price in a beautiful setting... plus
the owners are delightful". If you find yourself in the centre of Beaune, Drouhin recommends Le Carmin, “a one Michelin star restaurant, worthy of the star”. For 'bar and tapas' style evening with friends, her pick is the gastro-bar Maison du Colombier. Another recommendation in Beaune is Le Bistrot des Cocottes: “nice, fun, very good”.

For any true epicurean, a list of top restaurants requires serious deliberation. We asked some of our favourite winemakers from around the world to give their recommendations, including Olivier Humbrecht, Christophe Roumier, Gianlorenzo Neri and more…

Winemakers Olivier Humbrecht, Christophe Roumier, Gianlorenzo Neri and more name their top restaurants

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