Chris Phelps never really meant to start his own winery. But fate had other plans.  Wine had always been part of life, just in the background. Growing up in Livermore, east of San Francisco, Phelps’s parents would buy a ton of grapes from Napa or Sonoma, and make wine each year for themselves. Phelps even dug out a cellar by hand for them as a teenager. Nevertheless, when he set off for UC Davis, it wasn’t to study wine, but medicine. To pay for university, he took a job as a firefighter in Idaho (“kind of scary but super fun,” he tells me). By chance, he met a wine-geek friend, one who eventually convinced him to switch from pre-med to oenology. At Davis, he happened upon Alain Bertrand – one of the first scientists to use gas chromatography to delineate the different aromatic compounds in wine. The Frenchman didn’t speak much English, and Phelps spoke French – so they ended up becoming friends. Bertrand suggested Phelps attend the University of Bordeaux for a year after graduation. There, Phelps tells me, everything “started to fall into place”. Until then, wine had been intellectually interesting – but, during his time in France, it became much more.   There, another professor pushed him to apply for an internship – just in time for the 1982 harvest, a vintage that would turn out to be legendary. He already had offers from both Ch. Simon (Barsac) and Ch. Beauregard, but then was given the opportunity to interview with JP Moueix (of Pétrus). Unusually Christian Moueix insisted on joining the interview himself, alongside winemaker Jean-Claude Berrouet, and promptly gave him the job. The confident young American, however, said he’d think about it – and set off for a holiday in the south of France with his fiancée. Little did he know that Moueix had just bought a swathe of vineyard in Napa – and was planning for the future.  A few weeks later, Phelps was in Nice and bought three postcards from the Chagall museum – ready to make his decision about the three possible roads that lay ahead of him. He decided to take the position at Moueix, posted his rejections and acceptance, and carried on with his holiday. But, as harvesttime approached, Phelps hadn’t heard anything back. He called Berrouet – only to find out that the French postal service had let him down, and the job at Pétrus had been given to someone else. It seemed like his luck had run out, but Berrouet said he might have another idea and would call him back in a few days.   While Berrouet couldn’t offer him anything as prestigious as Pétrus, he found Phelps a job at Ch. des Laurets in Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion – but he wouldn’t just be an intern, he’d be running everything. It was, Phelps said, a “trial by fire”, especially given his only hands-on experience to date had been six months at Louis Martini. He worked non-stop with just one cellar hand to help during the day, and managed to make it through the season.   When the wines were safely in barrel, he went to dinner at Christian Moueix’s house – where, sipping Champagne in the library, Moueix told Phelps about his plans for his Napa project, Dominus – and asked if he’d be the winemaker. “Of course, I said no,” Phelps tells me – recalling how the Frenchman opposite visibly sputtered at the American’s cheek (again). Phelps said he needed more money to live in Napa (and support his bride-to-be) – and more experience. Amazingly, Moueix agreed to let him start from 1984, given the 1983 vintage was set to be just a handful of experimental barrels, and to a pay rise. Off Phelps went, working around California and wintering at Pétrus before returning to lead the team at Dominus.   “We figured it out as we went along,” Phelps says, looking back on the early days of what is now one of Napa’s most prestigious estates. Today they might have the iconic Herzog & De Meuron winery, but things were much more rustic at the beginning – with a small team and little infrastructure. Phelps eventually moved on, joining Caymus in 1996 – but it’s what started happening after-hours, around his day job, that is interesting.  In 1990, Phelps met Larry Bettinelli at a Christian men’s retreat, and hit it off. It was only when they met up for lunch later that they realised they were both in the wine business, with Bettinelli a fifth-generation farmer who was growing grapes. Bettinelli wanted his vineyards to be the best in the valley – but he needed feedback on the fruit so that he could adapt his viticulture. He and Phelps hatched a plan: each year, Bettinelli would give Phelps a ton of fruit, trialling different clones, rootstocks, vine spacing and trellising, harvest methods, and Phelps would make a wine with it. The project was purely intellectual, so the two families drunk the wine themselves, and it also started being used as the altar wine at Phelps’s church (a much higher-grade communion offering than most). For two decades, they kept making tiny batches of their first-class “homebrew”, and Bettinelli became one of the valley’s best growers, working with an increasing number of sites around Napa.  Destiny seemed to abandon all subtlety in 2005. Phelps was hiking through the Sierra Nevada, leading a Scouts expedition, when they were struck by lightning. Two of the group died and Phelps was knocked unconscious. Unsurprisingly, it shook Phelps to the core. “Life is our most precious gift,” he says, “and if we use wine appropriately, it can enhance our lives.”  Two years later, Phelps was on top of a tank that had just been filled with crushed fruit from a relatively new Bettinelli site – and the smell was intoxicating. Following pure impulse, Phelps asked if he could – rather unconventionally – buy the tank’s contents, and Bettinelli said yes. Ad Vivum – inspired by the Latin “vinum” for wine and “vivere” to live, combined with “ad” which translates as “to” or “towards” – was born.  The vineyard was Sleeping Lady (previously Reese), the southernmost vineyard in Yountville, at the foot of the Mayacamas and on the southern end of the valley’s famous bench. There’s a flow of underground water that feeds a creek, with sufficient clay under the gravel and sand to retain water during the dry summer – and has, in Phelps’s words, a “beautiful ability” to self-regulate. Various other producers work with the vineyard, but his two blocks (representing a mere 1.5 acres) are right at the top of the vineyard, below a steep slope that aids the flow of cool air through the site at night. For him there was something special about these plots – producing fruit and wine with what Phelps describes as a “grace note”; it’s a whisper of something that takes the wine to the next level.  In a good year, production for Ad Vivum is 450 cases – but Phelps isn’t looking to grow. He makes one wine, from one site – and that’s the way he wants it to be. The wine is undoubtedly informed by his Franco-American roots, with an elegance, freshness and savoury structure that complements the plush Napa style. As he says, “I try to build wines that speak for themselves.”  Phelps’s – and Ad Vivum’s – story is one of happenstance. Or is it? With a man as devout as Phelps, it seems hard for anyone to believe it’s all an accident – and as Phelps himself says, looking back, it feels perhaps like it’s all part of a master plan.  Contact your Account Manager to find out more about the 2019 release of Ad Vivum or read more about California 

Ad Vivum is a boutique Napa project from Chris Phelps. Sophie Thorpe spoke to him about how twists of fate saw him go from aspiring medic to star winemaker at the likes of Dominus, Caymus – and now his own label

Ad Vivum is a boutique Napa wine label from Chris Phelps. We spoke to the ex Dominus and Caymus winemaker about his journey – and its twists of fate

Discover Chris Phelps’s wine Ad Vivum, Napa

Divine intervention: Ad Vivum

Three of the five First Growths are situated in Pauillac. What is it that makes this appellation so special? As Chateau Lafite neighbours Saint-Estèphe does it share an affinity with both appellations?

We can only be very biased when making comments on the Pauillac appellation, having two Chateaux in the appellation (Chateau Lafite & Chateau Duhart Milon). We are Pauillac
lovers and defenders! It is deeply rooted. The capacity to combine density, complexity
and elegance is unique. The capacity to age the wines is remarkable, such is the potential to seduce wine lovers with captivating aromas. One phrase, not from us, that we feel symbolises Pauillac’s wine is “an iron fist in a velvet glove”. When it comes to Saint-Estèphe, we are also very biased as we have four hectares planted next door to Cos d’Estournel and Lafon-Rochet. Those four hectares produce remarkable Cabernet Sauvignon which goes into the Lafite Grand Vin nearly every year. It is part of the original estate of Chateau Lafite, which is one of the reasons why we have a specific authorisation to include it in our final blend. Ripeness, structure, capacity to seduce are really what makes our Saint-Estèphe grapes so special. In the past you have talked about how well the terroir of Lafite manages with warm vintages – why do you think that is?

The Lafite terroir is extraordinary, it is such a privilege for us to work on this very particular piece of land. The density and depth of gravel, the capacity to restrain water, the quality
of the vegetative material, the high proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon… all those elements combined are certainly part of the answer. Cabernet Sauvignon is a fascinating grape in that regard, the resistance and capacity of never becoming too extreme is very fortunate. But Lafite is not only one terroir. People think about the hill of Lafite of course, but we have Anseillan which is a very interesting territory to explore, we have Bel Air on the South West not far from Duhart-Milon which is a bit more arid, we have the Plateau des Carruades –  a playground for Grands Vins for a century, and we also have the Caillava in the Saint-Estèphe appellation which makes us a bit unique in that regards. Our fortune is to be able to play
with this diversity in the final blend, always challenging ourselves every year. Tell us more about the five defining terroirs of Chateau Lafite: Plateau de Lafite: Located just outside the Chateau from our cellar up to the hill of Lafite down south on one side, and up to the villages of Milon and Loubeyres going west on another side. This plateau, from the quaternary period is a mix of very deep Clayey gravel on top of the hill, sandy-gravel closer to the Chateau on the western part, and some parcels planted on aeolian sandy soil. All is mainly planted with old Cabernet Sauvignon. This is the backbone of Lafite Grand Vin nearly every year. It gives fruit elegance, texture, and exceptional density. The magical playground for us. Plateau des Carruades:  The iconic and historic terroir des Carruades nestled between the south of Duhart-Milon and Mouton, is one of the most extraordinary pieces of deep clayey gravel soil from the
quaternary period. This plateau is planted with great Cabernet Sauvignon but also with the best Merlot of Lafite. It is today a terroir of experimentation for us where we conduct most of our biodynamical analysis. As for the Plateau de Lafite, it is a core component of our Grand Vin blend nearly every year bringing structure. Le Caillava: Le Caillava is unique and is one of the reasons why we believe Lafite has something special. Le Caillava is located in Saint-Estèphe between Cos d’Estournel and Lafon-Rochet. A wonderful terroir of deep clayey-gravel soil from the Quaternary period. Planted in 1927, Cabernet Sauvignon on this terroir gives spicy, ripe and structured grapes entering every year in the final blend of Lafite Grand Vin. Bel Air, Passe-Temps, Berret:  Our most southern and arid terroir is located south of Duhart-Milon vineyards, next door to our cooperage. Most of the terroir is gravel soil from the quaternary period, with some
blocks mixed with more sandy soil. Grapes from those two terroirs are very expressive, generous, and sometimes more hard than other plateau, but always useful in blends. Our plot of Cabernet Franc is also planted in this part. 
Anseillan:  Located on the eastern side of the estate, the closest to the riverside, on the other side of the road from Pauillac to Saint-Estèphe. Some terroir of clayey gravel soil on top of Anseillan
surrounding the village. On the lower part of Anseillan down the road and up north closer to the Saint-Estèphe border the terroir is alluvial-clay-limestone from the tertiary period. It is relatively evenly planted in Cab Sauv and Merlot, and with our parcel of Petit Verdot. It is a new terroir of exploration for Carruades that looks very promising. An even more precise “laser-cut approach” towards parcel management enabling us to pick lovely grapes bringing us joy and confidence for the future of this terroir that we better master. 
Making a wine for such a historical estate, do you feel the pressure to maintain the status quo? Making wine and working in such a historical estate is a privilege, first of all. And because it is such a privilege, we have a moral duty of not maintaining status quo and always challenging ourselves. What can we do better? How is Bordeaux evolving? What is
driving wine lovers’ appetites today?...  Great companies and chateaux are led with an entrepreneurial spirit. We work for the long term, to prepare the estates for the next generation, the decisions we take when it comes to
investment or vineyard management are really long-term. This is strongly rooted in values of Lafite and the Rothschild family. 
How do you balance this with your own desires as a winemaker to make an impression on the wine? It’s a very good question! It was a little bit difficult at the beginning for a young agronomist/oenologist arriving at Lafite. At this age, you always think that you will be able to start the revolution and change everything and have a huge effect on the wine. But, rapidly, you understand that Lafite is not yours and belongs to the family of course, but also to the World, to the great clients, and to the history. Thus, when that is understood, your action is only focused on increasing the quality step by step, but with respect to all those who are waiting for Lafite. 
With the 2019 vintage what do you feel are the most important elements behind the vintage? 
The vintage started beautifully with a dry and mild winter. Fine weather continued in early spring with an early vegetative cycle. Cold came between March and May and we crossed our fingers/held our breath 6 times fearing that frost might hit us badly. Careful vigilance from the team was key, so was the use of candles. The first flowers appeared in Pauillac around 28th May. This flower was unfortunately capricious due to important rains arriving during the second part of flowering, leading to small amount of “coulure” and “millerandage”. Early summer was the warmest recorded since 2003, fortunately relatively short, and the vineyards showed beautiful resistance. Rain miraculously arrived on 26th July with 45mm in Pauillac  – ideal for “veraison” to start. August was then fine, with average temperatures and some rain. Early September was dry, enabling us to start the harvest on 19th September in Pauillac, 13th September at L’Evangile and 8th October in Rieussec. As always at Lafite we follow our philosophy and DNA of wine with freshness, tension and beautiful ageing capability. We have a viticulturist approach to winemaking, 80% of a great wine comes from the quality of the fruit and the investment we put in the vineyards. What have been some positive surprises of the vintage? This year we had lovely surprises from “outsider vineyards” producing pure and elegant wines that have been replacing some typical vineyards in the final blend – as always testing is key, such as the capacity to always question ourselves. This is particularly true for the Merlots planted on more gravely-clay terroirs showing beautiful tension this year. For Carruades (the second wine of Chateau Lafite), the very important work done over the last year of precision and exploration of our Anseillan terroir is really paying off. The Merlots of Anseillan and our Cabernet Franc are giving a lovely density and elegance to the pure Lafite DNA. Overall for Lafite, this is a vintage that we call “modern-classic”. In the pure Lafite style, very Cabernet led, very pure, very precise, with some ripeness. This is reflected in the final blends that is 94% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot for Chateau Lafite Grand Vin, and 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc for Carruades. Our gut feel is that just as there will always be a discussion between 2009 and 2010, we will have the same between 2018 and 2019. 2018 being closer to 2009, and 2019 being closer to 2010. What are the most important factors in regard to Chateau Lafite’s winemaking philosophy? 
When it comes to winemaking, we have a very traditional and, we could say, “hands-off” approach to preserve the quality of the fruit and reflect the vintage conditions. As an example, we always use a high proportion of press wine as we don’t go for “maceration pre-fermentaire à froid” or even “maceration post-fermentaire à chaud”. We don’t do “delestage”, we have always been very gentle on vinification at Lafite.  We don’t push on the dregs/marc - we are always very soft and traditional. This explains why we then have super high quality press wine that we can include in the final blend, this year up to 15% of the blend comes from the press wine! Normally this is closer to 10-12%. 
Have you made any changes at Lafite due to global warming? We are already very well equipped at Lafite in the context of global warning. The extraordinary terroir we mentioned previously, our strong Carbernet Sauvignon planting, the quality of vegetative materials are strong assets.  Nevertheless, we try to anticipate these changes. We have an internal research and development team running some tests with different plantings, with grass development (enherbement) in vineyards, with canopy management.  We are not sure that the future will be the introduction of new grape varietals, given the Cabernet Sauvignon is already a very resistant grape. The topic of density of plantation is more important, and we are working on a slow decreasing of it. The main change in Bordeaux is the succession of extraordinary vintages. In the past, once every 5 years we had a great vintage and every 10 years an exceptional vintage. Now nearly every year the vintage conditions are such that we can produce very good wines.  How we can sustain beautiful vintages year on year in the markets is one of the big questions for the future. But it is a great challenge to have – we prefer to have amazing wine every year, it will always be drunk at some point! It is our duty as owners and producers to create the moment for wine lovers to open our bottles. Something that Bordeaux Chateaux have not been particularly active on in the past. 
How do you feel Bordeaux’s reputation has changed in the world of fine wine in the last 20 years? 20 years ago Bordeaux was by far the leading region in the world of fine wine, maybe followed by Napa and Piemont. Then Burgundy and Northern Rhone were under the spotlight. Today we have seen the rise of other regions like Tuscany… Cabernet Sauvignon was the acclaimed varietal also, now Pinot Noir is trendy - of course from Burgundy but also from Central Otago in New Zealand, and from Oregon State. The world is more open, wine lovers are maybe more curious, the loyalty to big names in the world of fine wine (as in other categories) is also weaker. This can explain why today younger generations may enter the world of fine wines through other regions, when in the past Bordeaux was the point of entry. What is also striking is how Bordeaux is modernising itself with more professionalism in many Chateaux, more willingness to travel and meet wine lovers, more open to welcome people at the property, a better understanding of the world of fine wine. With the quality of the wines produced, with more willingness to travel and understand consumers, with greater attention on crafting experiences and creating occasions for people to open bottles, there is no reason to doubt that Bordeaux will continue to shine and seduce the younger generations of wine lovers that today might not consider Bordeaux as a preferred choice. What is Bordeaux's greatest asset? We don’t see many regions in the world like Bordeaux that have the capacity to produce extraordinary wines year on year with significant volume to create a very capillary distribution. The investments that are made both in the vineyards and in the cellar are absolutely impressive in Bordeaux. Bordeaux is one of the greatest and most dynamic cities in France today, very well reachable from Paris, London, Amsterdam, Geneva…, with many things to do for a week or weekend in the region. Many Chateaux have invested in great hospitality experiences to provide customers with a memorable experience. Bordeaux has everything in its hands to really stand out and continue to seduce wine lovers from around the world, we just need to communicate it! 
What is Bordeaux’s biggest challenge? Its lack of capacity to communicate the assets discussed previously. There is no other region in France and in the world that is experiencing so much “bashing” over the last few years. Are all the criticisms unfair? Certainly not, but everything is exaggerated, and Bordeaux is not able to speak with one voice on some big topics, to have a consensus, to unite forces to make people realise how Bordeaux has changed, how modern and open to world things are now, on top of the extraordinary quality of the wines produced! How have you been affected by Coronavirus? We have been observing the evolution of this terrible pandemic for several weeks, and we have been taking immediate measures in line with the authorities. Our first priority is the safety and well-being of our people in our Chateaux, in our Bordeaux and Paris offices, in our Domaine of Aussière, but also in our properties in China, Chile and Argentina. The second priority has been to maintain minimal staff in the properties for mandatory activities – we are right in the middle of harvest in South America, we were planning the bottling of Duhart-Milon 2018, we were finishing the blending of vintage 2019 in our
Bordeaux Chateaux… We hope strongly that this terrible situation will pass very soon for everyone. 
With En Primeur tastings postponed how will this affect the release of Chateau Lafite 2019? You know that we are very strong believers in the en-primeur system as it is a unique platform for Bordeaux wines enabling the Chateaux to have the best reach and international spread possible. However, as with every system it needs to be fine-tuned, recreating a
sense of magic to maintain desirability, and needs to provide a customer incentive to purchase en-primeurs. So yes, postponing the en-primeurs is not a decision taken easily, but given the circumstances it is a choice that had to be made. It is almost impossible to have a clear view of when this terrible crisis will end and thus when we would be able to reorganize the en-primeurs. One thing is for sure, as soon as the conditions are in place for people to travel safely, which we all hope to be in June/July, we will be delighted to meet them for tastings (either in Bordeaux or around the world) to share the wines of the 2019 vintage, and share our passion and dedication to produce some of the best wines in the world! Explore all current Ch. Lafite listings or browse more Editorial 

Chateau Lafite Rothschild Technical Director Eric Kohler and Commercial Director Jean-Sebastien Philippe of Domaines Barons de Rothschild on Bordeaux’s continued relevance in an ever-expanding and competitive global fine wine market

Interview with one of the most prestigious and world-renowned wine estates, Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Interview with Chateau Lafite Rothschild

Exclusive interview with Chateau Lafite Rothschild 

Daniel Humm is the iconic chef behind Claridge's new fine-dining establishment, Davies and Brook. His incredible resume includes setting up Manhattan’s Eleven Madison Park, which surely has one of the greatest wine lists in the world. We were thrilled to ask him and Wine Director Cedric Nicaise the following questions: Davies and Brook is your first venture in London. What was the attraction to set up a restaurant here? Daniel Humm: "I’ve always considered London to be a sister city to New York in terms of
its energy and food culture, so I’ve always been drawn to it. I also used to work at Claridge’s over 25 years ago as a commis, way at the beginning of my career. It’s a real full-circle moment to come back to one of the places where it all started for me, especially when I consider how lucky I am to open a restaurant in one of the most highly-regarded grande dame hotels in Europe." 
How does it differ from Eleven Madison Park?  Daniel Humm: "Though there is a lot of influence from Eleven Madison Park to be found
at Davies and Brook, it is definitely its own project with its own personality. We are really influenced by the culture of London and how it is truly a global city, and I am also inspired by my own travels over the past few years.  "We wanted to look at what fine dining is and then try to imagine what it could be – our menu is more flexible and accessible here, with a la carte and tasting menu options. We serve lunch every day and have an all-day bar menu where you can order small dishes throughout the day and into the evening. Being at Claridge’s really inspired us as well – we wanted to create a restaurant that respected and extended the history of one of the world’s most storied hotels." What are the key signature dishes you have brought over to Davies and Brook and what new creations are you most excited about? Daniel Humm: "We of course brought our classic lavender and honey duck dish from Eleven
Madison Park to London, and it has been received really well by guests. Our team in London, led by Chef Dmitri Magi, has done an incredible job making sure that the quality is consistent on both sides of the ocean. I’m really excited to have the opportunity to work within the culinary traditions and with local produce here in the UK." 
You grew up in Switzerland. What were your favourite dishes growing up? Daniel Humm: "I grew up in a place where what we ate was determined by what my mother
found at the market that day. Of course, one dish that has always inspired me
wasn’t really a dish at all – the milk and honey that my mother used to make me before I went to bed every night has inspired so many desserts at all my restaurants and remains one of my favourite flavors." Who has been your biggest influence in your cooking and why? Daniel Humm: "I am lucky to have had many mentors in my career and people who looked
out for me and inspired me. Gerard Rabaey taught me discipline early on in my career and that has had an impact on me my whole life. Many artist friends like Roni Horn, Daniel Turner and Rashid Johnson have inspired me and helped me find my voice and understand my own philosophy about cooking." The wine list at Eleven Madison Square is mind-blowingly epic! How long did it take to collate such a collection? Cedric Nicaise: "Thank you, that means a lot. The cellar at Eleven Madison has been a labour of love since 2006/2007. Before then the restaurant had invested some resources, but nothing like it would moving forward. The one thing that should be noted is that the cellar at EMP has only had three caretakers in that time and at least 2 have had tremendous impact.   First was John Ragan who became the wine director around the same time that Daniel
Humm became the chef. John is the one who started the growth of the list. When he took over the list was a few 100 wines. When he left towards the end of 2011 the wine list had grown to 2500+ wines. He was replaced with Dustin Wilson. Dustin had much less overall growth to do, by the time he was done after 3.5 years the list was at most 4000 wines.  "But Dustin added a cool factor to the list, before him the wines were very classic, Dustin placed an importance on some of the things happening around the wine world, things with a natural bent, “new Spain”. Things like that. He also developed the Northern Rhone section to being a world-class section. I took over for Dustin in May 2015.  My job has been the easiest.   "The list has grown to 5000 wines and I have tried to keep up with the ideals of my predecessors. While also adding my fingerprint.  I have developed white Burgundy the most, but also represented back vintage California Cabernet to a greater degree.  "Red Burgundy has also been fleshed out quite a bit. Overall I have not actively tried to grow the list, even though it has grown, but I have been buying with an eye to the future. Trying to keep wines in the cellar for longer. Hoping to have more wines that are 3-5 years old, instead of just old wine and young wine. I have also, like my predecessors tried to keep a great deal of value on the list.  Right now we have roughly 350 wines under $100."
 Was it always the plan to have such a comprehensive fine wine list? 
Cedric Nicaise: "I don’t think that it was a spoken intention. I know that when Chef Humm took over the kitchen, his goal was to have a world-class restaurant, and part of that was to have a world-class wine list. When the restaurant started speaking openly about being the best in the world, on the wine team we spoke about having the best wine list in the world.  I think we are far from that, but you have to have goals." How important is matching the restaurant dishes with the right wine, or do you see them as separate entities?  
Cedric Nicaise: "I believe that those two ideas are not mutually exclusive. I think that it is very important to have wines that go with the food. And I think we do. But the wine list is not for me, or for Chef Humm, the wine list is for our guests. And if our guests want to drink young Cabernet with their oysters, or white burgundy with their steak, who am I to tell them that they are wrong, even if I thought they were.  "Wine should be egalitarian, and not pretentious. Drink what you like. Ideally, if the wine is good, and the food is good, isn’t that a good pairing? However, if a guest wants us to choose wines to go with their food, its so important to have wines that can do that." What was the lightbulb moment for you with wine – what wine blew your mind? Daniel Humm: "For me, it wasn’t that I had a lightbulb moment – from the early days, wine was always a big part of my life. Wine was always on the table at every meal, and I love that part of the European culture. Because of that, I always find myself drawn to wines that have a sense of place and tradition." 
How important is wine in your life? Would you call yourself a collector? Daniel Humm: "No I am not a collector, but wine is something that I am always thinking about when we are developing a dish or a menu. It’s a central thought to me, what wine does to food and vice versa. That dialogue is so essential to the way that I cook and the way that I eat. Wine is so important because it carries a real sense of place and culture – you can taste the soil, the appellation, everything.  "When you are drinking wine you are informed about a place and a time, like reading a book or eating a meal. There is pleasure there, but also information. I believe that wine is one of the best ways to get to know a place." 
What would be your desert island wine?  Daniel Humm: "Probably a Dauvissat Chablis." Explore more Editorial 

We chat to the man behind one of the world's greatest wine lists (Manhattan’s Eleven Maddison Park) about his new venture at Claridge's, Davies and Brook

Cédric Bouchard - Roses de Jeanne

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