In what François Poher, director and chairman of the Hospices Civils de Beaune board of directors, called “historic and spectacular results”, the auction broke other records, including the highest total ever recorded for a charity wine auction and the record total of all wine auctions held by Sotheby’s. , according to the auction house that handled the sale.

The average price per barrel sold at Sunday’s seven-hour auction also reached a new record, at €35,974. exceeding last year’s record average price per lot of €34,980. Indeed, social media was abuzz with news of pre-sale estimates exceeded by more than 100%. Five barrels of Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Cuvée Dames des Flandres, for example, fetched €324,000 each, more than double the high pre-sale estimate.

The proceeds from the auction, which supports the upkeep of the Hospices Civils de Beaune hospitals, came from the sale of 802 barrels, divided into 620 lots of red wines and 182 white wines, the largest number of lots since 828 barrels were auctioned in 2018.

After the difficult 2021 vintage, the early buzz for the sunny and dry 2022 vintage probably contributed to very high prices. At a press conference the morning before the sale, respected French wine critic Bernard Burtschy proclaimed that there was “no doubt about the high quality of 2022”. He called it the “culmination” of greater precision in the vat room and the vines of the 60-hectare Domaine des Hospices since director Ludivine Griveau took over in 2015. “It’s the best vintage Hospices,” Burtschy said.

The auction also broke records for the special charity lot known as the Barrel of Presidents or “Piece of Presidents”, which sold for €810,000, beating the record set last year (800,000 €). Produced collectively by a group of Burgundy trading houses – Badet Clément, Albert Bichot, Groupe Boisset, Bouchard Père & Fils, Champy, Chanson, Joseph Drouhin, Faiveley, Louis Jadot, Olivier Leflaive, Patriarche and Veuve Ambal – the offer “paid homage” to the late Louis-Fabrice Latour, who died in September this year, said Pierre Gernelle, managing director of the Federation of Breeding Traders of Great Burgundy. Latour, a former director of the Maison Louis Latour trading house, was a leading figure in Burgundy and a staunch supporter of the auction.

The 228-litre barrel, aged at Maison Louis Latour, combines three terroirs of the Domaine des Hospices de Beaune: Corton Renardes, Corton Bressandes and Corton Chaumes. The proceeds from the charity prize will benefit two childcare associations: the Princess Margot association, which helps children with cancer, and the World Vision association, which helps children in precarious situations.

Followed by television cameras, French journalist and writer Flavie Flament generated a lot of enthusiasm as she walked down the auction rostrum to the seated bidders, inviting them to raise the bids for the barrel of the presidents.

Tasting the wines a day before the sale, the overall impression was of ripe but not overripe reds with impressive structure, and fleshy whites with fine dryness and breadth.

Cooler terroirs, with deeper soils, generally do better in the vintage, which has lower than average acidity and a natural alcohol content of between 13.5 and 14%, notes oenologist Sébastien Lecomte, under – director of the Hospices. To help maintain freshness, the estate harvested early in the morning and stored incoming grapes in refrigerated containers, which was important for aromatic freshness, Lecomte explained. Yields – around 40 hectoliters per hectare for reds and 45 for whites – are high in 2022, but not as high as in 2018. Most grapes harvested in excellent conditions for three weeks from August 25 to September 16 were the workers threw at most four percent of the grapes on the sorting tables.

George Lacey, Sotheby’s head of wine for Asia, praised director Griveau for managing to retain “an enticing acidity married to the richness and brilliance of the fruit”. While many whites showed meaty and peachy characteristics, the most successful ones also displayed zip. For example, Lanlay’s Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes Bahezre has been favorably compared to Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes Albert Grivault. Indeed, Lecomte confirmed “a little more acidity” in the old wine, which the waiters described as “very appreciated”.

During the press conference preceding the sale, Ludivine Griveau underlined the importance of the month of June, during which three episodes of rain – up to 100 mm in Gevrey Chambertin – restored water reserves to what she called it “acceptable levels,” which probably explains why the vines were resilient until harvest time. Indeed, Burgundy expert Jasper Morris MW said: “If those rains hadn’t arrived, I think there would have been serious problems for the vintage.”

The contrast to 2021 was clear to most who tasted the wines. “In 2021, I didn’t need to go to my dentist for a teeth cleaning,” noted wine writer Michael Apstein, comparing it to the friendlier 2022. Morris said the 2022 vintage was reminiscent of the 1999s: “You get impressive structure, but at this stage the ripe fruit covers it, and yet we don’t encounter any overripeness that you might see on some wines from 2018, 2019 and 2020.’

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A brand new winery opened earlier this month in Abbotsford.

Cannon Estate Winery, located at 30523 Burgess Ave. in West Abbotsford, officially opened on November 16 and owners Andi and Justin Manuel aim to prove that the Fraser Valley is a hidden gem in the Canadian wine space.

The couple, originally from the Greater Vancouver area, moved to the Fraser Valley 10 years ago and after buying 20 acres of land, they were inspired by memories of summers in the Okanagan to plant a vineyard .

The couple called on Patrick Blandin, an experienced winegrower and winemaker, to create the ideal growing conditions for their property. They also reached out to top winemakers in the Okanagan for additional expertise.

After all the planning and preparation, the vineyard was first planted in 2018 and the first harvest took place in 2021. Today approximately 12.4 of the 20-acre property is under vines with 16 varietals planted on 23 different plots. The grape varieties include Chardonnay, Muscat, Petite Milo, Pinot Noir and Gamay Noir and others.

The CEW produces wine under two labels – Cannon and The Wick. The main difference between the two is that Cannon wines are made using French winemaking techniques, and The Wick wines are made using a combination of New World and Old World winemaking techniques. World.

They are now open to the public and the hours are noon to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays, noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

For more information, visit cannonwinery.ca.

abbotsfordBC WinewineWinery

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Cooper’s Hawk Winery and Restaurants will open its third Arizona location at 2290 S. San Tan Village, Gilbert, in early 2023.

It will be the 54 of the marke location including restaurants in Scottsdale and Chandler.

“Gilbert is a thriving town with new families, professionals and retirees calling it home,” founder and CEO Tim McEnery said in a statement. “As the city grows, Cooper’s Hawk wants to be there to grow with it.”

Each Cooper’s Hawk location offers wine tasting, a wine club, a wine and accessories boutique, and a dining room ideal for leisurely meals and business meetings. The menu features dishes that pair naturally with Cooper’s Hawk wines.

The wines are made and aged in the company’s main cellar in Illinois and served on site.

“Like the rest of Arizona, the people of Gilbert are lively, active and accessible and we believe our new location celebrates that lifestyle,” McEnery said in the statement.

The Gilbert Cooper’s Hawk will hire more than 165 employees for jobs at the new location, ranging from line cooks to tasting room attendants. Full-time and part-time positions are available, with full-time positions offering benefits such as 401(k), 50% off food, 40% off wine, 20% off sale retail, healthcare benefits and more.

The rental space opened November 14 and is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve. Hiring events will take place on 30 November and December 14 at 3707 E Southern Ave., Ste. 2034, Mesa. Open interviews are scheduled from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Applicants should have a passion for customer service, as well as a love and understanding of fine wine and fine dining. They can call 480-801-9463 for more information.

California’s finest cabernet is the work of a man with no formal training in winemaking, who took over as head of a wine company founded in the late 1950s by four Stanford scientists responsible for pioneering research in robotics and intelligence artificial.

Dave Bennion, Hew Crane, Charlie Rosen and Howard Zeidler were hard at work in the virtual sphere, but looking for a place where they could have fun on weekends in the real world (preferably in the great outdoors). They started brewing beer, but when Bennion came across the owner of a run-down winery on a ridge high above what we now call Silicon Valley, the four clubbed together to buy it.

Weekends were charmed rather than discouraged by the fact that their acquisition could only be reached by five miles of dizzying hairpin bends. In 1962, they had succeeded in making a wine worthy of commercial release. In 1967, when Bennion left academia to oversee Ridge Vineyards full-time, they were producing nearly 3,000 cases of wine a year. Two years later, with running the winery becoming too much for Bennion to handle alone, the partners decided they needed to hire a full-time winemaker.

Enter Paul Draper, fresh out of experimental winemaking in Chile, where he served a stint in the Peace Corps. He had also spent time in France and Italy in the early 1960s where he was impressed by the traditional, pre-industrial winemaking methods that then reigned supreme. He considered these wines much more interesting and authentic than those that dominated California, increasingly made by technicians trained according to a sure recipe. Basically, Draper had been exposed to the best classic European wines, Bordeaux premier crus no less, and these rather than anything growing in Napa Valley were his beacons throughout his long tenure as CEO. and Winemaker of Ridge. Château Latour has long been its model.

Yet Draper always praised the members of the original consortium. “Google Maps owes it all to Hew’s algorithms” is a phrase I once jotted down at a Ridge tasting he hosted in New York. And in 1982, while researching a book on the best wines in the world, Draper assured me, “Dave’s 1962 and 1964 were really great Cabernets.

What Bennion and his friends had purchased wasn’t just a winery (conveniently built into the mountainside on three levels decades before the term “gravity-fed” came into vogue in wine parlance). He also came with an abandoned vineyard known as Monte Bello, a plantation of old Cabernet vines on a secluded slope above the winery with views of the Pacific on one side and that now famous valley of the ‘other. They brought it back to life and it went on to produce Ridge’s most famous wine.

Monte Bello 1971, Draper’s second solo vintage, was the second favorite Californian wine in Steven Spurrier’s famous Judgment of Paris, the famous France vs. California taste that took place in 1976. Three decades later, during a re-enactment of the event, Monte Bello 1971 had reached its apogee: it was well ahead. Ridge wines, unlike so many from California, are slow to mature and built for a long shelf life – arguably longer than many of today’s smart red Bordeaux wines. Draper himself quit six years ago, at the age of 80. (Though he still lives on the property, within sight of the Monte Bello vineyards.) He complains to this day that he wished Spurrier had chosen the even more durable 1970 Monte Bello.

This year, Ridge celebrates its 60th anniversary. To my delight, they chose to do it in London, with their most ambitious Monte Bello vertical tasting ever. I had already had the pleasure of tasting 15 vintages of Monte Bello – up to a pre-Draper 1968 – when the winery celebrated its half-century. And the team recently showed six vintages in New York as part of its latest series of celebrations.

But the October 25 tasting in London was something truly spectacular. It included no less than 20 vintages, from a young 2019 to a fully mature 1964. (A total of four 1964 bottles had to be opened before the Berkmann team of British importers found one sturdy enough to share.) John Olney, the current Ridge’s chief winemaker, who is at the vineyard for 26 years, and David Gates, its head winemaker, who has been cultivating Ridge’s vines since 1989, flew in for the event.

So why were we Brits so honoured? It is true that the subtle, savory and majestic style of Monte Bello is remarkably similar to the classic red Bordeaux (even though Draper, after careful research in historical documents and practical experiences, insists on aging the wine in American oak and not French). So perhaps it resonates more readily with British or European palates than those accustomed to Napa fruit bombs. Ridge wines of the powerful, concentrated style that was fashionable in the 1990s and early 2000s are so dissimilar that the California reviewer of Wine Spectator, America’s leading wine magazine, consistently rated 1992 Monte Bello vintages to 2014 in the 80s out of 100.

Monte Bello is also the Californian wine with the longest history in the UK, which remains Ridge’s number one export market. The first vintage was shipped to Britain in 1973. It was the 1971, which was delivered to John Avery of Averys of Bristol. Since then, Draper has been by far the most loyal exporter of California wine to Europe. Until recently, he came to London every November to make sure the distinctive wines he is so proud of (which include arguably the world’s best Zinfandels) were placed on the right shelves and lists. This contrasts with the intermittent export strategies of most California wine producers. Generic organizations Wines of California and Napa Valley Vintners are currently doing their best to increase the presence of Californian wines in the UK, but this is not always the case.

The other outstanding aspect of Ridge Monte Bello is its price. Despite its history, undisputed class and longevity, it costs far less than many ambitious California Cabernets. Prices hover around £200 a bottle – certainly not cheap, but Napa Cabs that aspire to fame can cost twice or four times as much.

The London tasting proved that Draper had set his own style for Monte Bello, and despite the exceptional ripening and extraction patterns that have plagued so many other wineries, he never strayed from it. Only one vintage, 2001, reached an alcohol level above 14 percent during our tasting. The 1977 and 1964, the two oldest wines in our tasting, were only 11.7% and 11.5% respectively. In fact, Monte Bello tastes remarkable like the best red Bordeaux of the previous century. There are very few Cabernets and Bordeaux blends outside of California whose long-lasting style has changed little over the past few decades. Domaine de Chevalier, Château Léoville Barton and Figeac in St-Émilion under Thierry Manoncourt come most immediately to mind, as well as San Leonardo and Sassicaia in Italy.

The key to the finesse of Monte Bello is, of course, partly due to the exceptional site, but also to Draper’s technique for undertaking tastings in barrels of infinite complexity. I remember those of us invited to the winery to celebrate its 50th anniversary were greeted with a blind tasting of two cask samples of Monte Bello 2008 and asked to decide if the one with 0.9% extra of first press wine was superior to the sample without.

Draper and Olney are currently handing over Monte Bello winemaking to Trester Goetting, who joined Ridge earlier this year after spending much of his 25-year career working with mountain vineyards. Hopefully in 2032 Goetting will fly across the Atlantic to the UK for an equally impressive 70th anniversary tasting.

Tasting notes on the Violet Pages of JancisRobinson.com. More resellers of Wine-searcher.com

Follow Jancis on Twitter @JancisRobinson

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The collaboration pays homage to Germain Rambaud and his beautiful winemaking methods

New York, NY (8 November 2022) – Barton & Guestier (B&G), the award-winning French wine house with three centuries of winemaking history, today announces its collaboration with acclaimed multidisciplinary French artist, Woo. Available in select retail and online stores in Florida, Texas and New York this December, the B&G Limited Edition Bordeaux Red by Woo features the artist’s signature style reflected on the label as an ode to Germain Rambaud , Barton & Guestier’s first cellar master dating back to the 18th century.

For B&G, the collaboration with Woo is part of the brand’s commitment to local partnerships and its dedication to French history and heritage, while blending its innovative and youthful spirit. The painting featured on the limited edition Bordeaux Red combines distinct symbolism in the bold style of graffiti and soft lines of calligraphy – a signature Woo style. The paintwork reflects intricate details paying homage to B&G and Rambaud. Close examination of the bold gold details reveals the letters “B & G”, a nod to the famous French wine house.

Based in Bordeaux, Woo is a multidisciplinary artist, halfway between street art and calligraphy. Inspired by artists like Keith Haring and Nikki de Saint Phalle, Woo’s deep attachment to the elegance of oriental alphabets is expressed in his productions with singular calligraphic elements. The repetition of the gesture, the movement of the wrist and the fluidity often represent the symbolism itself.

“Inspiring the French art of living and bringing emotions to wine lovers around the world is what B&G has been doing for nearly three centuries,” says Carlos Varela, CEO of BGPL USA, Barton’s retailer and distributor. & Guest. “Winemaking is an art form and this special collaboration with Woo represents the thrill of sipping your favorite wine while admiring an inspiring work of art.”

Aged in oak barrels for 6 months, the limited edition Bordeaux Rouge is a rich 2020 vintage – a blend of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, showing a brilliant ruby ​​red color. The wine is produced mainly in Entre Deux Mers and the right bank of the Gironde estuary, grown on various soils (clay, limestone and gravel) and an oceanic and mild climate. The vinification includes a controlled extraction including a maceration of three weeks with daily pumping over.

On the nose, red and black berries (currant, cherry, blackcurrant) mingle with spicy and toasted notes. On the palate, the wine is fruity with a good balance of round, velvety tannins and a long, fruity, spicy finish. Wine is best served with roast chicken, cheeseburger or pizza.

This collaboration between Barton & Guestier and Woo is the result of two common passions, wine and art, and the desire to introduce them to consumers ready to embrace the French Art de Vivre.

About Barton & Guestier

Founded in Bordeaux in 1725 by Irishman Thomas Barton, Barton & Guestier has developed a premium brand strategy based on AOC and varietal wines from the main French wine regions: Bordeaux, Loire, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Rhône Valley, Languedoc, Provence and Gascony. With nearly three centuries of experience, the brand’s know-how guarantees consistent quality and style and reassures consumers in an increasingly complicated market. Innovative and informative packaging, as well as modern communication tools, make Barton & Guestier wines accessible to wine lovers in more than 130 countries. Barton & Guestier is committed to CSR with the priority of protecting health and the environment.

I had the chance to travel twice to the main wine regions of Romania this year and discover some truly impressive wines. Unfortunately, this country has long had a reputation for producing lackluster wines at accessible prices, but thankfully that is changing fast.

The map of Romania looks like a fish!

For example, I recently met visionary winemaker Paul Fulea, who produces wines in the seaside region of Dobrogea. Its label is Crama Histria and the region has a lot of maritime influence. All responses have been edited and condensed for clarity.

Liza B. Zimmerman (LBZ) How long have you been making wine?

Paul Fulea (PF): I started producing wines in 2015. I had a consultant for the first few years until 2018 but now I make them myself.

LBZ: How many different wines do you make?

PF: I usually make three white wines and a blend from them, three rosé wines and a blend from them, and two or three red wines every year.

LBZ: How is the Dobrogea wine region unique?

PF: Dobrogea is unique in many ways. First of all, it is the only wine region close to the Black Sea – in Romania – and its gentle slopes are very exposed to the sun.

LBZ: How is the vine affected by its proximity to the sea?

PF: The proximity to the sea is a real blessing for the vineyard and for the wines. It ensures low temperatures at night even on the hottest summer days, the constant winds cool the grapes and the sea protects the vines from frost in winter. Of course, it has its drawbacks, such as periods of fog at the end of autumn which can affect the health of the grapes.

LBZ: What types of grapes and wine styles are traditional for the region?

PF: The traditional grape varieties, the main types that were planted in the 1970s and 1980s were Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Babeasca Neagra (an ingenious red) and Aligoté, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Feteasca Alba ( White). After 2010 we also saw Feteasca Neagra, Pinot Noir and Pinot Grigio being planted in the area. The region was originally best known for its white wines.

LBZ: How do you produce blends and single varietals that have broken with tradition?

PF: A small producer like me has only one chance: to go where no one has gone before. So I try to make wines with wild yeast. It’s not just a marketing strategy, but I tend to do things differently overall in order to make a statement about Dobrogea and my wines. My long-term goal is to show the beauty of the terroir of Dobrogea.

LBZ: What new blends have you introduced and how do they pair with local food, from traditional meat dishes to seafood? Your Ammos Blanc is one of my favorites.

PF: I think the most unusual blend is my Ammos Blanc, made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Riesling. With high natural acidity from Riesling, freshness from Sauvignon Blanc and full-bodied feel from Chardonnay, this wine is one of the wines that pairs best with local fish and seafood dishes.

LBZ: What are the most surprising trends you see in Romanian wines?

PF: It’s not about surprising trends. I believe what we are doing now is more of a search for our identity. We can make great wines, but to get there we need more time to explore, challenge the quality of our wines, and promote our national native varietals.

LBZ: If the quality is there, why do you think these wines encounter difficulties in being distributed abroad?

PF: We have a few wineries that export very well, but we don’t yet have a good image for our wines. However, every bottle of good Romanian wine sold abroad functions as an ambassador of our wine industry.

LBZ: Are international consumers willing to pay for Romanian wines when they cost as much as their French and Italian counterparts? Why are they or are they not?

PF: No, they are not. We lack brand marketing, which exists in France or Italy, and sometimes we lack quality. We’ve come a long way in the past 30 years, but please give us another 30!

LBZ: What does the future of Romanian viticulture look like?

PF: Unfortunately, we have lived through difficult times in recent years with the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. But I am optimistic and I believe that Romanian viticulture has a great future. We will make better wines and we will share the stories of a wonderful country where native grape varieties will turn into great wines.

Lyle W. Norton is a wine enthusiast and blogger who has been writing a wine column for 20 years. He integrates wine with his passion for travel and tries to take his readers on a journey. Visit his blog at lifebylyle.com.

Rutherford Cross estate becomes permanent home to historic culinary collection

RUTHERFORD, Calif. (October 26, 2022) – Boisset Collection today announced the opening of the Kathleen Thompson Hill Kitchen Memories Collection, a permanent exhibit of culinary relics, some dating back to the 1800s, which is among the largest collections of historic kitchen utensils on display in the United States. United and the first of its kind in a California winery.

The Kitchen Memories collection perfectly blends the themes of nostalgia, innovation and culture. The exhibition is now open to guests by appointment; reservations can be booked in advance on the Elizabeth Spencer website. Guests will experience the exhibit on a step-by-step guided tour and wine tasting that begins at Elizabeth Spencer in the historic 1872 brick post office. The interactive, multi-dimensional exhibit comes to life on a deeper level by linking each kitchen tool display to video interviews with Hill describing each tool’s origin, use, and historical relevance.

“We are honored to be the guardians of this unprecedented collection of historic kitchen tools,” said Jean-Charles Boisset, owner of Boisset Collection. “Cooking utensils are essential to cooking, and the kitchen is not just where we come together to create the food that nourishes our bodies; we also feed our souls through the memories we create when we cook a meal. Everyone has a cooking memory.

Kathleen Thompson Hill has been collecting kitchen tools for four decades. Many are from California, when she traveled inexpensively across the state with her husband Gerald Hill, and many more are from all over the world, including France, England, Canada, Japan, the Philippines and more. Some pieces date as far back as the 1800s. Kathleen bought each piece on a budget of $3, until the amount was increased to $8. Since then, Kathleen has amassed the largest collection of historic cookware on display in the United States.

“I am thrilled to share my Kitchen Memories collection, its history and the culinary culture it represents, and I thank Jean-Charles Boisset for making this possible,” said Kathleen Thompson Hill. “Join us to explore your cooking memories and possibly share them as well. Enjoy some laughs and maybe even some nostalgic tears, and have a great time,” she concluded.

Jean-Charles and Kathleen got to know each other when Buena Vista Winery became part of the Boisset Collection in 2011. Kathleen personally visited Jean-Charles, his wife and parents through Kitchen Memories when the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art presented a temporary exhibition. of part of his collection in 2013. Deeply passionate about food, wine, history and preservation, Jean-Charles was inspired to preserve the collection and share it with others, and nearly a decade later he acquired the entire collection and created a permanent home for it at Elizabeth Spencer.

Highlights of the exhibition include a collection of recipe lithographs by Alice Louise Waters from Chez Panisse restaurant featuring the artwork and calligraphy of David Lance Goines; a Toast-O-Lator (1948), a conveyor belt toaster with a Spy-O-Lator window to watch your toast go by; and the first three scoops of American ice cream. Tributes to Julia Child, who brought French cuisine and taught it to the American public, and American food writer and essayist MFK Fisher highlight intimate stories of Kathleen’s personal connection to them.

Since joining Boisset Collection last December, Elizabeth Spencer has seen a number of upgrades: legendary winemaker Heidi Barrett became consulting winemaker alongside longtime winemaker Sarah Vandendriessche; new tasting experiences have been created; the estate gardens and tasting room have been renovated and more.

For more information, visit Elizabeth Spencer’s website.

ABOUT ELIZABETH SPENCER

At the crossroads of Rutherford, the undisputed “heart” of Napa Valley, Rutherford, CA (Pop. 525), Elizabeth Spencer is a sought-after destination rooted in history, housed in a historic 1872 post office strategically located on the Highway 29 between Yountville and Sainte-Hélène. Founders and husband and wife team, Elizabeth Pressler and Spencer Graham each fell in love with wine independently and embarked on careers in the wine industry before they met. After their marriage, they pursued their vision together and established their winery in 1998, naming it after each of them – Elizabeth and Spencer – to reflect their committed partnership. Elizabeth Spencer Winery is the realization of their dream.

ABOUT THE BOISSET COLLECTION

Boisset is a family-owned collection of historic and unique wineries and lifestyle destinations linked by a common cause: authentic, terroir-driven wines in harmony with their history, their future and the land and people essential to their existence. . With over twenty-six historic and prestigious distillery and sparkling wineries in major terroirs around the world, including Burgundy, Beaujolais, Jura, the Rhone Valley, Southern France, the Russian River Valley in California and Napa Valley. Its California vineyards include: DeLoach Vineyards, Raymond Vineyards, Buena Vista Winery and JCB by Jean-Charles Boisset. Its French properties include: Domaine de la Vougeraie, Jean-Claude Boisset, Bouchard Aîné et Fils, J. Moreau et Fils, Louis Bouillot, Domaine Maire, Fortant and Bonpas. Each house maintains its unique history, identity and style, and all are united in the search for fine wines that express their terroir. Wine is at the center of Boisset’s mission and is complemented by spirits, beer, gourmet products and luxury products. Boisset has long championed Certified Sustainable, Organic and Biodynamic® practices at its Sonoma County, Napa Valley and France estates, and Elizabeth Spencer aligns with the same commitment. The two wineries also defend the leadership of women in the world, the respect of history and the commitment to conviviality as a fundamental value. Boisset is renowned for being an advocate of American wine history, including his restoration of Buena Vista Winery, Oakville Grocery, and Calistoga Depot, in addition to his two museums celebrating wine history – at Buena Vista Winery and the 1881 Napa Museum at the Oakville Wine Merchant.

To learn more about the Boisset Collection, visit our website.

The waitress, a young ‘ipster, informed us that La Lune, arguably the most exciting addition to Fremantle’s dining scene in 2022, is a New York version of the French bistro.

The team behind this cafe, wine bar and restaurant don’t need to travel the US conceptually – La Lune looks like a classic Parisian bistro.

Squint just enough and you might visit Les Deux Magots or Café de Flore, famous brasseries on Boulevard St-Germain, rather than the 88-seater that opened in September on George Street in the heart of East Freo.

There was a lady sneaking her purse-sized dog treats to one of the small, impractical outdoor tables facing the road. There were bentwood cafe chairs and vintage liquor posters. Bottles of wine and pastis lined the shelves and decorated the beautiful mirrored room that buzzed with conversation on a sunny Friday afternoon.

You half expect to see Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec running after a pretty waitress or Albert Camus sipping champagne and tapping on Montaigne’s philosophy at The Moon.

Unfortunately the staff shatters the illusion with their friendly and knowledgeable attitude.

Co-owner Sam Davies (along with his wife Helen Pow) is passionate about wine and more than happy to share his expertise and opinions on a list leaning towards intriguing WA drops and a few French imports.

Would it have killed him to sigh in sheer boredom when asked about the options per 500ml carafe?

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Likewise, the floor team led by venue manager Sarah Davis – you might recognize her from Madalena’s in South Freo as well as Cook & Mason just up the road from La Lune – are more than happy to guide diners through a menu loaded with more French bangers than a Daft Punk concert.

Again, would it have been so hard for Davis and company to mumble some Gallic profanity in low tones when questioned about the contents of the charcuterie platter or the fish of the day? (Rainbow trout, in this case.)

The French unfairly have a bad reputation for being rude, but my only experiences of being aggressive were being turned away from a bistro in Bayeux at 1:45 p.m. because lunch was due to end at 2:00 p.m., and some initial reluctance from a brusque waiter in Paris who thought I was just going to order a cheeseburger.

(Speaking of which, La Lune makes a classic – there’s that word again – cheeseburger, but with camembert.)

Either way, there was no looking back when my Francophile wife, Myra, and I arrived at East Freo, or Swan River Left Bank, just after noon. La Lune is not yet taking reservations, but had enough space to accommodate us, inside or outside.

We huddled at a small table by the window and were soon sipping a superb Parisian martini (which uses a sweet, dark berry flavored crème de cassis, $18) and a Henri Bardouin pastis ($17).

We struggled to decide what to order from the menu designed by New Zealand consultant chef Jesse Blake (ex-Petition). One of everything wasn’t really an option, but luckily Davis and the young ‘ipster – both dressed in double denim rather than the crisp-collared white shirts and black waistcoats of your traditional boy – steered us towards a more than satisfying selection.

We opened the proceedings with the potato rosti ($22), a deliciously crispy flat potato cake served with cultured crème fraîche, chopped chives and salted salmon roe. The trio is designed to be assembled on the rosti in that order. Simple flavors that worked.

Unfortunately the staff shatters the illusion with their friendly and knowledgeable attitude.

The Foie Gras Parfait ($22) was creamy and had a strong flavor that played well with the cherry jam when spread on a grilled triangular crustless brioche.

Both dishes evoked this word: classic.

Likewise, steak tartare is the barometer of a good French restaurant. Costing $22 and served with beef fat toast, La Lune’s Wagyu Steak Tartare had a wonderfully rustic texture thanks to coarsely diced meat and finely chopped pickles, along with a welcome touch of tangy spices and dried eggs on top.

The tartare was slightly drier than normal but it was still a rock star dish, more Charles Aznavour than Plastic Bertrand.

We added some of the ordered bearnaise sauce with fries (one of half a dozen $10 sides) because we are heathens.

The bearnaise was slippery, not too tart or sour and heavy on the tarragon. We devoured it, but we believe that Le Rebelle à Mt Lawley remains the reigning champion of this typically Gallic condiment.

For the main course, we opted for the duck breast ($38), served on leafy lentils with pancetta and currants. It was an earthy, provincial dish with the evenly cooked tender duck, rather than the crispy skin and sparse interior.

We had a side of green beans ($10), which were topped with sliced ​​almonds and dipped in melted butter (classic!).

After watching several other diners eagerly crack the hard, caramelized top of their crème brûlée ($16), we had to have this bistro staple dessert.

La Lune serves it with a passion fruit cut in half and filled with sour milk. We shared a glass of Sauternes, the sweet wine from the Bordeaux region that pairs perfectly with the zesty passion fruit and creamy burnt.

Even that lovesick skunk, Pepe Le Pew, would kick his object of desire off his feet if he buttered her up with that dessert.

There is something romantically nostalgic about La Lune, where my wife and I were certainly not the only ones to remember this noisy bistro in Paris, this boujee brasserie in Bordeaux or this little café in Avignon.

Now you don’t even have to travel to get that certain je nais se quoi of the French dining experience.

La Lune isn’t the first or only high-quality restaurant in East Fremantle, but more than any other, this instant classic heralds good times for locals and visiting diners alike.

The moon

73 George Street, East Fremantle

OPEN

Wednesday-Thursday 7am-6pm. Friday-Saturday, 7am-10pm. Sunday, 7am-4pm. Closed Monday and Tuesday.

CONTACT

lalunefremantle.com

RESERVATIONS

Walk-in only

THE VERDICT

Beyond the pretentious lack of service, La Lune nails every aspect of the classic French bistro. The team led by Sarah Davis and Sam Davies maintained a blistering pace despite being understaffed. La Lune looks like a place you can go for quality coffee, a superb cocktail, or full French food washed down with intriguing wines. Will only get better.

15.5/20