Hello wine friends and welcome back! This is part two of our conversation with Maxim Kassir, Head Sommelier at The Aubrey in the world-renowned luxury Mandarin Oriental.
Max is no stranger to opening some of the finest bottles on the planet, so I had to ask him: What are his five wines to try before you die? Before diving into Max's ultimate wine bucket list, we chat about underrated wine regions that deserve your attention, smart food and wine pairings, and the best way to speak to a sommelier to guarantee a great recommendation.
If you want to skip ahead:
01.44: Recommendations of wines from Eastern Europe 06.00: Oregon wine scene blends old and new styles 10.00: Best question to ask a sommelier revealed 11.00: Environment and mood affect how wine is perceived 14.30: Wine #1: Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2008 15.30: Details on grape varieties and recent vintages 18.30: Premier cru status and underappreciated classification 19.00: Historical note: Clos des Goisses was the first-ever single-vineyard Champagne (1935) 19.53: Wine #2: Grower Champagne Ulysse Collin Les Perrières Blanc de Blancs 20.30: Winemaker Olivier Collin: lawyer turned Champagne grower 22.30: Small production commitment to affordability and authenticity 23.40: Cult following and connection to Cédric Bouchard & Jacques Selosse 24.00: Grower Champagnes gaining prestige—and higher price tags 24.30: Secondary market driving up prices—Maxim discusses restaurant pricing 26.30: Wine #3: Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 2014 26.41: Burgundy's compactness and the interconnectedness of families in wine production 27.30: Family heritage of the Morey family and the grower/negociant model 28.56: Popularity of PYCM wines and their appeal in both private and restaurant sectors 29.39: Differences between reductive and oxidative winemaking styles in Burgundy 30.57: Pricing discussion on PYCM wines and their market value fluctuations 31.07: Wine pricing and the impact of vintage demand on final costs 32.30: Wine #4: Ridge Montebello 1998 34.42: Ridge Montebello’s history, including its connection to American wine heritage 36.00: Impact of high elevation on freshness and complexity in California wines 37.36: Ridge Montebello’s consistency and value compared to Napa wines 38.30: Judgment of Paris impact on Ridge Montebello and American wine recognition 39.10: Consistency and reasonable pricing of Ridge Montebello in comparison to Napa Valley 39.44: Discussion on wine value, with wildfires potentially affecting wine quality 40.30: Wine #5: Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1990
40.35: Emidio’s commitment to traditional methods and aging wine for long-term storage 41.48: The challenge of Pepe’s business model, focusing on ideology over profits 43.30: Chiara’s focus on single-vineyard wines and modernization of production methods 44.00: Tasting wines from various decades, including 1990 vintage 44.30: Emidio Pepe's appearance at the tasting 45.00: Tasting notes on Pepe's wine 45.29: Final wine on the list, Maxim’s emotional connection to his grandfather's wine 46.30: Description of the natural wine-making process with PET bottles
Any thoughts or questions, do email me: janina@eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk
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Until next time, Cheers to you!
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