New York Times
Wine Talk
by Frank J. Prial
January 18, 1995
When Drew Nieporent decided to open a restaurant in New York that would emphasize the richness and informality of Burgundy, he named it after what many consider the greatest white Burgundy wine of all: Le Montrachet.
Last Thursday, the restaurant Montrachet paid homage to its namesake wine in a big way, with a five-course dinner for 28 centering on the Montrachet wine of the Domaine Ramonet, one of 16 owners of the Montrachet vineyard in east central France. The domaine owns a little more than a half acre of the vineyard, from which it produces about 50 cases of the wine in a good year.
Since many connoisseurs consider the Ramonet wine the finest of all the Montrachets, those 50 cases are in much demand. And the demand was reflected in the price of the restaurant's dinner: $750 a person.
Even so, the dinner was sold out several months ago.
"We had planned to invite 12 people," said Daniel Johnnes, the wine director at the restaurant, at 239 West Broadway (between White and Beach streets) in TriBeCa. "But the demand was overwhelming, I had to go to the Ramonets, in France, to get a couple of extra bottles."
On the map, the Montrachet vineyard looks about the size of a couple of football fields. In fact, it covers some 20 acres - not bad for a suburban spread with a pool and a tennis court, but insignificant as vineyards go.
Half of the vineyard, including the part owned by the Ramonet family, is in the village of Puligny-Montrachet; the rest is in neighboring Chassagne-Montrachet. Both are in the white-wine section of Burgundy, a three-hour drive southeast of Paris. (Trivia fans, take note: the part in Puligny is called Le Montrachet by tradition; the part in Chassagne, just plain Montrachet.)
Every Burgundian wine maker dreams of owning a bit of the vineyard. Some potential buyers wait a lifetime to buy a few rows of vines. The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, perhaps Burgundy's most famous wine producer, has 1.7 acres, which it acquired in three purchases, in 1963, 1965 and 1980.
The Domaine Ramonet is a newcomer by Burgundian standards. It was started in the late 1920's by Pierre Ramonet. He made wine with purchased grapes until 1934, when he bought a piece of Les Ruchottes, another famous vineyard in Chassagne-Montrachet. Over the years, Mr. Ramonet, with his son, Andre, and the domaine's directors (currently Andre's sons, Noel and Jean-Claude), acquired parcels in 16 Burgundy vineyards, the largest about 11 acres in the Morgeot vineyard in Chassagne-Montrachet, the village where the Ramonet cellars are situated.
American wine lovers first got a taste of Ramonet wines in 1938, when Frank Schoonmaker, who had been introduced to the wines on a buying trip in France, imported 200 cases; most of the wines were sold for less than $5 a bottle, which at the time was not an inconsiderable sum.
The Domaine Ramonet produces some good red wines, but white wines are its glory. One commentator, the British wine merchant and writer Remington Norman, once wrote, "Ramonet's wines are as near to the "apotheosis of chardonnay as one is likely to get."
The last Ramonet acquisition was six-tenths of an acre in the Montrachet vineyard, which the Ramonets bought in 1978 in time to vinify that year's vintage. Two bottles of that first effort were on hand at the dinner on Thursday. In fact, all 15 vintages of Montrachet made by the Ramonets, through 1992, were sampled that night.
Many participants at the dinner considered the youngest vintage, the 1992 wine, the best, followed by the 1982. The quality of the 1992 wine was as much in its potential as in its current stature. It was a wine of great concentration and elegance; it gave every indication of improving over the next 10 years and lasting for decades more.
Indeed, a hallmark of Ramonet wines is their longevity. Some of the wines from the early 1970's are still magnificent.
The richness and intensity of a great Montrachet can be attributed in some measure to the age of the chardonnay vines. Not too long ago, the average age of the Ramonet vines was about 60. There have been new plantings, and the Ramonets say they will not touch the fruit on any vines until the vines are 18 years old. When all of their Montrachet vines are mature, the Ramonets expect to be able to double their production to about 100 cases.
The restaurant Montrachet took understandable care with the menu that accompanied these exceptional wines.
With the first flight of wines - 1980, 1984, 1987 and 1988 - roast turbot was served. With the next group of vintages - 1991, 1992 and 1981 - the course was black truffle ravioli. Sautéed foie gras then accompanied the 1990, 1989, 1985 and 1979 vintages. A loin of veal, stuffed with sweetbreads and cèpes mushrooms, was served with the 1986, 1983, 1982 and 1978 vintages. The dessert, chocolate crepes with blood oranges, was paired with a 1966 Fonseca port. The aperitif was Charles Heidsieck Diamant Bleu Champagne.
It's difficult to criticize such exceptional wines, but they and the dinner might have benefited from a little variety. One or two lesser Ramonet wines, or one or two Montrachets from other producers, would have provided some perspective.
The best place to find Ramonet Burgundies is in restaurants. The Montrachet is obviously rare and very expensive - sometimes $500 or more for a bottle, depending on the restaurant and the age of the wine. But Ramonet's Bātard-Montrachet and Bienvenues-Montrachet, both from an adjoining vineyard, are said at times to surpass Ramonet's Montrachet. And Ramonet wines from Les Ruchottes, Morgeot and Les Caillerets are expensive, but less so than the Ramonet Montrachet.
In France, look for Ramonet's Bourgogne Aligoté, a white made from the lesser aligoté grape, and learn what great wine makers can do with routine materials.