France Archives - Page 5 of 15

Iconic Rhône vineyards: a photo essay

Syrah from the iconic Rhône vineyards in France is often the aspiration for the winemakers around the world. From the Australian Shiraz, which is the same grape varietal under a different name, to California (particularly around Santa Barbara), the red Rhône Syrah is the foundation of centuries-worth knowledge for these new wine regions to learn from.
A journey through the Rhône Valley with my camera and a thirsty palate invited my vinous curiosity to capturing the iconic vineyards of the Rhône. The celestial pilgrimage through the wine villages of Rhône Valley reached a climax in Hermitage by La Chapelle. As the French name suggests La Chapelle is an old chapel, but also a highly praised vineyard site known also as L’Hermit. Reaching towards the sky above Tain l’Hermitage village where also some of the best wine producers of the Rhône wine region reside, this is a magnificent spectacle. Local names to seek on the labels are Michel Chapoutier, P. Jaboulet Aîné, and Chave. Chapoutier, who owns the most hectares (currently 34ha) in the region, is in person quite a character, and if you pass by his winery, inquire and try to meet him. Since he in his own words begins each day with a bottle of Champagne, the encounter might get quite philosophical by late afternoon.

vineyards of Hermitage in Rhône wine region

The iconic vineyards of the Rhône: the royal seal of Hermitage

Historically, the white wines from Hermitage were treasured with a royal respect. The richness of the Marsanne and Rousanne varietal blends won over many distinguished wine drinkers in the centuries past before the British made Bordeaux economically more desirable. Today, the ruling grape that is planted is Syrah, that together white Marsanne and Rousanne plants are pruned as bush vines in the so called gobelet. The soil varies tremendously from the prevailing granite, some loess and alpine residues, all of which can be visually discerned during a stroll around. This is an invitation, not just to the wine lovers but also landscape beauty admirers or amateurish photographers like myself, who easily capture the natural beauty of the iconic Rhône vineyards.

Château Margilliere: slow wine in Provence honouring the world's oldest highway

Château Margilliere is a 17th century stone farm in the green countryside of Provence. The ancient times recalling stones rest stubornly all over the property as a distinctive feature of the current winery set along the Roman Via Aurelia. This was the oldest highway built over two millenia ago that sequentially connected Rome with the Northern territories of today’s Italy, France, the Iberian Peninsula, and beyond. In an archeological reverence, the stone walls were preserved here to define some of the farmland borders, and also forming a leveled system for growing olive trees.
The pebbles of Châteauneuf du Pape, the silex of Pouilly-Fumé and mainly the quality grapes nursing clay-limestone soil, they all through their specific natural roles ensure diverse expression of the blended wines at Château Margilliere.

Southern appellation squabble, where quality is superseded by prestige

Château Margilliere does not not fall into the more prestigious appelation of Côte de Provence, but this organic-certified winery fits into the local Côteaux Varois en Provence AOP. The difference being, as the chief winemaker said in his modest English “aside from hurt egos” negligent in terms of rules and quality measures.
With the manual harvest approaching the Florida dolphins t-shirt sporting winemaker had all the equipment cleaned and ready for the once-per-year accelerated action. Set just outside the old cellar was the hand sorting table to welcome the harvested bunches into the stainless steel tanks for the traditional whites and rosès or the concrete vats for the red grapes. After the fermentation some wines would be further aged in French oak barrels. Otherwise, the pace at the winery could not be more “slow food”. The sheep graze peacefully, the sun shines, and the vines slowly ripen their bunches for the September tralala. In the realm of slow life, the owners’ cats stretch along the tasting room, take a siesta on the cushioned chairs or promenade lazily on the cobbled stones surrounding the bastide.

Making organic wines is not challenging in most years. The prevailingly dry climate shields from fungus so no pesticides are needed. Some vintages, such as the 2014, trouble the winemakers and then the production is reduced to a bare minimum. This vulnerability of organic agriculture needs to be reflected in the price. Gravity manipulation of the wine at Château Margilliere is more gentle on the juices and is nowadays practiced at the best wineries.

Wines made at Château Margilliere

Wines from the 25 hectares under vines are bottled under two labels. The foundation being the more traditional Bastide in white, rosé and a fruity red. Rolle and Ugni Blanc blend into a light, perfect aperitif white wine. Grapefruit freshness with toasty depth of the Rolle create “a nice balance combining roundness and liveliness on the palate with aromas of honey and white peach.” My favorite from the winery, and as I learned also the multi-Michelin stared Alain Ducasse‘s, who allegedly served it with the meal after the civil wedding of Prince Albert and Charlene of Monaco.
The fragrant yet pale pink rosé imprints summer in your mind through its wild strawberry aromas and jasmine scents. Grenache and Cinsault make a typical provencal light pink wine perfect with the petits farcis nicois served at bistros like La Merenda on the Côte d’Azur. The fruity and quite tannic red is a tryptych of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache, where spicy notes of Syrah define this animal food wine. The tanins call for a fatty cheese, meat or pâtè.

A level up in terms of price and longer barrel aging (new French oak from a Burgundian cooper) are three colours of the same varietal blends (as Bastide) of Hautes Terres, yet made from the oldest vines on the property. These decades old vines grow further uphil on the property. The red grapes are fermented in renovated concrete tanks and then matured in new oak barrels for Hautes Terres, and a maximum three years old for the other wines.
Mediterranean climate meets higher altitude that benefitis the red grape varietals, which could get too ripe along the coast, in particular in the areas where the cooling force of wind is too weak to fan the grapes faces enough.
The whites are aged on their lees in these new oak barrels acquiring more toasty flavour. The rosé is bolder than the Bastide blend, therfore it benefits from the right food pairing. Spicy Asian cuisine could hold its more generous nature. And finally the age-worthy red oozes licorice, leather and over time also elegant smooth tannins. A bespoke food wine.

Like at some of its not too distant neighbors (Bertaud-Belieu), bubbles were embraced. Made offsite by Méthode traditionnelle (second fermentation in the bottle), the white and rosé are both very dry. These sparkling wines cannot compete with Champagne since the dominant Ugni Blanc has a very different character from the Champenoise Chardonnay, Pinot Meunier and Pinot Noir. Its lower price though makes it a nice lunch spritz.
The two-level tasting room at Château Margilliere hosts regular art exhibitions and sells artisanal regional produce such as levander honey, marmalades (confitures), olive oil, black truffle verrines, and other local treats. Now in the hands of Pauline, the daughter of the recent owner Patrick Caternet, who restored the derelict property after purchasing it in 1996, continues the family saga of good organic wine makeing in the region.

Château Margilliere is about 10 minutes drive from Alain Ducasse‘s gourmet village retreat Hostellerie at the Abbaye de la Celle, so while there why not connecting the two pleasures together? Wine and great food love each other.
For my favourite rosè wines from Provence check this feature.
Mon-Sat: 9:30am-12noon & 2:30-6pm (summer 6:30pm)
Route de Cabasse, 83170 Brignoles, France
+33 4 94 69 05 34 (cave visits only by appointment)

Toyo: refined Japanese gastronomy meets rare ingredients in Paris

A simple, yet fine entrance to Toyo in Paris announces the humble Japanese attitude that permeats the entire dining experience at the restaurant. Welcomed by a clean, sombre painting of the chef working a fish (perhaps a giant red mullet), a gift of the respected fashion designer Kenzo, who employed him as his personal chef for many years, you get a well-lit hint that style is well considered here. We became the pilgrims to Toyo’s kitchen during our bi-annual fashion trip to Paris.

The signature style here is not about glamour, as Toyo’s interior represents rather understated fashion, but it is the precise tailoring of each plate that catch your sartorially sensitive eye. It helps, that Toyo’s chef Toyomitsu Nakayama is a former private chef of the renown Japanese fashion designer. This experience surely inspired him to serve his dishes in a dressy style, in their edible eloquence capturing the hungry eye.
You will be ushered into the first open room to the left, along the narrow kitchen counter seatings upon the right turn or if you reserve the private room at the back, you will pass the behind-the-bar kitchen activities. Most guests respect the almost monastic environment, still on some nights it can get very chit-chaty at the kitchen counter. Monday is the night of the more pronounced Japanese tasting menu, and the entire restaurant as well as the secluded private seating tend to be occupied by the many devote Japanese fans of top cooking. Mr Nakayama’s cooking is a secret gem in Paris.
Our seat is almost always at the bar as we love to observe the focused hands of the chefs behind the counter and wonder at their precise skills. The head chef is often there, and in a zen-like calmness directs all the kitchen’s activities.

Using superb rare ingredients available on the Paris markets, Japanese specialist purveyors, and then morphing them into an œuvre d’art of creative perfection, is the philosophy of Toyo. Posted on the edges of the Latin Quarter and Montparnasse, the restaurant also pays respect to the flagship French ingredients. The entire Japanese team turns them precisely into delectable small portions, that feature on the regular menu apart from the Japan-centric Monday.
On one ocassion, the first starter of a quartet of vegetal kingdom-inspired bites included a bowl of consommé de volatile en gelée – a poultry consommé in a jelly – contrasting with the crunchy vegetables such as the purple taro and lotus chips and the char grilled roots. There is no English menu, so I am adding the French originals for your ease.

The cooking reflects the year’s seasons, but generally the chef uses generously several species of mushrooms and fresh herbs next to the fleshy fish and seafood. He also retouches the French staple ingredients such as foie gras, veal or beef and presents them in a new, much lighter form. Both, chopsticks and the Western cutlery assist with these dishes.
Toyomitsu’s craft is a refined blend of French and Japanese cooking skills and ingredients, randomly perfumed with luxurious delicacies such as caviar. Adding extra €15 to the fixed dinner menu (€95) brings in the exquisite Flan de soja with Caviar. The flan is more decadent than most of the other plates. To tame it’s fatty texture, sip on a white wine with a high acidity such as Riesling. The softness of the caviar gently popping in your mouth becomes even more smooth when combined with the custardy texture of the flan.

A French white bread served with butter reminds you that you are not at one of the Tokyo’s sushi or kaiseki restaurants, but in Paris, where the bread is always fresh, crunchy on the surface and sticky inside. Our amouse bouche was a fresh and light Salade d’anguille fumée et Brandade de Morue. A daring plate of a smoked eel salad with salted cod that was not as challenging as it sounds, but sublimely delicate.

My second starter the Saint Pierre juste brûlé spoke the Mediterranean language – drizzled with olive oil, a side of chopped olives ‘tapenade’ and a John Dory fish cooked very carefully so its white flakes remained tender. Most of the plates are finished behind the bar counter, so it is fun to sit there and experience the show of culinary tricks. The Bar en Croute de Sel et d’herbes is one of the chef’s specialities. It is usually prepared only for two people, but when possible it can be made for one. The bass is cooked in a green-coloured herb salt crust that is cracked and the fish is deboned in front of you. The sea bass like the John Dory could match up to the best Mediterranean preparations.

My partner relishes the Carpaccio de Veau, the veal carpaccio sourced from the best butcher in Paris, Hugo Desnoyer. This young cow meat is the pinnacle of the chef’s mastery. The tenderest veal was served on another occasion on a morsel of a Japanese eggplant during one of the Japanese Mondays, and I was immediately in the game for meat at Toyo. Another plate, a fried pan-crusted beef, just stirred my appetite for flash. In a style of a izakaya, the tempura-like Filet de boeuf pané, was hearty yet focused. Pigeon is not my kind of bird, but my husband took to the adventure. Entrusting his taste buds to the chef was rewarded with a perfectly Grilled pigeon served unconventionally with a moon of lime and soy sauce.

The fairy lightness of the previous courses carried along the Coques, asperges sauvages et Champignons, perhaps the most artistically enchanting plate for me. In it, wild branches of crunchy asparagus refreshed the unshelled, playfully chewy shellfish and the assortment of forest mushrooms crowned the culinary creation with an earthy depth and clarity. The mushrooms were seared to perfection as a tepanniaki in front of us.
Yet another signature dish of the restaurant is the rich Curry façon Toyo et Lotte Panée, a monkfish curry. The chef decided to underline the strength of the meaty fish with a concentrated curry sauce. A red wine pairing (Bordeaux, Rhone) is on call, but an intensely flavoured oaky Chardonnay or a spicy Gewurtztraminer work just fine.

The desserts are mostly airy light, and fit into the tightest belts. Sorbet Gorgonzola concluded our first gastronomic night at Toyo with fireworks. The savoury yet sweet blue cheese sorbet combined with pecan nuts and fried parmesan cheese crisps was richly creamy, and at the same time less heavy than a regular cheese plate. Wonderlicious! A Peach soup with refreshing ice-cream was another summer sweet treat, while the custardy Green Tea Tiramisu, delicate yet thick, served with berries on the side, called for a cup of tea. An intense dessert for Toyo!
If you dine at Toyo often you might get bored by the repetitiveness of many of his plates, yet there is often a little tweak in each dish and that familiarity played with a new seasonal tune is intriguing for any sophisticated foodie paying attention to small details. I got his cookbook, attempting to emulate his artful plates at home in the Mediterranean, yet the mastery of Toyomitsu Nakayama is hard to match, so most of my plates were vague messengers of his attentive cooking style. Further the art of plating implements Japanese aesthetics, a slight organic tweak may surprise your perfection seeking eye, just do not forget to spoon the food out and put it in your mouth where it belongs, not on a canvas..

There are some nice champagnes to elevate your mood, but the Shaman by Marguet we were recently poured was a pleasant unsettler. A great start. The wine list is focused on French bottles, but the choice is sufficient. There are three whites and three reds by the glass that are chosen well to match the dishes on a given night. The sommelier is passionate, always a good sign to trust his choices. The bottle we love is the red Burgundy Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru “La Perrière” by Philippe Pascalet. I hope they have a large supply of this savoury an light Pinot as the Beaune by the same producer is much bigger to match the finesse of the chef’s cooking. The Savigny les Baune 1er cru is not a bad option either. Still, any Burgundy will do.

Japanese award-winning whisky Yamazake, saké and tea from the popular Japanese purveyor present in Paris – Jugetsudo – complement the drink selection for the less vinous population. A homemade Kumquat, ginger and lemon infusion was served at the end of the meal of the Monday Japanese tasting once, and we adored the preserved sweet kumquat in our cup, that I couldn’t resist to eat after drinking all the liquid. Toyo inspired me to make it at home.
17, rue Jules Chaplain, Paris 6ème.
+ 33 1 43 54 28 03.

Menton market: discover the sunniest market in Europe

Menton is annually spoiled to receive the most sunshine hours in Europe. No wonder then that the coastal town cutting the border between France and Italy has historically attracted English travellers and seasonal residents. The sun-loving flora thrives in its terraced slopes. Since the nature’s whimsy produce covets Menton’s favourable microclimate the Menton market is bountiful. As you bounce around spot on the citrus orchards and vegetable rows stretching on each available patch of land.

In this garden of Eden grow not only the famous local lemons, but also oranges, kumquats, as well as one of the forefathers of the modern citrus fruits – the citron (Citrus medica) – a giant fruit with a rough yellow skin and thick white rind (albedo). Shaved in thin slivers like a truffle the cedrat (citron) makes a wonderful plant-based carpaccio. Just a drizzle of olive oil and a coarse or flaky Guérande salt and voila, a healthy gourmet delicacy will blow your palate!
The Mentonnaise celebrate the lemon in an annual fiesta. La Fête du Citron in February lasts for the entire month. The history reaches almost a century back to 1929 when a local hotelier organised a flowers and citrus exhibition there, which later evolved into a lavish parade of floats decorated with the lauded citrus.

History of Menton

Its lavish history hints on Menton’s attractiveness. From the founding lords of Genova (12th century) it was bought by the Monaco’s Grimaldis, who ceded Menton and the nearby Roquebrune as they proclaimed themselves “free towns under the protection of the kingdom of Sardinia”; Menton’s faith was finally sealed by the Treaty of Paris in 1861, when it was attached to France. Like in Nice, the British vacationers seeking sunshine attracted hoteliers and architects to the area, giving rise to its opulent villas and hotels.

Kumquats from the Mediterranean coastal orchards

Mediterranean oranges on the market in Menton

Local farmer selling produce on the market in Menton

Menton market: the sunniest market in Europe revealed

Perhaps also the town’s architects were inspired by the sun and the Mediterranean, as in a perfect harmony with the bright sky, the facades glow with intense shades of Sardinian red, Sienna yellow and deep green.
Menton also has probably the sunniest market in Europe. Perhaps only some markets in Sicily and Southernmost Spain can rival its leading position. Orderly, the Menton market building (Les Halles in French) edges on the old town (Vieux Ville), a seafront promenade, and the bright light reflecting port. The colourful marchè touches the modern museum of Jean Cocteau, who infatuated by the region, left plenty of art imprinted on its walls, its churches and the town hall.
Inside the Menton market, the established local players regularly set their produce. Here, you find impeccable cheese from French and Italian cows and sheep, the local mountain goat’s and the famous appellations from all over France at Le Coin du Fromager (the fromagerie across from the butcher shop to its right is also superb). Artisanal butter, as well as other dairy and at home pickled or preserved produce, are sold at the middle lines stands. Small meat vendors are lined along the walls, including a specialist Maitre Volailler (literally a poultry master). The animal sector is bordered by an award-winning bakery (Boulangerie Baiser du Mitron), whose baguettes, ancient breads, pastries and even some slightly exotic bread (black charcoal; Scandinavian) with attached practical notes and tips to accompany perfectly your meals. In the other half of the indoor market are mostly vegetable and fruit vendors, with one of a particular interest – a dedicated potato farmer. Offering seasonal varieties of this underground treasure, he will inspire you for a recipe if you demand. One tastes like hazelnuts, the other has more citrusy zest, one would have never thought that potato can be so complex and delicious!
Outside, cornflowers, narcissus jonquils, and other sun-loving flowers fence the jasmine hued walls, and small local farmers like Francine (her courgette flowers are the best you can ever get) and the humorist producer “Médicin Jean Mario” sell their gems from minuscule gardens. Jean Mario grows super creamy avocados and anything that intrigues his outspoken palate. The oranges thrive on the sunny hills, and you will find many types of these bright ball shaped citruses in the cascading orchards and the Menton market tables alike. We have made a superb orange marmalade from the species grown in a friend’s garden spiking just above the old village. There is much more to explore on the Menton market stands than just the celebrated citruses. From creamy avocados, olives to mountain honey.

Some superb produce pops up seasonally. In spring look for the white asparagus, that shaded from the sun does not acquire the chlorophyll tinge and grassy flavours. Rather sweet and tender, it pairs wonderfully with fruity and sweet olive oil such as the one sold at the nearby St. Michel Olive Oil store. Tangerines bulk up in the winter, while herbs like rosemary, basil and parsley, not in need to be grown in the greenhouses, spring up throughout the year.
Ready to eat, similar specialities to the nearby Monaco, Nice and Ventimiglia streets are sold around the market. Try the “barbajuan” (Monagasque fried vegetables and rice), the niçoise chickpea flour based socca, pichade, stuffed fried courgette flowers in the late spring season or a slice of pizza like onion tart with anchovies known as pissaladiere.
The old port town is further naturally positioned to offer the bounty of the Mediterranean sea.
Seafood specialities: fish fry (poutine), red mullet, sardines, sea bass (loup, branzino), sea bream (dorade), turbot, sweet shrimps from nearby San Remo and other seasonal seafood is sold by the fish monger inside and right next to the covered market there is a slightly cheaper seller. Either will fillet the fish upon request.
Many famous artists fell in love with the sunny charms of Menton, Jean Cocteau who settled on the French Riviera in the 50s, often came to Menton and created three works in the city, a mosaic and wall paintings that can be admired today, so before you fill your bags with heavy produce walk around and enjoy the sunshine, that so often caresses its cobbled streets.
Marché Couvert (Les Halles), Quai de Monléon, Menton, France
Daily in the mornings
+ 33 4 93 35 75 93

Interviews with a wine expert: Champagne and its rivals in the spotlight

Lenka Sedlackova MW, has been in the wine business for over a decade. Based in London, she works with one of the best UK importers Fields, Morris & Verdin. She is the first Czech Master of Wine (MW). In this regular feature, she answers the editor’s questions themed around the world’s wine regions and other wine-related topics. Champagne and its rivals are my victims in this interview.

With the sales of English fizz growing, but still far behind the record selling bottles of Champagne in the UK, could you see any similarities between the two sparkling regional styles?

What are the major differences that can generally be drawn between them?

There are many similarities. Firstly, both English sparkling wine and Champagne are largely made from the same grape varieties, i.e. the trio or Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. However, you will also find English sparkling wines made from varieties such as Seyval Blanc (Breaky Bottom is a good example). The soils are quite similar with a high proportion of chalk. Chalky soils are great for growing grapes, especially Chardonnay. The climate in England and Champagne is considered ‘marginal’ for growing grapes; what this means is that both regions have a climate that is at the limit of grape growing. Both regions are cool with high rainfall throughout the year. Because grapes for the production of sparkling wine are often picked less ripe than grapes for still wine, this is less of a problem. Unless you have an especially hard year like in 2012, when English producers found it hard to produce decent wine if they made any (Nyetimber did not).
Stylistically, English sparkling wines have higher acidity than Champagnes. England is still a bit colder than France, unfortunately. Because of this higher, more perceptible acidity, a higher dosage [=a mixture of cane sugar and the estate’s reserve wine that results in higher residual sugar content] is often added. For instance, most Nyetimber sparklers receive 12g/l dosage, whilst the average in Champagne is around 9g/l.
In terms of production, England produces a fraction of the volume of that of Champagne. England produces around 5.06m bottles annually compared with 300m bottles of Champagne. It is a young industry, and although there is plenty of investment and new wineries are constantly popping up, it is unlikely to overtake Champagne production in the near future. The land is considerably cheaper in England though, the average price for a hectare of vineyard land is £25,000 whilst a hectare in Champagne can cost from €1.2m – €1.8m.

Take a bottle of N.V. Nyetimber, Ridgeview and Camel Valley bubbles, what Champagne house styles you could compare each of them individually?

I think English sparkling wines have the ability to stand on their own merit without necessarily having to be compared to Champagne. Whilst it’s inevitable to want to make the comparison, I think all producers you mentioned have their own, individual style. Camel Valley deliberately makes a softer style of sparkling wine and source their grapes from a variety of regions, each of which has something else to offer.

Since the financial crisis, Prosecco has been usurping the sales of Champagne in the UK, particularly in the N.V. (non-vintage) sector. Do you see the Champenois fighting back? Perhaps taking is as an opportunity to increase the quality and focus on more premium Champagne labels? And what about Cremant?

I wouldn’t necessarily say that Prosecco has usurped Champagne’s sales. Champagne consumption is on the up again, in fact. What Prosecco has done is take a considerable market share from Cava and, to a certain degree, from still white wine. Prosecco has graduated from being an ‘occasion drink’ as the majority of sparkling wines are, to an everyday drink. Because of its simple, easy drinking profile and good value, it has become acceptable to open a bottle mid-week, with friends or at home. Champagne is not necessarily seen that way and therefore the two are consumed differently.
With Champagne, you will always have this broad spectrum of quality, from the mass-produced cheap examples you see in European supermarkets via respected but high volume brands (like Moët or Lanson) to individually crafted, small volume grower Champagnes (like Pierre Peters) all the way through to prestige Cuvees (like Jacquesson Cuvée 700 series or Krug Grande Reserve). This is why brands are very important in Champagne, they give you the security of a style, price and prestige. There has certainly been an increase in the production of prestige Cuvées or single vineyard Champagnes and these have done very well. Great Champagnes are great investments and such wines can be highly collectable. In my opinion, prestige Champagne is one of the best investments. Value rarely goes down because far too much great Champagne is drunk too young.
As for Crémant, this category is seeing a slight resurgence, especially on the restaurant scene. Crémant presents great value for money whilst still being produced by the traditional method. But Crémant has a lot of competition, usually in the form of premium Cava, Franciacorta from Italy and new world sparkling wines.

Do you see Champagne loving customers turning more to the smaller “artisan” producers, that generally produce terroir-driven (even single vineyard) Champagnes with more character than a bottle of Moet?

I think this depends on the type of consumer. Those who invest in wine are certainly more interested in individuality and uniqueness. Grower Champagne attracts good press and there is general enthusiasm for it on the wine trade. This filters down to the consumer. In the UK, you can find specialist wine stores like The Sampler or online retailers like Clos & Cru whose portfolios are known to include the more artisanal, interesting growers. Of course, where your average, non-connoisseur consumer is concerned, brands are still king.

Your recent achievement, being titled the first Czech Master of Wine, was surely a reason to celebrate. Congratulations! Champagne being the choice for merry occasions, what is your favourite bottle for events like this? Any particular vintages you are fond of?

I tend to collect random bottles of Champagne from producers I like for such occasions. My husband [also MW) is fond of finding birth year Champagnes for me as well, as Champagne just happened to be one of the few regions where my vintage was a good one! I celebrated with several sparkling wines over the week after my results came out. The bottle I enjoyed the most was ‘Substance’ from Jacques Selosse. This is a very small producer whose style is quite unique. The base wine for Substance is aged in a solera (a bit like sherry!) and this gives it a certain richness and complexity as well as making it a NV style. I also enjoyed a bottle of 1996 Krug (one of the great recent vintages), Jacquesson Cuvée 734 DT (late disgorged after many years on lees) and 2002 Cuvée Nicolas Francois from Billecart Salmon, another fantastic vintage that has just been released. Because I wrote my final dissertation on the subject of Cava, I also had to treat myself with a bottle of 2006 III Lustros from Cava Gramona, one of the best Gran Reservas on the market.

At the other spectrum of the money game, what would be a good value Champagne tantalising your palate?

I have recently discovered an interesting small grower called Emmanuel Brochet. Excellent value at around £30 a bottle. His style is medium-rich as the base wine is oak fermented and this is balanced by a small dosage, making an Extra Brut style. Great value for money often comes from up and coming growers and small producers (unless it’s Christmas and we are inundated with discount deals!), to name a few I would look for Rene Geoffroy (very dry styles), Cedric Bouchard (the excellent Roses de Jeanne) or Champagne Bereche.

Where in London would you buy and drink Champagne?

I tend to buy from Berry Bros & Rudd but then I work for them so am a little biassed! Also, try The Sampler and Philglas & Swiggot.
When it comes to bars, you simply have to visit Bubbledogs in Charlotte Street. They have a fabulous selection of grower and artisanal producers and often get small parcels of hard to get Champagnes.

We discussed your passion for Cava recently, why do you think it is Prosecco and not Cava, which uses the traditional second fermentation in the bottle method like Champagne, that is becoming more popular as an alternative to Champagne?

As I said before, I don’t think Prosecco is necessarily always the alternative to Champagne, but there are consumers who have made this shift. I think it’s Prosecco’s easy-drinking style and hint of sweetness that makes it appealing to many. It also has softer acidity and is, therefore easier on the stomach. It is not cost prohibitive and it is totally reliable when it comes to the style – you always know what you’re getting and the simple, aromatic style is attractive. Cava has had a bit of a wake-up call and we have seen a move towards premiumisation and overall better quality wines. Things simply had to change. Because most Cava is made from indigenous Spanish varieties like Xarel-lo, Macabeo and Parellada, these varieties give it a specific flavour. Xarel-lo has a distinct herbal, slightly bitter note and that is not always to everyone’s taste. The thing is, Cava is very versatile and can (and should) be paired with food. Prosecco is best consumed as an aperitif.

Where in London can one learn more about and/or enjoy a great meal paired well with Champagne?

Texture restaurant (1*) is known for their Champagne list and here you can try some really interesting combinations. The above mentioned Bubbledogs has a small restaurant called Kitchen Table (1*) and they also do interesting Champagne and food pairings and sometimes even host Champagne dinners! Newly opened Blandford Comptoir also has a great Champagne list.

La Vague d’Or: Mediterranean gastronomy elevated in Saint-Tropez

If you thought that Saint-Tropez is all about flashing celebrities sunning their perfect bodies on the Pampelone beach, rosé and champagne splashing around, and super-yachts hanging in the glittering bay, then your vision is not complete. The ‘golden wave’ only hit the local gastronomic scene in 2005 when chef Arnaud Donckele took over La Vague d’Or back then at La Résidence de La Pinède and now of the ultra-luxe Cheval Blanc hotels portfolio. Trained by Michel Guérard and Alain Ducasse, the chef inherited the three star French heroes’ sensitive approach to cooking and passion for local ingredients. His effort peaked in the third-star by the eponymous Michelin guide, but there is more to savour here than just the exquisite food. The location is stunning, so make sure you can eat at the Mediterranean sea lining terrace.

Regional bounty is introduced right at the beginning when the Mediterranean-themed amouse-bouche arranged on and around a miniature olive tree are laid on the white-clad table. A savoury thyme-scented marshmallow on a branch, while the grapes are masked as olives down under, as if they just fell from the tree, complement the baked cheese crackers nurturing the acid bite of your aperitif. The chef proves that he is an artist with a passion for local ingredients, all carefully acquired from small farmers, that are entirely dedicated to their extraordinary produce. He doesn’t stop with superficial gimmicks though as the show moves to serious flavours one devours with a Bacchanalian zeal.

The golden touch at La Vague d’Or

By calling each course an “act” Arnaud, as the team amicably calls the chef, serves a cue that each plate has a story. The big tales have forms of three degustation menus: Timeliness, Provence Escapade and An Epicurean Adventure. The title of each hints exactly what the multi-course dining experience will be about. The more selective diners can also choose from the wide selection of the à la carte dishes.
Ideally, be guided by your momental emotions as the chef did when creating the dishes.
The first time my intrepid husband ordered the eight-course Epicurean Adventure, while I went for the Timeliness because the chef claims: “This menu is made with some emotional dishes, improved slowly in time. The others are newly gourmet creation. With the idea to combine them in harmony to please you.” I am an emotional person seeking harmony, therefore, I was in. As each year La vague d’Or lures our spoiled tongues in, we moved to the à la carte picks. Knowing the flavours, one can be better guided by his mood of the moment when selecting the plates.

First, the bread, perfectly fresh, crunchy, soft and oozing with aromas as it should, and if you are very of gluten, ask, and soon a perfect gluten-free bun arrives warm. Served with an annual press of local olive oil and the most unctuous borage-scented butter one can imagine, enter the world of heavenly flavours created at La Vague d’Or.
In the first course of the ‘Amberjack and crabmeat marinated in Berlugane mandarin oranges, Thyme leaves, raw baby vegetables, herbs and baby salad leaves’ I was introduced into the chef’s sea world. A light plate expressing natural flavours of local southern French produce.
Lightly seared Scarlet Gamba Prawns from the Mediterranean followed. Accompanied by veggies in multiple forms from sauces and jellies to dried, fried and even frozen in a sorbet. A creamy bonito (tuna) sauce enhanced with Lambrusco wine made it more intense than the previous dish.
Closing the curtain of the sea story was the ‘Loin of seabass slow-cooked in seaweed, Crispy tartare of belly and sea spaghetti, spinach leaves seasoned with caviar, poached abalone and cuttlefish, my creamed seafood potato’. This sea kingdom on a plate made its produce more familiar to an earthbound human like me.
A ‘Thyme blossom granita and Florence fennel sorbet with a touch of absinthe‘ poured in front of you at the table marked a change of stage and also served to refresh your palate before the land revealed itself transformed under the chef’s skilful hands.

The English description of the dishes on the menu might sound a bit too detailed, but the chef seems to highlight the complex processes of his cooking, the precise steps involved in preparing each dish. I can imagine how the “Breast of chicken slowly cooked in a bladder with an aromatic broth. Zitone pasta delicately stuffed with black truffle and foie gras. Patties of thigh meat, oyster meat, wing and a touch of breast meat. A consommé infused like a tea” were meticulously made.
At the first look, the chicken looked as if it were dressed in a Halloween costume as it was brought to our table in an inflated bladder in which it was “slowly” cooked. Paul Bocusse allegedly invented this style of cooking chicken and Éric Fréchon at Le Bristol in Paris also prides in this theatrical homage to French poultry. This animal balloon protected the flavours of the meat and once taken out from its “bubble”, it looked and tasted sublimely tender on the plate. The Zitone (chopped short as macaroni) pasta served on the side are one of the chef’s star features on the menu that he learned when assisting the Parisian Michelin chef Jean-Louis Nomicos. The tube-shaped pasta are intense, and the foie gras and Provençal black truffles stuffing leaves an impactful mouthfeel.
As my sea and land omnivorous appetites were sated, I was ready for the sugarland. My dessert came in the form of “A lightly minted ten citrus millefeuille, a confit of frozen sudachi, and Middle Eastern lemonade served aside at your table“. The Milleufeuille was the most enjoyable for its refined, creamy but not too rich taste, and a delicate texture. Ideal with a pot of fresh herbal infusion.
The pastry chef Guillaume Gaudin further treats you with a tray of mini-deserts such as his take on the local creamy Tarte Tropèziene, making sure that none of your cravings remain unattended to.
When sitting outside, the shades of the cauliflower-shaped pine trees at La Résidence de La Pinède (promptly named ‘the pine grove residence’) are magnified in the evening as the sun is setting beyond the Mediterranean horizon. Their dark silhouettes add mystery to the romantic open gaze of fishing boats rubbing their fair corpses with the giants of the luxurious yachts docking around the St Tropez’s petite port.

Vintage armagnac and cognac for cigar aficionados, Provençal wines for locavores, house tisanes for tea-to-tellers, …

La Vague d’Or has an interesting selection of single origin coffee, tea and herbal tisanes. Premium arabicas surely elevate pre-party energy with their caffeine boost, while herbal blends aid digestion or relax, so you can easily zen out after the long meal. Who wouldn’t succumb to infusions with names like “Pense pour toi” (A thought of you), dedicated to the chef’s wife; or “Perle Mèditerranée” (The pearl of the Mediterranean)? I enjoyed them both on different occassions.
The head sommelier pairs the plates with the local wines like the white blend by La Ferme des Lices from Saint-Tropez, Domaine Gavoty, the biodynamic wines by Henri Milan – Le Jardin. The first time we dined at La La Vague d’Or we went for the local wines pairing and can recommend it to any curious wine connoisseur. On the following occasions we ordered a bottle of Burgundy (the lighter styles like Chambolle-Musigny and Gevrey-Chambertin), which compliments the superb chicken. By the end of the savoury part of the meal, an impressive trolley of digestives, generously supplied with vintage armagnac, cognac, sweet wines and other spirits, may seduce you for an indulgent full stop of this marvellous gastronomic feast. My husband succumbed.
Armagnac at La Vague d'Or St Tropez
There is only one negative aspect of the restaurant – the prices. Being located at Le Cheval Blanc by-the-luxury-besieged St Tropez a meal for two easily comes above €500, not adding the wines! The margins are very high for drinks, therefore the smartest choice would be to stay local and try either the flight of the Provençal wines paired with your menu starting at €115 or one of the more affordable but very good bottles from the surrounding Languedoc-Rousillon or Provence regions. Wines by the glass (priced around €25) also won’t keep more in your pocket unless you limit yourself to one glass for the entire meal.
The Mediterranean has imprinted itself deeply into the Normandy-born chef’s culinary mind, and for any serious food lover, La Vague d’Or is worth the splurge and a compulsory stop while passing by Saint-Tropez.
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Matsuhisa grows from Aspen, LA, Athens through St Moritz

Chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa is worldly known as Nobu, the legend of contemporary Japanese cooking blending Peruvian and other elements into his special sharing plates. Swiping the globe with his nikkei cuisine from New York, London, Dubai to Hong Kong, chef Matsuhisa most effectively blended his Japanese skills with the alluring ingredients that he found during his stint in Peru over 20 years ago.

Nobu’s partnership with the actor Robert De Niro and restaurateur Drew Nieporent gave birth to the international network of the chic Nobu restaurants. Nevertheless, his namesake Matsuhisa restaurants remain his most cherished babies, so he shows up often. I have repeatedly dined at Matsuhisa in Aspen, Los Angeles, Paris and St Moritz, and while the first two are the most Nobu style, the newest Paris location is by far the best. The main reason being that the executive chef Hideki Endo was given a free reign from Nobu Matsuhisa and creates sublime, Michelin stars deserving plates in the chicest atmosphere of the Royal Monceau hotel. Chef Hideki, originally from Hokkaido, has helmed the scenic Hong Kong Nobu for over a decade, and moved to Paris to open the by celebrities touted Matsuhisa Paris.

Traditional Japanese manners grace Nobu and his wife as either of them often greet the customers in the first ever Matsuhisa restaurant in Los Angeles. The local glam-set still frequents the causal restaurant after almost two decades in business. Whether you are a Hollywood star or just a devote fan of his cuisine, Nobu shares his humble smile and a gentle handshake as he strolls around.

His second branch in Aspen, as excellent and casual as his La La Land firstborn, was the last that strayed away from the overt commercialisation that swoop the intimate charm away from the Nobus, and his growing suite of Matsuhisa restaurants (Athens riviera, Mykonos, St. Moritz, Paris). Much larger than its LA base, Matsu in Aspen further accommodates two bars. One for casual eats upstairs and the other just by the entrance downstairs. In embracing the essential American flare, large Tv screens in the bar area lure in the football and cricket fans to virtually coach their teams. A spectacle in itself as you walk in. Like in an orchestra, these conductors with chopsticks instead of a baton indulge in a decadent meal. Some locals just pop in for a bottle of Asahi beer and a snack (like the crunchy crab tempura salad, the beef or fish tacos), yet the food’s quality would satisfy an Arab sheikh. Being the most fashionable and for almost two decades the most popular restaurant in Aspen, while keeping its informal allure, make Matsuhisa tirelessly attractive. In Aspen, young folks with sometimes ridiculously weird ski hats mingle with the mature, fur-adorned bejewelled ladies, older couples and families enjoy their meal, all naturally sinking into the buzzing atmosphere. Booking ahead is highly advised.

Food at Matsuhisa

Nobu is about his inventive dishes and not the classic simple sushi and maki cuts. His bold, creative and high taste-profile flatters to the salt and rich flavours accustomed American diners. In St Moritz, the food is more subdued and does not show the full spectrum of his special plates as the Aspen and LA Matsuhisa do. Also there his is creative cooking mastery and the accent on top quality fresh ingredients show off at his namesake US based restaurants most vibrantly. Like a rainbow, Nobu’s dishes cover the flavours and textures from delicate and light to deep, rich and intensely accented plates. It is wise to start light and move to the heavier or more seasoned dishes, so your taste buds detect the suppleness of the delicate fish and seafood creations such as the refreshing Peruvian style tiraditos (which Nobu learned when cooking in Lima), crab tacos or the new style yellowtail sashimi with jalapeños. The spaghetti-like shaved Hearts of palm salad with lobster and Nobu’s special savoury dry miso crumble is excellent to share at the beginning. You can buy this superb condiment at both restaurants, and use it at home over anything craving its umami flavour. The superb King crab tempura salad with red onions marinated in spicy vinaigrette is refreshingly touched up with coriander.

The superbly trained staff usually brings them in an appropriate sequence, which is essential for the enjoyment. Since the fish is marinated in an oil-based sauce with sesame most of the New style sashimis are moving towards the richer side, therefore it is better to get them after the simpler lime and lemon-based plates like Tomato ceviche or the seafood tiraditos. My favourite is the New style salmon sashimi. The fatty and smooth salmon goes hand in hand with the oily sauce drizzled with chopped green chives. The abalone, a rare type of sea shell, is always very expensive whether you order it in Japan, China or in Colorado. If you can afford to treat yourself to something very special, inquire whether the lucky day shipped some of these porcini textured sea wonders. Served broiled, they impress. Usually only in the US Matsuhisa.

Matsuhisa does wonders with mushrooms. At Nobu as well as at ‘Matsu’ I usually order the sizzling hot Mushroom tobanyaki, but in Aspen, I also like the unique warm Mushroom salad with lobster. These forest gems top up even the flavour and texture of the Maine lobster, but still this plate is a wonderful marriage between Western and Eastern ingredients. I highlighted my personal bests at ‘Matsu’, although I have eaten almost the entire menu a number of times and enjoyed most, so go for it.

From the Japanese sweets try the Shaved ice or the Mochi ice cream. These gooey, thin, dumpling-like rice flour buns filled with ice cream are homemade. You can select from multiple flavours. The green tea and vanilla never disappoint, but chocolate or li-chi may seduce too.
Drinks: The wine list at Aspen Matsuhisa has the widest selection of wines that go well with this style of food. To stay local at least with the wine, we usually go for a bold California Chardonnay. A refreshing dry white wine with a higher acidity like Riesling would be my top choice, but a lush white Bordeaux, Rhône’s Rousanne and Marsanne blend or a mineral slightly oaky California Chardonnay like from Aubert de Villaine’s Aubert (DRC winemaker) or Littorai suit to most of the fish and seafood Nobu dishes. Pinot Noir works well too. Williams Selyem are a great bet if you are willing to spend a couple hundred dollars. Their Chardonnay from the Heintz Vineyard (not to be mistaken for the Heitz Cellars in Napa Valley) ages gracefully so if you see an older vintage, try. In St Moritz, the impressive wine cellar is shared with the Badrutt’s Palace Hotel luxurious restaurants, and there are many great European wines on the list. Here, try the local impressive Pinot Noir Monolith by Obrecht, very savoury and not too fruity like most Swiss Pinots. In Paris French bottles impress, usually we go for white Alsace (Riesling Clos Ste Hune) and red Côte Rotie or Burgundy.

At the Los Angeles Matsuhisa the wine options are more limited so we often get a bottle of Kistler Chardonnay that is creamy, rich, yet balanced with a good acidity and a long, tremendous aftertaste. Beer or sake are popular choices and there is a very good selection from Japanese, American as well as European brews. Not in the mood for alcohol? The Nobu’s own Japanese green tea, which you can also buy, is very good and its youth-prolonging antioxidants refresh and relax at the same time. Magic, isn’t it?
I have dined at the Matsuhisa in LA regularly for over a decade and in winter Aspen each February. I am grateful for so many years of consistent pleasure there. Arigato! Sadly the same cannot be claimed about the Athens and St Moritz locations.

Pierre Marcolini: chocolate moulded into perfection

Pierre Marcolini, a Belgium chocolate maker is a perfectionist and his quest for even better chocolate creation elevates him to the cocoa Olymp of the World’s best “haute chocolateries“.
The best expression of the cocoa flavors searching makers use the old good white sugar, not fancy pure brown cane, or healthy stevia. For good results in diabetic chocolates maltitol for its closest taste profile to sugar. Vanilla is also used to balance and slightly improve the flavor of the artificial swetener. To the best raw cocoa beans, no vanilla should be added and the content of cocoa must be above 70%, so you can taste the nature.
Belgium chocolate
Its maker also must love his product. In order to yileld the best expression of the loved object (cocoa bean in this case) he must listen to its nature, tend to its needs and desires. Marcolini sees his chocolates as “little gems” and strives for being “a genuine creator rather than processor“. The ancestrial Italian heritage might have spurred his loving affair with chocolate: “I love its colours, ingredients and textures, its glow, fragrance and mystery“. Indeed, he is in love. And, it is the two of us, since for years now, I cannot imagine a day without chocolate.

Bean to bar selected chocolate bars
His chocolate bar collection is divided into black squares of Grand Cru single origin and silver pouches for Limited Edition also mostly from Grand Cru plantations. Since I have a Pierre Marcolini boutique near to my home in Monaco, I wander over very often and can blind-taste any of them knowing where they came from.
Bean to bar productions means an absolute control of each step in the chocolate making process. Respecting nature in their direct effort with the growers commited to “no modern techniques such as GM or hybridisation“.
Each of the packed bars has a lot number at the back, so its exact provenance can be traced. Eighty grams for each bar let’s you savor the large nine squares with the singled MARCOLINI letters imprinted on every one of them.
To die for is the crunchy beans with melting soft texture, exotically fruity, green pear, honey sweet on mid palate and extremely long aftretaste of fruits, dry wood and absolute seduction. This Forastero specimen grows only on two hecatares, which was an experimental plantation produced exclusively for Marcolini. 75% in concentration is made by a small cooperative Cho Gao in Tien Giang, Vietnam. This delicious bite of heaven makes me wanting to visit Vietnam and buy their entire crop and melt my own bars at home.
My second favorite dark bar in the Limitied Edition series is the Mexican Finca La Joya from the Tabasco region. Its intrigue dwells in the lighter and rarer Criollo Porcelana cocoa bean 78% setting the bar for a serious connoisseur. Perplexing smoky tobacoo, dry but soft texture with a loud fruity acidity peaking as an energizing element in the depth of the already intense cocoa.
Belgium chocolate
A Peruvian Alto Piura 85% Criollo Blanco cocoa from Plantacio Las Pampas reflects sincerely the elegance of Peruvian cocoa. One of my beloved regions grows a voluptuous cocoa beans, here with an added vanilla creating an always pleasing dark chocolate bar.
The Fleur de Cacao stands out in its skilled choice of three different cocoa varietals from three origins: Equador, Ghana and Cuba. High cocoa content of 85%. The depth of hazelnuts and coffee is freshened up with floral notes. Tahitian vanilla pod was scraped into the blend for an even more complex experience.
Los Rios Equador, proprietary Grand Cru from Hacienda Puerto Romero made from 78% Nacional variety of cocoa. Earthy almost dusty dry with occassional sparks of acidity, orange water and jasmine, centered around the mouthdrying leafy corpus. Tahitian vanilla pod was added to balance its fortissimo of earthly maleness.
Belgium Chocolate
Similar, yet Trinitario 78% based, is Cuban Oriente from Terruno de Baracoa. Force of dry cocoa, dried berry acidity, casis and prunes yield to a long aftertaste with tart dryness.
For diabetics a sugar-free, by maltitol sweetened Venezuelan and Ghana blend of 78% cocoa and a touch of vanilla, was created to sattisfy without the artificial sweetener’s disruptive tendency. Exotic fruity freshness of Venezuelan beans meets dry coffee in a pleasant taste. Nice, for a sugar-free chocolate.
From Africa comes a single plantation from Domaine Dark Mungo, Haut Penja in Cameroun. Pure, strong, resistant and runs for a long distance as the country’s legendary runners. Woody austerity of Forastero is sweetened by yellow stone fruits in a 70% cocoa content.
White, milk and classic blends are created to sattisfy the less demanding palates.
Belgium chocolate
Grand Cru cocoa ganaches
The Grand Cru cocoa is used also in his pure ganaches: Brazil, Caribbean, Equador, Madagascar and Venezuela in single origin morsels, and blends of South American plantations in Cabosse as well as PIerre Marcolini Grand Cru signature blend of Ghana, Peru and Venezuela flavoroured with Tahitian vanilla.
An inventive mind constantly searches for the different. Marcollini ceaselessly scans the Globe for new ingredients that would marry his cocoa either in a perfect unison or in a passionate relationship full of emotions. One domineering in a certain moment like the Tahitian vanilla, while the other (cocoa) is rather subdued, but then they embrace each other and mellow into a delectable experience. This research lead to creative ganaches, truffles, mendiants and pralines that are highly refined and worth discovering.

Top chocolate boutiques in Paris*

Patrick Roger

Chocolatier and artist in one, known for his giant sculptures carved out of chocolate. Like in a museum, you can admire many of his works at his flagship store on the Place de Madeleine in Paris. Here, you can also purchase his Grand Cru chocolate bars, Roger travels-inspired truffles, ganaches and signature caramels – Amazon chocolate caramel with lime freshness, the Earth blue Cyclone chocolate caramel & plum, and the wild Savage chocolate caramel. Named Meilleur Ouvrier de France in 2000 at a young age of 32 was a seal of approval for his wonder-arousing tasty treats.

3 place de la Madeleine, 75008 Paris
+33 1 42 65 24 47
Mon – Sun: 10:30am – 7:30 pm

Richart

The signature product Les Petits Richart is not to be missed. A pleasure without guilt as each tiny chocolate bonbon weighs 4 grams and contains only 15 calories. RICHART removed the sugar and cocoa butter and kept the focus on the most delectable ingredients wrapped inside a 73% Venezuela Criollo dark chocolate shell.
Richart Paris Richart chocolate
The flavors were divided into seven aromatic families: roasted (all nutty and coffee-based, but sesame praline is outstanding); balsam (bleached almond coulis, vanilla bean ganache are deep); citrus (calamansi and grapefruit coulis are refreshing); fruity (Ardèche chestnut coulis is surprising); floral (Damask rose and citrus coulis is exotic); herbal (basil, matcha, thyme and rosemary pralines are sublime); and spiced (the curry is an exquisite South Asian beauty).
Ultrafine Chocolate squares from single origin cocoa of various percentages, ‘Infuzzz‘ and chocolate bars complement the irresistible chocolate collection.
Richart goes beyond chocolate with sweet macaroons with wild flavors of foie gras, roquefort cheese or black truffle. All available in the online store.

258 Boulevard Saint-Germain, 75007 Paris
+33 1 45 55 66 00
Mon-Sat: 10:00am – 7:00pm; Sun closed

Michel Cluizel

Cluizel is a three generations spanning family business faithful to its original location in Damville (Normandy-France), where also the Chocolate Museum – le Chocolatrium^®entertains and educates curious chocolate lovers. At Manufacture Cluizel they let the cocoa speak, so you will taste its pure origin distinctively fragrant. Their colourful chocolate tasting mini bars are a major export found from London through US to Asia.

Direct relationships with renowned planters, being one of the few Cacaofèviers^® in the world to master the processing of cocoa beans into cocoa paste first and then create unique chocolates and sweet confectionery warranties fair production and a high standard of quality.
201 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
+33 1 42 44 11 66
Mon-Sat: 10am-7pm; Sun: closed

François Pralus

Pralus is one of the rare chocolatiers (like the Cluizel family mentioned above) that not just puts his name on the bars, but he also manufactures his own chocolates. Striding a leap further by purchasing a cocoa plantation in Madagascar, that was also certified organic, he is set to control the production right from the cocoa beans’ birth.

His father Auguste Pralus invented the delicious Praluline – a sweet brioche bun with chunks of crisp pink pralines made from Valencia almonds and Piedmont hazelnuts coated in rose sugar and then cracked; and was awarded the prestigious title Meilleur Ouvrier de France. He opened his first pastry-shop in Roanne in 1948, where today the manufacturing plant churns daily tons of chocolate from the very best varieties of cocoa beans.
Auguste might be the inventor of the tempting “prauline”, but his son upped the game of chocolate in France. His plantation of rare criollo cocoa beans alongside his meticulous selection and unique products such as the chocolate brick bars “Barre Infernale” filled with pistachio or almond pralines pate coated in dark or milk chocolate. The Tropical Pyramid of chocolate squares each from ten different countries of origin became an immediate success and is ideal for any traveler of the cocoa planet.

35 Rue Rambuteau, 75004 Paris
+33 1 48 04 05 16
Mon-Sat: 10am -7:30pm; Sun: 10am-7pm

Henri Le Roux

These are THE chocolates I gave in personalised jewel-like boxes to my family at our wedding reception. Traveling to Paris you can experience chocolate and Japanese green tea pairing sessions at the modern, comfortable and fresh boutique in St.Germain’s Latin Quarter. Not far from the well-heeled tea temple of Marriage Freres, Henri Le Roux knocked the right approach attracting many of the tea-loving customers. Choose a tea and enjoy it with three selected house chocolates or caramels. Gourmet Coffee with chocolate or caramels (Le Roux copyrighted his recipe for the Salted butter caramel in 1981) is also available.

My must-haves: Yuzu matcha white chocolate; Goviro dark chocolate bar with sea salt, caramelised almonds and crepes; the “Soizig” praline chocolate with buckwheat crumble; the “Aliberts” a thyme flavored chocolate cream on a base of lime marzipan, the “Ch’tou” bitter chocolate filled with soft caramel made of butter and lambig (calvados from Brittany).

1 Rue de Bourbon le Château, 75006 Paris
+33 1 82 28 49 80
Tue-Sat: 11am-7:30pm; Sun & Mon: 11am-2pm & 3pm-6:30pm

Jean Paul Hevin

Chocolate with cheese may sound like a quirky whim of some over creative inventor of cutting-age flavors, yet it is superb and should be included in the “must taste list” of any genuine gourmet. The Meilleur Ouvrier de France, J.P. Hevin is a man of many faces creating an entire range of superb products.

While chocolate reminds his pride he is not afraid to venture into jams, teas, biscuits and even book writing. His cakes are the utmost luxury for the palate. Let your palate to be seduced in my post about J.P. Hevin.

231 Rue Saint-Honoré, 75001 Paris
+33 1 55 35 35 96
Daily from 12noon – 6pm

Alain Ducasse chocolates

Alain Ducasse‘s ever expanding gastronomic empire invaded the chocolate continent with a large success. Although, he himself does not make the chocolates, the artisan chocolatier Nicolas Berger is in charge, truffles and other luxurious cocoa-dusted delicacies are all made in a traditional highly manually demanding fashion, that is time consuming but rewards with sublime results.

The Alain Ducasse chocolate factory is a hedonistic attraction in the quirky 11th district. As you venture inside, the chocolate specialties are displayed like jewels inside a glass bubble over a table in the centre, on the right through a glass window you can marvel at the production process, and alongside the opposite wall an extensive range of chocolate bars from simple to more astute blends awaiting your bite. Now, there is also a small boutique in Saint-Germain-des-Près and a concession at the Galeries Lafayette gourmet floor.

40, Rue de la Roquette (manufacturing); 26, Rue Saint Benoit & GALERIES LAFAYETTE GOURMET floor
+33 1 48 05 82 86
Tue-Sat: 10:30am-7pm

EXTRA worth trying are the chocolates, cakes and tea by Hugo&Victor. Following seasonal flavors and working with exotic ingredients such as combawa fruit lifts them from the crowd of pastry makers in Paris. I wrote about their delicious creations and unique philosophy in the past so you can read more here.
La Maison du Chocolat spurred the trend for boutiques purely devoted to chocolate, and if you have not been in one of their worldwide stores then pop into the first one at 225 rue du Faubourg Saint Honoré in Paris.

A cherry on the chocolate volcano is the legendary Angelina on Rue du Rivoli, right by the Louvre, serving exquisite hot chocolate and desserts, that get on the must-do list of many travelers visiting Paris. Their hot chocolate is seriously thick and served with whipped chantilly cream on the side.
Although I am not a big fan of (according to many serious sweet fans overrated) Laduree macaroons, their recently launched chocolates Les Marquis de Ladurée chocolates are better. While they would shine in may less chocolate obsessed locations, they are a far cry from the best chocolate makers in Paris. Their packaging is impressive though.

*I could not limit myself to only Top 5 chocolate stores in Paris, since there are just too many worth opening your sweet palate to. I would advise to create your own personal shopping list, so you can always come back to buy a treat for yourself or a tasty present for others without risking disappointment.

Couleurs Jardin: organic land and Mediterranean bounty on Plage de Gigaro

Using mainly organic local Provençal ingredients with a touch of jazzy exotic fruit and spices, Le Couleurs Jardin benefits from the natural bounty on the beach where the Mediterranean waves caress the land. This might had been the Club 55 some fifty years ago – rustic, yet cosy, offering great quality food, sea views, with a not too crowded sandy beach inhabiting a beautiful but noncommercial space free of glitzy boutiques or fake Rolex salesmen, that flooded Saint Tropez in the past decades.
Sitting bellow the crawling branches of a mighty pine tree in the open part of the restaurant with patches of robust linen canvas or shielded by beamed wooden ceiling sends the welcoming message that everything is designed for your comfort. Thick, sandy tinted cushions befriend the brass chairs and pillows invite for a lounging siesta with pals on the wide stretching wooden benches in the background.

Couleurs Jardin, in English meaning ‘The Garden’s Colours’, became one of our favourite casual beach restaurants when staying around Saint Tropez. It takes a winding, stomach-turning ride along a narrow coastal road snaking West from the charming medieval village of Ramatuelle, but the culinary treasures awaiting you are worth the journey. Once you arrive, the superb, each time with an artist hand plated food, and feel the breeze from the sea, you will recover from the wavy turns. The beach restaurant on Plage de Gigaro in the commune of La Croix-Valmer serves mostly local produce. The fresh goats cheese is from the Var department, the tomatoes and most of the vegetables are grown in nearby gardens, the fish was line-caught right there, and the meat travelled either from the French mountains or the Spanish dehesa (the Iberic ham).

Faithful to its name, herbs, vegetables and spices in all colours adorn most of the dishes and in some they take the central stage. Like in the lunch Salad, where carrots ranging from citrus hues through bicolored rings of orange and a beet red, strings of red peppers and haricots vertes, casually dropped cherry tomatoes with their stems on and ripe avocados shaped like a young moon in its waxing crescent phase are served with a fresh by the garden inspired anchoiade. A delicious vitamin bomb replenishing energy after all day swimming and walking on the beach.

Exotic spices and ideas meet local bounty on each plate decorated with an artistic splash of colours – rejuvenating basil and parsley, bright tomato, a sprinkle of pink peppercorn and the glistening reflection of a plush olive oil poured in a careful measure over almost everything. No cheating here, but also not careless splashing of sugar, oil or butter on your food. Le Couleurs Jardin flexes the virtuous cord of balance.

The raw fish and seafood arrive daily fresh and you can taste it. The Crab salad with a splash of citrus turmeric vinaigrette cushioned in the round leaves of mâche greens, chunks of mango and grapefruit is light. Naturally sweet and sour, there is not a trace of fishy flavours in the crab meat taken out of its shell.
Another raw favourite, the Wild sea bream tartar is soured and warmed by ginger, basil and lemon juice.

In the cooked realm of starters the Octopus grilled à la plancha, with garlic and parsley, generously topped with warm homemade ratatouille is widely recommend, while the Baked mussels in a sea rouille sauce are also quite generous appetiser.
Freshen up your palate with a crisp white wine like the blanc de blanc organic Domaine des Planes. The choices are ideally suited to the food. A wide selection of French, mainly local Côtes de Provence and Bandol wines, served conveniently by a pitcher (about two glasses), half bottle as well as in the normal size 75cl bottle. The pitcher-sized option is more fun, it lets you try and compare a number of affordable local blends. We also like the woody deep Château Barbeiranne white and all of the five rosès are worth sampling.

During the lunch hours the thin crust Pizza baked in the clay oven in a wooden shack adjoining the kitchen teases your nose as you enter. If you resisted ordering it, still after the lunch or as a takeaway only in the evening, you might be tempted. Your nose will guide you. Just one, to take away, after all I am on holidays, so why not? The truffles, cream and roquette, a bite or two … heaven!
Fish according to daily catch by local fishermen is always a treat. Grilled with olive oil are the ubiquitous Mediterranean sea bass, but also red mullet and other seasonal and palate’s curiosity stirring fish as well as the occasional Blue lobster, a small langoustine from the waters around Cap Lardier or prawns – Gambas served grilled with little naughty lemon butter. All are served with side of potatoes, ratatouille or optional curry rice and perfectly crisp steamed vegetables.

Easygoing and friendly waiters swirl around the white washed wooden tables sharing smiles and plates so lush that you wonder whether paradise may, indeed exist. The dread locks fashioning owner of Le Couleurs Jardin keeps the service efficient, so not to sway into the slow beach tunes.
The casual setting and some large, partially secluded tables are ideal for a populous birthday splash. The garden terrace shaded by pines and palm trees, with pots of cacti sticking their thorns out here and there further enforces the botanic philosophy. Relaxed and jolly after the meal and a couple of pitchers of the mind obscuring wine, it is time to savour the last plant from the garden – the fresh verbena infusion.

If you crave something sweet, there is no need to spoil your healthy intention, since even the fruits and cocoa in their homemade ice creams are ‘bio’. Do not hesitate to sweeten a bit more the already sublime summer with a scoop. Imprint the genuine flavours and smart indulgence into the memory from this holidays for the rest of the work-centric year. I am almost sure, whenever you will come next to this sea-blessed area, you will return to rejuvenate the experience from the Garden’s Colours again and again, summer after summer, as we do.
NOTE: We generally prefer lunch, not rushing, as the pace at Couleurs Jardin is rather chill than a quick bite. It is a beach restaurant so the evening menu is more limited, the pizza is not served at the restaurant as well as the salads and some daily specials are crossed over on the extra offer chalkboard menu, since the lunch crowd has eaten them. First come, first serve at this truly farm or line to plate restaurant.
Couleurs Jardin: Plage de Gigaro, La Croix-Valmer 83420 France
+33 4 94 79 59 12
April – October daily for lunch 12noon-2:30pm; dinner 7-10pm

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