David Biraud, Head Sommelier at the Mandarin Oriental, Paris and Director of the Sur Mesure restaurant by Thierry Marx, has just presented his wine list. In three elegant black leather-covered booklets, this boxed set lists his selections of red and white wines. It also includes an illustrated “travel diary”, recounting the encounters and tasting memories of this vineyard globetrotter. For the past 20 years, the future French representative in the 2013 World’s Best Sommelier competition has wandered the vineyards of France and beyond, introducing his winemaker friends and his favorites, most of which are among the most legendary crus.
David’s memories take readers of his notebook from the great names of Bordeaux, Châteaux Ausone and Pavie, to the more exotic vineyards of Chile. He passionately recounts the stories of winegrowing families, from the Chave family in Hermitage and St Joseph to the Barthelmé brothers in Alsace. Finally, he pays tribute to the wine professionals and friends with whom he has learned so much: winemaker Martin Prieur and oenologist Nadine Gublin in Burgundy. David’s thirst for discovery has taken him to regions of singular beauty. He describes the magnificent landscapes of the Ermita terroir in Catalonia and the atypical vineyards of Santorini, a volcanic island in the Aegean Sea. Delightful anecdotes punctuate his account, such as the magical memory of tasting Champagne Krug on a dune in the Sahara.
David Biraud has created a diversified wine list, both in terms of references and prices. With over 800 labels, the first wines start at €35 a bottle. While the wine list focuses on the essential vintages of France’s terroirs, it remains resolutely open to the international scene. New World vineyards such as the Napa Valley in the USA, or the famous Shiraz from Australia, have a significant place on the menu. Wines from the Old World are also well represented, inviting visitors to discover mythical crus, such as those from Spain’s Ribera del Duero region, or the more confidential Loibner Riesling from Austria.
Cette publication est également disponible en : Français (French)
