Tag: Wine

After an external investigation that began one year ago, the Court of Master Sommeliers-Americas (CMS-A) plans to expel six Master Sommeliers: Bob Bath, Fred Dame, Fred Dexheimer, Drew Hendricks, Joseph Linder and Matt Stamp. The move follows allegations by multiple female wine professionals who were studying for the organization’s certification exams that some of the most senior members committed sexual assault. They also allege that the group suffered from structural toxicity, in which male leaders exploited the mentorship-based nature of the organization and their power to influence exams and careers to harm candidates physically, emotionally and professionally.

“From this deep disappointment and betrayal, we will continue channeling the learned lessons into growth and positive change for our organization,” said CMS-A chair Emily Wines, in a statement issued when the expulsions were announced Nov. 17. Wines is part of the new board of directors elected in 2020 as part of the organization’s restructuring efforts. “The work does not stop here.”

Some members see it as a step in the right direction. But others, while happy to see any concrete action taken, are dissatisfied with the components of the investigation as well as CMS-A’s actions that followed, especially after such a lengthy process.

“As somebody who has to make a decision as to whether or not I want to sit my Master Sommelier exam next year, [the investigation] really has personally thrown my timeline off,” said Rachel Van Til, a Houston-based sommelier who’s been working toward that goal for about 10 years. “I could not in good conscience move forward with the process while there was an investigation concerning my own experiences within that organization.”

“This was the final chance for [the court] to do the right thing, and they did the wrong thing in every way,” Liz Mitchell, an Advanced Sommelier based in New Orleans, told Wine Spectator.

Van Til and Mitchell are among the more than 20 women who shared explosive allegations in a New York Times article in October 2020 that they had been groped, received explicit texts, were pressured for sex in exchange for professional favors and even raped. They’re also among the members of the organization with concerns about how the investigation was handled, which range from the announcement itself to perceived conflicts of interest to the confidentiality of certain investigation details.

The biggest question for both CMS-A members and the hospitality industry remains, Are these expulsions the start of true reform? Or just damage control?

The investigation

The Court of Master Sommeliers’ investigation was supposed to be the start of rebuilding trust in an organization that members felt was increasingly tone deaf if not downright negligent in ignoring how some members took advantage of others. The board hired attorney Margaret Bell of Lagasse Branch Bell + Kinkead. Multiple members were suspended while she conducted her work.

She investigated a total of 22 cases, based on member complaints and media reports, and then presented her findings to CMS-A’s Ethics and Professional Responsibility Committee in September. Committee members worked with anti-sexual-violence organization Raliance to determine discipline recommendations, which were then voted on by the CMS-A board. The harshest actions were taken against those who exhibited an ongoing pattern of bad behavior. “This is not a moment of somebody being drunk and making a bad decision,” Wines told Wine Spectator.

The process was based on a code of ethics created by the committee earlier this year, when a non-discrimination policy and an anti-racism pledge were also implemented. The group also hired a new executive director with experience in nonprofit organizations and corporate leadership, rather than wine. One complaint had been that what had once simply been a small credentialing organization had grown into a large professional society, but leaders never created a human resources department or implemented sufficient rules.

Read more about recent CMS-A changes in our Sommelier Talk with Vincent Morrow, co-chair of the CMS Diversity Committee.

Following the investigation, Geoff Kruth—a former Master Sommelier who resigned after being named in multiple allegations in the Times article—was prohibited from ever applying for reinstatement. Two members were removed from suspension. Other members who were not expelled but remain suspended are undergoing education to attempt to return to the organization in good standing. “We believe that will further lift our culture as opposed to leaving them out and having them potentially reoffend,” said Wines.

CMS-A is also offering to connect survivors to counseling and support via Raliance’s national network of experts.

Most of the Master Sommeliers facing expulsion have not spoken publicly on the decision. They include some of the group’s pioneers. Dame was a co-founder of CMS-A. Bath passed the exam in 2003 and has worked as a professor at the Culinary Institute of America’s Napa campus. Hendricks, Dexheimer and Linder have all worked for top wine programs and served as educators. The decision to expel is pending a hearing within 30 days in accordance with CMS-A’s bylaws and federal law.

Stamp, who operates a popular restaurant in downtown Napa, was first suspended after an internal investigation found that he had undisclosed sexual relationships with two women who took the 2018 Master Sommelier examination. He shared a statement with Wine Spectator. “As a wine educator, I am deeply saddened by today’s decision. The code of ethics of the Court of Master Sommeliers establishes that I should have not been within the vicinity of anyone taking an examination with whom I had a romantic relationship. I take accountability for my error in judgment for not following this bylaw, but did recuse myself in writing from proctoring the exams for these women,” he said. “These were real relationships I cared about, and am saddened for them or anyone hurt by my mistakes,” Stamp continued. “I will learn and grow from my mistakes and accept today’s decision with a heavy heart.”

Partial justice?

“The announcement on Wednesday was one step out of many toward becoming a safer, more transparent and more diverse organization,” said Mia Van de Water, a New York–based Master Sommelier.

But for members like Mitchell, the announcement reopened old wounds.

“Not only did the victimized women who all so bravely came forward not get a report or have any communication regarding the ‘findings’ of the investigation, but they were given no advance notice that the ‘findings’ were going to be made public,” said Mitchell in a statement posted on Instagram. She and others called this insensitive, as it could retrigger trauma for survivors.

Wines says members had the opportunity to attend a town hall meeting where the findings were announced, but she acknowledges that “it went public very quickly after that.” She says there were discussions about alerting survivors in advance, but that many of the women spoke to the investigator on the condition of anonymity, which the court would have broken by reaching out.

Mitchell says she never heard of any town hall. Van Til recognized the potential for this issue and specifically asked to be contacted in advance. She says the court did respect that request.

Overall, Van Til has mixed feelings. She was grateful to see actions taken against more under-the-radar offenders and is impressed by the new code of ethics. She says her interactions with Bell during the investigation were mostly positive. And she’s slightly comforted by the leadership of the new executive director, rather than the organization’s past culture, which was dominated by the mostly male longtime Master Sommeliers.

But she notes that the issue has been ingrained in the court for so long that there are inevitably victims who did not speak to the investigator, and therefore offenders who have yet to see justice.

She hopes the court’s decisive moves will encourage more people to come forward, but she says that there’s a harsh-reality flipside to that: “Those women know what I know, which is that putting your name on something like this puts you in a tenuous professional situation.”

Mitchell also said that the offer of support was insufficient. “At this point in time, every woman that I know that was involved has their own therapy, has paid out of their own pocket going back like five years, so the first thing [the court] could do is, at least, monetarily, help people out with the cost that they’ve already incurred for therapy.”

Mitchell and others in the wine community also took issue with CMS-A’s decision to withhold the names of those still-suspended members, which feels too in line with the overarching issue of secrecy that’s drawn criticism for years. She shared additional concern about the presence of current Master Sommeliers on the committee that helped determine the disciplinary actions, calling it a conflict of interest.

“There’s no reason why [Bell] needed to turn over the results of the investigation to the organization that is in question,” she told Wine Spectator. “That, to me, is a major conflict of interest. How are they deciding their own fate? That makes no sense.”

Wines stands by the investigation process. “It was really meticulous and exhaustive,” she said. “I feel like we really did the most thorough process that we could have.”

Asked about concerns over the decision not to share specific details of the investigation—including the identities of suspended members—Wines said they’re “following the guidelines of what’s done in all kinds of organizations.” She points to a new feature on the court’s website, which uses asterisks to indicate which Master Sommeliers are eligible to participate in CMS-A programming such as teaching and examinations. No asterisk could indicate that the member is currently suspended. It could also mean that they haven’t signed the code of ethics or completed the now-standard sexual harassment training, possibly because they aren’t involved in programming and therefore chose not to take those additional steps.

When it comes to allowing suspended members to work toward returning to good standing, Wines stresses that the rehabilitative education (which each participant is financially responsible for) involves many hours of in-depth and individualized psychotherapy. “This is not parking them in front of a video for an hour and saying you’re good to go,” she said. “We want them to really deeply do the work.”

Restoring the main mission

Wines says that hopefully the investigation and resulting actions can help restore CMS-A’s fundamental identity as a group that provides mentorship, education and certification to the sommelier community, rather than feeling like a private club.

It’s a mission that members like Van Til still see value in. “I don’t think anybody else has done what the court has done in terms of how they teach people to sell wine, how they teach people to taste wine and integrate that with theory,” she said. “I think the mentorship, camaraderie and community are a very unique culture with a very extreme upside.”

Van der Water shared a similar sentiment. “I believe, absolutely, in our core mission, and in our ability to grow into an organization with a genuinely positive impact on our community and industry,” she said. “Furthermore, it is deeply important to me personally to be an active participant in enacting these changes.”

Mitchell believes the danger remains. “I do think a lot of people are ready to unfortunately move on and just give them a pass and kind of look the other way. And I think that’s what’s upsetting to me the most, that people have continued to participate in the examinations that have resumed this year and people are back to kind of business as usual with giving power to the court and without them having actually shown one ounce of accountability or change.”

As Van Til points out, the industry’s sexual harassment issue goes beyond just Master Sommeliers, carrying through to other ranks within the organization and to the entire wine community as a whole—and even to guests who exhibit inappropriate behaviors toward sommeliers in restaurants. That means the weight can’t fall entirely on the leadership of a single organization.

“This is a culture change that’s not just going to happen with the people at the top doing investigations and declaring certain people out and others in,” she said. “The only way there’s going to be change is if everybody can internalize this lesson—so I think it’s a call to action for all of us.”

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Winemaker Eloi Dürrbach, owner of Provence’s Domaine de Trévallon, died Nov. 12 at his winery. He was 71.

“For my father, either you did something with passion and excellence, or you didn’t do it all,” said his daughter, Ostiane Dürrbach Icard. He was a winemaker who was proud to do what he loved—produce great wines. “He had confidence in nature, patience and trust with wine, and he didn’t worry too much about life.”

Eloi Dürrbach was the son of two well-known artists. His father was a sculptor and painter. His mother produced tapestries, and had the permission of family friend Pablo Picasso to reproduce his works. She wove a tapestry of Guernica and sold the tapestry to Nelson Rockefeller, using the proceeds to buy Trévallon, a 144-acre estate of forest, garrigue scrubland and three small hills on the Alpilles near St.-Remy de Provence, as a vacation house.

Eloi dropped out of university where he was studying architecture in order to create a vineyard. “My grandfather always said, ‘We should plant vines [at Trévallon]. It will produce fine wines,'” said Icard. “Papa quit his studies and began planting vines.”

He started the vineyard from scratch in limestone soils. Eventually, he cleared and shaped 36 acres for vines, 12 acres for olive trees. He created 32 plots, expressing terroirs with varying altitude, exposure to the sun, and grape variety, all surrounded by a natural habitat. “It was like creating a piece of art,” said Icard.

Dürrbach started with red varieties—50 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 50 percent Syrah—planting in 1973 and bottled his first vintage in 1976. Less than a decade later, his wines were hits in America. He expanded slightly, planting white grapes in 1988. When the AOC Baux de Provence appellation was created in 1995, the officials asked him to grub half of his Cabernet plantings to meet the AOC’s regulations. He refused, selling it as a vin de pays. He stood by his wine.

Today, Trévallon produces 3,750 cases of red and 600 cases of white in a typical vintage. Each vintage has a unique label. Dürrbach’s father designed 50 labels for his son.

Eloi Dürrbach is survived by his wife, Floriane, and their three children—Ostiane, Isoline and Antoine. The family will continue to run the estate. Ostiane, who has worked at the winery for 12 years, handles administration and works in the cellar. Antoine, who has worked with his father for 20 years, runs the vineyards. Isoline is expected to join them.

Burgundy’s historic Hospices de Beaune charity auction roared back to life Nov. 21 after delaying and limiting its 2020 auction, setting a new record in front of a packed house. The 161st iteration of the auction raised a total of $15.3 million, including premiums, for multiple charities.

The highlight of the sale was a record high price for the charity barrel “Pièce des Présidents,” selected from the grand cru Corton Renardes vineyard, which sold for $900,000 to London-based fine wine merchants OenoGroup. The proceeds will be split between two beneficiaries, Fédération Nationale Solidarité Femmes and the Institut Curie.

The auction also marked a new partnership between the Hospices Civils de Beaune and auction house Sotheby’s, which took over running the event this year from Christie’s. “It was a huge success—beyond our highest expectations,” said Jamie Ritchie, worldwide head of Sotheby’s wine, in an interview with Wine Spectator. “This year’s auction, with 362 lots, achieved an average lot price of $39,178, compared to 2020, when 638 lots were sold for an average of $24,443, giving a more than 60 percent increase in price per lot this year.”

The average increase in price for barrels of white Burgundy was 115 percent, while the reds outdistanced their 2020 counterparts by 56 percent. Two barrels of Bâtard-Montrachet grand cru, Cuvée Dames de Flandres 2021, each doubled their high estimate, selling for $280,420 and $249,940, respectively.

The 2021 harvest, vinified by winemaker Ludivine Griveau and her team, was more than 40 percent smaller than the 2020 crop, but that didn’t stop 700 attendees from packing the Halle de Beaune and yelling over the three auctioneers who split duties over the course of the six-hour auction. Last year’s event limited attendance. Telephone bidding was also feverish.

Albéric Bichot, managing director of merchant house Albert Bichot and president of Union des Maisons de Vins Grande Bourgogne, was the top bidder in the auction, acquiring 45.5 barrels for a total sum of $2,227,680. “This was another great day for the Hospices de Beaune and I am very proud, firstly as a citizen of Beaune, but also as president of the Union des Maisons de Vins de Grande Bourgogne, to have actively participated in this success,” he said in a statement. “This year’s wine sale will help finance the reconstruction of the hospital, which has a total budget of [$75 million], and will provide the medical facility with better equipment to fight breast cancer.”

The climax of the event was definitely the Pièce des Présidents. The President’s Barrel is traditionally sold at the Hospices with the help of celebrities: This year, French actors Jeanne Balibar and Pio Marmaï represented the two charities that will use the proceeds to combat violence against women and fight breast cancer. “Bidding opened to the strains of Aretha Franklin’s ‘Respect,’ and over the course of a memorable 15-minute bidding battle, the audience erupted into applause several times as the figure rose ever higher,” said Ritchie.

For Sotheby’s, the auction marked an impressive debut. “It was an incredible team effort from everyone involved,” said Ritchie. “We had 55 people from our Sotheby’s France team and 10 from our global wine team, all in Beaune, including three brilliant auctioneers. Working together with the outstanding team from the Hospices de Beaune, and their exceptional wines, and supported by the generosity of both the négociants and the private individuals, we were able to combine together to create something truly special and unique.”

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Paso Robles-based Justin Vineyards and Winery is acquiring Napa’s Lewis Cellars, Wine Spectator has learned. The price was not disclosed. The deal includes the brand, winery and inventory. Justin, owned by the Resnick family’s Wonderful Company, a large farming firm that owns brands like Fiji Water and Pom Wonderful, will provide a marketing and sales arm to the brand, while co-founder Randy Lewis and president Dennis Bell will remain at the helm of operations, along with winemaker James McCeney.

“Randy and I have been seeking a compatible partner to maintain the quality and consistency of our wines while taking Lewis Cellars to the next level,” Bell told Wine Spectator. “We’ve found that partner with Justin.”

Lewis Cellars was founded in 1992 after Lewis put race-car driving in the rear-view mirror following a crash at the 1991 Indianapolis 500. Lewis and his wife, Debbie, founded the winery, with Lewis learning the winemaking craft from friend and fellow vintner Bob Miner at Oakville Ranch. Debbie focused on the business side, and her son Dennis Bell joined the family operation in 1999.

The small brand has an impressive track record of outstanding-rated Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah. The Lewis Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2013 was Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year in 2016.

Debbie passed away just a few months after the Wine of the Year announcement, following a long battle with cancer. But Randy and Dennis have kept the engine running since, with winemaker McCeney crafting the winery’s signature opulent yet polished style of wines. “We call ourselves a work family,” said Bell. “Our team has been together for 13-plus years and we’re not going anywhere anytime soon.”

Bell and Lewis believe Justin’s resources and established partnerships will help sustain their legacy and drive their collaboration forward. Clarence Chia, senior vice president of marketing, e-commerce and direct-to-consumer for Justin, echoed that. “Lewis Cellars has a rich history, superior quality and a pedigree that made it the perfect winery to help us expand into the Napa Valley region,” he said. “We look forward to being able to share the exquisite wine of Lewis Cellars with a broader luxury wine audience.”

Investment banker Justin Baldwin founded Justin Vineyards and Winery in 1981. The brand is one of Paso Robles’ largest and most well-known wineries, and includes an inn and restaurant and a downtown tasting room. Its flagship wine, Isosceles, earned the No. 6 spot among Wine Spectator‘s Top 100 wines of 2000. “The great brand and world-class wines are what made Lewis such an attractive addition,” said Chia. “Each brand in the portfolio has its unique region and style. Napa Valley is iconic to winemaking and was a missing piece in that puzzle.”

Justin was purchased in 2010 by the Wonderful Company, a private corporation owned by Stewart and Lynda Resnick. The firm owns large amounts of California farmland and the brands POM Wonderful, Fiji Water, Wonderful Pistachios and Wonderful Almonds and Halo Oranges. Its assets have been growing and include Sonoma’s Landmark Vineyards and JNSQ, a California rosé brand. “Bringing Lewis Cellars into our portfolio allows us to broaden our offerings, not only in geography but in sought-after award-winning wines,” said Chia.

“We are excited to join forces with the Justin team,” said Randy Lewis, in a statement. “As we approach our 30th anniversary, we’ve had the pleasure of perfecting our wines for decades. With the additional resources and industry expertise available through this partnership, we can really show the world the excellence we’ve bottled.”

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What does your gut say about your heart? According to new research, nutritional scientists found that the trillions of microbes that live in our digestive tract, collectively known as the gut microbiome, are partly responsible for the association between moderate wine consumption and lower blood pressure.

Although previous studies have shown the benefits of a more diverse gut microbiome, this is the first study that examines how gut microbiota may provide a link between lower blood pressure and eating and drinking flavonoid-rich foods such as berries and red wine.

The study, published last week in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal, collected data from the PopGen cohort of Northern Germany, which included more than 1,000 participants aged 25 to 82. Research teams from Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) and Kiel University in Germany conducted follow-up examinations, completing detailed questionnaires on participants’ diets, collecting fecal bacterial DNA through stool samples and measuring systolic and diastolic blood pressure three times per session with digital monitors.

Scientists have repeatedly found links between the polyphenols in plant foods and wines and better cardiovascular health. But a key question is how the body metabolizes these substances. Recent studies have found a link between gut microbiota, the microorganisms in the human digestive tract and cardiovascular disease. And a prior analysis of data from the same PopGen cohort found that up to 18.5 percent of the association between habitual consumption of flavonoid-rich foods and abdominal fat could be explained by microbial diversity and abundance of beneficial stomach bacteria such as lactobacillus, ruminococcaceae and oscillibacter.

For this study, the researchers focused on six different flavonoid subclasses: flavanones, anthocyanins, flavan-3-ols (flavanols), flavonols, flavones and polymeric flavonoids. All of these are organic compounds found in plants. According to Dr. Aedín Cassidy, lead author and professor at QUB School of Biological Sciences, studies suggest the main subclasses associated with cardiovascular benefits are the anthocyanins (berries and black currants), flavanols (dark chocolate, tea, apples and red wine) and flavonols (onions, tea, grapes and red wine).

The researchers found that greater consumption of flavanols was associated with lower systolic blood pressure while greater consumption of flavonols and flavones was associated with lower pulse pressure. Greater consumption of berries and red wine was also linked to a more diverse gut microbiome.

“We were surprised at how important the microbiome was,” Dr. Cassidy told Wine Spectator via email. “Unlike many other food constituents, the flavonoids are predominantly metabolized in the gut, suggesting that the gut microbiome may be more important in enhancing their biological activity than for other things we eat. Up to 15.2 percent of the association between flavonoid-rich foods and systolic blood pressure could be explained by the diversity found in participants’ gut microbiome.” She adds that drinking 250ml of red wine a week, about two glasses, was associated with an average of 3.7mm Hg lower systolic blood pressure level, of which 15 percent could be explained by the gut microbiome.

How does the gut explain heart benefits? The researchers looked at flavonoid consumption and gut bacteria diversity and abundance, which are directly associated, then assessed the relationship between these microbial factors and blood pressure. They presented results as a percentage: the association between flavonoid intake and blood pressure mediated by the microbiome, to the total association between flavonoid intake and the microbiome on blood pressure. Dr. Cassidy’s 15.2 percent figure could be explained by a combination of microbiome diversity and higher relative abundance of ruminococcaceae.

“Gut microbiota is highly variable between individuals, and there are reported differences in gut microbial compositions among people with and without cardiovascular disease,” Cassidy said. “Higher microbiome diversity was associated with lower systolic blood pressure.”

The authors add that a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying associations between diet and blood pressure will allow more effective and precise dietary approaches for the prevention of hypertension.

Although the findings are promising for wine lovers, Dr. Cassidy suggests the scientific community needs clinical trials to confirm the link between diverse gut microbiota, polyphenol-rich diets and lower risk of cardiovascular disease. Trials could reveal a cause-and-effect explanation rather than an association.

“Our gut microbiome plays a key role in metabolizing flavonoids to enhance their cardioprotective effects,” Dr. Cassidy says. “This study provides evidence to suggest these blood pressure–lowering effects are achievable with simple changes to the daily diet.”

When it comes to wine, very few can match DLynn Proctor‘s experience and style. The veteran sommelier and director of Napa’s Fantesca Estate & Winery is perhaps best recognized for his appearance in the Somm films and his work as associate producer on Netflix’s feature film Uncorked. But his 20-year career includes leadership roles with Australia’s Penfolds, overseeing wine programs at top fine dining spots in Dallas and Los Angeles and spearheading Wine Unify, a nonprofit supporting increased diversity in the wine industry through education. In the latest episode of Straight Talk with Wine Spectator, Proctor spoke with Wine Spectator senior editor MaryAnn Worobiec about helping bring minorities into the wine world, falling in love with Spring Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon, a new TV show with comedian Kevin Hart and why hospitality needs to be reimagined.

Proctor discovered a link between wine and celebrity early in his career. While working as a sommelier in Dallas, he met Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and oil magnate Tim Headington, who both became clients. Then, the introductions began.

“There was a period where I was finding and sourcing ’89 and ’90 Haut-Brion for the likes of Johnny Depp and building Tuscan itineraries for Brett Hull,” Proctor recalled. “That blossomed to hockey, football, NBA, leaders of industry, C-suite, thought-provokers and the amazing Carmelos and Dwyane Wades of the world.”

Over time, Proctor noticed that many collectors loved the same producer: Philip Togni. “Tasting that wine was my first foray into Spring Mountain,” Proctor said. “The style caught my attention.” Proctor says he fell in love with the appellation and in 2017, joined Fantesca owners Duane and Susan Hoff, who he met during his years at Penfolds. Proctor is currently the director of the winery located in Spring Mountain.

Last year, Proctor co-founded Wine Unify, which helps give minorities an “entrée” into his world. His goal is to help educate people of color in the wine industry through classes via the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET). “A lot of these individuals have been in hotels and tastings and events and not really welcomed or given the cold shoulder,” Proctor said. “What we wanted to do is give people equity and access…and the foundation to tackle what’s out there.”

Proctor says he believes film and TV are some of the best ways to educate the younger generation about wine. His latest TV appearance is with American comedian Kevin Hart, who’s new talk show Hart to Heart features Proctor as Hart’s personal sommelier, pouring bottles of Fantesca, McBride Sisters, Le Artishasic and Avaline for guests such as Kelly Clarkson, Cameron Diaz and Bryan Cranston. The show is now streaming on Peacock TV.

Drawing from his years on the dining room floor during a time where the restaurant world is wrestling with the pandemic, Proctor believes the guest-customer approach has to be reimagined post-COVID as lack of staff is adding an extra weight to the problem. “We’ve spent a career in hospitality always thinking about ‘guest first’, much to the detriment of ourselves: the server, the backwaiter, the host/hostess and maître d’ making sure rent is paid and car bill and cell phone bill is paid,” Proctor said. “The guest is important because the guest keeps light on, but in reimagining what hospitality looks like, the guests have to come in with the same exact empathy that staff is expected to give the individual paying.”

Watch the full episode with Proctor on Wine Spectator’s IGTV channel, and tune in to catch Straight Talk with Wine Spectator every week. On Sept. 1, Worobiec will chat with Jackson Family Wines owner Barbara Banke. And on Sept. 8, senior editor Tim Fish will talk to Vidon Vineyard president Tiquette Bramlett.

Becky Wasserman, founder of Le Serbet and Becky Wasserman & Co., died Aug. 20 of a respiratory illness. She had suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for several years, according to her family. She was 84.

An innovator and entrepreneur, Wasserman championed small growers from around France, but particularly Burgundy, where she lived beginning in 1968. She was a major advocate and supporter for many young vignerons, but also importers, distributors, retailers, wine writers and wine lovers around the world. If not for the efforts of this American woman and her company, Le Serbet, many of France’s greatest wineries might have remained unknown in the United States.

“She created Burgundy as we know it today,” said Alex Gambal, a négociant who learned the trade while working for Wasserman. “That can’t be underestimated. So many people owe so much to her. She gave a lot more than she got back.”

Frédéric Mugnier, owner of Domaine Jacques-Frédéric Mugnier in Chambolle-Musigny, remembers Wasserman’s impact on him when he returned to his family’s estate in 1985 after a career as an engineer. “In 1985 I was discovering wine, about which I knew absolutely nothing,” he told Wine Spectator. “Becky forged my vision of this profession without ever giving me any advice, just by opening her door to me and introducing me to her friends, who in common, sought above all, in wine and in life, sincerity.”

Wasserman arrived in Burgundy in 1968, with her artist husband, Bart. The couple purchased a farm in Bouilland, a tiny village 10 miles from Beaune. Despite its proximity to the capital of the Côte d’Or, Bouilland produces neither grapes nor wine.

The marriage failed, but the move didn’t. She stayed, and in 1976, with the encouragement of Bruce Neyers of Joseph Phelps and others, Wasserman started a barrel brokering business, representing the Burgundy cooperage François Frères. Wasserman also struck up a friendship with an attorney named Philip Diamond who was setting up a wine importing company. She began selecting Burgundy producers for his business. In 1979, she brought the two businesses under the umbrella of Le Serbet, named after one of the fields on the Bouilland farm.

As Wasserman compiled a roster of producers and matched them with importers to get them to the U.S. market, she solved some logistical problems to help make small Burgundy domaines accessible to American palates. One big hassle was that small estates didn’t export enough wine to fill a shipping container. Wasserman was also working as an agent for Berkeley wine merchant Kermit Lynch and she began consolidating containers, loading one with wine from her and Lynch’s producers.

“Mom had a very real impact on the business here in the States, being that she was one of the very early evangelists of small, family-owned domaines,” her eldest son, Peter, who has been with Le Serbet since 2003, told Wine Spectator. “She liked to say that she actually had a hand in creating the container consolidation system. Once that happened, it opened up the world to the potential of working with small producers.”

In addition to her tireless work promoting small estates from Burgundy and other parts of France, Wasserman and her second husband, Russell Hone, were gracious hosts and selfless supporters of many in the wine business, giving advice, opening bottles and making introductions.

Aubert de Villaine, co-director of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and owner of Domaine de Villaine in Bouzeron, met Wasserman shortly after her arrival in France.

“Becky was one of my oldest and best friends in Burgundy,” he shared with Wine Spectator. “It is common knowledge in Burgundy that Becky was an enlightened ambassador for our region, a legend even. It is less known that she was a brilliant harpsichord player, a very fine gourmet cook and one of the most culturally refined Francophile Americans living in France. She will be deeply missed, not only by our community of vignerons who owe her so much, but also by her innumerable friends and admirers from all over the world, especially by all these people who shared her table, great wines and wonderful food prepared by Russell.”

Many in the wine business got their start as stagiaires at Le Serbet. Dominique Lafon began in 1982, after a year in California. American Alex Gambal worked for Wasserman from 1993 to 1996. “If it wasn’t for Becky and, of course, Russell, I would never have known anything about Burgundy,” said Gambal. “I learned about Burgundy, about the business, the growers, how to taste. She was my entry into Burgundy.”

Lanny Lancaster created his wine import company, C’est Vin, after several years of hospitality at Wasserman’s dinner table and the cellars of her growers. “In late 1997, a friend and I were discussing the deplorable situation in [Washington] D.C. restaurants: Becky’s wines were not represented! After several telephone calls and faxes, she agreed that we could handle her portfolio for D.C.—thus began the journey we continue to travel today.”

“Without the careful tutoring by Becky and, later, Russell Hone, we doubtlessly would have had great difficulty grasping the many fine points of not only the Burgundy wine trade but, more particularly, the Côte d’Or itself,” Lancaster added.

The business will continue to be run by the current CEO, Dominique Tard Roux, likely with Wasserman’s son Paul as the co-CEO, as it was under Becky. Peter will remain a brand ambassador covering a number of states in the U.S. “The next generation is already in place, mom made sure of that,” Peter told Wine Spectator.

Wasserman is survived by Hone and her sons Peter and Paul.

Big bids were at the center of the V Foundation Wine Celebration this past weekend. The 23rd annual event grabbed a spot as one of the top charity wine auctions in the country, raising $12 million for the V Foundation for Cancer Research. The V Foundation, started in 1993 by late North Carolina State University basketball coach and ESPN commentator Jim Valvano, has funded more than $260 million in grants for cancer researchers and therapies.

The live auction was held Aug. 7 in Oakville, Calif., and hosted by Duke University men’s basketball coach Mike “Coach K” Krzyzewski, ESPN anchor Sage Steele and ESPN analyst Jay Bilas. Campaign strategist and CNN commentator Paul Begala was a guest speaker. The auction raised $4.36 million in live bids, thanks to more than 450 guests battling for once-in-a-lifetime lots. Most of the 25 auction lots included wine and travel experiences combined with prized bottles.

“I have found that wine-only lots are not as likely to achieve the desired level of engagement,” Max Duley, V Foundation senior director of auction and community outreach, told Wine Spectator. “Our attendees are world travelers, founders of major companies, C-level executives from many branches of media and entertainment, and they all go to top-level events and auctions around the country.”

The top wine-related lots included a luxury getaway to Pebble Beach donated by the owners of Alpha Omega and Frank Family Vineyards, which included three magnums from their wineries and sold twice for a total of $400,000. “Taste of the Tuscan Sun” sold for $360,000 and included private trips to Napa, Florence, Chianti, Bolgheri and Umbria hosted by Marchesi Antinori and Antica Estate, along with a large selection of large-format and 750ml Antinori bottles.

The “40-Love of Wine & Tennis” lot sold for $180,000 and gave winners tickets to the semifinals and finals at Wimbledon 2022 with vintner Beth Nickel of Far Niente and Nickel & Nickel and a collection of magnums from both wineries. Another tennis-inspired lot offered four tickets to the semifinals and finals of the 2022 Australian Open in Melbourne, along with 11 bottles of Penfolds wine. The lot sold for $125,000.

The top lot of the night did not feature wine. “The Legend’s Last Legacy” featured seats near the Blue Devils bench when Duke hosts rival UNC for Coach K’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium. That sold for $1 million.

“We craft the event every year to reflect our messaging, place-in-time, targeted type of cancers our doctors are focusing on, guests and hosts, along with a constant mission to keep the message, heart and soul of Jimmy Valvano at the center of the event,” Duley said.

Purpose in Paso

Farther south, Must! Charities made its wine auction debut in Paso Robles with their Purpose event, raising $1.3 million to address youth mentorship, poverty and hunger in the San Luis Obispo community.

The Aug. 7 live auction was held at Booker Vineyard, the Paso Robles winery founded by Eric Jensen, who is also a founding member of Must! Charities. The in-person auction hosted 180 guests and featured 16 lots, raising a combined $484,000 in live bids.

A collection of Napa magnums from Juan Mercado, proprietor of Realm, sold for $14,000 and included bottles from Staglin, Amici Cellars, Continuum Estate, Hourglass and more. Another top lot sold three times for a total of $98,000, and included a three-night adventure and private dinner in Paso Robles wine country with winemakers Justin Smith, Stephan Asseo and Jensen.

“This is our first year, and the professionals coordinating the event are seasoned event directors who have waited for Paso to be poised to kick off a high-level auction,” Becky Gray, executive director of Must! Charities, told Wine Spectator via email. “Collective giving and the power of people investing in social good give us the most satisfaction. We can move the needle faster with everyone working together.”

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Medical research has repeatedly found links between moderate alcohol consumption and a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attack, stroke and heart valve issues. But doctors have also long advised patients that are suffering from cardiovascular disease to refrain from drinking. Recent research suggests that moderate consumption of alcohol, including wine, could prove beneficial in reducing the risk of heart attack, stroke and heart failure in those with cardiovascular disease.

In the study, researchers at University College London, University of Cambridge and University of Sydney collected data from multiple resources, including the U.K. Biobank Study, a biomedical database holding detailed health information from over 500,000 participants in the U.K. They published their findings in the journal BMC Medicine.

“Understanding how alcohol consumption is related to cardiovascular morbidity is of great importance to [cardiovascular disease] patients,” the authors write. “This population is at high risk of recurring cardiovascular events, which can significantly compromise the patients’ quality of life.”

Researchers reviewed data of alcohol consumption levels in nearly 50,000 participants who had previously suffered heart attack, stroke or angina (severe chest pain). They then looked at subsequent cases of cardiovascular events over the next eight years. The results show that participants consuming up to 15 grams of alcohol a day (roughly one glass of wine), or a max of 105 grams a week, had the lowest chances of death and subsequent heart failure, attack or stroke. Among participants studied, those who consumed a moderate amount of alcohol were up to 50 percent less likely to experience a recurring cardiovascular event than those who did not drink at all.

The data did not distinguish between kinds of alcohol. And the authors note that they had limited data and long-term clinical trials to confirm their findings are needed. But they are hopeful that their research is a step in the right direction.

Their main takeaway, they write, is that patients do not have to stop drinking overall, but should be cautious of their intake. “Our findings suggest that people with cardiovascular disease may not need to stop drinking in order to prevent additional heart attacks, strokes or angina,” lead author Chengyi Ding said in a statement. “But that they may wish to consider lowering their weekly alcohol intake.”

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Chef Mario Carbone and Major Food Group opened their first Boston restaurant, Contessa, on June 22. It’s located on the rooftop of the historic Newbury Boston hotel in the Back Bay neighborhood, which reopened in May following a restoration process. “The project itself is what inspired us to open here in Boston,” Carbone told Wine Spectator via email. “The opportunity to reinvigorate this heritage property is all the inspiration we needed.” The Italian restaurant joins sibling ventures such as the Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence–winning Carbone outposts in New York, Las Vegas and Miami Beach.

The group’s corporate wine director, John Slover, built the wine program with focuses on northern and central Italy. Barolos, Barbarescos and other Nebbiolo bottlings abound on the 500-label list. “We hope to expose our patrons to a well-curated wine list that hones deeply into unique varieties and styles of winemaking that are applied in northern Italy,” said Contessa sommelier Suzana Gjurra. “Tightly paired with the culinary concept, we offer plenty of options outside of Italy.” These include picks from Champagne, Bordeaux, Burgundy, the Rhône and the Loire Valley, as well as Oregon Pinot Noir and California Cabernet.

Executive chef Matt Eckfeld’s menu is packed with Italian classics, including antipasti like varied prosciutti, octopus agrodolce with peppers and Chianina beef carpaccio. Pasta dishes include garganelli with Bolognese sauce and tortellini en brodo, and there are heartier entrées like a dry-aged Fiorentina steak. Contessa is also the first Major Food Group venture to serve pizza. “I’ve led an exciting career that has taken me around the world, tested my mettle as a chef and leader,” Eckfeld said in a statement. “I am ready, and very excited, to put down roots in Boston and immerse myself in the dining community here.”

The restaurant features a retractable glass roof and elements of neo-classical, art deco and mid-century modern design from designer Ken Fulk. Carbone hopes the space will “achieve the laid-back formality of a world-class grand trattoria.” There’s also a private-dining space—entry is via private elevator—with views of Boston Public Garden and the city skyline, where guests are surrounded by the restaurant’s 3,000-bottle wine collection.

Contessa is one of several recent new projects from Major Food Group. The team is also in the process of rebranding the beverage and food programs at the Boca Raton Beach Club in Florida, and will be introducing a new steak house there this summer called the Flamingo Grill.—Collin Dreizen

République Owners Lean into Classic Parisian Bistro Dining with Bicyclette

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Los Angeles–based chefs and restaurateurs Walter and Margarita Manzke opened Bicyclette bistro June 16, less than 5 miles from their Best of Award of Excellence–winning République. Bicyclette is a French eatery, like République, but with a decidedly Parisian focus. The team plans to add a tasting-menu restaurant upstairs by this fall.

“There is definitely something different about a Parisian bistro versus a bistro you might find in Burgundy or Bordeaux,” said wine director Sam Rethmeier. He cites highly traditional cuisine as one of the hallmarks of such bistros, which is reflected on the menu at Bicyclette. “We’re really trying to go back to the classics and execute them as perfectly as possible.”

There are staples such as bouillabaisse, escargots and beef Bourguignon. Only a few menu items stray from the classics, like a yellowfin tuna tartare and a modern twist on coq au vin: Rather than braising the chicken in the sauce, which can dry out the dish, the sauce and roasted chicken are prepared separately and then brought together for optimal tenderness and juiciness.

The opening wine list offers about 60 selections of ready-to-drink wines exclusively from France. While there are a few pricier options from regions like Bordeaux, many of the labels are priced under $100. Rethmeier is also working on an expanded list for the forthcoming upstairs restaurant, which will be available in the bistro as well. He says the restaurant’s menu will likely consist of at least five courses and include more modern interpretations of dishes than the downstairs bistro, which allows more opportunities to play around with the wine selection. Featuring about 500 wines, the list will maintain a French emphasis but also highlight Austria, Germany and California. Pairings will be available for each tasting-menu course.

The aesthetic matches the feel of the wine and food, with bistro-style seating and a patterned tile floor. “It really does look like you’re in Paris, and not in that tchotchke way where you’re trying too hard,” Rethmeier said. “It just has this Parisian sensibility.”—Julie Harans

Table 301 Debuts South Carolina Eatery with French Laundry Alum

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Greenville, S.C., recently welcomed a new restaurant from Table 301, the local hospitality group behind Restaurant Award winners Soby’s and the Lazy Goat. Camp is a collaboration between the group and chef Drew Erickson, a Greenville native who recently left his position at the French Laundry to open the new restaurant.

Erickson’s menu infuses American cuisine with global influences. A variety of small plates like Wagyu corn dogs, crispy mussels with potato and artichoke and a mushroom tartine with Sherry cream sauce are offered alongside larger dishes like roasted lamb chop with golden beets and a Muhammara sauce.

Erickson worked closely with Table 301’s beverage director, Joe Crossan, to build the 87-selection wine list, which Crossan strived to make approachable and food-friendly by focusing on familiar regions and grapes, but through lesser-known bottlings. “I tried to search for unexpectedly delicious wines that pair well with the food and also could be accessible for people on different budgets,” Crossan told Wine Spectator.

The list, which includes 20 labels available by the glass, also features a strong selection of Champagne and sparkling wines. “I love Champagne, and think it is coming into a golden age of quality and value,” said Crossan. “[We are] trying to get it away from a celebration or toast wine and have it be treated like every other wine, to be respected and consumed with food.”

Looking ahead, Crossan has plans to build the wine list up to a level similar to Soby’s 1,350-selection list, by evolving it seasonally, increasing vintage depth and acquiring more allocated wines from producers like Jacques Selosse, Agrapart & Fils and Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.—Taylor McBride

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