▻ Olivier Bernstein
Elin McCoy in conversation with Olivier Bernstein
Episode Summary:-
Olivier Bernstein talks to Elin McCoy about how he became one of the most successful producers in Burgundy and how his jeroboam of Romanée-St-Vivant reached a record price of £57,000 when auctioned by Cult Wines this year and has just released bottles and magnums to the market (see in “further information”).
His family background was in classical music; he grew up in the Loire Valley, and when his parents bought a small barrel of St Nicolas de Bourgueil, which he helped bottle as their family table wine, it started his interest in wine. When he was working in Germany for the family’s publishing company, there was a wine shop below his apartment, and he found that buying French wine reminded him of home. A fascination with wine grew, and he started to travel to meet growers as he discovered that wine was his calling. He explains to Elin that 30 years ago it was easier to talk to producers like Aubert de Villaine and Christophe Roumier than it is today. He decided to study in Beaune for a year and had the good fortune to find work in Henri Jayer’s cellar – “a very good start,” he says. He talked and listened to everyone, but decided to go to Roussillon in 2003 to make wine, as he didn’t have much money, and there he could afford 8 hectares and a tractor.
Burgundy, however, was impossible to resist: “To me, Burgundy is the Holy Grail, the deepest emotions happen to me when I drink a red Burgundy.” Olivier also explains that he needed to come up with the right idea to make wine there. His experience with old vines in Roussillon had convinced him to look for plots with old vines in Burgundy. “Using very old vines in Burgundy is a guarantee of quality, they produce less and they have been planted with clones which are to me more interesting,” he tells Elin. His idea was to persuade some producers to rent him their vines from Grands Crus and Premiers Crus plots, and he became the first in a wave of micro-negociants. “To me what was important was to farm myself, we do not consider ourselves as negociants,” he continues. “I offered to pay them in advance the total yield they could have on their plot, but the condition was, I wanted to farm myself.” He told the owners, “I will pay you now, two years in advance, the maximum yield you can produce, the rest is my problem.” Today he farms eight Grands Crus and two Premier Crus as well as Romanée St-Vivant, all in the Côtes de Nuits, and has managed to buy a couple of vineyards.
““Top Burgundy wines are inspiring you, they are not giving you everything immediately.””
Olivier shares why he is so intrigued and loves the taste of the wines of the Côtes de Nuits: “Top Burgundy wines are inspiring you, they are not giving you everything immediately.” Elin asks if it is true that the film Babette’s Feast inspired him to make Clos Vougeot. He laughs as he explains his love of wine is matched by his love of food and the effect the combination can have on people, which is beautifully illustrated by the film. He recently found some 80-year-old vines in the centre of the Clos Vougeot vineyard, and is very happy with the quality of the grapes he has had from the first vintage.
In his quest for perfection, he explains how he chooses all his own barrels, and how he buys the wood two years in advance and dries it. The barrels are produced a week after vinification as they want to make the decision on the barrel as close as possible to the vintage.
Olivier’s first vintage of Romanée-St-Vivant was 2017, and he decided to partner with Cult Wines to launch it in Jeroboams along with a Non-Fungible Token, to help guarantee provenance and authenticity of the wine. He has now released a limited number of bottles and magnums (see further information) through CultX and Cult Wine Investments. He tells Elin how he wanted to create something new in a very traditional world, and is a fan of NFTs as a way of communicating directly with the end consumer.
Where else would he like to make wine? Musigny, he answers. The biggest change he has seen in Burgundy is the increase in the quality of the wine, along with demand and the price increases. “Fifteen years ago, there were a lot of bottles in the cellars, now they are empty… I was very lucky to arrive before it became crazy.” The latest vintage? He is optimistic, as rain came at the right time, and he believes the old vines are adapting to climate change, with cool nights helping the vines.
Returning to his background in classical music, Elin concludes by asking if Olivier believes there are any similarities. Indeed, he says. “It’s all about nuance, all about interpretation, it’s extremely complex, classical music and red Burgundy, in both cases.”
Running Order:-
-
0.00 – 20.00
“To me, Burgundy is the Holy Grail, the deepest emotions happen to me when I drink a red Burgundy.”
– Olivier Bernstein talks about his background in classical music.
– How Olivier fell in love with wine and decided to not join the family business.
– Meeting the growers of Burgundy 30 years ago.
– Working in the cellars of Henri Jayer as an intern.
– Becoming a wine producer in Roussillon.
– Becoming a micro-negociant in Burgundy.
– The new business model that persuaded producers to rent him their vines. -
20.01 – 28.00
“Babette’s Feast inspired you to make Clos Vougeot.” – Elin McCoy
– How the film Babette’s Feast led to him producing Clos Vougeot.
– What Olivier has learnt farming the same plots over 15 years.
– The importance of choosing the right barrels. -
28.01 – 51.12
“I was very lucky to arrive before it became crazy.”
– The first vintage of Romanée St-Vivant and Olivier’s partnership with Cult Wines.
– Olivier’s belief in NFTs and the need to connect with consumers in more creative ways.
– The success of the auction of the jeroboam of his Romanée St-Vivant.
– Where else Olivier would like to make wine.
– Biggest changes in Burgundy he has seen in the last 15 years.
– Olivier’s view on climate change in Burgundy.
– The similarities between classical music and wine.
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Further Information;-
The Olivier Bernstein RSV 2017 is now available for sale on both Cult Wine Investment and CultX. This is the first time the wine has been available for public release. It can be purchased from now until October 31, or until it runs out (whichever comes first).
Collectors have three options to add this highly coveted wine to their cellar, beginning at £10,000:
• One standard bottle (75cl)
• One case of three standard bottles (75cl each)
• One magnum (150cl)
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