April 07, 2025

Ep 213: Five Wines to Try Before You Die with Head Sommelier Maxim Kassir (Part 2)

51 minutes

Hello wine friends and welcome back! This is part two of our conversation with Maxim Kassir, Head Sommelier at The Aubrey in the world-renowned luxury Mandarin Oriental.

Max is no stranger to opening some of the finest bottles on the planet, so I had to ask him: What are his five wines to try before you die? Before diving into Max's ultimate wine bucket list, we chat about underrated wine regions that deserve your attention, smart food and wine pairings, and the best way to speak to a sommelier to guarantee a great recommendation.

If you want to skip ahead:

01.44: Recommendations of wines from Eastern Europe

06.00: Oregon wine scene blends old and new styles

10.00: Best question to ask a sommelier revealed

11.00: Environment and mood affect how wine is perceived

14.30: Wine #1: Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 2008

15.30: Details on grape varieties and recent vintages

18.30: Premier cru status and underappreciated classification

19.00: Historical note: Clos des Goisses was the first-ever single-vineyard Champagne (1935)

19.53: Wine #2: Grower Champagne Ulysse Collin Les Perrières Blanc de Blancs

20.30: Winemaker Olivier Collin: lawyer turned Champagne grower

22.30: Small production commitment to affordability and authenticity

23.40: Cult following and connection to Cédric Bouchard & Jacques Selosse

24.00: Grower Champagnes gaining prestige—and higher price tags

24.30: Secondary market driving up prices—Maxim discusses restaurant pricing

26.30: Wine #3: Domaine Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières 2014

26.41: Burgundy's compactness and the interconnectedness of families in wine production

27.30: Family heritage of the Morey family and the grower/negociant model

28.56: Popularity of PYCM wines and their appeal in both private and restaurant sectors

29.39: Differences between reductive and oxidative winemaking styles in Burgundy

30.57: Pricing discussion on PYCM wines and their market value fluctuations

31.07: Wine pricing and the impact of vintage demand on final costs

32.30: Wine #4: Ridge Montebello 1998

34.42: Ridge Montebello’s history, including its connection to American wine heritage

36.00: Impact of high elevation on freshness and complexity in California wines

37.36: Ridge Montebello’s consistency and value compared to Napa wines

38.30: Judgment of Paris impact on Ridge Montebello and American wine recognition

39.10: Consistency and reasonable pricing of Ridge Montebello in comparison to Napa Valley

39.44: Discussion on wine value, with wildfires potentially affecting wine quality

40.30: Wine #5: Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 1990

40.35: Emidio’s commitment to traditional methods and aging wine for long-term storage

41.48: The challenge of Pepe’s business model, focusing on ideology over profits

43.30: Chiara’s focus on single-vineyard wines and modernization of production methods

44.00: Tasting wines from various decades, including 1990 vintage

44.30: Emidio Pepe's appearance at the tasting

45.00: Tasting notes on Pepe's wine

45.29: Final wine on the list, Maxim’s emotional connection to his grandfather's wine

46.30: Description of the natural wine-making process with PET bottles

Any thoughts or questions, do email me: [email protected]

Or contact me on Instagram @eatsleep_winerepeat

If you fancy watching some videos on my youtube channel: Eat Sleep Wine Repeat

Or come say hi at www.eatsleepwinerepeat.co.uk

Until next time, Cheers to you!

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By Janina Doyle

4.7

1313 ratings