Episode 341 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently. It features Jacques Lardière, who oversaw 42 vintages at Maison Louis Jadot in Burgundy, and who now looks after the Résonance project that Jadot has started in Oregon.
Jacques Lardière is someone who possesses incomparable experience (42 vintages, and across a wide range of appellations), fantastic stories, considerable open hearted charm, and some idiosyncratic theories. It can be hard to follow what he is saying at times. It can also be a joy. Each of the aspects of Jacques’ personality is present in this episode, and that is no surprise, as he is someone who will bring multitudes to any conversation. What is really notable is how far this interview gets to the heart of Jacques’ early personality, as he fully explains what interested him and why he entered on a career that would be decades long in Burgundy. Some people may identify a rebellious streak in Jacques, and he would agree. He offers an explanation of exactly where that comes from. Like for a wine, his character, says Jacques, derives from his region. And he expounds at length about what is important to him in a wine. But it is the personal memories that lift the interview to something else: catching snakes for venom studies, drinking wines with his father, blind tasting with Jules Chauvet, and the difficult 1972 vintage. These are amongst many treasures that Jacques shares in this conversation. As he does so, it becomes clear how much of a gem he really is.
Listen to the stream above, or check it out in iTunes.
I’ll Drink to That is the world’s most listened-to wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @levi_opens_wine
