Episode 430 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently, and it features Becky Wasserman-Hone, the founder and co-director of Becky Wasserman & Co., the exporter of European wines based in Burgundy.
Becky Wasserman arrived in Burgundy in 1968, and immediately caught everyone’s attention with her indoor plumbing. Becky lived in one of the few village rentals with a shower inside the apartment, and soon neighbors and locals were showing up at her door with towels and soap in hand, hoping to try out an interior bath for the first time. This story is one of hundreds of evocative anecdotes that Becky shares in her I’ll Drink to That! interview, and they perfectly conjure up a moment in time. In Becky’s case, that moment has covered the rise of Burgundy in the estimation of American consumers, and there are plenty of before and after comparisons offered in this discussion- with, on the one hand, picnics near La Tache, and on the other, an admission that pricing has escalated dramatically. Becky’s perspective is unique, having been so close to so many of the key Burgundy producers, many of which – like Aubert de Villaine, Hubert de Montille, Michel Lafarge, Gerard Potel, and Lalou Bize-Leroy – were her friends as well as confidants. And Becky is open to sharing her thoughts about those now illustrious names in this interview, as well as her personal descriptions of some of the key Burgundy communes. If you’d like to know more about Volnay or Vosne or indoor plumbing or Aubert, this is definitely an interview to include in your playlist.
Listen to this episode:
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: @leviopenswine
