Wow — what a tasting we had a few days ago. It took us a little while to process and put together all the fascinating information shared that evening. Peter Wasserman and Bertrand Leulliette were incredibly generous with their storytelling, offering a deeper understanding of Burgundy itself — its regions, its people, and the passion behind every bottle.
Bertrand Leulliette and Peter Wasserman are two voices who have spent years championing growers that represent the true soul of Burgundy. Bertrand, a lifelong wine lover, works closely with producers across France, helping connect their wines with new audiences while keeping their stories alive. Peter, son of the late legendary Becky Wasserman, quite literally grew up among the vineyards of Burgundy and carries on her legacy — seeking out honest wines made by people who work their own vines and who value integrity over image.
This tasting, and these wines, are the wines that real growers drink — the ones that remind us why Burgundy continues to fascinate and inspire.
Burgundy with Meaning and Value
Bertrand Leulliette started the evening by describing the role he and Peter Wasserman play in Burgundy. He used the analogy: "Our job is to find people who are actually in their vineyards, working their tails off to make the best possible wines. Think of us like food critics, but for wine. Once you find the best producer in a village, that's it — it doesn't matter if the village is famous or not. The best is the best."
"Our mission is to keep searching for those producers in lesser-known villages, to demystify the idea that Burgundy is always expensive and out of reach. Burgundy can absolutely be an everyday wine — if you know where to look. These producers are fantastic, and when you taste their wines and understand what they do, you'll naturally start asking yourself: What else do they have? What else does Burgundy have? What's the neighboring appellation to this vineyard? Once you start thinking that way, the possibilities are endless."
His advice to us was simple: be curious, trust your palate, trust your wallet. Just because a wine expert praises a bottle doesn't mean you have to agree. "If an expert says a wine is amazing and you don't like it, that doesn't make you wrong," Bertrand reminded. "It just means your taste is different. Burgundy should be personal."
"It's time to taste Burgundies that have meaning and value," said Peter as he introduced the lineup. "You don't necessarily have to throw money at a Burgundy for it to be good. This selection truly represents what we would drink at home."
To explain why we drink the Burgundies we do today, Peter stepped back into history.
"Imagine yourself in the 1940s or 50s. Most of the Burgundy that made its way abroad came from just a handful of sommeliers in Paris. They created the reference wine lists at the city's top restaurants. And back then, prices didn't vary much — Volnay, Meursault, Gevrey, they were all within a few francs of each other."
"When the British and American importers arrived, where did they go? First to Paris. They looked at those restaurant lists, then drove down to Burgundy and bought the same wines they had seen there. The sommeliers were familiar with the reputations, and the importers trusted them. That cycle kept repeating — the same wines, the same villages, again and again."
Meanwhile, just a few kilometers off the main road, excellent vineyards were left behind. Prices were so low in some places that the shipping cost more than the wine itself.
Peter gave the example of Saint-Aubin, tucked behind Chassagne and Puligny-Montrachet. "For years, my mother tried to sell Saint-Aubin as a great value. These are beautiful white Burgundies, but nobody wanted them because they weren't Puligny or Chassagne. Now, with everyone complaining about Burgundy prices, it's finally time for Saint-Aubin to shine."
First Wine Discussion: Domaine des Héritiers du Comte Lafon - Macon Milly-Lamartine 2023
The first wine we tasted came from the Mâconnais, made by Peter's longtime friend and collaborator, Dominique Lafon. Peter paused before introducing the wine to share just how central Dominique has been to his family's story.
"Dominique was one of the most important people in my mother's career," he said. "She relied on him to help find the first fifty or sixty growers she represented. He was the one driving around Burgundy and beyond — the Loire, the South of France, even Champagne — bringing back samples to taste and helping her discover producers who truly cared about quality. He wasn't just a colleague; he became part of the family and even invested in her company."
In 1983, Dominique took over winemaking at his family's domaine in Meursault. He quickly became one of the key figures in a new generation that put quality above all else, focusing on farming, precision, and respect for the land rather than just quantity and labels.
But even a winemaker of his stature didn't always want to open a Meursault at the end of a long day. "It felt like a waste to open a bottle of Meursault just to drink casually at home," Peter laughed. "So he decided to go south to the Mâconnais, where he could make something delicious, honest, and affordable — wines for everyday pleasure."
That move would help change the region's trajectory. The Mâconnais, historically the birthplace of Chardonnay, had long been dominated by cooperatives. For decades, most grapes were sold in bulk, and winemaking had become industrial. The soils were depleted, and the wines lacked expression.
Dominique saw something different. He began farming biodynamically, nurturing life back into the vineyards. Today, the next generation at his domaine has taken that vision even further, embracing regenerative agriculture — planting trees, restoring cover crops, and focusing on rebuilding soil health and biodiversity.
"You don't want to find Meursault in these bottles," Peter said. "You want them to taste like where they come from — a little warmer, a little richer, beautifully floral. They're happy wines."
And they're part of a broader renewal. Even today, about 8.5 bottles out of 10 in the Mâconnais still come from cooperatives, but that's changing. Burgundy's younger growers are finding the courage and financial room to build their own wineries, buy barrels, and bottle their own wines. For the first time in generations, small family estates are reclaiming their vineyards and their identity. "It's exciting to watch," Peter said. "Because people like Dominique and Domaine Leflaive, for example, showed what was possible — that the Mâconnais has something to say, that there's quality and history here. And now, a new generation is ready to show it."
Second Wine Discussion: Domaine de la Folie – Rully Clos de la Folie Monopole 2022
The second wine of the evening took us north, to the Côte Chalonnaise, and to one of its most fascinating estates — Domaine de la Folie.
The name La Folie literally means "the madness" or "the craziness," and it comes from the vineyard itself: Clos de la Folie. The domaine is located in the village of Chagny, right across from Chassagne-Montrachet, at the point where the Côte de Beaune gives way to the Côte Chalonnaise.
This is a truly historic site. The vines were planted about a century ago by the great-grandfather of the current owner — a man who was not only a vigneron but also a member of the French Academy of Sciences, an inventor, and something of a local Da Vinci.
Today, the estate covers about 12 hectares, and the Clos de la Folie is one of its crown jewels. It's made entirely from Chardonnay, with grapes coming from the village of Rully. The wine is fermented partly in oak barrels and partly in stainless steel to preserve freshness and balance, using about 20% new oak. The youngest vines are around 40 years old, while the oldest reach a full century.
This domaine also has some of the oldest Aligoté vines in Burgundy, planted just before the phylloxera crisis — a reminder of the family's deep roots and long-term vision.
But what makes Domaine de la Folie truly unique is ownership. It's one of the few producers in Burgundy to own four different monopoles — vineyards entirely under a single proprietor. In a region where most plots are divided among dozens of heirs and growers, this is exceptionally rare.
Among sommeliers and professionals in France, Domaine de la Folie holds a reputation. "If you go to France and talk to sommeliers," Peter said, "this domaine is as historically relevant for the Côte Chalonnaise as Domaine de la Romanée-Conti is for Vosne-Romanée." It may sound bold, but within its context, it's true: La Folie has long been a reference point for the region. While a few new names have started to shine here, the area still remains largely under the radar.
Despite this, the Côte Chalonnaise remains what Peter called a flyover region — a place many Burgundy drinkers skip because they stick to what they already know. "When people say they only want to drink what's familiar," he said, "it's like having a stock portfolio made up only of the Dow Jones. In today's world, you should be tasting outside of that."
Clos de la Folie captures the authentic Burgundy, full of energy and heritage, from a region that deserves far more attention than it gets.
Third Wine Discussion: Château des Quarts – Pouilly-Fuissé Clos des Quarts Premier Cru 2022
For the third wine, we returned to the Mâconnais, to one of its most prized vineyards — the Clos des Quarts in Pouilly-Fuissé.
The name Clos des Quarts refers to what was once the "park for the kingdom," literally the garden in front of a château/castle — a beautiful vineyard with some vines nearly a hundred years old, all from massal selection — meaning they come from old heritage plant material rather than modern clones. These are true heirloom Burgundian vines, carrying the genetic diversity and complexity that define the region's best wines.
Pouilly-Fuissé is one of the Mâconnais's most celebrated appellations, yet for a long time it was misunderstood and undervalued. This particular estate, Château des Quarts, is a joint venture between two friends and visionaries: Dominique Lafon (the same winemaker featured in our first wine) and Olivier Merlin.
Olivier had been making wine in Pouilly-Fuissé for more than twenty years, long before the appellation began to attract attention. "Olivier Merlin isn't a household name," Peter explained, "and for years we had trouble selling this wine — even though it was spectacular." Everything changed when Dominique Lafon joined him. Together, they purchased the château and the vineyard, and almost overnight, the wine gained global recognition. "As soon as Dominique came in, everybody wanted it. Prices had to be recalculated just to keep up," Peter said.
Farming here follows the same philosophy that drives Lafon's work in Meursault — fully biodynamic, with meticulous care in the vines. If the appellation system were purely merit-based, Peter added, this vineyard "would absolutely be a Grand Cru." The wine has the precision, depth, and longevity of the finest white Burgundies, yet remains rooted in the humbler Mâconnais.
"It's racy and elegant, with the ability to age," Peter continued. "I've had bottles of this wine that were 20 or 30 years old, and they were still beautiful. This is a white Burgundy you could cellar, even though it's available to you right now in the glass. My mother used to call wines like this the perfect choice for the frugal cellar — wines with the soul of a Grand Cru, but without the price tag."
The winemaking here is traditional. The grapes are gently pressed over three to four hours, then settled overnight before being transferred into 228-liter barrels, about 30% new oak. Fermentation happens naturally in barrel, followed by the malolactic fermentation after winter, when the cellars begin to warm up again. The wine then ages for around 16 months, lightly filtered before bottling.
Bertrand added a fascinating piece of history that explains why Pouilly-Fuissé — and much of the Mâconnais — was overlooked for so long.
"Before World War II," he said, "Pouilly-Fuissé was actually more expensive than most white wines from the Côte de Beaune. It was in higher demand and widely recognized for quality. But during the war, Burgundy's hierarchy changed. The Mâconnais was part of Free France, outside German occupation, so its wines weren't included in the negotiations that created the Premier Cru and Grand Cru classifications. The Germans could requisition large amounts of wine, but they were limited in how much Premier or Grand Cru they could take — so those designations became a form of protection and taxation."
Meanwhile, regions like Pouilly-Fuissé, which avoided occupation, never applied for the same classifications — partly to avoid taxes, and partly because they didn't think the war would reach them. By the time it did, the system was set. As a result, many assumed that because Pouilly-Fuissé didn't have Premier or Grand Cru status, it couldn't be as good. "That's how the Mâconnais fell into the shadows. If history had gone differently, Clos des Quarts would already be recognized as a Grand Cru," Bertrand concluded.
Château des Quarts shows us that the Mâconnais can produce wines of elegance, energy, and age-worthy depth — a reminder that Burgundy's greatness doesn't stop at the Côte de Beaune.
Fourth Wine Discussion: Domaine Pierre Vessigaud – Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 2022
Moving on to the next wine, we stayed in Pouilly-Fuissé to taste another expression from the Mâconnais, this time from Domaine Pierre Vessigaud — one of the most respected producers in the appellation.
"It took me eight years to convince them to work with me," Bertrand laughed. "I used to joke with Pierre, telling him, 'Don't worry, I'm like the flu — I'll come back.' That joke didn't age well after Covid, but I did keep coming back, year after year, asking: 'Are we going to work together yet?'"
Eventually, persistence paid off. "Two years ago, they finally gave in."
It turned out there was a reason for the hesitation. Pierre Vessigaud, who has been making wine at the estate since 1986, was nearing retirement and unsure whether his son, Simon, would take over. "He told me later," Bertrand said, "'I didn't want to start a relationship with someone only to tell them a few years later that I sold the vineyard.'" Now that Simon has finished wine school in Beaune and joined the estate, the family's energy has completely shifted. "They went from full depression mode to full excitement mode," Bertrand said. "They even bought new vineyards to expand the estate."
The Vessigaud family has been biodynamic for nearly 40 years, long before it became fashionable. Pierre's father farmed this way, and his grandfather had the same philosophy — that quality and longevity mattered more than quantity. "When you sell grapes to a cooperative, it's all about yield," Bertrand explained. "You make more money selling a ton of fruit than half a ton, even if the quality suffers. Families like the Vessigauds had a long-term vision. And it shows."
Their Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes comes from vines more than 80 years old, self-regulating plants that produce naturally balanced, concentrated fruit. While most producers in Pouilly-Fuissé harvest around 55 to 70 hectoliters per hectare, Vessigaud's old vines average closer to 40 — sometimes less — resulting in depth and purity that's impossible to imitate.
"These are vineyards that have never seen pesticides," Bertrand said. "They're as wild as it gets. And that's part of why there's such energy in these wines. They're vibrant, precise, and fresh — you get that citrus and salty finish that makes your mouth water."
Every wine from Vessigaud carries that same drive and liveliness, thanks to the old vines and the family's consistency in farming. "It's really a privilege to work with someone like that," Bertrand said. "When I told a few producers I'd finally picked him up, their jaws dropped. 'You work with that guy?' they said." For context, only about 15% of producers in the Mâconnais bottle their own wine — the rest sell grapes to others. That makes finding someone like Vessigaud, who farms and vinifies with integrity, even rarer. "I only get 1,800 bottles for the entire U.S. It's a small miracle that we even get to show it."
Peter added an interesting bit of background: "The Mâconnais isn't just the birthplace of Chardonnay — it's also where Burgundy's first fully biodynamic domaine was founded, back in 1959. It was one of the first in all of Europe to adopt biodynamic practices. Then a small group followed in the 1980s, and by the mid-2000s, the movement really began to grow. So in a way, the region led the way for the rest of Burgundy."
Domaine Pierre Vessigaud captures all that history — deep-rooted vines, decades of biodynamic farming, and a new generation ready to continue the story.
Fifth Wine Discussion: Domaine Pavelot – Savigny-lès-Beaune Blanc 2022
Now we're moving north into the Côte d'Or, to Savigny-lès-Beaune — and to one of the very first domaines Becky Wasserman & Co. began representing about 45 years ago, Domaine Pavelot.
For a long time, this wine was considered "good and affordable," but in recent years, things have changed dramatically. "He reinvented his working space," Peter explained, "and now he's on fire. The wines are better than ever — easily some of the best values in our portfolio."
The vineyard lies on the valley floor, alongside a river that runs vertically through Savigny. The setting gives the wine a soft, approachable character — open and expressive from the moment you pull the cork. "This never shuts down," Peter said. "It's one of those Burgundies you can drink anytime and with almost anything."
Indeed, its versatility is one of its great strengths. It pairs beautifully with white meats, sausages, or fish — truly a wine that fits across the table and doesn't ask too much of you. "You don't have to overthink it," Peter added. "It's fun, generous, and perfectly priced."
It's worth remembering that many Burgundian vineyards were historically field blends, meaning they weren't planted by a single grape variety. Instead, different grapes were mixed in the same rows. Peter noted. "When they wrote the appellation rules, nothing was pure variety — vineyards were always co-planted. You couldn't say '100% Chardonnay,' because it never was." In those older field-planted parcels, Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay grow side by side and ripen in sync, allowing them to be harvested together. If planted separately, they wouldn't align as perfectly. The style of wine it created became part of Savigny's character and even its regulations, which still allow up to 50% Pinot Blanc in the blend today.
Savigny-lès-Beaune has no Grand Cru, but several Premier Cru vineyards. Historically, it could have gone further. In 1855, Dr. Lavalle's Statistical Survey of Burgundy classified one of Savigny's vineyards as hors classe — a rank above Première Cuvée, essentially Grand Cru status. But politics intervened. The village sat between two powerful négociant towns, and many of its growers feared retaliation if they pushed for elevation. At the time, Savigny was a "blending village," often used to soften Pommard in the cellar.
"Up until the late 1800s," Bertrand explained, "if you made wine in the Beaune area — Beaune, Volnay, Savigny, Pommard — it was all sold as wine of Beaune. There was no appellation system yet. A bottle labeled Beaune might actually have been 70% Savigny. The lines were blurry."
Today, Domaine Pavelot is proof that heritage, consistency, and patience can transform what was once considered "simple" into something truly exceptional.
Sixth Wine Discussion: Maison Bertrand Ambroise – Saint-Romain Blanc 2021
This last wine, Maison Bertrand Ambroise, carries a lot of history, because Saint-Romain is where Becky Wasserman first set up shop in Burgundy. It's also where Peter grew up.
For Bertrand, Saint-Romain is an appellation that anyone who loves the Côte de Beaune should know. It lies just west of Meursault, on its backside, yet it's completely different in character. It's one of the highest-altitude villages in the Côte de Beaune, and this particular wine comes from the vineyard called Sous le Château, meaning "under the castle," considered the best part of the village.
The vintage, 2021, was a difficult one, but it produced wines that are chiseled, fresh, and linear — precisely the kind of Burgundies people are looking for today. The vineyard was planted in 1981, so these vines are now 44 years old, and this marks the 40th vintage of this cuvée.
This producer has been sold in the U.S. since the early 1980s. Bertrand added that if Jeff Ambroise were here today, "he would tell you exactly this: this wine has everything — it has salinity, it makes your mouth water, and it makes you want to drink."
A uniqueness of Saint-Romain is the soil. They contain marine sediments, a feature you don't find elsewhere in the Côte de Beaune. The vineyards sit at over 400 meters of altitude, with cool mornings, cool nights, and full sun exposure through the day.
Peter described it as a "special village" — one just ten kilometers off the beaten path, yet ignored for decades. "Nobody wanted to hear about Saint-Romain," he said. "People told my mother it was too cheap — that they couldn't make money selling it. That idea stuck for years, and it's hard to change people's minds." Bertrand added, "Your worst enemy, if you love Burgundy, is associating price with quality. Spending more doesn't guarantee a better bottle. There's just as much chance you'll be disappointed as if you'd spent a tenth of that."
Peter continued: "If you chase villages and appellations, you'll miss the point. What you should chase are the domains — the actual growers and winemakers. Appellation matters less than the person behind the wine. You can own expensive bottles, and there's a time and place for them — special occasions, people who'll appreciate them — but that's not what you drink every night. Your entire collection doesn't have to be made of those bottles. Wines like this are what I want to drink every day — honest, delicious, the kind you share with family and friends rather than going for a name that you flash at somebody."
He went on: "People have spent the last 30 years racing to buy the most rarefied estates. Everyone's chasing the same 50 names. You can live a great life and drink great wine. There's this notion of appropriateness, of what you're drinking, how you're drinking it, what day you're drinking it. When people ask me what my favorite wine is, I can't answer. It depends on the weather, who I'm with, what we're eating, what's in my cellar, and what I can afford. It always depends. I'm lucky because of my work — I get to taste great wines often — but that's not what I drink every day. I look for exciting wines I can afford, and that's what makes me happy."
Lineup of the tasting - Click wines to shop
- Domaine des Héritiers du Comte Lafon - Macon Milly-Lamartine 2023
- Domaine Pavelot - Savigny-les-Beaune Blanc 2022
- Château des Quarts Premier Cru Pouilly-Fuissé Clos de Quarts 2022
- Domaine de la Folie Rully Clos de la Folie - Monopole 2022
- Domaine Pierre Vessigaud Pouilly-Fuissé Vieilles Vignes 2022
- Maison Bertrand Ambroise - Saint-Romain Blanc 2021
Pictures from the tasting October 2025.
