The 20th Anniversary of the Grand Tasting - Bettane + Desseauve
musical wines
20 years of the Grand Tasting at the Carrousel du Louvre!
Thank you to the combined maestros Bettane + Desseauve
November 2025
The slideshow of photos from left to right accompanying the story
A crazy day, tastings starting in nearly full spaces by 11:00 am, a 50-meter queue at 10:00 am on site, an event even more anticipated than usual due to its anniversary, and its masterclasses as dazzling and luxurious as ever.
A scarlet moment, but not only that, upon my arrival to launch the first aristocratic Guigal stand in grand style.
Côte Rôtie, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Condrieu, red on white, sharpening our taste buds in high definition.
After a few tables, the time for my first masterclass arrives. It's Veuve Clicquot, and Pinot Noir will be my main focus for the day.
Didier Mariotti, the house's cellar master, presents us, in a relaxed and informative atmosphere, with four magnums of La Grande Dame white and rosé, a parallel tasting of the 2012 and 2008 vintages—a sensual delight in four measures.
I chose La Grande Dame rosé 2008 to create my Wine4melomanes musical pairing of the same vintage, highlighting the aromatic and gustatory complexity of this great sparkling wine.
The fruit and color are prominent, while the red component, the secret weapon of Pinot Noir from Clos Colin, brings these attributes together in a delicate and refined taste sensation reminiscent of fresh strawberry coulis with peppery notes.
This approach guides me in creating a musical composition from 2008 where the vocals illustrating the fruit will be an erotic note, and the sparkling, peppery fervor will be the orchestral arrangements that capture the full emotion of the nectar.
Erykah Badu “Me” 2008
While waiting for the next session, I savored a few carefully selected or newly discovered bottles.
Two sumptuous 2016 and PN TX20 vintages were at the Bollinger stand, the chalky La Côte à Bras at Joseph Perrier, the balanced Noir d’Eulalie at Duval, the sensual Sensation at Vincent Couche, the discerning Avize Champ Caïn 2014 Extra Brut at Jacquesson, the essential Gevrey-Chambertin at Domaine Trapet, and then two remarkable estates in Gigondas: Château de Saint Cosme, where we also tasted a 2005 vintage bursting with fruit freshness, and Des Bosquets, with Camille Méric-Cohen presenting her equally well-crafted and extensive range of reds.
The 2nd masterclass, still in Pinot Noir, takes place in Burgundy at Clos des Lambrays, featuring 2023 Premier Cru wines from Nuits Saint-Georges La Richemone, Vosne-Romanée Les Beaux Mots, Morey-Saint-Denis Clos Sorbè, Puligny-Montrachet Clos du Cailleret & Les Folatières and the final Clos des Lambrays.
Maestro Bettane and Jacques Desvauges elevate the experience, allowing us to savor and discover the magic of this exceptional estate.
A floral and fruity symphony characterizes the 2023 vintage, from perfectly juicy Morello cherry to an abundance of rose petals, with hints of ashy cocoa. As this "horizontal" tasting unfolds, the chalky character expands, supporting the energetic and flavorful tension we so desire. A must-try in this region.
Thomas Bangalter and the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine's performance of Mythologies: XXI, and the 2023 composition, Icare, seem to perfectly mirror the wine's attributes, illustrating this combined magnificence.
Denis Hervier, Philippe Faure-Brac, and Ambroise Agrapart delighted us with their witty banter during the well-organized wine tasting.
I chose a 2004 track for my Wine4melomanes pairing to highlight my concept of harmoniously blending wine and music.
Sébastien Tellier's "La Ritournelle" 2004 from his album Politics perfectly complements this pairing, offering a disconcertingly stable emotional response, much like the Pascal Agrapart Venus Vintage 2004 Champagne on the palate.
A break with tastings at the Domaine Michel Magnien stands in Morey-Saint-Denis, Burgundy, where I was once again struck by the sublime quality of the Pinot Noir, with the 2019 Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin and Clos Saint-Denis vintages. Then, at Paul Mas en Oc, a divine Astelia Chalamat 178 Syrah-Grenache 2023. To conclude, the Chinese were represented with wines from Ningxia, more precisely Ren Yi Yuan Winery in Helan Mountain East Foothill. These single-varietal wines, with an alcohol content of 15%, maintain a refreshing character, excellent tannic structure, minerality, and well-integrated spices. Frankly, the 2022 Marselan He, Cabernet Franc Ren, and Cabernet Sauvignon Dao vintages are truly remarkable on both the nose and palate; however, the prices are very high for access to these labels, which radiate poetry and history.
Renyiyuan Vineyard
It would take a week to properly visit all the stands, such is the sheer number of surprises this Salon offers.
The final masterclass, featuring the legendary Château Pontet Canet red wines from 2019, 2017, 2015, and 2012, crafted using royal biodynamic methods, and the Tesseron XO & Beyond Cognacs, N90 Ovation & N53 Perfection (1953), perfectly round off the day.
The vibrant resonance of this elixir remains as potent as ever; notes of anise, blackcurrant, blackberry, and graphite are ever-present in every vintage, whether fresh or sun-drenched.
I chose the Grande Champagne 1er Cru XO N53 Perfection Cognac, engraved with Ugni Blanc blended with Colombard and topaz-tinged zest, to explore the intense musical pairing, dating back at least 10 years, thanks to the Wine4melomanes rule (vintage equivalency between wine and music).
The ardent nose of dried fruits (fig, apricot, prune), tobacco box, and cocoa, combined with the full-bodied, sumptuous palate, underscores a great energy that must be found in the music to create harmony. It's mind-blowing!
My musical suggestion, created more than 10 years ago, is Jonathan Jeremiah's "See" 2014.
The sleek and bold orchestration of strings and brass echoes the aromatic and olfactory complexity of the nectar, the artist's flourishing voice echoing the abundance tasted.
