One Thousand Vines: In Conversation with Pascaline Lepeltier
Summary
Join us for this very special event celebrating the launch of one of the most important new additions to the world of educational wine books. WSG is thrilled to welcome author and award-winning sommelière, Pascaline Lepeltier, in conversation with wine journalist Christina Rasmussen. Pascaline will share some of the research and unique perspectives from her ground-breaking new wine book One Thousand Vines. The English translation of this seminal book will be released on November 26, with signed copies already available now for pre-order. Pascaline's work challenges preconceived ideas about the vine and its wine. It explains where we are now, how we got here, and shows us an inspiring way forward – in how grapes will be grown, made into wine, sold and enjoyed.
Pascaline will share with us the inside story on how she put this book together, and share some of her truly inspiring ideas and insights. WSG considers this to be THE book to have on your shelf.
Members can already pre-order a signed copy of Pascaline’s book below. A vital addition to any wine library!
- Kitchen Arts & Letters (United States)
- Hatchards (United Kingdom)
- Athenaeum (France & European Union)
- Munro's (Canada)
About the Speakers
Other WSG Replays with Pascaline Lepeltier MOF and/or Christina Rasmussen
Pascaline Lepeltier
Growing up in the Loire Valley and detouring from a master’s in philosophy and a career as a university teacher, Pascaline began her obsession with wine at the two star Michelin-rated L’Auberge Bretonne under celebrated Chef Jacques THOREL. Within a year, she was named both Best Loire Valley Young Sommelier and Best Brittany Sommelier. While working as Beverage Director at Rouge Tomate in Brussels, she interned at the George V in Paris under the direction of Best European Sommelier and Best World Sommelier runner-up Eric BEAUMARD. Promoted to the position of Beverage Director for the Rouge Tomate flagship in New York, she moved to Manhattan in 2009. Within months, she was named one of the five best new US sommeliers of 2011 by Wine & Spirits, one of the “New Wine Prophets” by Time Out NY, one of the “40 under 40” beverage influencers by Wine Enthusiast and called the “Natural Wine Evangelist” by Ray ISLE in Food & Wine. The NY Times prized her Rouge Tomate wine list as one of the best in NYC in 2013, and The World of Fine Wine awarded it “Best Long Wine List in the World 2017” and “Wine List of the Year 2017.”
In 2018, she became a partner in Racines NY, one of the top wine destinations in the USA. In 2022, alongside Chef Jonathan Karis, General Manager Jared David and wine guru David Lillie, she opened Chambers, a farm-to-table wine-focused restaurant in TriBeCa. She overlooks with sommelier Ellis Srubas-Giammanco a 2000+ wine list focusing on “vins de vignerons”, mostly organic, biodynamic and natural.
In 2014, Pascaline passed the Master Sommelier Diploma, and in 2018, she won 2 more major titles in her homeland: she is now a laureate of “Un des Meilleurs Ouvriers de France - Sommellerie” and Best French Sommelier 2018. In January 2019, the famous French magazine La Revue du Vin de France awarded her “Personality of the Year 2019”, the first woman to be given this prestigious recognition. In 2023, she represented France in the ASI Best Sommelier in the World held in Paris. She finished 4th.
Christina Rasmussen
Christina Rasmussen is a Danish wine writer, photographer, and passionate conservationist based in London.
She is the co-founder and Head of Content at LITTLEWINE, an online wine platform launched in April 2020. The platform aims to bring wine lovers and professionals closer to the makers and farmers behind the bottle through emotive language, photography, and film.
Christina is also a speaker for both consumer and trade audiences, covering nearly every aspect of the wine world, with a particular focus on environmental aspects of viticulture. Her clients include Beaujolais, Chablis, Austrian Wine, The Real Wine Fair, The New Old World Wine Fair, Vin de France, Côtes du Rhône, and Bibendum.
In 2021, she was the runner-up in Jancis Robinson’s wine writing competition. Christina is also an aspiring winemaker-farmer. When she’s not writing about wine or photographing winemakers, she can be found in a vineyard learning about viticulture or in a cellar learning the art of winemaking. Her first vintage was in 2019 in both southern and northern California, where she helped Abe Schoener of the Scholium Project set up LA River Wine Company. Two documentaries covering this journey are available on SOMM TV.
She also made her first wine during that time—a Palomino from own-rooted old vines in Contra Costa County, planted in 1930, which will soon be available for purchase.
In May 2021, she planted a one-acre vineyard in Oxfordshire with her sister, using a massal selection of Burgundian, Jurassic, and Savoyard varieties sourced from Lilian Bérillon. This vineyard had been several years in the making and was a dream come true for Christina, as she became the first person in the UK to work with Lilian’s vine material. The vineyard is still in its early days, with the first vintage expected in 2024, and is being farmed according to permaculture principles.
Timestamp
Introduction to the Session (00:00)
Justin welcomes Pascaline and Christina, introducing the session and the book "A Thousand Vines."
Pascaline's Achievements (00:01)
Christina highlights Pascaline's accolades and her unique approach to wine education.
Inspiration for Writing the Book (00:03)
Pascaline shares her motivation for writing the book and her teaching experiences.
Complexity of Wine Education (00:06)
Discussion on the need for accessible resources in wine education and the gaps in existing literature.
Domestication of the Vine (00:08)
Pascaline explains the importance of understanding the origins of viticulture and its evolution.
Genetic Research in Viticulture (00:11)
Insights on recent genetic studies that reshaped understanding of vine domestication.
Botany and Wine Understanding (00:14)
Pascaline discusses the link between botany and the evolution of grape varieties.
Historical Perspective on Grafting (00:17)
The historical context of grafting and its significance in viticulture, emphasizing ancient knowledge.
Challenges of Vine Diseases (00:18)
Exploration of the impact of diseases like phylloxera on viticulture and the economy.
Economic Factors in Viticulture Solutions (00:20)
Discussion on how economic considerations influence solutions to viticulture challenges.
Future of Hybrids in Viticulture (00:22)
Pascaline addresses the potential of hybrid grape varieties for the future of winemaking.
Introduction to Polarized Opinions (00:23)
Discussion on the complexities of opinions regarding wine, particularly around genetics and GMOs.
The Search for Organic Grapes (00:24)
Pascaline's journey to find organically certified grapes in New York leads to a rediscovery of hybrids.
Understanding Hybrids in Viticulture (00:25)
Exploration of the history and misconceptions surrounding hybrid grapes in winemaking.
Grafting and Its Importance (00:28)
Discussion on grafting's critical role in viticulture and the challenges posed by wood diseases.
History and Necessity of Grafting (00:30)
A deep dive into the origins and evolution of grafting practices in winemaking.
The Role of Soil Microbiota (00:34)
Exploration of the interconnectedness of soil health, microbes, and their impact on vine growth.
The Interconnectedness of Living Organisms (00:37)
Discussion on how soil organisms affect viticulture and the importance of understanding these relationships.
Human Influence on Viticulture (00:41)
Exploration of the anthropological aspects of wine and the human role in vineyard success.
The Evolution of Terroir (00:45)
Discussion on the relationship between commercial zones and the search for the best terroir.
A Message of Hope in Adaptation (00:46)
Emphasizing the importance of accepting change and adaptation in viticulture.
The Evolution of Tasting (00:47)
Exploration of how wine tasting has evolved and what the future holds.
Historical Insights on Wine Tasting (00:47)
Introduction of historian Olivier Jacques and his research on the evolution of wine tasting.
Changes in Wine Quality Perception (00:49)
Discussion on the shift in understanding wine quality from origin to inner qualities.
Development of Tasting Vocabulary (00:50)
The quest for a vocabulary to distinguish wine quality and origins.
The Importance of Aromatics (00:51)
Shift in focus to aromatic compounds as key elements in wine identity.
Back to Structural Tasting (00:52)
Rediscovering taste and the structural elements of wine tasting.
New Approaches to Grape Growing (00:54)
Discussion on different approaches to grape growing and the importance of soil health.
The Concept of Sustainable Appellation (00:55)
Emerging discussions on sustainable appellation definitions that include environmental factors.
Meaning Behind the Book Title (00:56)
Explanation of the book title "A Thousand Vines" and its philosophical significance.
Closing Remarks (00:58)
Final thoughts and thanks from Pascaline and Justin, and encouragement to explore the book.