France’s 50 best winemakers: Beaune’s Philippe Pacalet
Owner and founder of Domaine Philippe Pacalet: “We haven’t built all this just to buy a yacht!”.
The 32nd interview in Le Figaro Vin’s series takes us on our sixth trip to Burgundy to meet Philippe Pacalet, #19, at his winery in the heart of Beaune, a jewel in the viticultural crown of the Côte-d’Or. Producing wines from around 20 hectares of Chardonnay, Aligoté, and Pinot Noir, he is a winemaker at the height of his popularity who is finally reaping the rewards of his remarkable staying power.
Understated, playful, hyperactive, and impressively knowledgeable, there is no shortage of epithets when it comes to describing Philippe Pacalet, an iconic figure in the Burgundy natural wine scene and nephew of the legendary Marcel Lapierre. True to his convictions, he faced a real obstacle course upon entering the world of wine, having to endure widespread criticism before becoming, at long last, the height of fashion.
“In the 1980s we experienced a good deal of hostility, even malice. People were simply not ready for it. I am fond of saying that we were a bit too early getting to the station. I believe that the natural wine train has eventually arrived and this time we have managed to get on board.”
Le Figaro Vin: How does it feel to be crowned a winemaking champion?
Philippe Pacalet: I am honoured that people are taking an interest in me, and that my longevity and my determination to respect and improve on the work of our predecessors are being acknowledged. I just get on with it and, in any case, I don’t know how to do anything else. I keep my feet on the ground, and I think I’m on the right track. Over the course of 30 years, some things about me have changed. Back in the day, it was a constant battle, and I couldn’t let things go. Later, I began to mature, and now it’s gratifying to be recognised by my peers.
What is your greatest source of pride?
Being able to make a good wine with lovely aromas together with my team, and the fact that this allows me to live a happy life. I have been fortunate to find something that I am good at. It was always there inside me, but someone has to make it resonate for you. In this respect, encounters with others play a major part.
Have you been training for long?
I began to train seriously when I was 21, the age of reason but also of stupidity! That said, I have been immersed in the world of wine since I was tiny.
Who is your mentor?
Marcel Lapierre, my uncle, who taught me the value of traditional “farmer’s wisdom” and love for people, Jules Chavet for the scientific side of things, Jacques Néauport for his artist’s soul, and Michel Archawski who taught me how to run a business.
Is wine a team sport?
Yes, a winemaker needs support. It is important to build a team and develop its expertise, but there are still decisions that you have to make on your own. It’s a profession with a very solitary side.
What is the key to making a good wine? The terroir or the winemaker?
Both of them. I believe that you need sensitivity, hard work, and a bit of passion. Terroir and winemaker go together, they form a unity. They are like a couple; things are not always easy. Humans are vertical creatures, whereas the ground is horizontal. It’s a meeting of the two, and there isn’t always a right angle!
To what do you owe your success?
I owe it to always having believed in what I was doing, to having stood up for my ideals, and to having listened, at least sometimes, to my friends. Finally, I owe it to having always had the courage, in moments of uncertainty, to go back to keeping things simple.
Is your family proud of you?
Yes, they have been brave enough to point me in the right direction and they have put their faith in me.
What is your favourite colour?
It has to be red, because I have been drinking it for a long time. These days I also make rosé (at Château Malherbe, ed.) and I drink some white wine, but red is still my favourite.
Your favourite grape variety?
Pinot Noir, which can be virile, not in a macho sense of course, can have an artistic side, and can engender powerful emotions. It has an earthy quality and is packed with power, elegance, and aromas. It keeps your feet on the ground.
Your favourite vintage?
1998, which has become a great vintage late in the day.
If your wine was a person, who would it be?
It looks like the person who made it. Wine is a mirror which sometimes reflects mediocrity, sometimes genius.
What are the best circumstances in which to taste your wine?
With people I love, sitting around a table, not necessarily with food.
Who is your strongest competition?
Doing things by rote, which is the Achilles heel of our profession.
And the competition that you dread the most?
There isn’t one. What I find most stressful is the bureaucratic red tape which infuriates me.
For what price would you be prepared to sell your estate?
It’s not for sale so it doesn’t have a price.
Who would be your ideal successor on the podium?
My children. My son, who is 30, already works with me, and will take over the estate, probably with his sister. We haven’t built all this just to buy a yacht!