Under the table stories of winemakers, chefs and those who aspire to be one
Category: Tales from Burgundy
With over 3,000 vintners within Burgundy, each winemaker, dedicated to his plot of ‘terroir,’ not only has an obsession with the land he/she works, but a long-standing relationship to the culture, village and traditional philosophies and techniques. But each has a passion and story that is as unique as each vintage created. This occasional section will highlight a Burgundian vigneron and his/her tale. http://nyti.ms/Pa7s6U
A combination of high heat, warm spices, and citrus aromas gift the home chef with an easy way to create a blackened wild salmon dinner with simple prep and high expectations.
While this recipe makes two adult servings, it of course can be doubled for a family. Seasoning is always to taste: add what you love!
Blackened salmon and citrus wild rice is one of my favorite simple and easy meals. By @talesofthecork
Start your preparation with opening a bottle of wine to air out (and sip on!) while cooking. Many automatically reach for a Chardonnay when cooking fish or salmon. If I had created a lighter salmon with just olive oil and some herbs de Provence, for example, or used a creamy sauce I would do the same. However, considering the depth of flavor and punch in my blackening spice, I went for a Pinot Noir.
A perfect wine for this meal is either from the Santa Rita Hills or Santa Maria Highlands in California or from Burgundy, France. Definitely look for a Pinot Noir as it will have earthy, dark red fruit, with some spices. This will add depth to your dining experience, and perfectly compliment the rich salmon flavors.
Plus, of course, a little wine in the glass while cooking creates for great anticipation. Heck, share a glass with someone who’s assisting or watching you cook. We enjoyed a glass of Louis Latour 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet from Burgundy.
This 2005 Louis Latour Pinot Noir paired perfectly with the dish. By @talesofthecork
While some opt to melt butter over the salmon, I started with avocado oil and fresh citrus as a base, and poured a small shot of whiskey and drizzle of balsamic for depth. Once seasoned to taste with the blackened spices and a little sugar, I let it sit while switching my focus to the rice. That allows your spices, citrus, balsamic and sprinkles of raw sugar to set into the room temperature salmon.
While letting the juices soak into the salmon, I began prepping the wild rice with a 2:1 ratio of liquid-to-rice. For added flavor, I opted to split the liquid with equal parts veggie broth and fresh-squeezed orange juice. After the liquids came to a boil, I threw in a sprig of fresh rosemary and dashes allspice.
When the liquid came back to a boil, I followed bag instructions and turned the heat to low then covered the pot for about 15-20 minutes.
While the rice was cooking, I turned back to my citrus-soaked salmon.
My recipe does not require searing the salmon, but rather roasting it in a 450° oven for 12 to 15 minutes. A medium cooked salmon is about 135°. The goal is to quickly roast the salmon while creating a crunchy layer where the blackening spices create depth notably on top but throughout salmon flesh.
For added punch, fresh cracked pepper and red pepper flakes are a great addition.
The salmon may be done a little before the rice, which is fine since meat and fish both like to rest between oven-and-table.
Serve rice and salmon over a bed of kale. I always first massage kale and other stiff greens with oil to breakup the stiff fibers. For this, I chose a very light dressing of only a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and pepper.
Take a picture of the final product and dig in!
Prep time: 20 minutes Cook time: 20 minutes
With my citrus trees in the backyard covered in fruit, it’s an obvious go-to, even if the wild salmon in grocery stores is previously frozen. By @talesofthecork
Ingredients list:
2 6oz salmon filets (I always get wild caught)
1 lemon
1 orange
4 tbls of avocado or olive oil
2 tbls melted butter (optional)
1 shot of your favorite whiskey
1-2 tbls of raw sugar
4 tbls balsamic vinegar
Blackening spice ingredients list:
Cajun
Cumin
Cayenne pepper
Red pepper flakes
Fresh cracked pepper
Onion powder (optional)
Garlic powder (optional)
Rice ingredients list:
1/2 cup wild rice
2 dashes of allspice
fresh rosemarry
1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup vegtable brooth
zest from 1 orange
* Always check salmon and other fish and meats to ensure both are cooked to FDA standards.
Did you enjoy the recipe? If you made it, I would love to know! Tag me when you post a picture so I can check it out, or if you’re not the food-posting kind, feel free to send me your thoughts in the comments below, into my DMs or send me an email.
This blog continues to follow Ulrich Dujardin’s change from an adult handicapped teacher in Dijon to a traditional Burgundian winemaker. Please look for the first post in the series: Outsider impacts Burgundy winemaking tradition, Part I.
Wine merchant and writer Kermit Lynch reflected on the French wine aesthetic in a 1998 Food and Wine article that underscores the importance of the region to the wine making process. He wrote that in order to understand the French wine culture, one must interpret or acknowledge the ‘goût de terroir.’ It “refers to the character or style or personality a certain vineyard site gives to its wines.”
For Ulrich Dujardin, winemaking is all about paying attention to detail and that includes all aspects of the winery. This gated entrance to the stone building warehouses the winemaking equipment, including the wine barrels stored the 12th-15th century caves below.
While this affects most bouteilles de vin de Bourgogne, I believe Ulrich Dujardin’s personality, character and style distinguish Domaine Dujardin, creating the distinctive features and flavor of his wine. Dujardin bet his future through the day-to-day operations and willed himself to become a vigneron, despite no family ties to Burgundy. He implemented his passion for reinvigorating the lives of disabled people. Ulrich took a personal interest in their lives through “hands-on” education. This zeal corresponds to his love for the land and winemaking.
Despite his nearly year-round schedule, Ulrich Dujardin, center, takes an hour or two each week to teach about his techniques to groups who visit his domain.
For the next 18 years, Dujardin poured himself into the Bouzerand winery. However, the vinification process gradually became more and more the product of Ulrich’s growing desire to own and vinify in an all-natural process rather than prized ways of the past. He insists on traditional methods, including nurturing the vines while avoiding pesticides or herbicides. He also oversees, and personally participates in, a completely hand-harvested crop. In fact, he continues to hire handicapped adults in the Domain Dujardin vineyards. He took over all aspects of the domaine, including a hands-on approach to pruning, harvesting, winemaking and marketing of all eight of the domaine’s appellations.
With the domain revived due to Dujardin’s attention to detail, Bouzerand* decided to sell Ulrich his half of the domaine in 2008.
Ulrich Dujardin, left, is the factor, the expertise, that helps marriage the taste of centuries in Monthelie. He has built a reputation on the traditional natural process, without the use of pesticides and herbicides, harvesting by hand.
The Parisian-born outsider, and now full-fledged Burgundian, redrew a new label, this time without the Bouzerand name for the first time. Ulrich now owns and operates Domain Dujardin as a sole proprietor on the slopes of Monthelie. The 12th and 15th century caves are now his to use and store the nine different appellations, including wines from four different communes: Beaune, nearby villages of Auxey-Duresses, Meursault, and of course, Monthelie.
“I am a committed to being a part of each stage of the (winemaking) process,” Ulrich said in French and translated to English by his wife, Catherine. “I trim vines, sorting in field, harvest grapes, and manage process from bunches to barrels and bottling.”
Catherine, shaking her head in agreement, also added that Ulrich was also available to other winemakers in the area to help them with their production. He also teaches winemaking techniques to groups who visit his domaine.
Domain Dujardin wines are created by a distinct personality and character that distinguish them a part of the Monthelie landscape and culture.
“Ulrich is always helping others,” Catherine said. “He still hires handicapped people to work in the vineyards and spending time with others who need help.” She paused and then added, “He works too much.” Catherine repeated the last sentence in French. Ulrich smiled, shrugged his shoulders and shook his head in agreement. He said something in French that I didn’t catch and Catherine didn’t repeat it.
Catherine did emphasize one last point before we finished dinner.
“Ulrich has a drive for people to like and appreciate what he does,” Catherine said. “He is so good; he always wants to help out others with their work, including in the fields, but he does not ask for any help himself. He has a big heart.”
As the evening drew to a close, and I finished the chocolate torte Ulrich’s daughter, Margaux, made, I asked him about further plans to grow the domain as his appellations usually sell out. His answer is simple. “Why, I already have enough?” His smile sent me adrift as he gestured to his home, the vineyards through the open window and family at the table.
Domaine Dujardin produces red and white wine, listing 10 appellations from four communes. His Village Meursault white is much sought after in Burgundy.
According to Burgundy Discovery’s Lynne Hammond, Domain Dujardin has already made a name for itself in French wine competitions and are currently sold in some Parisian wine shops.
“We’ve known Ulrich for 10 years,” Hammond said. “He was one of the first growers we met when David [husband] and I moved here from the UK to set up our business in the world of Burgundy wine. He is a passionate and caring man – about his family, friends, lifestyle and wines. This passion truly comes through in his wines, which are expressive and well-balanced. We always say passionate winemakers make passionate wines!”
In the same FoodandWine.com article listed above, Kermit Lynch describes that a French wine seems to “taste of centuries.”
“Goût de terroir is the result of complex interactions between many factors, such as grape variety, geology of the soil, climate and microclimate, topography, native yeasts and microbes, nearby vegetation and vinification. The genius of the French wine culture is founded on the ideal marriage of all these factors (and probably more), marriages perfected in each locale over centuries of trial, error and experience. The genius of the French wine culture is founded on the ideal marriage of all these factors (and probably more), marriages perfected in each locale over centuries of trial, error and experience.”
I believe Ulrich Dujardin is the factor, the expertise, that helps marriage the taste of centuries in Monthelie. He has built a reputation with a personal stake in the community and a sincere love of all human beings. Dujardin is willing to give more than he could ever get in return and exudes a sold-out attitude and desire to create masterpieces from his own backyard that are sure to outlive him.
Ulrich Dujardin, left, and Domain Dujardin produce five appellations of white and five of red wines, including two Premier Crus.
Come and meet Ulrich, with Lynne and David Hammond’s Bringing Burgundy to You wine weekend event alongside France’s largest Wine Fair – Salon des Vins des Vignerons Independants. This fair takes place in the old Flemish city of Lille, around 60 minutes north-east of Paris, between Nov. 16-19. Each year, 600 growers taking part, all of whom are Vignerons Independants. Meet Ulrich, taste his wines and enjoy a private gourmet dinner hosted by Ulrich, David and Lynne.
Ulrich Dujardin lives in the village of Monthelie with his wife, Catherine, and three children: Paul, Margaux and Luc.
For more information on Domaine Dujardin, visit the web site, check out Monthélie Vignerons or email Ulrich at domaine.dujardin@orange.fr. While it is difficult to get Domain Dujardin wines from the winery, often they can be purchased at local wine shops in the villages of Santenay, Meursault and Beaune.
*Bouzerand: After Xavier Bouzerand retired from the domain in 2008, he opened a wood carving studio in Beaune where he can still be seen creating works of art with wood.
Burgundy winemaking is tradition and viewed as a right. Skills and vineyards are passed down from generation to generation, but occasionally a dreamer or upstart gains a foothold and sets root into Bourgogne’sCôte d’Or.
The Beaune Hospice, founded in 1443, was a place of refuge for orphaned children until 1970. Today the Hospices de Beaune are a testimony to its long history, continue to operate 60 hectares of vineyards and host a wine auction the third Sunday of November.
Born in Paris in 1963 to parents who were strangers to Burgundy, Ulrich Dujardin’s father moved the family to Nancy, France(east of Strasbourg, France) soon after for a job opportunities in the petrol industry. Later the family uprooted and settled in Dijon where Ulrich finished his schooling from 1971-1981. However, as he continued his schooling, working towards an education degree, Ulrich met disabled people in Beaune. The impression impacted him forever.
Ulrich’s father introduced his children to wine at an early age; a common practice for Europeans. His parents enjoyed wine and shared tastes with young Ulrich who gained valuable appreciation for its importance. Wine not only shaped dinner choices but cultural and community events they attended. And wine tasting with his father impressed and provided the impetus for Ulrich to occasionally cutting grapes from vines in the vineyards, influencing and honing early skills. But he could never allow himself to dream of becoming a winemaker. Burgundy winemaking was not in his family’s lineage.
I sat down with Ulrich and his wife Catherine one day in mid June to find out how a man born outside of Burgundy could thrive in a such a small town like Monthelie. In the next couple of posts, Ulrich’s story, despite my poor French skills, are what follows. And while Ulrich’s English is limited, Catherine’s struggle to translate French to English is also a part of the story.
“I grew up knowing about wines and vineyards from my father,” Dujardin said in broken English through his wife Catherine. “He gave me some tastes and I cut some grapes from the vine. This I never forgot.”
But as an outsider, Ulrich never felt or became a part of the winemaking community even after he met Xavier Bouzerand in 1986 of Monthelie, Burgundy, in the Côte de Beaune.
Ulrich Dujardin began to work for Xavier Bouzerand in the vineyards of Monthelie in 1986. The small village and surrounding slopes are 5 KM 3.5 miles from Beaune.
After graduating from school, Ulrich increasingly became interested in working with handicapped people after he took a tour of the Hospices de Beaune: a hospital for the sick and disadvantaged from 1443-1970. Ulrich was moved by the passion of the nurses while visiting the museum and decided to become a handicapped teacher.
Four years later, Bouzerand met Dujardin while Ulrich led a class field trip while working at a Center Aide Travail just outside Dijon. As a teacher who worked with adult handicapped people, Dujardin often took groups to work at temporary jobs. Disabled adults worked in places like woodshops and construction sites, assembly plants and repair shops. They also would help with catering and housekeeping opportunities and labor in the vineyards.
When Bouzerand and Dujardin initially spoke to one another, their communication centered on a handicapped member of Bouzerand’s family. Dujardin’s efforts with adult handicapped people at the non-profit agency impressed Bouzerand and the two men seemed to click; they both shared their expertise, keenly interested in what each other shared. A match was born.
Without a family tradition or land inheritance, Ulrich Dujardin decided to cut back to three days part-time teaching adult handicapped people in 1986. The other four days a week he accepted a position at Domain Bouzerand in Monthelie.
Soon afterwards, and upon Bouzerand’s invitation, Ulrich began making trips to work at the Bouzerand vineyards in Monthelie, about 42 km (26 miles) from Dijon, the region’s capital. At first the visits were on weekends and on holidays from his job at the Center Aid Travail. But within a year, Dujardin committed 50 percent of his time to the winery in Monthelie. He spent Monday through Wednesday working with handicapped adults and Thursday through Sunday working along side Bouzerand.
The aspiring winemaker worked seven days a week between the two business until Bouzerand accepted him as a 50-50 partner, changing the label from a single last name to Bouzerand-Dujardin in 1990.
It became increasingly clear to Bouzerand that his own handicapped son was not able to accept the responsibility of taking over the family winery; as a result, Dujardin’s dream began to emerge. He then focused his full-time energy on the winery. Even if he could not own the land, Dujardin was ready to take charge of a reborn Domain Bouzerand-Dujardin and its eight hectares. He retired from his teaching position in Dijon and its guaranteed salary.
A trip to France is not complete without a food and wine experience. I don’t just mean a lunch or dinner at a village or Parisian cafe, bistro or brasserie, enjoying local cuisine and wine. While that is a large part of the equation, I wanted to meet and learn more about the winemakers and their passion to create the bottles of juice the world has on their tables.
So in June I traveled to Burgundy, France, for a week and spent three days wine tasting, talking with vignerons and wine merchants. I decided to hire Burgundy Discovery’s Robert and Joy Pygott to reacquaint me with the area. My visit five years ago gave me a wonderful overview to the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits, but I wanted the perspective of someone who lived in the region to reeducate me with the Burgundian appellations and regions.
After studying adult handicap education, Parisian-born Ulrich Dujardin became a respected Burgundy winemaker through personal courage, fortitude and vision. His new wine label broke new ground into the often closed community.
During my 2007 visit to Burgundy, my wife and I met Ulrich Dujardin at Domain Bouzerand-Dujardin. This winemaker exuded excitement and passion for his craft and I was moved by his story. He was not a local landowner nor did his family’s history include winemaking. But Ulrich’s enthusiasm and vision for the craft sparked a cord within me. I wanted to meet Ulrich again and learn more about the outsider who became a winemaker in the tiny village of Monthelie, 5 km or 3.5 miles from Beaune.
This year’s visit included an hour presentation of Domain Dujardin’s winemaking process from beginning to end, including Ulrich’s personal attention to an all hand-harvest and natural wine process. But as he spoke about his passion for winemaking, I heard something I did not catch when I spent an hour with him in 2007. Ulrich’s passionate presentation invigorated me because he obviously cared about the process. But I almost missed his side comments on how he hires disabled or handicapped people to help him in the vineyards. And when I checked on his family heritage, it did not include winemaking.
How did an outsider become a winemaker in a region which favors tradition and heritage over the new and upstart?
TalesoftheCork blog 