As my wine trip swung into France last month, I was lucky enough to kick it off with an overnight at the country estate of Alain Coumont…my friend and business partner.
Chez Coumont
Alain is the Belgian genius who started Le Pain Quotidien—which became a 200+ international group of bakery-restaurants—many years ago. They are practically ubiquitous in, say, New York City.
The kitchen table at Alain’s house…looks a lot like the communal table at Le Pain Quotidien
Alain’s business all began because Alain is a great chef and baker. What an arrival on a Sunday night! A big loaf of country bread coming out of the oven, baked by Alain…a homemade foie gras terrine, with perfect yellow fat…AND…a black truffle the size of a softball to thinly (and copiously!) slice over foie gras slices, on the slices of Alain’s bread! It was truly a slice of heaven.
The Courtyard of Alain Coumont’s Estate
Alain’s estate, in the Languedoc, near the historic glove-making town of Millaut, is also a winery, named Opi d’Aqui (opium from here!) The name is justified: he and his winemaker Philippe create delicious, food-loving reds that you cannot get enough of.
I’m proud to be Alain’s American importer…bringing in, right now, the Grenache wine called Les Cliquets, and, based on our barrel tasting…many more wines from 2013.
Here we are at breakfast, discussing business…
I shoot and eat and talk simultaneously
…and here is an interview with Alain we shot in New York last fall, at the Bleecker St. Le Pain Quotidien.
