La Paulée brings the spirit of Burgundy to the United States through a series of must-attend events for any true wine connoisseur. Its Grand Tastings, Vertical Tastings, and—most notably—its Gala Dinner have become the premier destination to celebrate Burgundy’s legendary wines and winemakers, and to experience some of the finest wines in the world.
What is La Paulée?
Although celebrations of Burgundy existed long before then, the current iteration of La Paulée dates back to 1923, where Jules Lafon, a prominent wine grower, invited 35 friends to a small banquet to celebrate the end of the grape harvest in Burgundy. The celebration quickly gained popularity in the region, leading to La Paulée de Meursault becoming an official annual event by 1932, celebrated by winemakers and enthusiasts alike.
The event was brought to the United States in 2000 by Daniel Johnnes, who sought to bring Burgundy’s culture of warmth and solidarity to New York. Today, La Paulée has become a multi-day, multi-city festival that is celebrated across the United States.
UOVO Wine and La Paulée
UOVO Wine has partnered with the La Paulée team over the years to assist with the logistics behind their events. Peter Molinari, Chief Revenue Officer at UOVO Wine, plays a major role in ensuring everything runs smoothly, particularly by overseeing the delivery of wine imports from France to their proper destinations.
“The La Paulée team coordinates directly with the producers on who is attending and the logistics of bringing the bottles stateside,” Molinari explains, “Once that inventory arrives our team works to meticulously verify all of those individual bottles, coordinate with the event team, and coordinate with the event space. We complete all of those final deliveries, ensuring those wines arrive promptly at the right place, at the right time, and handled properly throughout so that they show as well during the event as they would at the estate in France.”
In addition to our working relationship, several members of the UOVO Wine team—including Peter—have recently attended La Paulée events across the country. Over the past few months, Chris Zago, our Advisory Director, along with Ian Dorin and Leah Hammer of our Cellar Trading division, joined in the celebrations in San Francisco and New York. Their biggest takeaway? The Gala Dinner is a must-attend for every wine lover.
What Makes the Gala Dinner Unique
While the different tastings are great events in their own right, La Paulee’s Gala Dinner is unique in the fact that hundreds of attendees bring bottles of Burgundy from their own collection to share with one another. “I can’t think of any other opportunity here in the U.S. that’s similar” mentions Leah, who attended the Gala Dinner in New York with Ian this past March. Ian agrees, adding, “The only chance to really taste this much wine from Burgundy would be to go to Burgundy—and even then, you’d have to drive from estate to estate to do all this. The organization of that would be ridiculous.”
What makes it even more remarkable is the spirit of generosity among attendees, which is a highlight for Peter. “Everybody’s bringing a banger of a bottle, and everyone is so happy to share it,” he says. “No matter what’s being poured, you’re not there to hoard bottles—you’re there to enjoy them together.”
Notable Bottles Tasted at Recent Events
Each member of the UOVO Wine team had the chance to taste some incredible wines at recent Gala Dinners this past March. Ian was especially impressed by a 2010 Corton-Charlemagne, calling it “a legend in the making.” He also believes it will age beautifully: “That wine could last for 50 years. It tastes like it’s still 15 years away from full maturity.” Other noteworthy wines that the team was high on include a 2002 Armand Rousseau Chambertin Clos de Bezet, 2012 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chevalier Montrachet, 2002 Clos de Tart, a 2012 George Roumier Bonnes Mares, and a 1952 Armand Rousseau Chambertin.
Insights from recent Gala dinners
The UOVO Wine team strongly believes that anyone passionate about wine—regardless of their knowledge of Burgundy—should attend a Gala Dinner at least once. Wine lovers with a deep appreciation for the region get a rare opportunity to taste bottles they’d likely never encounter elsewhere, while newcomers can use the event to quickly get up to speed.
“Clients always talk about Burgundy and don’t know where to start,” says Chris. “This is a great way to get fast exposure—trying different wines, different producers, different styles. And without the cost of going to Burgundy, this is about as good as it gets. You get the meal, the food, the ambiance, and the winemakers—all in one spot.”
Looking to Attend an Upcoming Gala Dinner?
Be sure to reach out to our Cellar Trading team, who currently offer hundreds of different premium Burgundy selections at the prices available.