His restaurant has been named the best table in the world six times. In an interview, Guy Savoy shares his approach to wines and spirits

The head chef and owner of the eponymous Guy Savoy restaurant at the Hôtel de la Monnaie in Paris speaks about his support for the wine and spirits industry in an in-depth interview.

How important is wine in your restaurant?
We live in this magnificent country that is France with a word that truly sums up the French lifestyle – gastronomy. I don’t think this word can be used anywhere else than in France, even though every country has culinary traditions. France has such a diverse range of products and wine. And this diversity stems from the work of men and women who, over the centuries, through their work and gift of observation, have divided every wine region into countless vineyard sites. And if you also factor into the equation the individual sensitivities of each winegrower encapsulated in their wines, that diversity gets even bigger. Burgundy’s ‘climats’ are an example that springs to mind. All of this has occurred down the centuries, and it all produces myriad wines with a human touch. And this huge range of products and wines is what makes France and its gastronomy unique, and paves the way for ideal pairings.

You are very concerned by the fact that we don’t talk about the success of wine and spirits exports enough. Why?
There is no denying that gastronomy is a part of France’s lifeblood and that one in three foreign tourists comes to France with the idea of tasting our country’s gourmet food. Call me naïve, or proud, but I believe that the reason we export so many wines and spirits across the globe is because our foreign guests have had the opportunity to taste our wines in the best possible conditions, in our restaurants, and that when they return home they are keen to replicate the experience. And I think that’s one of the explanations for the success of our exports. Also, we should not forget that this success helps safeguard our vineyard landscapes, which attract increasing numbers of people through wine tourism. Travelling through vineyard landscapes is always a moving experience. They also help safeguard jobs for men and women, which can never be offshored. Each time a bottle of wine is opened at a table around the world, a part of France comes with it, it acts as a kind of French embassy that opens around the other side of the world.

You were born in Nevers but you grew up in Bourgoin-Jailleu. Your mother ran a restaurant and your father was a gardener. You earned your spurs with the top chefs, particularly the Troisgros brothers, then at Lasserre. At what point did you discover wine?
I encountered wine when I was very young because my father was passionate about Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. So I was introduced to wine through the Loire, particularly its sweet wines. Subsequently, I became aware of Champagne. But from then on, I realised that I could be drawn to any wine provided it is well-made and offers enjoyment. Because in my opinion, the ultimate goal is to enjoy wine through all its diversity and quality if you’re inquisitive. How you can possibly know if you will enjoy a wine if you’ve never tried others before it? I taste all wines, I’m still inquisitive about everything.

Do you have a favourite region?
No, after everything I have just said about diversity, why would you restrict yourself to one region? You have to get out and about. I discovered Languedoc about ten years ago and I praised the changes in the wines. Before that was the Rhone Valley. Now, with ongoing changes and people’s work, these regions are successfully producing remarkable wines. 

Wine has a special place in gastronomy. What role does it play with food in your restaurant?
The definition of gastronomy is to pair wines and foods, and the first to play a role in gastronomy are chefs. We can thank Paul Bocuse, the Troisgros brothers, Michel Guérard… This new style of chef, in the 1970s, brought about change for gastronomy. Cuisine made a huge leap forward, and the range of products is the driving force behind such craftsmanship. Then, in a rapidly changing world of restaurants, sommeliers played a prominent role. The close bond between the sommelier and the chef has become vital. It was essential to leverage this extraordinary lifeblood that makes up our gastronomy and find the perfect match between food and wine.

You have worked closely with your sommelier Sylvain Nicolas since 2006. Do you choose the wines together?
We move forward based on the dishes we produce and every time the menu changes, with the seasons, we work together. He absolutely must taste the dishes and together, we find the wines that pair with them. I do not have his knowledge, but I know exactly what I like.

The sommelier knows what you enjoy!
Of course! But I cannot constantly stick to the same tastes, otherwise I’d get stuck in a rut. It’s terrible. And change is what leads to some amazing pairings, like serving Château d’Yquem with hare à la royale. At one stage, I even dreamt up red Mediterranean tuna which I called ‘every flavour’ where I tried to put a crust of herbs and toast on top to replicate the flavours of Chardonnay. I just knew a top white Burgundy would make the perfect match for the food.

Do you ever start with the wine to produce a dish?
Absolutely! Sometimes winegrowers present us with wines and Sylvain and I design a dish that is in keeping, in harmony with the wines. There are times when the pairing is not initially obvious, like Yquem with hare à la royale, but it works.

You will be hosting a duo with Sylvain Nicolas during Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris. What will you present?
We are going to present the work we do together on food and wine pairings, under the watchful eye of Philippe Faure-Brac who convinced me of the mutual benefit of becoming the patron of Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris. 

I suppose you will be making the most of the exhibition to meet winegrowers. What do you gain from them?
I find this important because, when you talk to them, they tell you about the harvest, the vintage, how the fermentation process went and about everything that makes that specific wine unique. They give you a complete run-down of the wine, which gives you insight into it. When we have its ‘résumé’, it makes it easier for us to showcase it, at the table, and to decide which dish we’ll be able to pair it with.

DON’T MISS!
Duo chef & sommelier
Guy Savoy & Sylvain Nicolas / Let’s talk about wine!
Monday, 13 February 2023
From 3:30 to 4:30 pm
Room 5