Explore our special bookstore selection for exceptional Christmas gifts.

Check out our special newsletter for passionate wine lovers in the run-up to Christmas. Immerse yourself in the intoxicating world of wine flavours and gifts. From festive wine suggestions to stylish accessories, our newsletter guides you to create memorable moments during the holidays.

Discover our Christmas magic for the little ones with an enchanted selection of fun and educational gifts.

Immerse yourself in the festive atmosphere of Christmas with our Christmas selection of books on gastronomy at Athenaeum. We offer you a sharp selection, carefully selected to complement your celebrations.

Whether you are looking for the ideal gastronomic gift, unique flavours to accompany your festive repas , our Christmas Gastronomy Selection has everything to make your celebrations unforgettable. Let yourself be seduced by the French art of living and create memorable memories around a festive table.

Make every moment a festin with Athenaeum. Happy holidays!

The four finalists of the Goncourt 2023:

• Jean-Baptiste Andrea, Watching Over Her (The Iconoclast)
• Gaspard Kœnig, Humus (The Observatory)
• Eric Reinhardt, Sarah, Susanne and the Writer (Gallimard)
• Snow Sinno, Sad Tiger (P.O.L)

The jury of the Prix Goncourt is composed of Didier Decoin, president, Pascal Bruckner, Éric-Emmanuel Schmitt, Paule Constant, Christine Angot, Tahar Ben Jelloun, Camille Laurens, Françoise Chandernagor, Philippe Claudel and Pierre Assouline.

The announcement of the 2023 Prix Goncourt is expected on Tuesday, November 7, from the Drouant restaurant in Paris.

Explore a selection of documentary comics, a visual immersion in captivating real-life stories. Each work marries narrative art with informative power, offering a unique experience. Discover narratives ranging from historical facts to fascinating biographies, all beautifully illustrated. These comics transcend the boundaries of entertainment, creating an intimate connection with significant real-world events and figures.

Celebrate a century of cultural excellence with Phaidon Editions. Immerse yourself in the artistic, culinary, and literary legacy that has marked generations. Discover iconic books, limited editions, and visual masterpieces. Each page tells the story of an unwavering passion for art and knowledge. Treat yourself or your loved ones to editorial treasures that transcend time and space.

Discover our exclusive selections around wine, carefully chosen by our expert booksellers and wine merchants. Subscribe to our newsletter to receive special offers, wine tips and invitations to exclusive events.

A sparkling newsletter dedicated to young creative minds! Discover the latest trends, captivating stories, and fun activities to spark the imagination of the youngest.

A mouthwatering newsletter dedicated to scoundrels who love to eat! Discover our selection of meat-eating books that will introduce us to mouthwatering pies, pâtés croûtes, pithiviers and other culinary pleasures of this kind.

Receive our latest literary news and discover exclusive reading recommendations with our literary newsletter. Stay up to date on the latest releases, popular authors, and literary events not to be missed.

Pierre-Olivier Garcia, originally from Nuits-Saint-Georges, launched Domaine Moron-Garcia in 2016 with his ami Mathieu Moron. They have embarked on an ambitious approach to viticulture and winemaking in a region where traditional practices predominate. Garcia studied wine in Beaune, while his father became an important scientific figure for the Burgundian terroir.

Their winemaking method, called "berry by berry", consists of handling the bunches at very low temperatures from harvest, then cutting them one by one by hand, thus preserving the aromas and structure of the grapes. This demanding approach requires a lot of manpower and organization, but it reduces the use of sulfur during fermentation. In their vineyards, Garcia and his team have adopted practices to increase biodiversity, including sowing legumes between rows of vines to improve soil quality and reduce water requirements. The estate produces about twenty wine references, mainly reds, with an emphasis on aligoté in white due to its characteristics adapted to global warming. Despite strong international demand, production remains limited due to the estate's modest size and commitment to sustainable practices.

Garcia aims to stabilize this model while continuing to experiment to improve the quality and efficiency of their processes. He also wants to raise awareness of their innovative approaches, going from "crazy" to "visionary" in less than a decade in Nuits-Saint-Georges.

Check out Pierre-Olivier Garcia's full interview here!

Discover the delights of Burgundian gastronomy and renowned chefs with our newsletter selection of the week. Inspired by the legendary restaurant La Ruchotte, our assortment of books transports you to the heart of the flavours and traditions of this renowned wine region. Plus, explore our curated collection of books by Michelin-starred chefs, revealing the secrets and techniques of the ma in the kitchen. Let yourself be taken on an unforgettable culinary journey with Athenaeum.

This week, our selection takes you on a journey through the sun-drenched vineyards of Italy, with a special focus on the prestigious domaine brandini. Renowned for its ancestral know-how and dedication to the art of winemaking, Brandini embodies Italian excellence through each of its bottles. Discover emblematic grape varieties such as Nebbiolo and Barbera, sublimated by the unique terroir of Piedmont. Let yourself be transported by wines of rare elegance, where tradition and modernity blend harmoniously to offer unforgettable tastings. Whether you are an enlightened amateur or a novice enthusiast, this selection will awaken your senses and brighten up your taste buds. Don't miss the opportunity to discover the soul of Italy through the exceptional wines of Brandini and other wineries.

Lighting

Wine mapping: combining business with pleasure

"One of the great mysteries of Burgundy lies in this observation: at first glance, all its vines look the same. And yet, when tasting, an infinite number of nuances appear," explains Laurent Gotti. From this point of view, the vineyard maps provide immediate insight. At a glance, they bear witness to the diversity of altitudes, exposures, soils, etc., but also, now, thanks to the work of the journalist and author, to the number of operators present on this or that Grand Cru, and therefore to the extreme diversity of interpretations of the terroir in question. "Often hung on the walls of cellars, maps are in fact a very visual and interesting communication medium for winegrowers." Better still, they are often dry as they are, and call for comments from the operator. In short, an invitation to speak. Laurent Gotti understood that. In its atlas Les Grands Crus de Bourgogne, its winegrowers' maps are enriched by the testimonies of geologists, oenologists, producers... Or how to "taste these climats in the smartest way possible", i.e. with full knowledge of the facts. Fun and knowledge.

Agreements and disagreements

It's hard to match wines and chocolates with your eyes closed. The organoleptic profiles are so varied and the tastes of each one are unique... The observation is all the more frustrating because everything brings them together: they both share the same semantics and a similar fermentation process. In that case, what can I say? Of course, there are some clichés. Starting with the "traditional" pairings with old whiskies and rums. A particularly successful pairing, according to specialists, in the presence of African chocolates, from Ghana or the Ivory Coast for example, rich by nature, full of body, bitterness... Still, the times call for light endings of repas . What to do then? On milk chocolates, white wines with a nice amplitude and low acidity, such as old Burgundy, Hermitages or Saint-Péray change, for the better. On dark chocolates, things get tricky. Some recommend Syrah wines, whose fruity notes flourish on pure Madagascar origins. Patrick Roger in the lead. But, other than that... Unless, like him, you prefer chocolate as a starter, at a time when the palate is still light and the world of possibilities is vast...

Lighting: Fasting and wine

A major subject... The future of our vineyards rests in part on the younger generations. And, in this regard, the published studies* are cause for alarm. First of all, the context: between 1960 and 2022, the average individual consumption of wine fell by 60%. Regular consumers – almost every day – who still represented 51% of the French population in 1980, only accounted for 11% of the population in 2022... Drinking wine occasionally is now the norm. Behind these key figures, there are significant disparities between ages. Thus, in 2022, 21% of 35-49 year olds and over 50 years old consumed wine every week compared to 15% of 18-34 year olds. In this last age group, 39% of them did not drink wine at all... There are many reasons for this disenchantment among young people. More than others, this generation has largely integrated the concept of moderation. For many of them, sobriety is trendy. In fact, wine and, more broadly, alcohol, are no longer inseparable from celebration. Moreover, among the under-35s, wine remains an "old" drink. Hence a certain inclination to shun it. Finally, in their eyes, it remains a complex, even elitist and sacred product. But the picture is not so bleak, fortunately. A few facts and data make you smile. Young people have an encouraging representation of wine for our winemakers. It is, for them, a necessarily French product; What's more, it's very much linked to the moments shared with the family. Even better, whites, rosés and sparkling wines do well as an aperitif and dessert. Something to cheer up and, above all, to encourage uninhibited discourse on wine. To the wise...



*Ipsos Observer study (Dec. 2023), Infog study (Feb. 2023), Decryption "The TikTok generation and wine"

Interview with Pascaline Lepeltier, sommelier and author

More than a year ago, this M.O.F. and Best Sommelier of France published Mille Vignes – Penser le vin de demain. A book-summation that questions our certainties as oenophiles in order to better open up the field of possibilities. From New York, the beverage director of TriBeCa's Chambers restaurant talks about her work, this book that has become a reference and, through it, her commitment to living wines...

How has the sommelier profession evolved in recent years?

In New York, since that's where I work, a post-Covid effect was clearly felt. Wine lovers were able to study their favourite subject at their leisure during the lockdown. As a result, we are dealing with a much more sophisticated clientele than before, who are highly informed, connected and sensitive to environmental and societal issues. So people who drink better. But less so... It's obvious. And this, regardless of their profile. As a result, there is less room for error. More than ever, sommeliers need to find wines that change, that speak, that deliver...

Read the rest of the interview...

Discover the culinary art of pasta with our exclusive newsletter! Immerse yourself in a world of flavours and traditions where each recipe tells a story. From classic spaghetti to carbonara to exotic recipes, explore our selection of articles and books to enrich your expertise. Whether you're an avid amateur or an aspiring chef, our newsletter guides you through the delights of pasta cooking. Find inspiration for your next repas and learn the secrets of the ma pastaiolo chefs. Subscribe to our newsletter now so you don't miss our next topics!

Discover the history and authenticity of la maison de Champagne Chavost, founded in 1946 by passionate winemakers from Chavot-Courcourt. Born from the fusion between the love of the ancestral lands of Chavost and the values of sharing passed down from generation to generation, our estate embodies the excellence of the Champagne region.
Today, our commitment to quality and the environment is manifested through our 5 hectares of vineyards certified organic since 2023. Under the direction of Fabian, vigneron with diverse experiences around the world, we innovate to create unique champagnes, favouring natural winemaking that respects the terroir. We are proud to present our new range "And without added sulphites!" which embodies our desire to vinify differently, favouring artisanal methods and singular wines, without compromising on quality.

Subscribe now to our newsletters to be the first to discover our exclusive vintages, follow our news and share with us our passion for champagne Chavost. Join a community of connoisseurs and let yourself be seduced by the authenticity and character of our exceptional champagnes.