Olivier Bernstein did not win the future-winemaker genetic lottery of being born to a Burgundian winemaking family, and his first career was in business management. He now, though, makes world-renowned wines in the most sought-after region on the planet, and owns both Grand Cru and Premiere Cru vineyards. How did he do it?

After going back to school for winemaking in Burgundy, he bought land in Roussillon at the age of 35. But, Burgundy called. In 2007, he made 14 different handshake deals with 14 different Burgundian vineyard owners in which Olivier would do all the work and they would get a guaranteed price regardless of yield. “It was a crazy bet,” he says. “If hail destroyed the crop I would lose everything but the owner would still get paid.”  

The bet paid off. Not only are his wines highly sought-after, but when a few of the  vineyard owners decided to sell their land, they went to Olivier first. He’s now making the wine of his dreams in the location of his dreams. His aim? To “make pure, balanced wines that combine both mouth-filling depth and magnificent delicacy.”  

His 2022, sourced from nearly 90-year-old vines planted on clay and broken limestone, shows enormous potential. Fairly brooding in its youth, with notes on the horizon of sour cherry, mocha, and ripe blackberry dropped in the underbrush. Striking acidity and silky tannin. The tension here is otherworldly, promising exponential returns to the patient collector.