What do you think would happen if one of the world’s top Champagne makers flew to Japan and founded a sake company? My first reaction was that it could only mean a dose of cultural appropriation. But what I found instead was a story of passion, friendship, mutual respect and a delicious beverage I’ve never really explored before. In the same way that the French have welcomed me out of mutual love and respect for French wine, so too have the Japanese welcomed Régis Camus into the ranks of sake maker.

I met Régis on a rainy, dreadful New York City night at a popular vegan sushi restaurant, Planta Queen. Having only known his name because of the incredible work he’s done at RARE Champagne, I expected an imposing figure, and one who may not have been easy to talk to. But like my original thinking around the idea of Franco-Japanese sake, I was perfectly wrong. Régis is as warm, passionate, and multi-dimensional as the sakes he’s created, and he and I share something great in common: our love for foreign cultures. In the same way that I as an American fell in love with France, so too did Régis as a Frenchman fall in love with Japan.

It’s true – there was no malicious intent in the founding of HEAVENSAKE. Rather, the brand tells the story of a man with curiosity and dedication who looked to further the craft of assemblage (blending) in an entirely new way. In doing so, those in Japan, masters of sake but lovers of Champagne, welcomed him to the fold. After much discussion and education on the making of sake – and profound respect for the people who make it – Régis applied his Champagne approach to sake. And while I am far from a sake expert, what I can say is that the result is a lineup of beautiful sakes that are reminiscent of wine – and should be enjoyed like them. From a floral standout that reminded me of Alsatian Gewurztraminer to a steely blend that had me thinking about Chablis, these sakes are certainly worth a spot on your shelf. Check out my full reviews below.

JUNMAI GINJO – $39.99 (HEAVENSAKE)

Described by Régis as the “Provence rosé of sakes” this selection reminded me of some of my favorite French wines. I loved its bright, citrus aromas and crisp minerality. In another world, I might compare it slightly to a Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc – doesn’t take itself too seriously but can also pair fantastically with a variety of foods. This is a sake I’ll definitely reach for on a weeknight – and especially in the summer with crudo, sushi, or even oysters.

JUNMAI DAIGINJO – $84.99 (HEAVENSAKE)

This bottle redefined my preconceptions about the sake category. With its complex, layered aromatic profile, it feels like Alsace Grand Cru Gewurztraminer’s younger cousin (and tasted blind – I’m not sure I could detect the difference immediately). If there is one word I could use to describe this delicious bottle, it would be layered. The nose immediately reveals a bouquet of fresh florals, like rose and white flowers, but on the palate, this is quickly eclipsed with crisp apple and even green table grapes. Its bounding acidity lends itself to a long and structured finish, which makes it perfect to pair with a variety of foods. Sounds like I’m describing a wine, right?! I was really surprised at the layers I tasted here and think this is a sake every wine love should try at least once.

Needless to say, this bicultural sake has my interest piqued. And while it paired beautifully with vegan sushi, I’m definitely saving some to try with a variety of other snacks and dishes, too. If you can get your hands on some of this stuff, I hope you love it as much as I did. At the very least, you’ll know you’re drinking a beverage with the precision of Champagne, the craft traditions of Japan, and mutual appreciation for both East and West alcohol cultures. Kanpai !

Looking for more drink recommendations? Check out 8 Great French Grenache-Based Wines, or 6 Magnificent Dark-Hued Rosés. Santé !

Tanisha Townsend is the woman I want to be when I grow up. She’s the Chief Wine Officer of her own consultancy, Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency. Now that’s what I call a title and a business name! Based in Paris, France she creates wine and food pairing experiences for expats and tourists, hosts a wine podcast named Wine School Dropout, and teaches wine courses at a variety of universities in Paris. She aims to be both fun and educational, and a resource for English-speaking expats who find themselves new to French wine culture. Oh, and let’s talk about all of her amazing certifications – she’s passed the WSET Level 3, CSW, plus is Certified Specialist of Spirits AND a French Wine Scholar! Talk about #GOALS. I wish I had known Tanisha when I was studying abroad – it would have made my foray into French wine a whole lot easier!

Below is part three of my series on amplifying Black voices in the French wine industry and in French culture. I’m constantly looking for new people to chat with, so if you know someone who would be a fit for the series, let me know! I’d love to continue to amplify Black voices both now and in the future.

Tanisha Townsend is the woman I want to be when I grow up. She’s the Chief Wine Officer of her own consultancy, Girl Meets Glass, a wine lifestyle and education agency. Now that’s what I call a title and a business name! Based in Paris, France she creates wine and food pairing experiences for expats and tourists, hosts a wine podcast named Wine School Dropout, and teaches wine courses at a variety of universities in Paris. She aims to be both fun and educational, and a resource for English-speaking expats who find themselves new to French wine culture. Oh, and let’s talk about all of her amazing certifications – she’s passed the WSET Level 3, CSW, plus is Certified Specialist of Spirits AND a French Wine Scholar! Talk about #GOALS. I wish I had known Tanisha when I was studying abroad – it would have made my foray into French wine a whole lot easier!

Katie: What was THE WINE that got you into working in wine?

Tanisha: I don’t remember the wine that actually sparked my curiosity in wine, just that it was from Maryland. But the wine that blew my mind and made me think I could actually have a career in wine was a Batard-Montrachet. It’s a white Burgundy and I was drinking it in Burgundy. It’s like a harp was playing in my mind when I tasted it. I was in the region with a group of wine educators studying with the Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB). We were traveling through the region for a week, tasting, taking classes, walking through the vineyards, studying to become certified as Official Bourgogne Wine Educators.

KM: Where did you grow up in the U.S. and is your family into wine as well?

TT: I grew up in Chicago. My family are definitely not wine people! They still don’t drink wine. My appreciation of it came around in my adult life.

KM: Did you learn French in school? What was the hardest part about learning the language?

TT: Nope! I took Spanish in high school and never used it. The hardest part is… everything! But seriously: conjugation and masculine/feminine. Why is this chair a boy or girl? As I started to focus more on French wines when I lived in the States, I took a couple of French courses in the evenings but nothing too serious. That didn’t stop me from moving here though! My first visa was a student visa, [and while studying here] I enrolled full time in French classes. And tried to speak French every day. This is one thing I feel like that you can’t rush. You can’t necessarily study it more or cram – it takes time and tons of practice. You’d think being in Paris, I’d be immersed and practice opportunities would be all around me. Not really. Everyone isn’t as excited to practice language as you may be, they aren’t always helpful and patient as you try to search for your words or stumble or pronunciations.

KM: What was your first job in wine and how did you get to France from there?

TT: My first job was in wine marketing. I served samples of Bordeaux wines in grocery stores around DC and the surrounding county of Montgomery County, Maryland. France came years later I as learned more, completed more certifications, and taught wine courses at a university in Maryland. Actually, coming to France was a result of networking, a colleague I’d met some time earlier reached out to me and asked if I was interested in replacing her and teaching her wine classes at her school in Paris. I absolutely said yes and came over. This was technically my first job in wine in Paris. I later created tours of wine bars in the city and posted them online. Now I consider myself [many things]: 1) a wine educator, as I teach wine courses at universities in Paris, 2) a freelancer as I host a podcast, Wine School Dropout, create ebooks about where to drink/buy wine in Paris, write articles for online wine & spirits publications…and 3) probably a couple of other things that I’m forgetting.

KM: What’s a fun upcoming project you are working on?

TT: I’m working on a wine bar guide for Paris, which will tell you where to go to get a good glass of wine, plus enjoy great atmosphere and stellar service. Oh – and I’ll also be launching an educational YouTube channel – coming soon!

KM: What is your favorite French region or domaine?

TT: You’re trying to get me into trouble here Katie! But whenever in doubt, I know I can select a wine from the Rhône Valley or Languedoc-Roussillon and be happy.

KM: Have you experienced racism in the French wine world, and has anything changed recently following the global black lives matter movement?

TT: I am all the minorities rolled into one in France – woman, black, and American! What could I possibly know about wine? But what has really saved me is the connections I’ve made in the industry. I definitely would not have gotten as far here if I didn’t have other people introducing me, speaking up, teaching me the ropes, specificities of French wine regions and culture.

KM: Anything else about your professional experience you’d like me to add in?

TT: I’m the host of a wine podcast, it’s small bites of wine info that you can use right away. Listen to Wine School Dropout podcast!

The next time you’re in Paris, try attending one of Tanisha’s courses or going on a walking tour of wine bars together – you can book them HERE. Stay in touch with all her adventures via Instagram @girlmeetsglass.

Below is part two of my series on amplifying Black voices in the French wine industry and in French culture. I’m constantly looking for new people to chat with, so if you know someone who would be a fit for the series, let me know! I’d love to continue to amplify Black voices as best as I can both now and in the future!

Anyone who knows Philippe knows how dynamic, hilarious, and kind he is. He was one of the first to send me a pronunciation request – for both his handle name (@niquesomm) and the Champagne House he represents in the U.S., Charles Heidsieck. We’d tag each other in stories, usually with a fair amount of tongue and cheek – he still can’t believe that I’m not a fan of Champagne.

So, when I asked him whether or not he would be interested in interviewing with me for this blog, he replied with an enthusiastic YES – on one condition. That I would open up a bottle of Heidsieck while writing and compiling his thoughts… so, without further ado, here we go.

Katie: What was “the wine” that got you interested in working in wine?

Philippe André: Wow – so many, but I distinctly remember buying two bottles of Champagne from my family’s restaurant’s cellar Oceanique 505, to enjoy a summer night home from college. I couldn’t believe how very different they both were. The first bottle I opened was an NV Blanc de Blancs by the grower house Waris-Larmandier. I remember being extremely annoyed and disappointed at first and I struggled in finishing the first glass. So much so that I decided to put it aside and open the second bottle, 1995 vintage Brut by Laurent-Perrier. Right out of the gate I was so very happy. This was everything I was looking for, lush orchard fruit, baking spices, vanilla creme brûlée and puff pastry with a velvety texture – it was so good I finished it almost as quickly as it had been opened. I decided to go back to the first bottle and holy shit was I so glad I did! Now the BDB had time to open up and the precision, fruit and length were all there on display – simply gorgeous wines, the both of them. This experience puzzled me and was the spark that challenged me to learn everything I possibly could about the two wines and why they were so different. That summer, I spent every day thinking and learning about the incredible diversity and history of Champagne!

KM: How did your career progress from there? How did you end up at Charles Heidsieck?

PA: I spent 9 years on the floor focusing on hospitality and wine service. I then accepted a winemaking apprenticeship at a biodynamic vineyard in McMinnville, Oregon. After harvest I came back to Chicago to work in the auction and private client world at Hart Davis Hart Wine Co. Then I went on to represent the very large champagne group here in Chicago focusing on the top restaurants in one of the greatest food scenes. I then moved on to found my own consultancy @grandcru, which connects a national network of private clients with luxury brands. One day I got a call from a mentor and dear friend, who connected me with the EPI Group as they were looking to create a unique Ambassador roll to manage Charles Heidsieck here in the US. After a few months of discussions I had earned the opportunity!

KM: Why Champagne?

PA: Because it’s the best damn wine dollar for dollar you can drink for any occasion period! Curating wine pairings for multi-course meals, I quickly learned that there is the perfect Champagne for every dish, moment, guest, hour and my favorite pairing: an aged Cuban cigar! The value Champagne offers in your glass every time…the often decades of work it takes to create is simply unreal. If you asked a winemaker to go make 200+ individual wines every year for 10-20 years, then to create a blend balancing both aged and young wines only to then age again for five to nine more years in a bottle before getting to actually taste their work – [I’d bet] that winemaker [won’t] still be interested! They will most likely just say, “Hell no!” and move on. No other wine region of this scale meticulously does the work we do in making a $50-$70 bottle, no one! In my opinion, no wine or region is ever consistently perfect, but the obsessive attention to quality makes it so you can be extremely confident whenever you see Champagne on the label, and when you see Charles there next to it I’m rather confident it will be an experience you won’t forget.

KM: What I love about your ambassadorship is that your content makes Champagne accessible. When you started the role, was that the goal? How has it been working with the brand with regard to messaging and your creative direction?

PA: Yes, absolutely- thank you so much for noticing! I’m so very proud of that! My idea from the very beginning of my personal “brand development” way back before Instagram or what I knew a personal brand could even be to ask myself what can I do to inspire others to love wine the way I love wine and have fun along the way. I knew I wanted to genuinely be myself and to be proud of it. I did it on the floor as a sommelier in fine dining and I try to continue to do that every day by being honest about who I am and what I love – wine! Through my discussions and interviews with the EPI team I utilized my Instagram account as a digital résumé of who I am and most importantly how I would steward the brand. Because it was so genuine from the very beginning I was confident of the alignment of our two brands @niquesomm + @charlesheidsieckchampagne. I saw the situation as if was a race car driver looking at a next generation F1 prototype. I knew I had the opportunity to finally show what I could do on the track. When I joined Team Charles the sincere welcome, immediate support and confidence I had from the very beginning inspired me to keep pushing and to trust in myself for creative inspiration. Champagne is my first love but so many inspiring bottles and more importantly inspiring people have helped me to challenge myself professionally.

KM: Are you doing any upcoming exciting projects with Charles Heidsieck?

PA: I’m always trying to think outside the box in how bring our wines into the spotlight they rightfully deserve. From the very beginning when I moved to New York in November of 2018 I immediately met with sommeliers and wine collectors that I trusted would focus on the quality and dedication we show in the glass to build honest relationships. For years I envisioned a world where selling Champagne successfully didn’t require the stale pretense or tone deaf marketing that most large Champagne houses heavily rely on – and I did it. Thankfully, at Charles, I have the most important factor for this disruption and it’s quality. Looking into the near future I continue to carry the torch but right now my sommelier and hospitality fam are hurting. I am doing my best to support them through this difficult and emotional time and look forward to safely getting through this- we all will truly deserve a glass of Charles after this emotional rollercoaster of a year for sure!

KM: Have you experienced racism from the French or in times that you’ve visited France, and what was it like? How was it different from American racism?

PA: I have been very privileged to visit France as a teenager and as an adult for both vacation and business many times. I was lucky to not have experienced discrimination while there. However, I have experienced it in my career in the U.S. from both my fellow Americans and French natives. One experience was not unlike what the many of my BIPOC colleagues have recently shared. During a final round interview for a very prestigious role, it came down to me and a significantly less experienced white candidate. The HR team asked me to do a final video interview with the US brand director whom I would report to. This very senior French white male would go on to say that he would not allow someone that looked like me represent his “historic ultra luxury brand”- regardless of my qualifications. It was an extremely difficult and heartbreaking moment to accept. It still haunts me today.

KM: Your name is SUPER FRENCH, and so is your handle name! Do you have French in your heritage, and/or do you speak the language?

PA: Haha, yes! I have French heritage in my family by way of Haiti! I took five years of French in my younger years and hit a wall at the time. I ended up switching my focus to Japanese and Spanish but always wanted to spend time in France to become more proficient. My love for French wine, cuisine and culture has compelled me to get back into it over the last fifteen years. Now that I work with a French family I could use your help to brush up – are you willing to trade? Maybe we do one bubble for one word perhaps

KM: Outside of Champagne, what’s your favorite French wine, and what’s your favorite French region to visit?

PA: Favorite French wine: Burgundy and more specifically the Grand Cru bottlings of Le Montrachet! They are fascinating to me. Crazy complex, luscious and decadent wines that become the moment no matter what you’re doing.. 20+ year old Monty is the truth y’all! I was fortunate to open a bottle of 1984 Joseph Drouhin Marquis de Leguiche Montrachet with my father at my wedding in New Orleans- a wine and night I’ll never forget. If I can’t swing Monty on the reg I‘ll settle for Corton Charlemagne.. good enough for the king is good enough for me!

Favorite French region to visit outside of Champagne is tough- I actually haven’t been to many. Burgundy, the Rhône, Bordeaux, Alsace and the Loire are all on my short list for sure.. I have been to Cognac three times on Business trips and I was always impressed visiting- it’s regal, historic and a bit sleepy. I’ve seen their passion and attention to quality firsthand- reminds me a lot of what we do in Champagne.

Widely distributed in the U.S., you can find Charles Heidsieck Champagne at a variety of local, regional, and national retailers, including wine.com and totalwine.com. Be sure to follow them and Philippe on Instagram!

Below is part one of my series on amplifying Black voices in the French wine industry and in French culture. I’m constantly looking for new people to chat with, so if you know someone who would be a fit for the series, let me know! I’d love to continue to amplify Black voices both now and in the future.

If you’re an American, the concept of launching a wine business in France can be daunting. And because it’s so daunting, there aren’t many Americans who have done it successfully, but there is someone who sticks out immediately, and that’s Donae Burston. For the star that he is, Donae is incredibly down to earth.

He’s the founder & CEO of a French rosé wine brand called La Fête du Rosé, which is an AOC Côtes de Provence made with Domaine Bertaud Belieu in St. Tropez. We’ve been following each other for a while on social, but I really started to get to know him when he and my friend Tahiirah from The Hue Society had an Instagram Live together a few weeks ago. I loved listening to him talk about his life and experience with French wine. I’ve never spoken to another American who loved and understood the French and French wine the same way I did. Chatting with Donae was like talking to an old friend, and it left me with a smile on my face for the rest of the day. I hope you enjoy our discussion as much as I did!

On starting in the wine biz – and starting his own wine biz:

“I wanted to create a brand that spoke to everyone, a brand that recruited everyone, Black, Brown & Asian people…with no seasonality or gender constraints.”

Katie: What’s “the wine” that got you interested in working in wine?

Donae: My interest in wine began with Dom Perignon, one of it not the most famous French champagne. When I became the Regional Marketing director managing Dom Perignon across the S.E. United States, I was introduced to a whole new world. A world of exclusive wine dinners, wine journalist, wine ratings, wine auctions,and pairings.

KM: What sparked the genesis for La Fête?

DB: I fell in love with rosé 10+ years ago when I first begin frequently traveling to the south of France. Then, when the rosé phenomenon took off in the United States, I found it to be very one dimensional, marketed primarily to a very specific general market consumer as a seasonal wine to be consumed only during the summer. I wanted to change that; I wanted to create a brand that spoke to everyone, a brand that recruited everyone, Black, Brown & Asian people, etc. with no seasonality or gender constraints.

KM: Why Côtes de Provence? Why rosé?

DB: Côtes de Provence is to rosé what Burgundy is to Pinot Noir. CDP is seen as the premier region for making the best French rosés. It was important for La Fête to have that heritage and credibility.

KM: When you first started the brand, who were the producers you met with? How did you decide which ones you wanted to work with?

DB: Ironically, I did not meet with any other producers (other than Domaine Bertaud Belieu). This whole process for me has been synchronicity at work, and I have to come to believe that the timing & events of this journey have been no accident.

Now that said, I did not operate blindly. I had previously tasted the wines from Domaine Bertaud Belieu at various venues (Cipriani, Bagatelle, Lavo) and events (AFMAR Gala, Elton John Aids Foundation) over the years. I was very confident in their ability to produce La Fête.

KM: Your wine is available to buy directly from your website – which is an absolute rarity for French wine in the U.S. How did that come about – are you a distributor working with an importer, or vice versa?

DB: We are the Brand Owner and Importer working with distributors to service the states where we are available for sale. Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) is the future of the wine business. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for small & emerging brands to secure distributors as the industry continues to consolidate. Thus, DTC is the only way most small brands/wineries can reach potential customers.

KM: 100%! Why do you think more French wines aren’t doing direct to consumer?

DB: Well, you know the French can be a little old-fashioned. We’re doing it here in the United States, we’ll have to shown them the return they can get. I think gradually we can convince them.

KM: Do you also have La Fête available in the French and European markets, or is it mostly exported to the U.S.?

DB: La Fête will be available for sale in both France & the U.K. starting July 1st. We are also considering The Netherlands and Greece as we have been getting tons of requests from consumers and distributors in those countries. That will probably not happen until Spring 2021.

On France and the French

“My first advice would be to learn French.”

KM: What has been your experience with the French government, and what advice do you have for other Americans who may want to launch a business in France?

DB: My winery partner has been fantastic and has served as our liaison and proxy when dealing with the French Government. I could not imagine taking on such a task as a lone American.

My first advice would be to learn French or find yourself a translator/confident that you can take with you to all meetings. Despite most French people in the business having a basic understanding of the English language, French is a necessity. Especially when dealing with the growers in the Provence outside of Paris. You can’t even begin exploratory conversions if you cannot communicate.

I took French for about six years between high school and college, and while I’m not fluent, it really helps. I can understand the context of what they’re saying, and that alone makes a huge difference.

KM: I love that you kept the name of the brand in French, and I love the translation! That being said, a lot of the mainstream rosé brands don’t keep the French names (here’s looking at you, Whispering Angel). What’s been the response to the name?

DB: For wine consumers in the know, there’s always confusion with Lafite Rothschild [from Bordeaux]. But for the regular consumer, I find that people actually just try to over-Frenchify the name – adding accents and syllables. I hear “La-feh-tay” a lot, which is pretty funny.

KM: What’s been your experience working with the French?

DB: Overall, I have had good experiences working with the French. Once you begin to understand the French culture and the way French society works, it becomes far more manageable. My experience working with the French during my time at Moet Hennessy USA/LVMH was very educational. I have built longstanding friendships with many of my French colleagues both in the US and in France.

And for my working relationship with my winery partner, it has been great! The only minor issue at times is that I definitely have that American hustle attitude of everything is possible and can be done now.

KM: Now let’s talk about something a bit more controversial… racism. It’s a topic that many in the French wine world have stayed silent about. Have you experienced this as a Black American in French business?

DB: Luckily, I have not experienced racism. I have experienced distrust or anti-American sentiment, especially since 45 took office. For the most part, I have found the French to be very open to Black American culture. I think music dating back to the Jazz era has played a significant role in that. Now, I am fully aware that there is an anti-African immigrant sentiment growing in France and most of Europe that I pray does not turn the country upside down the way it has here in the states. Black Americans have always looked at France as a place where we could go and live freely and be accepted. It would be a shame to see that go away.

On Future Plans and Mentorship

“Be authentic in your purpose and mission.”

KM: What are your future plans in wine? Are you hoping to launch another French wine brand, and if so what regions do you have your eye on?

DB: Up next, we are working on a sparkling version of La Fête that will also be produced in Provence.

KM: What advice would you have for someone looking to start a business like yours that is at its core bicultural?

DB: First, be authentic in your purpose and mission. I have witnessed so many other brands in the past claim that they were interested in multiculturalism, but to them, that meant “all Black.” That’s not bicultural or multiculturalism. It truly has to be a part of your brand’s DNA from A to Z. It cannot be a marketing ploy; consumers will see right thru it. Consumers are intelligent and very aware.

KM: I know your brand has been big on giving back to the community since the start. Do you have or plan to have an internship or mentorship program at La Fête to get young people interested and educated in the wine business?

DB: That’s actually something we have started to do this week. We’re going through an app that will connect us to high schools and colleges to give young people training in wine. Once the fall season hits, we’ll definitely start to do more formal internships so that we can have a pipeline of young talent for the business.

If you haven’t already tasted this wine, you can purchase La Fête du Rosé directly from the website, or ask your local wineshop if they stock it. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram, where you can also find Donae at @thurstonburstoniii.

\ly from the website, or ask your local wineshop if they stock it. Don’t forget to follow them on Instagram, where you can also find Donae at @thurstonburstoniii.