The Ultimate Burgundy Winemaker Dinner is Coming to San Francisco

$10,000+ of value in high end burgundy and fine food at SF's hottest new restaurant. Tickets are on sale for the Domaine de Montille Dinner with Étienne de Montille.

This exclusive Burgundy wine dinner taking place on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at San Francisco’s newly opened restaurant Wolfsbane. Priced at $1,750 (plus tax), this ultra-premium event kicks off the La Paulée San Francisco festival with a once-in-a-lifetime evening featuring Burgundy legend Étienne de Montille and an extraordinary lineup of rare Domaine de Montille wines in magnum, poured direct from the family’s cellars in Volnay.

In other words, guests will enjoy an unprecedented tasting of perfectly cellared Burgundies spanning five decades, all guided by the vintner himself. Below, we explore why this dinner is a must for any wine lover – from Domaine de Montille's storied legacy and winemaking philosophy, to the event’s indulgent menu and irreplaceable wine lineup.

From the vibrant 2010 Corton-Charlemagne to the venerable 1976 Volnay, and the complete mini-verticals of Cailleret and Malconsorts, you’re effectively enjoying a $10k+ Burgundy library tasting in one night PLUS dinner at one of San Francisco's hottest new restaurants.

Tickets are Available for Purchase Tickets Here

What is La Paulée San Francisco 2026?

La Paulée is a famed celebration of Burgundy wines founded by sommelier Daniel Johnnes as an homage to Burgundy’s traditional harvest feast, La Paulée de Meursault. Since 2000, La Paulée has evolved into a multi-city festival featuring tastings, seminars, and extravagant wine dinners with Burgundy’s top domaines. (Wine critic Robert Parker once quipped, “Any Burgundy enthusiast who doesn’t jump at the opportunity to attend this event is crazy, as it is a dinner/tasting of a lifetime.”)

This year’s San Francisco edition (Feb 25–28, 2026) brings together renowned Burgundian winemakers and Michelin-star chefs for four days of Burgundy bliss, culminating in a grand gala. The Domaine de Montille Dinner is the festival’s opening night highlight, promising to set an epic tone for the week. It’s a privileged opportunity to experience the spirit of Burgundy’s convivial joie de vivre without leaving California.

Domaine de Montille: A Burgundy Legacy of Terroir and Tradition

Volnay’s vineyards have been home to the de Montille family for centuries. The storied Domaine de Montille traces its roots in Burgundy back to the 1730s, and the family name remains synonymous with the village of Volnay in the Côte de Beaune.

Domaine de Montille

Domaine de Montille is revered as one of Burgundy’s most historic and iconic estates. While the domaine today encompasses 35 hectares of elite vineyards, its journey has been one of dramatic highs and lows. In the 19th century the family held prized parcels in Musigny, Bonnes Mares, and Les Amoureuses, but economic hardships (including the phylloxera plague) forced the sale of many vineyards. By 1947, when Hubert de Montille took the helm (at just 17 years old), the estate had dwindled to a mere 2.5 hectares of vines centered on Volnay and Pommard.

Hubert was determined to restore the family’s glory: despite working by day as a lawyer, he poured his passion into winemaking by night. He was a maverick in mid-century Burgundy, among the first in the region to insist on estate bottling (at a time when over 90% of Burgundy was sold to négociants) and to pursue uncompromising quality. The “Hubert era” wines were famously austere, tightly structured and built for long aging – often unapproachable in youth, but sublime decades later. Indeed, many of Hubert’s vins de garde from the 1970s and 1980s have “blossomed into the stuff of legends”, rewarding patient collectors with gorgeous mature Burgundy.

Today, under the guidance of Hubert’s son Étienne de Montille (the domaine’s 9th-generation proprietor), Domaine de Montille brilliantly balances tradition and modernity. Étienne joined his father in 1983 and took over winemaking in the mid-1990s, ushering in significant changes. One of his first bold moves was converting the vineyards to organic farming in 1995, later embracing biodynamic practices by 2005 (with full organic certification earned in 2012). These sustainable viticultural methods reflect a deep respect for the land and vine health, ensuring purity of terroir for generations to come. Étienne also dramatically expanded the domaine’s vineyard holdings, carefully acquiring exceptional parcels that have elevated de Montille into Burgundy’s top echelon.

Étienne de Montille

Notably, he added Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret in 1993, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru in 2004, and in 2005 executed a novel deal (with Domaine Dujac) to purchase parts of the Thomas-Moillard estate – including Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts, a vineyard neighboring the hallowed La Tâche Grand Cru. (The Malconsorts acquisition yielded an especially precious gem: a micro-parcel within Malconsorts that Étienne bottles separately as “Cuvée Christiane” – named after his mother – beginning with the 2005 vintage.) 

In addition, Étienne incorporated new white wine vineyards (learning white winemaking under his brother-in-law Jean-Marc Roulot’s tutelage) and even took over the Château de Puligny-Montrachet in 2012, folding those choice vineyards (Chevalier-Montrachet, Meursault Perrières, etc.) into the family domaine by 2017.

The result is that Domaine de Montille today excels in an array of Burgundy’s greatest terroirs, unusual for a single estate. From Volnay’s silken Pinot Noirs to Meursault’s chiselled Chardonnays, from Pommard’s power to Vosne’s perfume, de Montille produces top wines across both the Côte de Beaune and Côte de Nuits. Among its crown jewels are a handful of premier cru vineyards so esteemed that Étienne refers to them as “Grand Premier Crus” on his labels.

These include Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens-Bas, and Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret – all of which will feature in the San Francisco dinner. Another jewel, of course, is Vosne 1er Cru Les Malconsorts – Cuvée Christiane, that tiny plot abutting Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s La Tâche. Such terroir treasures have cemented de Montille’s reputation as a producer that bridges the gap between Burgundy’s past and future.

Importantly, while honoring tradition, Étienne has refined the estate’s winemaking style to make the wines more inviting in their youth without sacrificing longevity. The rigid austerity of Hubert’s era has given way to a style defined by elegance, energy, and transparency of terroir. “Today’s wines are fresh and elegant…with a structure that is built to last,” as one observer notes. In practice, this means gentle, patient vinification: use of a high proportion of whole clusters in fermentation (often 50–100% stems, depending on vintage) to enhance aromatics and finesse, moderate extraction (far fewer punch-downs than Hubert employed), and restrained oak (typically only 20–30% new barrels, even for premier crus).

Whites are picked on the earlier side for vibrant acidity, fermented and aged with minimal bâtonnage in a mix of standard Burgundy barrels and larger 600L casks. The aim is to let each vineyard’s voice shine through clearly. Étienne tailors his approach to each vintage’s conditions, an artistry that yields wines of remarkable purity and sense of place. Yet for all their polish, de Montille wines still reward patience: they can age for decades, gaining in complexity and depth.

This unique balance of approachability and age-worthiness has propelled Domaine de Montille to the very forefront of Burgundy today. It’s a family estate that embodies the soul of Burgundy – a perfect bridge between the old-school and the new guard, between audacity and authenticity.

Not content with conquering Burgundy, Étienne has also spread his wings internationally: he co-founded Racines, an acclaimed project in California’s Sta. Rita Hills (Santa Barbara) making Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and even sparkling wine in partnership with Rodolphe Péters of Champagne and Brian Sieve of Domaine de Montille. A few selections from Racines will kick off the dinner reception – a fitting New World meets Old World touch, showcasing Étienne’s global wine vision.

Inside the Dinner with Étienne de Montille: Rare Wines & an Elegant Feast

The Dining Room at Wolfsbane

The Domaine de Montille Dinner promises to transport attendees straight to Burgundy for the night – through both the wines in their glass and the atmosphere at the table. This intimate dinner will be hosted at Wolfsbane, one of San Francisco’s hottest new dining destinations. Chef Tommy Halvorson (formerly of Serpentine, in partnership with the Michelin-starred Lord Stanley team) has earned early accolades for his inventive, seasonal cuisine that pairs California’s bounty with French finesse.

For this dinner, Halvorson is crafting a multi-course tasting menu tailored to complement each flight of wines, ensuring that “each course elevates the wine, and vice versa”. Expect an elegant, Michelin-caliber feast – perhaps showcasing delicacies like pristine oysters, wild mushrooms, truffled game or aged duck – all designed to sing alongside the nuanced Burgundy in your glass.

The event begins at 6:30pm with a Champagne and hors d’oeuvres reception, followed by dinner at 7pm. With Wolfsbane’s dining room being an intimate 16-seat space, attendees can look forward to a warm, convivial ambiance, more like a dinner party among friends than a formal banquet. Étienne de Montille will be present throughout, sharing personal stories, pouring the wines, and offering insights into each vintage and vineyard. This kind of face-to-face engagement with a Burgundy vigneron of Étienne’s stature is exceedingly rare – it’s essentially a private masterclass in Burgundy history and terroir, unfolding over the course of one luxurious meal.

The Unprecedented Wine Lineup: A Journey Through Five Decades

Of course, the star of the show is the wine. And what a lineup it is – truly one for the ages. All wines for this dinner are being flown in from Domaine de Montille's own cellar reserves, in large-format magnums for optimal maturity and freshness. Tasting even a single aged magnum direct from the domaine is special; tasting a dozen-plus in one sitting is virtually unheard of. The selection curated for this night spans white and red Burgundy, young and old vintages, multiple villages and crus – a comprehensive tour of de Montille’s repertoire and Burgundy’s terroirs.

The dinner will begin with an exploration of Étienne’s transatlantic venture, Racines (California), during the reception, then delve into vertical flights of de Montille’s Burgundian classics.

• Racines, Bentrock Vineyard Sparkling 2018 (Sta. Rita Hills) – a grower-method sparkling wine from Étienne’s California project, to kick off the evening

• Racines, Chardonnay “De Montille Estate Vineyard” 2023 – a limited California Chardonnay showing Burgundian finesse

• Racines, Pinot Noir “La Rinconada” 2017 – a Santa Barbara Pinot made in collaboration with Burgundy and Champagne savoir-faire

Following the first flight, the dinner moves to Burgundy, with all wines poured from magnum. This Cailleret vertical will vividly illustrate how a top Puligny terroir evolves from youthful vibrancy to rich maturity over nearly 30 years:

• Domaine de Montille, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret – 2014 (magnum) – A grand Premier Cru white Burgundy from a vibrant recent vintage

• Domaine de Montille, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret – 2007 (magnum) – Same vineyard, an elegant mid-2000s vintage

• Domaine de Montille, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret – 1998 (magnum) – 1990s example of Cailleret’s flinty greatness

• Domaine de Montille, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret – 1996 (magnum) – The oldest Cailleret in the flight, from an iconic white Burgundy vintage

  
  

Next, The Volnay Taillepieds vs. Pommard Rugiens “twin flights” will allow side-by-side comparison of these two famed Côte de Beaune premiers crus across three decades – 1970s, 1980s, 1990s – highlighting the contrast between Volnay’s elegance and Pommard’s intensity in each era.

• Domaine de Montille, Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds – 1990 (magnum) – A historic Volnay from the ripe 1990 vintage

• Domaine de Montille, Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds – 1985 (magnum) – Mid-’80s classic, fully mature and silken

• Domaine de Montille, Volnay 1er Cru Taillepieds – 1976 (magnum) – A 45+ year-old relic from Hubert de Montille’s era, in peak form

• Domaine de Montille, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens-Bas – 1999 (magnum) – Powerful Pommard from a legendary red Burgundy vintage

• Domaine de Montille, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens-Bas – 1983 (magnum) – Rare ’83 showing of this structured terroir

• Domaine de Montille, Pommard 1er Cru Les Rugiens-Bas – 1978 (magnum) – Another time-capsule bottle, showcasing 1970s Burgundy at its best

Finally, the evening crescendos in Vosne-Romanée with a three-vintage vertical of Les Malconsorts – Cuvée Christiane, de Montille’s rarest cuvée from a tiny parcel that borders La Tâche. Tasting 2009, 2008, and the inaugural 2005 side by side (all in magnum) is like watching this great terroir evolve through time. As a finale, 2010 Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru arrives to cleanse and reset the palate, a taut, mineral white Burgundy that closes the dinner on a perfectly poised, luminous finish.

• Domaine de Montille, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts – Cuvée Christiane – 2009 (magnum) – A late-2000s vintage of this extremely limited cuvée, from vines adjacent to La Tâche

• Domaine de Montille, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts – Cuvée Christiane – 2008 (magnum) – A contrasting cooler-year expression of Cuvée Christiane

• Domaine de Montille, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Malconsorts – Cuvée Christiane – 2005 (magnum) – The very first vintage of Cuvée Christiane ever made (a piece of modern Burgundy history)

• Domaine de Montille, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru – 2010 (magnum) – To finish, a Grand Cru white Burgundy from an acclaimed vintage, providing a majestic, creamy yet mineral finale

In total, that’s 14 outstanding Burgundy wines (not counting the reception sparklers) – a panorama of Burgundy spanning from 1976 to 2023. Throughout this progression, guests will effectively sample the entire spectrum of Domaine de Montille's artistry: multiple grape varieties (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir), appellations from Puligny-Montrachet in the south to Vosne-Romanée in the north, and vintages young and old, each with its own story to tell.

Étienne de Montille will be on hand to provide color commentary and context at each step, illuminating how each wine reflects a different facet of Burgundy’s terroir and the evolution of his family’s winemaking philosophy. Expect personal anecdotes – perhaps how his father vinified the 1970s wines versus how the domaine handled more recent vintages – and insights into viticultural changes over the decades (such as the shift to organic farming or adapting to climate trends).

This guided tasting format makes the dinner as educational as it is indulgent, enriching your appreciation of each pour. By the end of the night, you will have “tasted through time,” gaining a deeper understanding of Burgundy’s past and present – all without leaving your seat.

 A peek inside Domaine de Montille's cellar: wines drawn straight from the source. For this event, all bottles are being shipped from the domaine’s own cellar reserves in Burgundy, ensuring pristine provenance and perfectly aged wines for guests to enjoy.

It’s hard to overstate how special this wine lineup is. Many of these bottles are virtually impossible for a collector to assemble today – especially in magnum format with domaine provenance. For example, the Cuvée Christiane Malconsorts is produced only in tiny quantities (from a 0.73 ha plot) and seldom released to the market; even relatively young magnums (e.g. 2013) have fetched over $800–$1,100 each at auction.

The dinner includes the first-ever 2005 vintage of this wine – a piece of vinous history you cannot simply buy off a shelf. Likewise, tasting 1970s de Montille Volnay and Pommard in peak condition is a rare privilege; a single 750ml bottle of 1976 Volnay from the domaine recently retailed for about $1,450, and here we have magnums opened for the group. In aggregate, the value of wine being poured far exceeds the ticket price – but even more valuable is the experience itself, as these aged bottles (drawn from deep in the de Montille cellar) carry a provenance and story no amount of money can replicate. This is Burgundy at its most authentic and exclusive.

Why This Experience Is Unmissable – and Worth Every Penny

After considering all of the above, it should be clear: the Domaine de Montille Dinner offers an experience that Burgundy lovers will likely never see again. Here’s a summary of what makes this event so extraordinary (and, surprisingly, a compelling value for what’s included):

Dinner with a Burgundy Legend

You’ll share an intimate evening with Étienne de Montille, one of Burgundy’s most respected winemakers, as your personal host. This is essentially a private tutorial with the steward of a 9th-generation domaine – an opportunity to hear first-hand about his family’s lore, winemaking insights, and the history behind each bottle. The chance to casually converse and clink glasses with the man who made (or whose father made) these wines is priceless – a depth of access normally reserved for visits to the chateau in Volnay. It’s the kind of one-on-one interaction that serious oenophiles dream about, and it adds immeasurably to the enjoyment of the wines.

Fourteen Rare Wines from the Domaine’s Cellar

The combined rarity and market value of the wines being poured would far exceed the cost of admission if one tried to source them individually. We’re talking five decades of Burgundy including multiple older vintages from the 1970s and 1980s that are exceedingly scarce. Just one mature magnum from this lineup (say, the 1978 Pommard or 1985 Volnay) could cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars at auction – if you could even find it.

Tasting all of them together, side by side is an experience money can’t ordinarily buy. From the vibrant 2010 Corton-Charlemagne to the venerable 1976 Volnay, and the complete mini-verticals of Cailleret and Malconsorts, you’re effectively enjoying a $10k+ Burgundy library tasting in one night. For any devotee of Pinot Noir or Chardonnay, it’s like a dream flight that would be nearly impossible to recreate on your own. In short, you will savor legendary, top-scoring wines (in large format, at perfect maturity) that most collectors could only ever read about.

A Gourmet Menu at SF’s Hottest New Restaurant 

Wolfsbane and Chef Tommy Halvorson are delivering a multi-course fine dining experience alongside the wines – a feast worthy of the vintages being poured. Consider that a comparable tasting menu at a Michelin-level restaurant in San Francisco might run a few hundred dollars per person on its own. Here, you’re getting a custom-crafted menu (likely featuring luxurious ingredients and impeccable French technique) specifically designed to pair with each flight of Burgundy, essentially a Michelin-star dinner built into your ticket.

Wolfsbane has quickly become one of the city’s toughest reservations, lauded for its creative Northern California cuisine and exceptional hospitality. Dining here as part of this event means not only indulging in Halvorson’s elegant dishes (perhaps one night only creations), but doing so in a setting optimized for wine enjoyment – proper pacing, optimal stemware, and dishes calibrated to make the 1970s Pommard or 2010 Corton-Charlemagne shine. The value of this food-and-wine synergy, plus the ambience of a buzzing new restaurant closed for our private event, is significant in its own right.

When you add it all up, the $1,750 ticket begins to look completely justified – even a steal relative to the sheer scope of what’s provided. You’re paying roughly what a single prestige Burgundy magnum can cost, and in return getting an entire evening of world-class food, nine extraordinary wine pours (plus reception sips), and personal interaction with the winemaker.

Moreover, the other benefits are off the charts: you’ll come away with unforgettable memories, newfound knowledge, and bragging rights to having tasted things like a 1970s Taillepieds from magnum or the inaugural Cuvée Christiane. It bears repeating that this is a one-time-only lineup drawn from Domaine de Montille's library – once these bottles are drunk, there may never be another chance to taste them together again. The combination of historical significance, rarity, and expert curation makes this a “dinner of a lifetime” for Burgundy aficionados.

Final Thoughts

The Domaine de Montille Dinner with Étienne de Montille is the event to attend for anyone who cherishes Burgundy’s wines and heritage. It encapsulates the very best of La Paulée: a storied Burgundian estate at the top of its game, a flight of wines that enthusiasts spend decades chasing, a top-notch culinary experience, and the joyful camaraderie of sharing it all with fellow wine lovers in an intimate setting.

Whether you’re a seasoned Burgundy collector or simply someone who loves great wine and fine dining, this evening offers an unparalleled opportunity to indulge and learn. Seats are extremely limited, and anticipation is already high – securing a ticket may be the only challenge. If you do, prepare for an extraordinary journey into Burgundy’s past and present, one that will leave you with a deeper appreciation for the magic in each glass. As Robert Parker urged, don’t miss out on what is sure to be a “tasting of a lifetime.”

PURCHASE TICKETS HERE