The past century has brought myriad incarnations of what we’ve come to call the Proust Questionnaire. Based on the late nineteenth century contemplations of French writer, Marcel Proust — subsequent adaptations have been issued by the French journalist, Bernard Pivot; Inside the Actor’s Studio host, James Lipton; and most recently, Vanity Fair, which has been revealing the intimacies of cultural figures for more than two decades. Given the singular nature of our community, we felt it was high time to shed some light on our own icons. With a humble tip of the hat to those who’ve come before us, please meet Aaron Pott.
Whether you find him curating classical music at his home on the property he lovingly calls Chateauneuf du Pott or biking past Lamborghinis and Ferraris on his way to the Napa Valley Wine Auction you always know the fun is about to start. He sat down recently and gave us a Proustian glimpse into his art and life.
Ah-ha moment: what bottle and/or event changed your life (opened your eyes), where, and when?
At the age of nine, I was in France for the first time. The first night in Paris we went to the venerable old bistro founded in 1896, Chartier. I ordered a glass of milk and the waiter looked at me and said, “Milk eez for babies.” A glass of wine appeared for me and I am guessing it was a Beaujolais Village. I remember it being bitter and harsh. I drank it and realized that this beverage was going to make me an adult.
What you’re drinking right now?
I am going deep on old Napa Valley right now. I am finding great wines not just limited to Cabernet Sauvignon but also Pinot Noir, Chenin Blanc, Petite Sirah, Charbono, and others.
Your most memorable pairing(s)?
1964 Dom Perignon and Cheetos. I love Cheetos and nothing goes better with Champagne!
Your guilty pleasure(s)?
Surfing! I became a surfer because of wine. On my first day working as a winemaker at Château Troplong Mondot, the owner took me to Château Cheval Blanc where we met with director Pierre Lurton. Hearing that I was from California, Pierre asked, “Do you surf?” When I replied in the negative he said, “Oh, that is too bad. We could have surfed together.” I imagined myself surfing with Pierre and drinking a 1947 Cheval Blanc on the beach surrounded by beautiful bikini-clad women. Needless to say, I enrolled in surfing lessons the next weekend and have not stopped since.
Who are you following (wine or otherwise)?
@lagiermeredith: Great nature photos and nice to see what my neighbors are doing!
@micheljunodsurfboards: Surfboards made by the legend himself, Michel Junod.
@joeljitsu: The most elegant surfer of all time.
What you’re listening to right now?
I love audiobooks and have the great Russian novels on repeat.
Favorite book and/or movie, and why?
When I learned French, my goal was to read Proust’s Looking for Lost Time. Mission accomplished, and still the best piece of literature of all time.
Author (wine or otherwise), and why?
Reading Michel Houellebecq is a guilty and perverse pleasure that always keeps me entertained.
What must you always have at arm's length?
Ray Ray’s Tacos
What’s your idea of a perfect weekend?
Surfing with my wife and daughters with perfect little waves and lots of time to cluster our boards and laugh.
What wine(s) you’re drinking?
A lot of German Grosses Gewachs and Pinot Noir, lots of Loire Reds and Refosco.
What spirit(s) you’re drinking?
I am not a huge spirits drinker but will occasionally have a very frou-frou tequila cocktail with an umbrella.
Wine figure you most admire (living or otherwise)?
John Kongsgaard helped me to become a winemaker and I will never forget how generous he has been with his time.
Wine figure you’d most like to share a meal with (living or otherwise)?
My old friend Jean-Louis Mandrau was the winemaker at Château Latour from 1970 to 1983. He is the best guest.
If you didn’t do what you did, what would you do?
To quote the great England striker Peter Crouch, “I would be a virgin.”
Who are your favorite collaborators?
Carl “The Ayatollah” Doumani, Eric “Golden Boy” Hagyard, Ron and Anita Wornick, Lesley Russell, Anthony Perliss, Rob Greer, Petra Martin, Jon and Joanne Goldstein, Bernard Magrez, James Cluer, and Jon and Julia Hinshaw.
What is something few people know about you?
I studied viticulture (the study of grape cultivation) at the Université de Bourgogne.
How do you achieve balance?
- On a longboard
- Yoga
- Spending time with my family
- In the vineyard!
Favorite wine list in the world?
Tough to beat Bern’s Steakhouse, but I do like Press in St. Helena for its old Napa selections, as well as Maison Claude Darroze in Langon for the unexpected weirdo factor.
Worst wine experience ever?
Arguing over a corked bottle with the sommelier at the Manoir de Quatre Saisons in Oxford, UK, or any wine visit where they don’t talk about the vineyard, just about money.
Barrel-list: the remaining must-do(s) on your list?
To make a still Pinot Noir in England!
What is your desert-island wine?
All the Egon Muller Schwartzhofberger wines made in 1971!
If you were to be buried anywhere in the world, where would it be?
Next to my wife in the little church in her village where we were married, named for the Patron Saint of Vignerons, St. Vincent de Tours, in the Cotswolds.
Describe your last meal?
Uni and German Grosses Gewachs.
What are your most unlikely food and wine pairing?
Foie gras and overripe barrel-aged California Chardonnay: Weird but it works!
What beverage/wine/varietal have you never worked with that you would like to before you retire?
Corvina dried on straw mats
What do you drink after a long day of harvest/work, that is not your product?
Moussamousettes sparkling wine
Your favorite place to dine/ Your favorite place to eat?
Anywhere Christopher Kostow, Alain Passard, or Hiro Sone are cooking, preferably.
Your favorite place to drink/ Your favorite place to drink?
My friend Dade Theriot’s cellar.
