Nicolas Épiard’s favorites

L’Atelier de Nicolas, Aigues-Mortes

Distinguished by both Michelin and Gault&Millau, L’Atelier de Nicolas, a neo-bistro hidden in a small street in the fortified village of Aigues-Mortes in Petite Camargue, has been Nicolas Épiard’s haunt for six years.

This young chef with a rising reputation offers contemporary cuisine, mixing French and Asian influences while working from labeled, raw and ultra-fresh products, from short supply chains.

On the wine side, he also plays the proximity card, sourcing most of his supplies from his friend and neighbor Serge Baret, winemaker at Château Virgile, all the way to the south of the AOC Costières de Nîmes vineyard. Here are his favorite vintages for the summer, accompanied by some pairing ideas:

L’Énéide
“Made from grapes from old vines, it is a red, aged for twelve months in oak barrels, which has character. It is perfect for a gardiane or a bull steak.”

Cuvée 1748
“A round wine with very fine tannins. The dish ? Why not a beef skewer marinated in tandoori and cilantro?”

Rosé Tradition
“A pale and complex rosé that I like to serve with fish, a cod fillet for example, which I work as a flan with coconut milk, Thai rice and mixed herbs and condiments.”

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