Offering a complete sensory experience for gourmands

David Biraud

When we look back on our time with wine, most of us want to see a life well-lived, vintages well-tasted; leaving no curious bottle uncorked. David Biraud may have the edge on us here. As one of the top three Sommeliers in the world, David has uncorked many a bottle — with many left to come.

His impressive resume speaks for itself; a list of acheivements and awards dating all the way back to 1998, when David received the Ruinart Trophy for Best Young Sommelier of France. Just four years later, David was announced the Best Sommelier of France in 2002. For the past ten years, David has been respected as one of the top sommeliers in the industry, and in 2017 he was acknowledged among the top three sommeliers in the entire world.

But where did it start for David Biraud? When asked how he became interested in wine, David confesses he knew very little about the vibrant world of wine until 1987, when he started catering school to become a chef. Part of the curriculum was oenolgy, and the spark this lit in David would not be stopped!

David has combined his passion for wine and food as the manager for Sur Mesure par Thierry Marx, in the heart of Paris, France. The restaurant has been awarded two Michelin Stars, and serves as the creative exploration point for Chef Thierry Marx’ expressions of both emotion and technical perfection. The menu is a blend of innovative and seasonal flavors, and pairs perfectly with the expansive wine list.

In his eyes, the success of a wine menu is measured by the diversity it presents to the palate, not simply the number of wines on the list. We wholeheartedly agree. And the list at Sur Mesure is both extensive and explorative. They select wines from the most varied regions in the world to truly taste the differences in every area. Sur Mesure even offers many choice wines by glass; about a dozen each of red and white, and over 20 sweet wines.

When asked for the most common pairings at Sur Mesure, you could almost taste David’s response. First, the soy bean risotto with oysters and cep mushrooms is often perfectly met with a Junmai Daiginjo sake from Japan. The Wagyu beef, charred to prefection with a hint of liquorice, pairs with a heavenly Côte Rôtie by Jamet. And the Foie gras with smoked eel and apples cooked with red wine aligns well with a medium dry Madiera Boal — 20 years old. The words are delicious enough by themselves, but the actual flavor combinations are out of this world.

Far from the trend that red wines are the superior choice, Monsieur Biraud even challenges the idea that red wines have more diversity than white wines. In fact, he rates the Chenin Blanc from the Anjou/Saumur vineyard as one of the most underrated wines out there. Let your palate decide next time you are in Paris.

To David, the most rewarding connection is between the sommelier and client. Watching the sommelier intently listen to the client’s preferences and experiences to compose a rich and vibrant combination just for them — and then seeing the look on their face as they take that first sip. C’est magnifique.

And when he is not busy recommending expansive flavors for his guests, what tickles David’s palate? His most unforgettable combination was a stuffed pigeon with foie gras and taggiasche olives from Italy, served with pigeon gravy and crunchy potatoes. Alongside it was a 1991 Côte Rôtie by Jamet. Outside of wine, David will not say no to a good glass of port, cognac, or armagnac.

The one word David Biraud uses to define wine is the same we would use to describe his illustrious career: passion. Every cell of the man standing before you is dedicated to the passion that pours from every bottle, unearths itself from every cork, and dances on the tip of every tongue. We cannot wait to see what the future has in store for David Biraud and the outstanding team at Sur Mesure.

Merci David!