Chez Francois presents
A French Wine Dinner
Jules Martin of Albert Bichot, Joseph Mellot & Champagne Mandois
Thursday October 8th, 2026 • 6:00 p.m.
Join us Thursday October 8th, 2026 as we feature a French Wine Dinner with wines from Burgundy, The Loire Valley & Champagne. This six-course dinner sill be prepared by Chef John D’Amico and his staff. Midwest Regional Manager Jules Martin will be our co-host for this event.
Jules Martin lives in Chicago but grew up in the Bordeaux region, where his passion for wines started in his grandparents’ cellar. He started with Albert Bichot USA in January 2024. Previously he worked with a Bordeaux wine importer for almost ten years. In 2015 he earned an MBA in Wine Marketing & Management at INSEEC Wine & Spirit Institute in Bordeaux.
Croque-Monsieur au saumon fumé en fût de scotch, salade de concombre à l’aneth
Scotch-Barreled Smoked Salmon Croque-Monsieur, Dill Cucumber Salad
Pullman bread filled with smoked salmon and Gruyère cheese, lightly egg-battered and sautéed, dill cucumber salad.
Champagne Brut “Origine”, Champagne Mandois, Champagne, France, NV
Panier de fromage de chèvre Montrachet
Montrachet Goat Cheese Basket, Roasted Red Pepper Purée
Farmhouse goat cheese wrapped in broiled zucchini, finished with a roasted red pepper purée, topped with red and yellow pepper salsa cruda, chive infused olive oil.
Sancerre Blanc “Domaine des Emois”, Joseph Mellot, Loire Valley, France, 2024
Pouilly Fume “Le Troncsec” Jodeph Mellot, Loire Valley, France, 2023
Filet de flétan, croûte aux herbes et tapenade de tomates, sauce au beurre citronné et câpres
Halibut Filet, Tomato Tapenade Herb Crust, Caper Lemon Herb Butter Sauce
North Atlantic Halibut filet, sautéed, with tomato herb crust. Served over grilled artichoke hearts, fingerling potatoes, and roasted tomatoes, sauced with a caper lemon herb butter sauce.
Chablis “Domaine Long Depaquit” Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2025
Vire-Clesse Blanc, Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2022
Aligote , Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2024
Soufflé au fromage, truffe noire et pancetta
Soufflé au Fromage, Black Truffle and Pancetta A blend of Ubriaco and Comte cheese, oven baked in a ramekin and with pancetta bacon and freshly shaved black truffles.
Chinon “Les Morinieres”, Joseph Mellot, Loire Valley, France, 2024
Sancerre Rouge “Le Rabault”, Joseph Mellot, Loire Valley, France, 2023
Napoléon de Canard & Veau, Glace de Viande
Roasted duck & veal layered with celery root mousseline and potatoes galettes served with a savory veal and duck glace de viande, garnished with micro field greens and flavored with duck crackling.
Mercury” Champs Martin”, 1er Cru, Dom. Adelie/Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2021
Fixin, Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2022
Beaune “Clos de l’Ermitage” Rouge, Albert Bichot, Burgundy, France, 2022
Crêpe Suzette, sauce au beurre à la fraise et au Grand Marnier
Crêpe Suzette, Grand Marnier Strawberry Butter sauce
Twin crêpes filled with French vanilla bean ice cream, finished with a Grand Marnier Strawberry butter sauce.
Champagne Rosé Brut “Grande Reserve”, Champagne Mandois, Champagne, France, NV
$175/Per Guest • Tax & Gratuity not included.
All pricing reflects a cash & check payment. A 2.99% non-cash/check adjustment is included in all other forms of payment.
Your Vineyards…
Albert Bichot
Albert Bichot is one of the important historic names in Burgundy. It is a family-owned, independent négociant and domaine, founded in 1831 and now operated by the sixth generation, Albéric Bichot. The family itself has roots in Burgundy going back to the 14th century.
What makes Albert Bichot particularly interesting is that it is both a traditional négociant and a substantial vineyard owner. Rather than simply buying grapes, the company has spent decades increasing its control of vineyards and now owns more than 100 hectares spread across Burgundy, from Chablis in the north to the Beaujolais/Moulin-à-Vent area in the south.
Joseph Mellot is one of the historic names of the Centre-Loire, with a family winemaking history in Sancerre stretching back more than 500 years. The family traces its lineage to Pierre-Étienne Mellot in 1513, and in the late 17th century César Mellot served as wine adviser to Louis XIV.
Joseph Mellot
Joseph Mellot is somewhat different from a small, single-vineyard Sancerre domaine. It is both a family-owned estate and an important regional négociant, with vineyards and relationships extending throughout Centre-Loire. The company says it produces wines from all eight Centre-Loire AOCs.
The modern expansion was driven particularly by Alexandre Mellot, who built the company beyond its Sancerre roots. A new winery was constructed in 1990, followed by acquisitions including Domaine des Mariniers in Pouilly-Fumé and Domaine Pierre Duret in Quincy. Today, Catherine Corbeau-Mellot, who took over management in 2005, continues the family business. Sancerre is still the heart of the house
Champagne Mandois is a family-owned Champagne house based in Pierry, just south of Épernay in the Côte des Blancs area. It is a particularly interesting producer if you are looking for a Champagne with a strong Chardonnay identity and a sense of place, rather than simply a large-volume négociant style.
Mandois
The House Mandois traces its history back to 1735, when the family began cultivating vines in Champagne. The family established its own Champagne house in 1892. Today the estate remains family controlled.
Pierry is an interesting location. The village is immediately adjacent to Épernay and is recognized for its Premier Cru vineyards. The Champagne region’s official tourism material describes Pierry as a historic village at the entrance to Épernay, surrounded by important vineyard sites. One of Mandois’s strengths is the breadth of its vineyard holdings. he estate farms approximately 40 hectares, with vineyards spread across numerous villages in the Côte des Blancs and surrounding areas.
Your Vineyards
