Karakterre Conversations with: Matt McClune
Matt McClune: I don’t want to try and prioritize which elements are above others; they’re all intertwined.
It was through wine, of course, how I met Matt McClune. Jean-Pascal Sarnin of Sarnin-Berrux winery has a very good hand in the kitchen. He always sources the best ingredients and then transforms them into a beautiful meal at his Monthelie home. I wondered what the label on one of his red magnums was. “Oh, you got to meet Matt!” he replied, excited about a friend of his, an American painter living in Saint-Romain, who painted the labels. Matt’s studio was (still is) not far from where JP got the grapes for his Saint-Romain Blanc, one of my favourites of his.
Originally from Massachusetts, Matt moved to Bourgogne in 2004. We quickly bonded over wine (he also had a passion for those less intervened with): this grower and that grower were mentioned, mutual favourites. But as JP and him spoke a moment later about village matters I was less into, I took the liberty of walking around the studio, immersing myself in art scattered all over. As with wine, I love art that keeps challenging me and taking forward. The idea, I suppose, is to find inspiration in both consumed wine and art. Matt’s works definitely did inspire. The concept of light, textures, atmosphere, and structure are all evident in the artist's vision, though always allowing for personal interpretation. The qualities I preferred in both Matt’s paintings and wines.
Matt and I stayed in touch. I ended up buying two of his works that appealed to me. He was kind enough to let me use three of his paintings as labels for the wines that I did in the South of Croatia. We met on a few occasions, always happy to exchange thoughts. The relationship deepened when he actively got into sourcing and roasting own coffee and then opening a small shop at Beaune’s weekend market. Together with Christian of Domaine Dandelion, he now actively explores relationships between the wine world and the coffee world. Christian and him did beautiful coffee service at Karakterre & Gut Oggau pop up meal on a very sunny day in May of 2022.
His work here is truly unique.
Matt is a pioneer and a visionary. I am happy to present his quiet and focused thoughts here.
Chris & Matt (right) preparing for coffee service at Gut Oggau side event during Karakterre in 2022 (photo: philandai)
Hey, Matt. It’s good to be talking. In fact, it’s always interesting to me to pick your brain on “things.” To start, what are you most proud of?
The word “proud” makes me uncomfortable. I’m very fortunate (in French you would say heureux). I don’t want to try and prioritize which elements are above others; they’re all intertwined.
I see you as a Renaissance man of sorts: you paint, you roast and you play in a band. You’re a member of a Burgundian wine community at large. In essence, i see a man of sensibility and passion. What drives your everyday?
The feeling like there is so much possible, so much to create, to learn, and the clock is ticking. I just want to do as much as I can until something happens and I can’t anymore :)
For 20 years I engaged primarily in a solitary practice, one that is like an ongoing meditation on things observed, punctuated by occasional public exhibitions. Like any artistic practice, it’s really easy to fall down into your own little rabbit hole and get lost. Sometimes this is really interesting, but more often it’s important to look around and see what’s going on/what’s the current vibe/what’s happening in fashion, music, food... and think about why... It has also been a practice which ends up being in the “luxury goods” category and I’ve always struggled with that.
Coffee, by contrast, even if it’s specialty coffee, can be enjoyed by anyone. At the farmer’s market in Beaune, I offer café susupendu- you can buy a cup of coffee for someone else and I hang up a little card with a coffee cup on it until the next customer comes and they get offered a free coffee. I love that our Saturday morning coffee stand has created a social event where you get all types of regulars throughout the morning: the restaurant crowd, the winemakers, the tourists, and the kids working for wineries towards the end of the morning.
One of my favourite quotes of all time is from Mark Rothko who said about painting, “the progression of one’s work will be towards clarity of the idea”. For me the idea is about expression of “terroir”, whether it’s in the form of an abstract painting or a cup of coffee from a specific place in Ethiopia. I am fortunate to work with this idea in different ways, and for people to have an experience in different contexts. But just because this is the inspiration and drive behind the cup of coffee and the painting, I’m perfectly happy to let it go and just put these things out there for people to (hopefully) enjoy however they decide.
How do you cultivate your community?
I am surrounded by people who are respectful of these things and who also inspire me. It’s an incredible situation, really. The wine community here in the Côte d’Or is generally very open to people who are also very passionate and serious (and not an egomaniac). Almost all of the expats who have moved to Beaune in the last 20 years have several similar characteristics: a lot of respect for what Burgundy is known for/stands for, but also an internal drive to want to do something really well and with their own take on things. If you put a bunch of these people in a room and give them a glass of wine, it would be hard for them to not walk away excited about each other.
One place you could eat at right now, anywhere in the world? And what are you currently drinking?
Well, I pickled a bunch of stuff yesterday and got some Vietnamese prepared pork, so I’m pretty excited about making Bahn Mi for lunch later! I’m currently drinking a gorgeous cup of Yirgacheffe coffee which is more like a beautiful black tea, sweet and silky, with a rooibus finish. Ethiopian coffees are like Burgundian wines; it’s not about the power, it’s about the quiet, complex length.
Tells us about your coffee activation. Because you don’t just roast: together with Christian of Domaine Dandelion you travelled Ethiopia in a search of place where coffee and wine (could) meet.
I invited Christian Knott, of Domaine Dandelion, to come with me to Ethiopia to see what happens when a winemaker shows up at a coffee processing site. I thought “he’ll probably look around and suggest we sort more, or maybe he’ll think we should dry the cherries in the shade”. We ended up producing a series of small lots using carbonic maceration for 5 days and we’re pretty happy about the results.
Cultures collaborate more than ever. Music x Wine. Sports x Fashion. Food x Theatre. Where do you see the crossroads of previously strictly defined cultural aspects? Do you and how do you find your way within them?
I love that we are able to open up this dialog between the coffee and wine world in a small way; and hopefully it inspires others to do their own thing crossing disciplines. It’s important to do this, but very important to be as respectful as possible. It’s important for all the kids who come to Burgundy for harvest to show the locals respect just like it’s important for all the coffee kids who go to Ethiopia for harvest to show the locals respect. I can’t emphasize this enough.
That was inspiring. Thanks, Matt!
Marko