Solstice, the Spanish take on the Paulée tradition

A wine lover's dream party must be something like the one hosted by Saddle restaurant in Madrid on 21 June to mark the summer solstice.

Inspired by the legendary Paulée de Mersault, Saddle’s director Israel Ramírez and wine communicator and conductor of the event Santiago Rivas brought their own spin to this celebration. Traditionally held in Burgundy at the end of the harvest, the Paulée was revived by Jules Lafon in 1923.Vignerons would gather for a festive meal and compete to bring the most extraordinary bottle. What began as a convivial get-together has evolved into a near-pantagruelian affair, where wines of exceptional quality are served. This event, which brings together around 700 wine professionals, takes place at Château de Meursault during the third weekend of November, coinciding with the Hospices de Beaune auction and the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin's gala dinner at Clos Vougeot. These events, known as Les Trois Glorieuses, are the most celebrated dates in Burgundy's wine calendar.

The tradition of gathering around a table to enjoy good food and wine is common to many different cultures. The Meursault Paulée has successfully travelled far beyond its French roots and variations have sprung up across the United States and other wine regions worldwide. The key ingredients remain the same: exceptional bottles and a spirit of generosity and camaraderie.

The bottle cloakroom

True to this spirit, Saddle hosted a spectacular event for 150 guests, opting for a more dynamic format rather than a traditional sit-down dinner. "We have built a really interesting community of clients, and we wanted to give them the opportunity to meet each other," explains Ramírez, who spent two years developing the idea and three months  fine-tuning the details.

One feature that particularly caught our attention was the bottle cloakroom. Guests were invited to hand over their bottles upon arrival, reassured that they would be stored at the right temperature, allowing everyone to relax and enjoy the evening.

Throughout the ground floor, various food and wine stations encouraged guests to move around and mingle. Thanks to the support of Alma Vinos Únicos, a wine importer celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, a good selection of Burgundy whites and reds were available for tasting. As the exclusive distributor of Pol Roger in Spain, Alma set the tone with a spectacular opening: Saddle's team of sommeliers, clad in tails and top hats, sabred six magnums of the Winston Churchill cuvée. Alma also donated the wine   prizes for the blind tasting competition held  earlier in the day.

Rare bottles and old vintages

Upstairs, private rooms were set aside for producers with close ties with Saddle. Oremus, Taylor's, Dominio de Bibei, Terroir al Limit and Cvne presented special vintages in keeping with their reputation. Among the Spanish wines, highlights included the excellent evolution of the 2013 Lalama from Dominio de Bibei in Ribera Sacra; the 2014 Pedra de Guix, an elegant blend of Macabeo and Garnacha Blanca from Priorat's Terroir al Limit; and the stunning 1966 Monopole white Rioja from Cvne, offering saline freshness and a long finish with notes of aniseed and fennel.  From the 2021 vintage, Terroir al Limit also presented two captivating, high-elevation single-vineyard reds: Les Tosses, a firmer and more powerful yet highly expressive Cariñena; and Les Manyes, a Garnacha with a distinctive aerial and fragrant character.

The food was equally impressive. A 1kg tin of caviar accompanied the champagne, followed by a cheese trolley and a flowing parade of trays. Saddle's famous veal shank was carved on the spot, and tguests were treated to a seven-year-old Parmesan cheese. “It’s the kind of cheese you can't buy —only access through the right connections," said Ramirez.

The most memorable bottles, however, were those brought by the guests themselves. All one had to do was present your ticket at the cloakroom and a sommelier  would uncork your bottle for sharing. The selection was remarkable: Tondonia wines, two Château Latours, a Cos d'Estournel, some Super Tuscans, top-class Burgundies and old Riesling. However, the undisputed stars were two 1925 red wines brought by a group of friends from Rioja, led by Lauren Rosillo, winemaker at Familia Martínez Bujanda and with his own project in Málaga's Axarquía. The 1925 Castillo de Ygay displayed a lovely depth and a distinctive Mediterranean character, while the lively 1925 Marqués Riscal reflected the character of Cabernet Sauvignon. The choice of vintage was no accident as 2025 marks the 100th anniversary of Rioja as an appellation.

As the evening drew to a close, guests were offered a glass of Chartreuse —to choose between green and yellow versions—  served by two bartenders in special attire. Before that, the winners of the tasting competition were announced. First place went to sommelier Alberto Ruffoni, who has been on a roll lately and swiftly opened his prize, a bottle of Cía de Vinos Telmo Rodríguez's Las Beatas 2915 and shared it generously. The runner-up, Raluca Tircoci Craciun, followed suit with a magnum bottle of Clos Rougeard Le Clos 2018.

Spain’s version of the Paulée was a great success. Despite the considerable efforts behind the scenes for the entire Saddle team, Ramírez was positive about the experience. “A restaurant is not just about winning Michelin stars, selling a lot of wine or making money,” he said. “It should also be part of the city and a symbol of it too. I believe that we have created many beautiful memories for our friends".

Photos: Abel Valdenebro. Courtesy of Saddle.