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Foreign. Hello and welcome to this episode of Kennedy Saves the World. It's happy hour. We're in the happy hour studio. And nothing should make you happier than the wine that is pouring freely from the Fox News wine shop. There are so many curated collections. There are so many vineyards and vintners who are beautifully represented. None more so than Jean Charles Boisse, who is a French winemaker. And you Were Wine Enthusiast 2024 Person of the year, which is a big deal.
B
Thank you.
A
Jean Charles, welcome. Or jcb, as it were. Welcome to Kennedy Saves the World.
B
Well, Kennedy, I'm delighted to be with you. What an honor.
A
Lovely.
B
And I love your style. My favorite color is red, so thank you.
A
I love red.
B
And look at those glasses. Ooh.
A
Oh, that's lovely. What is this?
B
So this is a Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon.
A
Are you based in Napa?
B
I'm based in Napa and in Burgundy. So I'm between two worlds.
A
Wow.
B
Which is quite exciting.
A
Two really good worlds.
B
Absolutely. Cannot wait for your visit.
A
I can't wait. Like, I love Napa. I've never been to Burgundy, but Napa's amazing. I know that there's been a little bit of a wine downturn lately, and some people have been saying it's because younger gen zers who are now of drinking age, they don't necessarily consume wine. I think that that might be a marketing issue because I think as soon as that general. Because they love old fashioned stuff.
B
That's right.
A
They love stuff their grandparents did. And if their grandparents loved wine, they're going to love wine.
B
Well, absolutely. And we have a great winery named Buena Vista Winery that is the oldest in the state of California. And we see a visitation going up specifically with the younger generation because they're very interested in history, in their heritage, in where they come from and where wine is from. So, in fact, when you bring greater content and fun experience like we have at Raymond Winemaker for a day, so you get to come make your own wine. So we're seeing the young generation come for this. So, yes, there's a little bit of a downturn, but there's a lot of interest. And people want the content, they want to learn, which is very exciting.
A
And the more they learn about wine, I'm assuming, the more they fall in love with it.
B
For sure.
A
Yeah.
B
Well, look at the sip. Are you ready for another one?
A
I'm ready for another sip.
B
I mean, Kennedy, this is. This is happy hour.
A
Yes, it is.
B
Here we are.
A
That is a very beautiful color.
B
Yeah. How would you describe this wine?
A
It's definitely fuller bodied than what I'm used to. Like it's a nice, hearty Cabernet. It would be great with a pan seared rib eye that's finished in the fridge or in the oven? Not in the fridge. Don't finish in the fridge. Finish in the oven. Finish it in a hot, hot oven. That's my favorite way to cook a steak.
B
Yeah, why not? Absolutely. Yeah. That's what we look for in those Cabernet richness and good mouthfeel. As you can see, the meat palate makes you salivate, makes you want more.
A
But it doesn't taste like vinegar.
B
No, that would be sad.
A
It's not pointy. Sometimes wines aren't fun to drink if they're too pointy.
B
That's right. You want them rich, opera and velvety seductive.
A
I'm paying for the smoothness.
B
Absolutely.
A
But do you have to pay a ton of money to get a good bottle of wine?
B
Not necessarily. And that's the beauty of it. I think we always overdo it by thinking, oh, if you don't spend $150, you're not going to get a great cab. You can get a great wine for 20 to 30 dollars. And this is what Fox you, you know, wine shop is really promoting as well. It's reasonable wine, reasonable price and great taste.
A
I mean, the good thing about wine is it's shelf stable.
B
Yes.
A
You always have something. So it's not like, oh, my goodness, we're out of gin. I have to run to the liquor store. It's there. And it also makes a great gift.
B
Yes.
A
So like, if you're invited to a last minute dinner, a social occasion, a birthday party, and you've totally forgotten, you keep wine bags in your kitchen and just toss one of the Fox News wine Shop wines and your friends will be happy.
B
So when you come home, do you drink a bottle of wine yourself?
A
I usually, I will have wine usually on Sunday with a big meal that I make and I try. Sometimes I start with the wine and then I go to the dish from there. But usually I'm very uncreative and I just start with an organ Pinot Noir. Because you can have anything with Pinot Noir.
B
That's right.
A
Yeah.
B
Well, this is where I'm from, Burgundy. And we have a great winery I want you to see named Deloache Vineyards, which is where that Chardonnay is actually made. And this is in the Russian river of California. So this is the Cinema coast area, which is beautiful for Chardonnay and Pinot. So I know you love your Oregon. I want you to try as well.
A
So you think the California Pinot Noirs are better than the Oregon?
B
Oh, no, no. They're all great. I'm not saying better.
A
There's something special about the Willamette Valley.
B
Yes, well, for sure. And I think what is exciting at the table is to bring diversity. It's like, dishes, spices, flavor.
A
It's very important to push your palate.
B
That's it. That's it. And I love California because you have a lot of sunshine. I come from Burgundy, where the wine could be more austere. Very earthy. The terroir speak.
A
I like that, though.
B
Me too.
A
I mean, I like earthy green tea and earthy wine.
B
Yes.
A
I think it's because I'm a Virgo. I'm an Earth sign.
B
Me too.
A
Oh, stop it right now.
B
What date?
A
September 8th.
B
Are you serious? I would date September 4th.
A
Oh, that's a great day.
B
Yeah, absolutely. Well, we. We. We have a lot in common.
A
Yes. We. We like earthy beverages that are made with love.
B
Exactly. And we. We love love.
A
Amen.
B
Let's have another taste, shall we?
A
Jcb.
B
Absolutely. Kennedy, do you drink bubbles? Sometimes.
A
I prefer bubbles.
B
Great.
A
Well, I think I probably drink more bubbles than red wine, and I never drink white wine.
B
I need to tell you, I'm gonna send you some jcb. Bubbles. This is what I do. My passion is bubble.
A
Me too.
B
Chardonnay. And life is for the living. Yes.
A
At the correspondence dinner last weekend after the shooting, everyone was so terrified. Everyone was so on edge. So I looked around the ballroom as it was emptying out, and, you know, we were all reassessing our lives, as you do in those terrifying moments. And I grabbed a few bottles of the abandoned champagne, actual champagne, and took it upstairs and served it to anyone who was in the bar. And we all communed, and we all agreed that life is for the living. And you have to toast the moments of celebration as well as those of great relief. And that's what we were in last Saturday.
B
Well, I'm sorry that you had to live this moment. But the good news, you left with good friends.
A
Yes.
B
Champagne. And you shared it with others.
A
I saved the good friends from abandonment. I adopted the orphaned bottles and made sure they were well loved and appreciated.
B
And how did those bottles made you feel?
A
Much better.
B
Yes.
A
Yes. They definitely brought down the temperature a little bit. And for all of us to raise a glass together, it was. It was a very important moment to commune.
B
Well, wine brings us so much together, you put a bottle of wine in the middle of the table or you toast with bubbles. Suddenly everybody has a spark. Everybody is in a good mood, and everybody wants to celebrate life.
A
Yes.
B
And be friendly.
A
What is the key to good bubbles?
B
Well, I think the finesse of them. So what I look for in bubble first is method champenoise. So it's a long fermentation in the bot light dosage. So when you taste it, you have thin bubbles. Caresses.
A
Tiny bubbles. Yes. Because sometimes when the bubbles are put into the sparkling wine or prosecco or cava, they force. It's aggressive.
B
Yeah, it's too aggressive.
A
It punches you in the mouth a little bit.
B
That's right.
A
Yeah. But then when you have good champagne with teeny tiny bubbles like you, really,
B
I want them to caress your tongue. When I make bubbles, I think of a kiss. I want them just to dance softly and gently invade your palette, both sides, horizontally and vertically. And leave a beautiful finish as well.
A
Absolutely.
B
And that clean balance, acidity, minerality and freshness. Yeah, this is that vivacity that we want.
A
I like a good sparkling brut. Yes, that's my favorite.
B
Well, that's my JCB 69. I'm gonna send you some.
A
Okay. And how hard is that to make? Like what. What is it that goes into a good bottle of sparkling or champagne?
B
Well, you first start to have a great base of a great wine. And then what are the grapes? Well, the grapes is typically Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. In a often it could be a Pinot Noir. In my case, it's 100% Pinot, which you love.
A
That's why I like it so much.
B
That's why.
A
Yes. I'm a simpleton.
B
And you make. You know, the Pinot noir grape has a white juice, so with the skin contact, it becomes. Becomes that beautiful pink color. So you leave it typically Kennedy, for 48 to 96 hours gently in contact with the liquid so it softly but surely become rose. And then you let the bubbles happen. And then pre putting the final cork, you actually do a little dosage, so you add a little sugar in order to bring that creaminess to it, that richness, roundness to it, which makes it so sexy.
A
Life is too short to not have sugar.
B
I think every day we should live with bubbles.
A
Just a little something.
B
When you take a bath, do you open a bottle of bubbles?
A
No. No, because I'd have to drink the whole thing. That'd be weird.
B
Well, you could keep it for a few days. You know, it's still good yeah.
A
I've thrown it in the fridge. I've taken, like, a silver spoon or silver fork and toss it in there to keep the bubbles alive.
B
No way. This is the whole trick of Marie Antoinette. You keep them.
A
Oh, really?
B
Yeah, silver, you know, makes it keep the bubbles alive.
A
The meat bubbles, I say.
B
That's right.
A
That's great. Yeah. And then the other trick I have for if someone brings over a room temperature bottle of champagne.
B
Yes.
A
A friend of mine taught me a trick where you wet a paper towel.
B
That's right.
A
And you wrap the bottle in a paper towel, and then you put it in the freezer for a half hour.
B
That's it. Another trick, Kennedy.
A
I love tricks. So.
B
Well, let's say you have an ice bucket. You turn the bottle both ways, clockwise, counterclockwise, for roughly a minute, and it would accelerate the coolness of the bottle.
A
Really?
B
Yeah, it's very efficient.
A
So you just. You have it in the ice bucket and you go.
B
That's right. You turn, you turn, you turn, and then you go backwards.
A
Okay.
B
And then you create what, chaos and energy in the bottle.
A
Okay.
B
And then it accelerates the coolness of that bubble because you want a cool bottle of champagne or sparkling wine. If it's warm. It's a disaster.
A
Yeah. I don't like it. I've added ice before. I know that's probably a sacrilege and I'll never be allowed to go to France again. No.
B
You know how we call it in France? The piscine, like the swimming pool. So you put ice in it, in even a tumbler or whiskey glass, and you have it around the pool, and people love it. So, Kennedy, Ivan, that's fantastic. Trivia question for me.
A
Okay. Very good.
B
How many bubbles in a bottle of sparkling wine or champagne?
A
A billion.
B
Ooh, you are seeing big.
A
Yeah.
B
Let's sing in millions.
A
Okay, so 3 million.
B
3. 10. 20 or 50?
A
20.
B
You win. Bravo. See, the Virgo always are the best at guessing. Yeah. So 20 million and Kennedy, guess what happened when you open and pop the cork.
A
You lose some of the bottles try to. Or bubbles try to escape.
B
Correct. So we measure that carefully as we make bubbles. We want 20% to escape. Right. And then I created a decanter with baccarat, you know, the crystal, and then the old Marie Antoinette, where you carafe it and you lose champagne. And it's amazing.
A
Really?
B
Absolutely.
A
I've never heard that.
B
I want you to try that.
A
You're supposed to carafe champagne. How long do you let it sit there?
B
10, 15 minutes.
A
Really?
B
And it's very cool. And it eliminates some of the bubbles and makes them thinner. So Marie Antoinette did that in the 18th century.
A
Is that all she did, was just, like, sit around drinking champagne?
B
Well, she did that, too. And, you know, it became a revolution in the French court at the time, you know, because.
A
Sounds like there are a couple of revolutions going on there, for sure.
B
Jean Charles, no pun intended. That's how she finished. But, you know, the thinner the bubble, the more he exciting it is. So if you give oxygen, it breaks out the molecular structure of the bubbles, and it makes them thinner, softer, and maybe more delicate on your palette.
A
I'm going to try it. I'm going to try it to carafe.
B
That's right.
A
Some champagne.
B
That's right, yes. And you don't need a fancy carafe, obviously. The one I design is in crystal, like in the Gallery des Glace in Versailles.
A
Yes.
B
So it's that beautiful crystal. But if you don't have that, just carafe it in a nice.
A
Is it necessary to drink champagne from a coupe or a flute?
B
I need to confess, because we're in confession time with you. I feel it. Ooh la la. I love it in a wine glass. Why? Because the bouquet is beautiful. On a champagne or sparkling wine, the aromatic expression is beautiful. And you don't feel it in a long flute.
A
Yeah.
B
And as well, you want the wine to be able to be swirled a little bit, like we're doing here. So you have the aromatic expression come out swirling.
A
Okay.
B
So I recommend you do it actually, Kennedy, both ways. Clockwise, right? And then counterclockwise. You know why both ways? You create cows.
A
You're French and you're a perv.
B
You go left and you go right. But you see, you have a lot more expression on your nose.
A
Oh, let me see.
B
Yeah. Try both ways. You know, Here we are. You see that beautiful raspberry that definitely
A
releases more fragrance than was there before.
B
That's right.
A
Same thing with the chill in the champagne bottle.
B
That's it. There's a lot of.
A
You agitate them.
B
You agitate them.
A
Yeah.
B
Yep. You see? And your tongue is the front end. Sugar and salt, the back end, bitterness, acidity, the side, richness.
A
Okay.
B
So as if you brush your teeth, you move the wine around your palate, and it creates really, that coating that allows you to assess the quality of a wine. And I love this wine because it's full, it's rich, it has acidity, it has bitterness, but not too much at all. A tiny, tiny bit of roundness. Which. And this, you know, umami feel.
A
Yeah. People say umami and I don't really know what it is. So it's when and I've tasted it. I've had like umami things and like I understand, but my brain doesn't understand the difference.
B
It's that organizing.
A
I think I've had too many concussions maybe.
B
Well, it's an orgasmic feel. Where the wine.
A
See, Marie Antoinette and I have so much in common.
B
That's right.
A
We've lost our heads.
B
Well, I could see you with a crown though. Would suit you well, with a beautiful roof.
A
Get out of the way, Camilla. It's my turn.
B
That's right. King Charles is waiting for you. Well, Jean Charles is with you today.
A
Yes, that's right.
B
So that's the first. Yes, yes.
A
You're the French king of this studio.
B
Well, today, in this moment. Today, in this moment.
A
Don't go anywhere more. Kennedy saves the World after this.
B
It's exciting, you know, to see someone like you loving wine so well and knowing a lot about it. I don't know anything about wine.
A
No, I do not. I know so little about wine, it's shocking. But I do like the way it tastes and I'm really interested in the process. So is there. Is there a varietal that you've never been able to produce that is like your white whale?
B
Well, I have many of those, but the one I love the most to do is Pinot Noir. You love it. And you know why? Because I love the mastering of the fermentation.
A
So that is it tougher than other grapes to ferment?
B
Well, it's very delicate and it cannot go too fast. So you want it to be at least 25 to 30 days. So long conversion of the sugar into alcohol and long skin contact. So you get that beautiful red color that comes really from the skin pigmentation.
A
Yes.
B
So slowly but surely that red skin gets into the wine and it brings that beautiful red color. And then you take it into a barrel for 10, 11, 12 months and then right in your glass. So I'm a.
A
And do you use some of the single use oak barrels from bourbon producers?
B
Never bourbon. We use it from Burgundy.
A
Oh, okay.
B
So France really has some old phenomenal forest. And we use that oak and from that old 300 year old oak tree, we create beautiful barrels. Medium toast, light toast or high toast. And that toastiness brings out sugar. Right. Sugar, complexity. Caramel, chocolate, Nice leather. To the wine. If it's a red wine, I've never
A
been able to taste those Things. I know people talk about those things. I do not know what they're talking about.
B
You know what I love to recommend? My grandmother was a school teacher.
A
Yeah.
B
And when I was tasting wine with her, she said, do four circles, one for flour, one for vegetables, one for fruit, and one for candy. And make me think and write what it makes you think.
A
Okay.
B
So it was very cool because, you know, you put your nose and your mouth into it, and you don't have to think of a thousand different emotions. You think about what you visualize as you taste it. And it really helped me to simplify the tasting experience.
A
Hold on.
B
So it's all about you.
A
Let me see what I taste. Swirling.
B
Yeah, let's do it together.
A
Swirling.
B
You. Swirling.
A
Smelling.
B
You Smelling. So what do you smell on the nose? Yes. But what else? If it's a flower or if it's a vegetable or if it's a fruit.
A
If it's a flower, it's like gardenia.
B
Why not? I love that.
A
I don't know.
B
It's. It's actually very accurate. What about if it's.
A
And then it tastes like. Sea urchin?
B
Wow. Very cool. Very sophisticated palette.
A
I don't think it's sophisticated.
B
Well, but it's like.
A
But the visualization definitely helps, because when you have things to pre visualize, it tells your brain where to go.
B
So why sea urchin?
A
I don't know.
B
Tell me about it.
A
Because it's a very specific flavor, and it's like, if you're really thinking about what you taste in there, it's like, oh, well, that's specific.
B
And, Kennedy, how does the wine make you feel? Now, with me here, like, studio, there's
A
not a care in the world, and I could sail away on a little, tiny yacht and be just fine.
B
So you're thinking of escaping?
A
Yes.
B
You're feeling of sailing and letting the wind take you where? Yes, Wherever.
A
Yeah.
B
So when are you coming to visit us in France? In France or in Napa Valley?
A
Yeah. What is the best month to go to France?
B
Well, I would recommend right now the season of the spring where all the nature comes out. All our wines are made from organic and badynamic grapes, so we don't use pesticides. Herbicides.
A
Is that pretty typical in French winemaking?
B
Very much so. Specifically, Burgundy and Napa Valley now and Sonoma.
A
Do you have sulfites in your wine?
B
Wine in France, very little.
A
See, that's why, like, wine in Europe
B
makes you feel better, it seems. Yeah, yeah. And, well, sulfite is naturally in the grapes. And it helps.
A
We add it here to preserve the wine.
B
Yes.
A
Because someone must have gotten sick and then sued somebody. And then they went to the government and got some fine. And then they passed a law.
B
That's right. The ones you drink, we have very little.
A
Oh, really?
B
And that's our Napa Valley wine. But, you know, I would recommend you come in May or June, beautiful months, transition of seasons.
A
In Napa.
B
In Napa. And. Or Burgundy.
A
I would love to go to Burgundy.
B
Well, come and see me.
A
All right.
B
Come. And I'm flying tomorrow. Okay.
A
Very good.
B
Here we are. Just pack your bag. Okay. Yeah, here we are. But in Napa, I would recommend you come as well during harvest, which will be September. October.
A
Amazing.
B
Beautiful season.
A
Yeah. That is really the prettiest season in Northern California.
B
Yes. And we call it that Indian summer. So it's not too warm. The sunsets are absolutely beautiful. Rich and orange and very colorful.
A
You can smell the autumn in the air at nighttime. Yes, it is really beautiful.
B
And you smell the fermentation juice.
A
Yes.
B
So that beautiful juice that is fermenting. So the different sensory of, you know, all the perfume that exudes from the grapes are very cool. And if it's red wine, a lot of those red berries, a lot of the flowers you've mentioned, it's such an aromatic expression. Napa Valley. That's why I love it.
A
Well, jcb, I cannot wait to taste more of your wines.
B
Thank you.
A
I want people to go to the Fox News wine shop.
B
That's right.
A
And really explore what you have to offer and, you know, curate a wonderful box that can be shipped to you wherever you are. And people can enjoy different meals, different seasons, different celebrations.
B
And, you know, Kennedy, we have an incredible sweepstakes right now.
A
Yes.
B
Have you heard of those?
A
We're gonna go to the caviar tasting. The champagne and caviar tasting.
B
They're gonna come and see me.
A
That is dopeness.
B
They're gonna spend three days with us as a minimum, in our beautiful hotel, which is the Ink House, which we own, which is an 1885 Victorian home in Santa Lena.
A
Oh, cool.
B
Napa Valley. And then they're gonna go and tour the oldest winery in California, Buena Vista. Old caves. It's phenomenal. We're gonna taste wine in the caves. We're gonna do chocolate tastings. Then you're gonna create your own fragrance.
A
That's awesome. The two food groups, the only things you need to survive. And wine and chocolate.
B
Well. And guess what? Then we're going to make fragrance.
A
Oh, that's cool.
B
Yeah. We're going to blend fragrance together.
A
That's amazing.
B
Of Napa.
A
Wow.
B
So we'll do that.
A
That's very special.
B
Then we're going to go to Flora Springs Winery and enjoy beautiful wines and rose infused wine with the rose petals. It's going to be very special. Then we're going to do a, the next day, of course, a champagne sparkling wine tasting of jcb.
A
So cool.
B
With caviar.
A
Yes. So that sounds amazing.
B
Sea urchin. I'll bring if it's, if you come because I know you love it now. So we're going to compare and contrast old world caviar to new world caviar. So you know, California caviar made in the Sacramento area, which is a beautiful organic estate caviar. Okay, so we'll do that. Then we're going to make our own Cabernet Sauvignon blend.
A
Oh, that's incredible. What an experience.
B
Well, this is something. Well, they go on Fox News and on the sweepstakes.
A
Yeah. So FOX News wine shop. Go there now.
B
That's right.
A
Enter the sweepstakes, make the perfume, have the champagne and caviar tasting, eat chocolate in caves while you're sipping wine. It's. That sounds utterly like life changing.
B
And Kennedy, you know what you do then you come to my house, the oldest hill in Napa Valley, which was populated by the Native Americans. So it's on Wapo Hill, very historical site, beautiful home. I'm going to be preparing an amazing meal for you and the winners of the sweepstakes and we're going to have an amazing time and try in this case a Franco American wine tasting.
A
That sounds like a great pairing. Jean Charles Boisse, thank you so much for taking the time here. This has been, the pleasure has been mine. I've learned so much. But more importantly, I've developed an even greater enthusiasm for your area of expertise and the, the one language that brings us all together. And that is a good glass of wine. Cheers to you, sir.
B
Ocean separates us. Wine brings us together.
A
Absolutely. Like a boat into your port. It's Asben Kennedy Saves the World along with JCB and the Fox News Wine Shop. I'm Kennedy Salty. Listen ad free with a FOX News podcast plus subscription on Apple podcasts and Amazon Prime. Members can listen to this show ad free on the Amazon music app. Oh, go ahead and leave me a review while you're there. I'd love to hear what you have to say. You've been listening to Kennedy Saves the World on the FOX News podcast. Network.
Podcast: Kennedy Saves the World
Episode: Happy Hour: World of Wine With Jean-Charles Boisset
Host: Kennedy
Guest: Jean-Charles Boisset (JCB), French Winemaker, Wine Enthusiast 2024 Person of the Year
Release Date: May 1, 2026
In this lively happy hour episode, Kennedy is joined by renowned French winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset, affectionately known as JCB. Together they uncork a sparkling conversation about the world of wine, spanning generations, geographies, and philosophies. The discussion flows from the trends and traditions of wine culture, to practical tasting tips, the magic of bubbly, and the ultimate freedom and connection found in sharing wine experiences.
The Role of Sparkling Wine
Qualities of Good Bubbles
Practical Tips & Wine Myths
Champagne Trivia
Glassware Debates
This happy hour episode with Jean-Charles Boisset is a celebratory (and educational) journey through the world of wine. Kennedy and JCB blend personal stories, practical tips, and philosophical reflections, capturing wine’s enduring power to connect, comfort, and spark joy.
Whether discussing elegant bubbles, terroir, barrel aging, or the simple ritual of sharing a glass, the episode is a rich toast to good taste, good company, and the freedom found in savoring life’s everyday pleasures.
Final Toast:
"Ocean separates us. Wine brings us together." — Jean-Charles Boisset (25:27)