About Us

We founded Comète Wines in January 2008 as the logical fruit of our passion for fine wine and all things French.

We have known Jean-Michel Garnier for many years and have had the distinct honor of tasting many extraordinary wines with him, a large number of which came from his own cellar.


Jean-Michel began collecting rare wines at the age of 12 and hasn’t looked back since.  While we can’t claim such an impressive pedigree, we nonetheless have a heightened appreciation for good wine and are delighted to make our discoveries available in the United States.

     

A message from Jean-Michel Garnier. . . . . .


It was as an adolescent in Franche-Comté that I began to develop an interest in wine, under the tutelage of my Uncle Henry. His eclectic tastes allowed me to experience a wide range of distinctive wines from many different wine producing areas of France: Saint-Emilion, Cahors, Alsace and the Loire Valley, to name a few. I will never forget a certain Corton 1949 from Burgundy. (Merci Tonton Henry!)


Thanks to my wife Muriel, a native of Burgundy, I settled in this beautiful region and have had ample opportunity to pursue my love of wine.


I began my formal training at the Université Pour Tous in Dijon under the aegis of Monsieur Jacky Rigaux. I studied tasting at Gevrey-Chambertin and at the Groupement des Jeunes Professionnels de la Vigne (GJPV) in Beaune.
I have served on numerous wine tasting juries, including:


- the Guide Hachette since 2001
- the Bourgogne Aujourd’hui magazine since 2003
- the GJPV trophy « Jeunes Talents en Bourgogne » 2003
- the Concours des Vins de Chablis 2005
- the Concours Générale Agricole Paris 2008


The Burgundy region is unique in that there are usually many small producers within the same appellation. This can make the quest for a great wine sometimes confusing; however, this diversity can also be turned into an advantage as we are constantly inspired to find the very best.


My passion for wine is closely related to my philosophy of life: one should be indulgent with the “petits vins”, patiently coax the grands crus, and always listen carefully to the vintner in the silence of the cellar. At the same time one must also be demanding and uncompromising as regards the quality of the product.


Our goal at Comète Wines is to share the fruit of our discoveries for the enjoyment of all.


Santé!


Jean-Michel