A wine of all wines - the 1855 Scion!

26 Feb 2011: Quite a bit of email exchange and organisation had gone on during the past couple of weeks about food and wine pairing for this dinner at Le Mieux Bistro with a few of our wine lover friends.  I was so looking forward to trying the line-up, especially this legendary wine - 1855 Scion by Taylor's!  The menu and wines as follows:

Crab meat tomato tian, uni cucumber mousse, crispy prawn ravioli with celeriac remoulade

(paired with 1990 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque Rosé)

Panfried fish fillet on shellfish egg white custard
(paired with 1990 Laville Haut Brion)

Slow-braised abalone, chicken and ham consommé

Wagyu ox-tail gratin

Roasted Australian lamb rack or Roasted Kurobuta pork loin with penne in truffle sauce
(above two meat dishes paired with:
1961 Cos d'Estournel
1959 Margaux
1961 Margaux)

Platter of cheese and Dessert Plate
(paired with 1855 Scion)

I am not normally a fan of sea urchin but the chef's presentation of sea urchin on a wasabi-flavoured cucumber mousse went so beautifully with the 1990 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque Rosé.  I was less impressed by the prawn ravioli.  The 1990 DP Oenothèque Rosé: a deep salmon hue, once in contact with air in the glass (afraid the best we could find was a white wine glass), the wine exhibited an intense nose of candied fruit, rose petal jam, spice and savoury character.  The balance, structure, precision and harmonious integration put this wine in a class of its own.  Stylish, elegant and showing an amazing freshness, with a delicate mousse and a finish that went on for a very long time.  Disgorged in 2007, the 1990 was the first Oenothèque Rosé ever released.   Drinking absolutely beautifully now, and for my personal preference, I would probably drink this within the next 4 - 5 years to enjoy this wine with freshness, but much longer for lovers of more mature styles, when more of the truffle and undergrowth character would prevail.  19.5/20

Next course was a most delicately pan-fried fish fillet on a bed of shellfish-flavoured egg white custard.  I thought it went very well with the 1990 Laville Haut Brion.  I had this wine decanted for about 45 minutes before serving and the wine continued to develop in the glass.  Ideally, we should have had a bigger Bordeaux glass for this wine.   A golden colour.  The wine gained body and complexity upon contact with air.  The initial jasmine, lemon curd and honey notes gave way to more complex notes of smoke, Oriental spice (ginger,  cardamon and liquorice), hazelnuts, quince and dried apricot.  Opulent, yet poised.  Lingering finish, accented with bitter almond.  One criticism would be the slightly higher alcohol content rendering the wine less "gluggable".  Drinking perfectly now and will be interesting to see how it continues to develop over the next 5 - 6 years.  17.5/20 

The abalone and consommé was an interesting interlude but I did not think it was a really necessary addition.  I would have gone for a glass of fino sherry but Richard thought the Laville Haut Brion did the pairing just as well.

The wagyu oxtail gratin was definitely my favourite amongst the dishes this evening.  The melted cheese blended with the intensely flavoured jus caused quite a sensation!  The meat was tender and moist.  And rightly-sized portion! 

The Kurobuta pork was slowly roasted with intense flavours, but the penne accompaniment was probably not ideal.  I thought a celeriac purée or a bed of truffled mash potato would have been better. 

As for the wines:

1961 Cos d'Estournel: a garnet hue through the cloudiness (because Shirley had not had time to stand it up).  Intense cigar box and cedar bouquet, showing just a hint of volatility.  Medium body, structured and balanced, silky texture.  Lengthy finish, beginning to dry out a little.  This wine probably saw its peak about 3 - 4 years ago.  17.5/20

1959 Margaux: ruby core.  This wine was a fine contrast with the 1961.  The rather masculine 1959 represented concentration and power, while the more feminine and demure 1961 focused more on depth and elegance.  Complex nose of dried fruit (fig), cedar, tobacco, undergrowth and leather.  Well-structured, robust and concentrated, this wine would continue to evolve for a long while (10 - 15 years).  The perfect wine to go with a fine piece of rib-eye or sirloin!  19/20

1961 Margaux: ruby core.  Like the 1959, the wine needed time in the glass to develop, to take on weight, body and complexity.  The wine blossomed from its rather muted existence into a fine young lady, despite its age!  The extraordinary bouquet was expressed by fruit and floral,  adding to the undergrowth character.  Very silky tannin and a good level of acidity to keep up the freshness.  An exceptionally elegant wine, with finesse, depth, subtle richness, and a lingering finish (comparatively longer than the finish for hte 1959).  This wine could be evolving for another 12 - 15 years.  A defining benchmark style for Maragux.  19.5/20

The restaurant was very kind to allow me to bring cheese (and crackers, nuts and dried fruit) to add to our menu, and the staff brought the platter and the condiments out in lovely presentations.  I had organised a platter of stilton, a hard cheese called Piave made by Cooperativa Lattebusche (slightly sweet tasting, with a subtle nutty flavour - rather like a young Mimolette but straw yellow in colour) and a Pont L'Eveque which had not quite achieved its full maturity and tasted rather raw.  I had thought the stilton and Piave would go well with the port, and the soft cheese was just to complete the assembly!  (I must say you have much better assurance of having a decent cheese platter at these smaller restaurants if you could persuade the restaurant to let you take your own cheese!) 

Nothing quite prepared us for the 1855 Scion.  This extremely rare piece of histroy came presented in a hand-blown crystal decanter ensconced in a magnificent wooden case.  Originally owned by a distinguished Douro family which had been handing down these casks of port from generation to generation, Taylor's discovered these two remaining pipes dating back to pre-phylloxera 1855 in 2008. A subsequent tasting revealed the remarkable fact that this wine, despite a century and a half of storage in the hot climate of Douro, showed an amazing crispness and vibrancy, with such concentrated magical complexity.  The wine was practically flawless!  These remaining two pipes were eventually acquired by Taylor's in 2010 and proceeded to release these rare bottles, in beautiful presentations!   Our friends George and Kathy were so generous to share with us one of these treasured bottles - a wine of historic significance.

Wow!  What a wine!  All the descriptions used above were so appropriate!  Fresh, crisp, full of energy!  Deep mahogany colour.  A mesmerizing bouquet of coffee, chocolate, treacle, dried fig and walnut, complete with a sumptuous body and a luscious sweetness, balanced by crisp acidity.  The mouthfeel was sensational, with the wine coating the palate, then slowly releasing its concentration and intense flavours as it glided down the throat, with a finish that went on for a very long time!  It was an ethereal sensation.  Thank you so much, George and Kathy.  It did not need anything to pair with it.  A legendary masterpiece epitomising quality, craftsmanship, concentration and complexity, and more importantly a historic remnant!  20/20

I reproduce for you the tasting notes from the Scion booklet, which came with every wooden case:
"A halo of pale amber adorned wiht subtle olive highlights surrounds a core of deep mahogany.  The wine envelops the nose with a sublime and heady fusion of opulent and seductive aroma.  A rich dark redolence of molasses and fig is overlaid with complex notes of roasted coffee, cigar leaf, black pepper and cedar combined with a subtle nuttiness and the discreet scent of fine oak wood.  Concentrated to a magical quintessence, the wine wraps the palate in a dense and sumptuous coat of luscious flavour interwoven with a crisp and vibrant acidity.  Rich mellow flavour of astonishing intensity persists into the endless finish.  The wine resonates like a stentorian voice calling down the centuries in a language no longer spoken in the world of wine."

The 1855 Scion was the type of wine that left you speechless, in search for a description that would match its effect on you..........what a treat, what a discovery!

Happy Valentine's Day

14 Feb 2011: Happy Valentine's Day to all of you!

Disappointed by Old Vintage Wines, not Once but Twice!

13 Feb 2011:  We brought forward our Valentine's Day dinner a couple of days earlier because Richard was going to be busy on Monday.  And a real treat it would be - a quiet romantic dinner à deux at home!  Some home-cooked comfort food - roast rack of pork, flavoured with five spice and sage marinade, served on a bed of mashed swede, with roast carrots and potatoes!  I surprised Richard with a 1993 Meursault Comtes Lafon, as the last bottle we had was totally oxidised.  This bottle showed freshness, energy and  very charming mature character, with a honeyed and nutty nose, complemented with lemon, marzipan, nougat, ginger, cinnamon and smokey notes.  A remarkable effort. Good length. Drinking beautifully, and probably for the next 6 - 8 years.   17.5/20



45 Lafite

 With a lot of anticipation, Richard attempted to pull the cork of the 1945 Lafite Rothschild.  Despite missing its label, the bottle embossed with 1945 seemed to be in rather good shape. Top shoulder level. Slightly damaged capsule.  Alas, once the corkscrew went in - not a good sign - the cork was rather crumbly.  With a lot of effort, we managed to decant it.  Cloudy garnet.  An out of condition nose further confirmed the spoilage.  It was totally undrinkable and we had to see it down the sink!



45 Haut Brion

 Backup was the 1945 Haut Brion.  Good label, good condition capsule, top shoulder level.  The cork was a little loose but came out in one piece.  Volatility was very evident.  A few swirls of the glass would reveal an otherwise attractive nose of smoke, leather, pebbles and mocha.  Still a wine characteristic of its terroir and provenance.  Drying out on the finish.  A wine that probably saw better days 10+ years ago.  15/20

Not entirely satisfied with our vinous adventure this evening, we decided to open a half bottle of 1982 La Lagune.  Yet another disappointment awaited.  Bretty and volatile, tasting of vinegar......sigh!

Totally despondent by these disappointing bottles, we went for a much safer option - a half bottle of 2005 Morey Saint Denis Clos de la Bussière Roumier, which was delicious and by far the best drink of the evening.  Some animal, savoury character complementing the ripe fruit.  More blackberry and black cherry than raspberry.....17.5/20

So could we conclude that for these old vintage wines, only bottles with"base of neck" level would guarantee the quality and condition of the wine?  Or it's simply not worth the risk?    

1982 Lynch Bages

5 Feb 2010: Chinese New Year Day 3.  After enjoying the first episode of the first series of "Downton Abbey" over a glass of Krug Rosé, we settled down to a simple supper.  Richard cooked steak for himself and I made sausage pasta for me.  We did share a bottle of 1982 Lynch Bages though and what a glorious wine it was.  This bottle was from a case that Richard had purchased en primeur and that was stored in the UK until shipment to HK about 2 months ago.  Deep ruby colour.  Heady bouquet of violet, blueberry, blackcurrant and blackberry preseve, cedar, tobacco, dried figs, dark chocolate and roasted coffee.  Well-balanced, richly textured, with a finish that lasted almost a minute long. A fine example that epitomises Pauillac at its best: very blackcurant, powerful, opulent, and concentrated. Drinking at peak now and for another 15+ years.  18/20

2007 Red Burgundy - So Easy to Like!

4 Feb 2010: Chinese New Year Day 2 - the focus of the dinner was the line-up of 2007 red burgundies that Paul very generously offered to share with us.  It was the perfect kind of dinner party when we divided the kitchen and cellar responsibilties amongst ourselves.  Eric and Rachel brought crab salad (with homemade mayonnaise), lobster bisque and tarte au citron - all extremely yummy.  Paul brought the red wines and a white 2001 Raveneau Les Clos. I took care of the main course of roast rack of pork, with celeriac puree, braised carrots and roast potatoes and the cheese platter (Ossau Iraty, Comté, Coulommiers and Tomme de Savoie).  We supplemented a few more bottles to Paul's selection. 

After a game of tennis, much delayed by the New Year traffic, we huddled around the heater for a glass of 2002 Drouhin Chassagne Montrachet Marquis de Laguiche, followed by the 2001 Raveneau Chablis Les Clos.  We sat down to dinner with the 1992 Meursault Charmes by Comtes Lafon, which tasted very fresh still, showing great balance of richness, complexity, rounded character and firm acidity, and a lengthy finish.  

The line-up of 2007 red burgundies as follows:
2007 Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle Musigny Les Cras
2007 Mugneret-Gibourg Ruchottes Chambertin
2007 Bachelet Charmes Chambertin
2007 Rousseau Gevrey Chambertin Clos Saint Jacques
2007 Drouhin Grands Echézeaux
2007 Drouhin Musigny
2007 Hospices de Beaune Corton Cuvée Docteur Peste (élevage et mise en bouteille par Faiveley)

Perhaps I should have organised a tasting sheet for everyone, but that would make it too formal for a meal amongst friends?  We therefore decided to let everyone pour for him/herself.  Distracted by the kitchen duties, I was a bit slow in tasting the wines.  However, we could draw one conclusion which was that all the wines showed distinct characteristics of the vintage and of their respective appellations.  We've all heard that 2007 vintage favoured the whites more than the reds in burgundy.  While the reds now tasted youthful, fresh, elegant and very "pretty" with lovely red fruit character, with no evidence of harsh tannin and sharp acidity, the lesser quality wines tasted perhaps a little light in body and lacking in substance for long-term cellaring.  However, the higher quality 2007s, such as the Rousseau Clos Saint Jacques and the Drouhin Musigny in this tasting, would benefit from some mid-term cellaring to deliver further complexity with the development of tertiary aromas, complexity and further integration and harmonisation.  To illustrate, there was still a quarter bottle of 2007 Hospices de Beaune Corton left, which I kept for the following evening.  I thought it tasted even better the second day, with just the needed aeration to help it evolve into its next phase, with more complex bouquet and a more filled out body.

We then pulled the cork of a 1990 Clos Vougeot Musigni, Gros Frère et Soeur, which showed concentration, class and elegance, albeit enjoyed at a rather rapid pace!!! ("Musigni" being a "lieu-dit" in Clos Vougeot.)

After cheese and lemon tart, the evening took on a change of ambiance - the burgundies had our love of France confirmed!  There was dancing and singing to Charles Trenet's Douce de France, with the chorus led by Thibault.........and even a late night attack on a packet of "haggis and black pepper" flavoured crisps, washed down with some single cask whisky (and Marshall enjoying the last drops of Laphroig directly from the bottle!) and more of the 1900 Calvados, a splendid gift from Russell and Becky when we last visited them in Burgundy!

A great party and the arrangement was perfect!  Cannot wait to do it again....and the next time we will start with the haggis flavoured crisps and the whisky before the tennis......!

2000 Musigny, JF Mugnier

2 Feb 2010: Very closed nose.  It needed 2+ hours of decanting to start revealing its gorgeous nose and palate of floral, herbal, smoke and mocha, with just a tiny hint of jammy character initially.  Quite a beauty, perhaps a little too young to pull the cork, but a wine of remarkable effort.  Balanced and harmonious.  This wine didn't quite have the vigour, structure and concentration of a Musigny from a great vintage but it was certainly a well-made and balanced wine that deserved a fair bit of attention.  Drinking better with a 2 - 3 more years of cellaring....18/20

A tale of 2 1989's

31 Jan 2010: We had a couple of 1989 red burgundies recently and they couldn't have been more different.  

1989 Richebourg, Meo-Camuzet: A first class wine, showing balance of richness, energy, elegance, charm, depth, together with an extremely long finish that almost lasted a minute.  Almost sweet on entry, followed by flavours of red fruit, tea leaves, earthy, spicy, mocha, tobacco and bacon. Fine structure and silky texture, with still a good level of acidity. Extremely fine, almost sensational.  19.5/20

1989 Chambertin Clos de Bèze, Faiveley:  Rustic, unyielding and austere.  The fruit has totally disappeared from this wine, leaving a gamey and savoury nose, with earthy and animal like character, with just a hint of brettiness.  Firm in structure.  Reasonable length finish, with a slight bitter aftertaste.  The wine became a little more approachable after about 2 hours in the decanter.... 15/20