Clos de La Roche

23 April 2011: Saturday before Easter Sunday. Richard and I had wanted to attempt to make beef wellington. So it was quite timely that we learnt of Paul and Julie's availability over Easter. Even better that we were also joined by Paulo and his Burgundian winemaker friend Mounir Saouma of Domaine Lucien Le Moine.

We started with a glass or 2 of 1996 Pol Roger Chardonnay Reserve and Julie's favourite rose champagne, Godmé Père et Fils Grand Cru Rosé.   We hadn't heard of Godmé before...a grower champagne that started producing champagne in 1930, based in Verzenay, Montage de Reims.  The Rosé is based on an assemblage of around 85-90% pinot noir and 10-15% chardonnay, using the best Grand Cru red wines aged in oak barrels for a few years.  Rounded and generous mouthfeel, very harmonious.  Thank you Paul and Julie!   Then I left the group to sit down to smoked salmon and smoked trout paté while I nervously rolled out the pastry and assembled the parcel to go into the oven. With the first course, we served 2 chardonnays from the 1993 vintage. Unfortunately the Lafon Meursault was a little corked. Our friends who tasted it referred to how the domaine's wine style was quite different in the 90's, a bit more extracted and worked on than the style now. The Mount Mary Chardonnay did the trick matching with the dish, with its medium-full body, complex nose of nutty, smokey, spicy and ripe pear notes. Well balanced. Good length.

Then a flight of wines from the commune of Morey Saint Denis:

1989 Ponsot Clos de La Roche
Deep ruby core. Burnt blackberry preserve, plum, creme de cassis, almost liqueur like, with just a hint of earthy and animal character. (Later harvest?) Rather clunky, not a lot of classic character nor finesse. Slightly bitter on the finish - a little too much extraction? Drink now - cannot see how it will benefit from further cellaring. 15.5/20

1989 Dujac Clos La Roche
Garnet core. Quite evolved nose of hoisin sauce, animal saddle and redcurrant jam - much more tertiary than the other wines of the evening. Very elegant, velvety texture and well balanced. I think I would have preferred to drink this wine 5+ years ago - I was not so keen on the finish. (One of our guests said that Dujac wines were superb up to 15 or so years, but not beyond - but he would probably agree that the 1991 disproved this verdict! See below tasting note!  Another friend commented on the usage of stems at this address....were more stems used in the 89 vintage?) 17/20

1991 Dujac Clos de La Roche
Remarkable nose of raspberry, cinnamon, nutmeg and some tea leaf nuancesz. Very elegant and pure. Lovely finish. Quite stylish Clos de La Roche.  Drink now and for next 5-6 years. 18.5/20

1985 Dujac Clos La Roche
Ruby-garnet core. Much more vibrant and fresher than the 1989. Violet, red fruit and spicy. Gained weight in the glass and opened up to a very fine and aromatic bouquet. Really quite refined and delicious now. Drink now or within next 2 - 3 years. 17/20

1969 Clos de Tart
A very distinct nose of farmyard straw and manure, rose petal pot pourri, with nuances of caramel, coffee and smoke. We didn't sense any fatigue here.  Very impressive freshness, the wine holding very well together. Harmonious and complex. Sweet lengthy finish. 17.5/20

The beef wellington turned out not too badly - perhaps a little undercooked for those who prefer their beef medium rare, rather than rare! I was just relieved it wasn't a total disaster!



our first beef wellington!

 We finished with a glass of 1996 Climens and a slice of bakewell tart. The Climens was a little disappointing, rather lacking in botrytis character.