BYO dinner at Le Mieux Bistro (or Le Meilleur Bistro?) with a 1979 magnum of Angerville Volnay Clos des Ducs

Spa egg on toast with
chanterelle mushrooms and foie gras cubes

5 August 2011: We had a BYO dinner at Le Mieux Bistro.  As usual, Chef Ricky did a wonderful job with the food.  I was particularly impresssed by the 'spa' egg cooked at 65 degrees, over 45 minutes.....I was told that the hen has been raised in a classical musical environment!  I am sure it added to the delicacy of the dish - the runny yolk soaking into the pan-fried toast, with cubes of foie gras and chaterelle mushrooms adding to the texture and richness of flavours of the dish.  A definite stand-out!  The turbot was also delicately cooked, extremely soft and moist, topped with crispy skin (only criticism: the fish was slightly watery - wasn't sure whether it was because it was previously frozen or the water came from the cooking method).  The porcini risotto was impeccable, made with intensely flavoured stock.  The main course was slightly disappointing, rather ordinary, after all these wonderful small dishes.  Perhaps the chef could consider a menu composed of small dishes!  The dessert platter was interesting but not exciting!  I prefer a dessert platter with flavours and textures that complement each other based on a common theme to give it a sophisticated presentation and an interesting crescendo in flavour intensity/texture (instead of being presented as a helping from the dessert buffet -albeit a tasty one)......I could not quite find the connection amongst the pineapple jelly, baked cheese cake and truffle-flavoured ice cream that appeared on our platter.  Only a minor comment that could be reasonably ignored, as I took little time to hoover up the sweet delights on my plate!



Porcini risotto

 As usual, we had a very interesting selection of wines.  We started with a 2004 Gimonnet Oenophile, an extra brut blanc de blancs which was linear and mineral, and rich and complex with acacia, ripe pear and toasty character at the same time, bolstered by very racy acidity.  Very refreshing! I would recommend this wine with oysters or sea urchin sushi. 17/20

This was followed by a 2006 Serruria Chardonnay from Rupert Wines, Franschhoek Valley.  This bottle seemed to have gone through accelerated maturation, showing slightly carmelised and butterscotch nuances, enriching the honey, nutty, fig, brioche and smokey bouquet. A rich style wine, but well-balanced and an excellent complement to the egg dish! 

Richard and I had brought a magnum of 1979 Marquis d'Angerville Volnay Clos des Ducs and we were very eager to see how it showed, especially as Allen Meadows had recommended a drinking window to 2004 when he last tasted this wine in 2001 (although he probably had a 750ml bottle).  The wine took little time to adjust to the wine glass environment and immediately captivated my imagination.  A seductive perfume rose out of the glass - strawberrries, raspberries and rose petal, nicely interlayered with smoke, coffee and caramel.  On the palate, the wine showed a very elegant structure and a silky texture, no signs of fatigue or any elements out of place.  A very regal expression of the finesse, purity and elegance of Volnay.  Drinking perfectly now and should drink well for the next 2- 3 years, but I would not recommend further cellaring for this wine.  17/20   

Unfortunately, the 2002 Dujac Gevrey Chambertin Aux Combottes was corked....this provoked a few of us to start twirling with vigour bits of polystyrene in the wine glass - apparently a trick to take away some of the cork taint....perhaps this trick did something to the nose, but did it also take away or add something else to the palate??

We also compared 2003 and 2004 Quinault l'Enclos, a rather well-priced (value for quality) Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classe.  I rather preferred the 2003, which showed rather well with the ripe tannin, a well-knit structure and concentration of flavours of blackberry preserve, tobacco and chocolate, with a hint of violet and cedar.  The 2004 appeared less generous, showing less ripe fruit and less structure. 

The 1991 Lindemans St George sadly suffered from quite a bit of volatility.

The 2005 Torbreck Runrig, Barossa Valley, South Australia, was a very appropriate match for the lamb dish, which came with a richly flavoured sauce. 96.5% Shiraz and 3.5% Viognier.  Individually fermented parcels, each matured for 30 months in new and seasoned oak, with minimal racking, before assemblage and addition of the Viognier component.  Extremely concentrated and intense in aromas of black cherry, crushed blackberries, cassis, liquorice, black pepper, mineral and smoke, lifted by a heady floral note.  Full-bodied, intensely flavoured, showing plenty of complexity and flavour concentration on the palate. Well-balanced, richly aromatic, powerful and concentrated, velvety texture, enhanced with lively acidity.  Nice long finish with a kick of fruit sweetness at the end. 

We then made a last minute decision to open the 2005 The Stork Shiraz by Hartenberg, Stellenbosch, South Africa (a wine that has been lauded with numerous accolades).  As it was a last minute decision, we had it double-decanted.  100% Shiraz.  26 months in new French oak.  A very rich wine in body, structure and flavours, showing very ripe fruit of black cherries and lots of warm spices. A limited production wine, from the ripest grapes, grown in clay-rich terra rosa soil, and helped by low temperatures and steep slopes.  Very promising! 

Both Shirazes were easily enjoyed now but would definitely benefit from further development in bottle.

Thank you everyone for sharing all these interesting wines!  I am now looking forward to our mooncake and wine matching gathering in September!