15-24 Dec 2012: Richard cooked a beautiful roasted saddle of lamb, with rosemary, lots of onion and sweet garlic! Divine. It was a perfect Pauillac evening.
The 1982 Lynch Bages was initially more closed than the 1982 Grand Puy Lacoste. It needed time for the bouquet to come through and even more time for the palate. The nose was earthy, with leather, kirsch, raisin, and liquorice notes. Slightly more reserved and tightly structured than the more aromatic and voluptuous Grand Puy Lacoste. Full-bodied, with a velvety structure of tannin. A low-ish level of acidity. It needed a good part of the evening to take on more weight and for the depth and complexity of flavours to become more apparent. When it finally did, it was well worth the wait! Patience is required for this wine. 17.5+/20
The 1982 Grand Puy Lacoste was a very attractive wine. Head-turning bouquet of cassis, blueberry, coffee, leather, cigar smoke, violet and cedar, with hints of liquorice spice and warm stoney earth. A rich and concentrated palate that impressed with elegance rather than heaviness, velvety tannin, and just enough acidity to keep the wine fresh. Just coming into its drinking window now and with a long life ahead! 17.5/20
The 1961 Grand Puy Lacoste was a fully mature wine, with very impressive bouquet of coffee, leather, kirsch, sweet cloves and nutmeg. An absolute beauty that has retained freshness, poise, elegance and depth. Very supple on the palate, with the sweet fruit finish that lingers for a very long time. Drinking at peak now but there is no hurry to drink up this wine. 18/20
A few days later, we had the 1961 Gruaud Larose. Ruby core, with just a tiny hint of garnet at rim. A mature and smokey bouquet met the nose, enchanting us with aromas of sweet tobacco, oregano, dried flowers, cedar, crushed stone, leather and mushroom. Velvety texture, rich in complexity and depth, with abundant sweet blueberry and blackberry fruit lacing the tertiary notes. A glorious wine, that did not fade at all during the course of 4 hours, still showing a robust structure of velvety tannin and firm acidity. The finish went on and on. Marvellous!!! 19/20
For Christmas Eve dinner, joined by two close friends, we had some more 1961 over a superb meal at Otto e Mezzo!
1961 Plince showed a ruby core. A very attractive nose of tobacco, coriander, pot pourri, leather and just a hint of soya sauce. A medium-bodied wine, that improved in the glass, but a little light on the mid palate and finish, did not quite have the same magnitude and vinosity as the 1961 Palmer that followed. Slightly drying finish. 17.5/20
1961 Palmer was a tour de force. A totally magnificent example of a great classic from Bordeaux. Still showing plenty of energy and vigour on the nose, palate and finish. The bouquet was a very complex pot pourri of intense aromas of strawberry and blueberry, layered with notes of leather, mocha, spice, cedar and coffee. The intensity and richness on the palate was simply astounding, the flavours deftly coating the palate, leading to a finish that lingered till the next sip. A sensational wine that almost seemed timeless. 20/20
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
1962 La Tache
1963 Taylor's
24 December 2012: A number of the pre-1970 ports were bottled without any labels, and were just washed with some white paint upon release. The embossed capsule would bear evidence of the provenance. This 1963 Taylor's was a bottle recently shipped back to Hong Kong, from a bigger batch. There was a little stickiness on the wax capsule, and the cork felt a little loose through the wax, but the level was well above shoulder, into neck. We decided to try this bottle with a few friends/connoisseurs. Wow! What strength, youthful vigour, intensity and concentration! This port is developing at glacial pace and the best is yet to come! Dried fruit, raisin, apricot, nuts, toffee apple, enhanced with some coffee notes! Unctous on the palate, with firm acidity, giving the wine tremendous lift, and a phenomenal and long finish. No sign of drying out at all. This is a port very much in its youth. Drinking perfectly now and over the next 20+ years! Our scores amongst the four of us ranged from 98 to 100 points! A truly great classic and a wine amongst the best of all times!
Thursday, 20 December 2012
1990 Echezeaux DRC versus Jayer
First pair was 1990 DRC Echézeaux versus 1990 Jayer Echézeaux. In anticipation of the broad-shouldered structures, both wines were given same amount of time in the glass to breathe. The nose of the 1990 DRC was a very elegant and classic perfume of floral, with notes of earth, nutmeg and cloves, as well as some dark fruit. Perfectly balanced, firmly structured, with plenty of freshness and a long and layered finish. Very elegant, superb purity and a very good showing of DRC Echézeaux. 18/20 By comparison, the 1990 Jayer showed a ripe and concentrated nose of warm earth, plum, kirsch and blackberry on the nose, followed by sappy notes on the palate. There was more than a hint of the drying finish on this wine. 17.5/20 As the evening progressed, the Jayer seemed to be losing steam on the palate, while the DRC grew from strength to strength. I couldn't help noticing the differences in their prices....the DRC would be around GBP 800 a bottle and the Jayer last went for over GBP 4,150 a bottle at the Sotheby's auction in London in December 2012!
Next pair was the 1988 versus the 1990 DRC Romanée Saint Vivant. Both wines showed the vintage characteristics rather well. The 1988 was a textbook terroir expression of lovely sous bois and spicy notes, with pure red and dark fruit, while displaying a more austere, linear structure with good acidity, but with no shortage of finesse and elegance. Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years. 18.5/20 The 1990 showed a more opulent bouquet with notes of spice, earth and ripe dark fruit. There was weight, density and depth on the palate. Finishes long. A juicy and structured wine with a long life ahead. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18.5/20
1997 Leroy Vosne-Romanee Les Genaivrieres
A Leroy Evening
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| The Leroy Wines Line-Up |
2007 Bourgogne Aligoté, Domaine d'Auvenay: Pale lemon colour. The nose reveals evident oak, with nuances of spice, vanilla and smoke, but it does not detract from the pure citrus fruit, floral and almond notes. A nicely rounded mouthfeel, quite chewy, balanced by lively acidity. Finishes long. A very fine example of Aligoté and one made to last a while. Drink now and over next 8 - 10+ years? 17/20
2004 Auxey-Duresses Les Clous, Domaine d'Auvenay: A more elegant nose here, quite subtle, with notes of floral and almond. Some minerality present in the linear structure, still showing good energy and tension. A less substantial mouthfeel. Spicy finish. 15.5/20
2001 Meursault Narvaux, Domaine d'Auvenay: Medium gold hue. Oxidation seems to have started its course in this bottle. Ripe pear, honey, toffee, toasted almond and nutmeg. Medium-full body, marked by lowish acidity. Drink now. 15/20
1961 Beaune 1er Cru Les Teurons, Maison Leroy: A rather mature bouquet of plum, black cherry, leather , smoke and soya sauce. Light body, good acidity and silky texture. Finishes short. Probably better 10 years ago. 15.5/20
1961 Nuits-Saint-Georges Clos des Argillières, Maison Leroy: Medium-pale garnet. A mature Burgundian nose that evokes game, leather, spices, underscored by sweet raspberry fruit. Silky tannin and still fresh acidity. Long finish. A very attractive wine in a rustic style, with those hallmark sauvage notes. At peak. Drink now. 17.5/20
1962 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetières, Maison Leroy: A well-structured wine given its age, showing lively acidity and fine silky tannin. Alluring aromas of leather, sous-bois, with ripe sweet red fruit still abundant. Long finish. Drink now and over next 4 - 5 years. 17.5/20
1961 Gevrey-Chambertin Les Cazetières, Maison Leroy: Here the nose has more farmyard, mushroom and earthy notes, with coffee and leather. Astringent finish. Less acidity than the 1962. More austere. Drink now and over next 3- 4 years. 16.5/20
1961 Clos de Vougeot, Maison Leroy: A very fine bouquet of the soils of Burgundy! Leather, sous-bois, mushroom, game, earthy, with nuances of strawberry and cloves. Perhaps not showing the most powerful structure, but there was a nicely rounded mouthfeel, with a good level of acidity, but probably drinking at peak now. 17.5/20
1961 Corton, Maison Leroy: A harmonious assembly of silky tannin, firm acidity and fresh fruit aromas nuanced with spices and leather. A very elegantly matured Corton. Just a little astringent at the finish. Drink now and over next 6 - 8+ years. 18/20
1961 Grands Echézeaux, Maison Leroy: Drop-dead gorgeous aromatics. Pure ripe fruit of plum and raspberry, layered with coffee, leather and tobacco. A beautifully balanced wine, with plenty of finesse and complexity, the finish that lingers. 19/20
1962 Romanée Saint Vivant, Maison Leroy: Perhaps a touch on the over-ripe side, with notes of stewed fruit, spice and herb. Velvety ripe tannin, with firm acidity, sufficiently complex but not in a very elegant style. Finish a little short. Disappointing. 17/20
1962 Richebourg, Maison Leroy: Beautiful perfume of dried rose petals, leather, plum, sous-bois and tea leaves. Very fine structure of lively acidity and silky tannin that has so well integrated. There is incredible harmony and balance here, a wine that showcases the best signature of Burgundy wines, finesse, elegance, complexity and harmony. Simply sensational, leaving you with an ethereal sense of perfection. Drinking at peak now and over next 8 - 10+ years. 19.5/20
1962 La Romanée, Maison Leroy: Less effusive on the nose, but slowly the intense bouquet shows notes of coffee, chocolate, nuts, autumn leaves and nutmeg. A more solid and intellectual wine, a little taciturn at the moment, will need more time to coax the best out. Drink over next 10 - 15+ years. 19.5/20
1961 Chambertin, Maison Leroy: A more muscular style of wine, more austere. Sauvage, animal, leather notes, with underbrush and stones, with just a hint of raspberry. Not so generous on the mouthfeel, lowish acidity. A heftily structured and well-balanced wine that will drink well for 8 - 10+ years. 18/20
1961 Musigny, Maison Leroy: Almost unctuous on the palate, quite opulent and rich in style. Just a hint of madeirisation. Notes of stewed fruit, chocolate, fruitcake, nutty and coffee. Lacking in that stylish elegance that one would expect from a Musigny. 18/20
1962 Château d'Yquem: Deep amber hue. Botritised notes of marmalade, orange peel, with honey, hazelnuts and apricot. Not a rich Yquem, quite elegant, medium bodied, stll balanced with plenty of acidity, but already showing a drying finish. Needs drinking! 18/20
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| The Really Serious Wines! |
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| 'Portobello Pizza' |
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| 'Duck Cous-Cous' |
What a sensational evening! 50 and 51 year old wines, whether at Premier Cru or Grand Cru level, most of which still performing so well, and showing such consistent quality, amazing balance and beautiful harmony. Here we have experienced the timeless quality of Burgundy wines! In a word, incredible!
A Vega Sicilia Unico evening (with other interesting additions)
7 Dec 2012: I was treated to a superb Spanish meal (complete with Spanish wine too!) at DN-Innovación in Taipei. Chef Xavier Gutierrez (from Arzak) and chef Daniel Negreira (from DN-Innovación) joined forces to create a special menu for us.
I particularly liked the dishes "Salt" where a piece of raw prawn was placed on top of some spicy sauce and on top of a bed of hardened salt. A dip had been made in the salt bed whereby the green tea sauce was to be poured. We had to wait a minute for the green tea sauce to take up some of the salty content before dipping the prawn in. The sweetness of the raw prawn married very well with the slightly saline green tea sauce, an ingenious creation! This went beautifully with the 1975 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne or the 1946 Castillo Ygay Blanco Reserva Especial, which had taken on a quality not dissimilar to an aged Sercial! My other favourite dish would be the duck tiramisu! The combination of almond and the taste of duck was unique and paired very well with the 1966 Vega Sicilia Unico!
Dessert was a bright red ladybird, which was almost too pretty to be devoured!
As for the wines:
1975 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne: Amber hue. Mature aromas of honey, hazelnut, mushroom and gingerbread greeted the nose. The palate was an elegant presentation of fine, persistent bubbles, with lively acidity, keeping the delicious flavours alive and the palate refreshed. Long spicy finish. A very fine aged champagne and would make a perfect pair with a number of the dishes, including the prawn described above, but also the little red "Bucket" - which contained mushroom dust/mousse and foie gras!
2004 Que Bonito Cacareaba, Benjamin Romeo: A limited production white Rioja by Benjamin Romeo (Bodega Contador). About 5,000 bottles produced per year. Mainly Garnacha Blanca, with the balance made up of Viura and Malvasia. Very low yields. Hand harvested. Barrel fermented, followed by 8 months of ageing in new French oak barrels. Pale golden robe. A honeyed, spicy and citrus nose, with nuances of herbs, quince, honeysuckle and beeswax. Full-bodied, unctuous but balanced by good level of acidity. Still tasting relatively youthful and fresh. (www.bodegacontador.com)
1946 Castillo Ygay Blanco Reserva Especial: Viura and Malvisa blend. Deep amber colour. A mature white Rioja, with notes of honey, caramel, toasted hazelnuts, mushroom, smoke, and some rancio character. Light-bodied. Still reasonably balanced, with a slightly tart finish. Almost like an aged Sercial.
1973 Vega Sicilia Unico: Ruby colour, with no sign of bricking at all. A gorgeous nose of plum, star fruit, nutmeg, tea leaves, leather and chocolate. A very elegant wine, still full of vigour, with silky tannin, vibrant acidity and a long finish. Drink now and over next 10+ years.
1966 Vega Sicilia Unico: This seemed to have been made in a much more rustic style. Deep garnet colour. Full-bodied, velvety, with richness from super ripe fruit. Almost port-like, displaying notes of prunes, dates, Turkish coffee, Christmas pudding and hints of madeirisation. Finishes long. More like a fortified wine. Drink now.
1959 Vega Sicilia Unico: Garnet colour. Madeirised notes of prunes, fruit cake, marmalade, almost reminding one of a Scotch whisky, with just a hint of volatile acidity. Slightly tart finish.
1938 Vega Sicilia Unico: Pale garnet. Notes of caramel, toffee and nutty notes, with slight hint of leather. Silky texture, savoury finish.
1963 Taylors: Deep ruby. Still very youthful. Quite spirity initially. Sweet and velvety nectar, tasting of nuts, toffee, fruitcake and stewed prunes, balanced by vibrant acidity. Long long finish. Gorgeous!
This was the first of two evenings....and I couldn't wait! Thank you so much to a very generous host!
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| 'SALT' |
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| Ladybird |
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| The Vega Sicilia Line-Up |
1975 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne: Amber hue. Mature aromas of honey, hazelnut, mushroom and gingerbread greeted the nose. The palate was an elegant presentation of fine, persistent bubbles, with lively acidity, keeping the delicious flavours alive and the palate refreshed. Long spicy finish. A very fine aged champagne and would make a perfect pair with a number of the dishes, including the prawn described above, but also the little red "Bucket" - which contained mushroom dust/mousse and foie gras!
2004 Que Bonito Cacareaba, Benjamin Romeo: A limited production white Rioja by Benjamin Romeo (Bodega Contador). About 5,000 bottles produced per year. Mainly Garnacha Blanca, with the balance made up of Viura and Malvasia. Very low yields. Hand harvested. Barrel fermented, followed by 8 months of ageing in new French oak barrels. Pale golden robe. A honeyed, spicy and citrus nose, with nuances of herbs, quince, honeysuckle and beeswax. Full-bodied, unctuous but balanced by good level of acidity. Still tasting relatively youthful and fresh. (www.bodegacontador.com)
1946 Castillo Ygay Blanco Reserva Especial: Viura and Malvisa blend. Deep amber colour. A mature white Rioja, with notes of honey, caramel, toasted hazelnuts, mushroom, smoke, and some rancio character. Light-bodied. Still reasonably balanced, with a slightly tart finish. Almost like an aged Sercial.
1973 Vega Sicilia Unico: Ruby colour, with no sign of bricking at all. A gorgeous nose of plum, star fruit, nutmeg, tea leaves, leather and chocolate. A very elegant wine, still full of vigour, with silky tannin, vibrant acidity and a long finish. Drink now and over next 10+ years.
1966 Vega Sicilia Unico: This seemed to have been made in a much more rustic style. Deep garnet colour. Full-bodied, velvety, with richness from super ripe fruit. Almost port-like, displaying notes of prunes, dates, Turkish coffee, Christmas pudding and hints of madeirisation. Finishes long. More like a fortified wine. Drink now.
1959 Vega Sicilia Unico: Garnet colour. Madeirised notes of prunes, fruit cake, marmalade, almost reminding one of a Scotch whisky, with just a hint of volatile acidity. Slightly tart finish.
1938 Vega Sicilia Unico: Pale garnet. Notes of caramel, toffee and nutty notes, with slight hint of leather. Silky texture, savoury finish.
1963 Taylors: Deep ruby. Still very youthful. Quite spirity initially. Sweet and velvety nectar, tasting of nuts, toffee, fruitcake and stewed prunes, balanced by vibrant acidity. Long long finish. Gorgeous!
This was the first of two evenings....and I couldn't wait! Thank you so much to a very generous host!
Wednesday, 5 December 2012
Mercury in Retrograde
25 Nov 2012: I was only introduced to this cosmic phenomenon known as ‘Mercury in Retrograde’ not so long ago. In layman’s terms, I believe this refers to the rhythm of Mercury causing havoc to our routines and plans here on Earth, engendering frustrations and plenty of disappointments. And it’s not been difficult at all to embrace this concept, however heebiejeebie it may sound – isn’t it wonderful when you are given an excuse to lay the blame on someone else when things do not go according to plan? We should well have checked the cosmic calendar before planning this trip to Bourgogne and Bordeaux. I have never had a good experience when it comes to air transport in France, and on this jinxed trip with Mercury in Retrograde, the angst had been taken to a new high!
We thought we had allowed plenty of time to get from the Côte d’Or to Lyon’s Saint Exupéry airport for our flight to Bordeaux. Friends of our would be familiar with our infamous penchant for leaving a touch too late from a certain domaine in Morey Saint Denis and putting ourselves in situations where my eyes would be darting between the speedometer and the clock every few minutes, with literally seconds to spare at the departure gate. This time we arrived at exactly one hour before the flight! We even found time to fill up the tank. I then left Richard with our rather voluminous luggage at the terminal while I returned the hired car. When I got back to the terminal, he was nowhere to be found and could not be contacted because he decided to embark on a long conference call while I was returning the car. Déjà -vu! He finally emerged 30 minutes later, still with one hand on the phone and the other pushing the heavy trolley. World War III about to break out! When we finally got to the luggage drop off counter, we had one of those trained-to-be-unhelpful Air France staff who told us that we had to remove some weight from one of our suitcases. The flight was leaving in about 30 minutes – a fact that totally escaped her! We had nowhere to put the excessive luggage and I was not going to use the transparent bin liner that she produced to put the extra bottles of wine that we had picked up in Bourgogne. After a vigorous exercise of manic unpacking and repacking, we were told that we could choose to pay excess baggage penalty instead of laying on this airport drama for all to witness – an important detail that somehow she decided to omit from the beginning. 20 whole minutes wasted on this futile exercise! I guess for this Air France staff, her only responsibility was to check in our luggage, anything else was none of her concern, least our departure time and our anxious looks. Service more fitting for the civil service! We ran like maniacs to the customs control area to find ourselves joining a very long queue. At least we found one airport staff who sympathized with us and let us jump the queue and speed through the hand luggage checking process. We arrived at the departure gate, 2 minutes before scheduled departure! More déjà-vu! The glass of Pol Roger at the Cordeillan-Bages Hotel in Bordeaux was the most beautiful glass of champagne I had had for a long time! Lesson learnt: Avoid airports in France if you can! (Tip: Stop over at Troisgros for a gourmand evening to break up the 7 hour drive between Bourgogne and Bordeaux!)
Well, Mercury still in Retrograde for our second flight this week. This time it was the 07:20 flight from Bordeaux to Paris. First of all, the hotel (Le Saint James) totally forgot about our wake-up call. So we left half an hour later than we should have! We stupidly had not bothered to look up the map on how to get to Merignac Airport – if we had gone the wrong way on the Rocade, it would be an hour before we were to find it. Instead, I thought I would rely on the SatNav which had so far worked rather well for us during our stay in Bordeaux, occasionally taking us along some less obvious routes. As I didn’t have the street name for the airport, I just typed in ‘Merignac’, expecting that a sign for the airport would clearly present itself along the way. We got suspiciously worried when the SatNav instead of leading us onto the Rocade, took us into the sleepy city of Bordeaux, and threatened to guide us further into the heart of the city, amongst the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listed monuments! It’s already 6:25 am and the flight is less than an hour away! Panic began to set in……followed by anguish……distress….and suddenly inspiration came when we spotted a taxi waiting at the taxi rank! Richard negotiated to pay the taxi driver to lead us to the airport, with us and our huge amount of luggage, following in our hired car behind. The taxi driver was quick to sense our anguish and we whizzed off at a good pace to the airport. 06:50 – arrival at airport. Just enough time to return the hired car and check in (with the usual amount of fuss over luggage weight)……what a nightmare it has been! It was hard to believe that we actually made it!
Mercury in Retrograde – this has never been more real! I will definitely consult the calendar before our next trip!
We thought we had allowed plenty of time to get from the Côte d’Or to Lyon’s Saint Exupéry airport for our flight to Bordeaux. Friends of our would be familiar with our infamous penchant for leaving a touch too late from a certain domaine in Morey Saint Denis and putting ourselves in situations where my eyes would be darting between the speedometer and the clock every few minutes, with literally seconds to spare at the departure gate. This time we arrived at exactly one hour before the flight! We even found time to fill up the tank. I then left Richard with our rather voluminous luggage at the terminal while I returned the hired car. When I got back to the terminal, he was nowhere to be found and could not be contacted because he decided to embark on a long conference call while I was returning the car. Déjà -vu! He finally emerged 30 minutes later, still with one hand on the phone and the other pushing the heavy trolley. World War III about to break out! When we finally got to the luggage drop off counter, we had one of those trained-to-be-unhelpful Air France staff who told us that we had to remove some weight from one of our suitcases. The flight was leaving in about 30 minutes – a fact that totally escaped her! We had nowhere to put the excessive luggage and I was not going to use the transparent bin liner that she produced to put the extra bottles of wine that we had picked up in Bourgogne. After a vigorous exercise of manic unpacking and repacking, we were told that we could choose to pay excess baggage penalty instead of laying on this airport drama for all to witness – an important detail that somehow she decided to omit from the beginning. 20 whole minutes wasted on this futile exercise! I guess for this Air France staff, her only responsibility was to check in our luggage, anything else was none of her concern, least our departure time and our anxious looks. Service more fitting for the civil service! We ran like maniacs to the customs control area to find ourselves joining a very long queue. At least we found one airport staff who sympathized with us and let us jump the queue and speed through the hand luggage checking process. We arrived at the departure gate, 2 minutes before scheduled departure! More déjà-vu! The glass of Pol Roger at the Cordeillan-Bages Hotel in Bordeaux was the most beautiful glass of champagne I had had for a long time! Lesson learnt: Avoid airports in France if you can! (Tip: Stop over at Troisgros for a gourmand evening to break up the 7 hour drive between Bourgogne and Bordeaux!)
Well, Mercury still in Retrograde for our second flight this week. This time it was the 07:20 flight from Bordeaux to Paris. First of all, the hotel (Le Saint James) totally forgot about our wake-up call. So we left half an hour later than we should have! We stupidly had not bothered to look up the map on how to get to Merignac Airport – if we had gone the wrong way on the Rocade, it would be an hour before we were to find it. Instead, I thought I would rely on the SatNav which had so far worked rather well for us during our stay in Bordeaux, occasionally taking us along some less obvious routes. As I didn’t have the street name for the airport, I just typed in ‘Merignac’, expecting that a sign for the airport would clearly present itself along the way. We got suspiciously worried when the SatNav instead of leading us onto the Rocade, took us into the sleepy city of Bordeaux, and threatened to guide us further into the heart of the city, amongst the city’s UNESCO World Heritage listed monuments! It’s already 6:25 am and the flight is less than an hour away! Panic began to set in……followed by anguish……distress….and suddenly inspiration came when we spotted a taxi waiting at the taxi rank! Richard negotiated to pay the taxi driver to lead us to the airport, with us and our huge amount of luggage, following in our hired car behind. The taxi driver was quick to sense our anguish and we whizzed off at a good pace to the airport. 06:50 – arrival at airport. Just enough time to return the hired car and check in (with the usual amount of fuss over luggage weight)……what a nightmare it has been! It was hard to believe that we actually made it!
Mercury in Retrograde – this has never been more real! I will definitely consult the calendar before our next trip!
Red Obsession
The movie also served to intellectually explore the Chinese obsession with red Bordeaux, depicting the feverish heights of the obsession with Lafite, Lafite and Laifte, to the inspiration to build a château in China, to the purchase of châteaux in Bordeaux, and to the budding passion in making good quality Bordeaux blend red wine in China. The movie made connection with the rationale or lack of rationale in this obsession with a bitter past in China’s history, but also highlighted that China’s interest in red wine is also in a state of flux…..Brandname recognition and strong marketing effort would go some way to explain the increasing sales and the importance of the Chinese market. Slowdown in economy has not in any visible way reversed the growing trend, which is a good sign that the love of red wine is being embraced by more than just the super wealthy in China. Congratulations to the Red Obsession team on taking on such a much-discussed topic with such level-headedness! Bravo indeed! (And great photography!) We cannot wait till the movie goes on general release so we can see it again, (as we missed the first 10 minutes, thanks to the heavy traffic in Bordeaux city :(!
1957 Palmer and 1967 Petrus
On the same evening, we also enjoyed a bottle of 2007 Haut Brion Blanc. Pale gold. A richly intense nose of smoke, sweet hay, gooseberry, fig, pineapple and a touch of honey. A full-bodied wine, waxy texture, lush and concentrated, balanced by firm acidity. Incredibly long finish. Can be enjoyed now but will certainly benefit from some more bottle age…….a wine that will last a long time. 18/20
A Vertical of Drouhin Musigny
20 Nov 2012: Richard, with the help of Becky, Jasper and David (and a few others), hosted a vertical tasting of Drouhin Musigny in Bourgogne! It was another well-attended event, supported by some very dear friends and wine experts and we were particularly pleased that Véronique Drouhin was able to join us. Out of the 22 vintages of Drouhin Musigny that we tasted, only 4 of them were somewhat out of condition.
The Drouhin holding of Musigny covers 0.67 ha at the northern end of the Grand Cru climat. It is largely the result of a single block purchase in 1961, with replanting of vines in 1973 and 1976. The vineyard is now biodynamically farmed. I think it would be fair to say that we tasted a range of wines showing very consistent high quality and a finesse and opulence that could only be the benchmark for Musigny.
Here are my very brief notes:
2009: Bright red fruit, floral and spicy notes. Very youthful. Lovely structure and elegance. Textbook Musigny. 18/20
2008: Lovely red fruit, with nuances of sous-bois and tea leaves. Poised structure, generous mouthfeel, with ripe velvety tannin and vibrant acidity. Persistent finish. Really gorgeous. 18.5/20
2007: Much more evolved than 2008. Showing sauvage and earthy notes, with some tea leaves. A more delicate frame, lower in acidity. Drinking deliciously now. A charming Musigny, but does not have the class and pedigree to age effortlessly over a long time. 17/20
2006 (magnum): A great perfume of strawberry red fruit and pot pourri. Some sappy notes on palate. A well-crafted wine but lacking in ripeness, depth and concentration. 16.5/20
2005: Very intense nose. Rich and complex perfume. Fabulously balanced and harmonious. Epitome of finesse, elegance, opulence, richness and concentration. Great definition of minerality on palate. Persistent finish. A complete wine for the very long haul. 19.5/20
2004: 100% destemmed. Sauvage notes, animal, tea leaves, and just a hint of herbaceous note on the palate. Silky texture, with fine acidity. Medium weight, well-balanced, and a long finish. A very good effort for a challenging vintage. 17.5/20
2003: Rather atypical. Some notes of stewed fruit, toffee and coffee notes. Ripe and firm tannin, lowish in acidity. Astringent finish. 15.5/20
2002: Farmyard, rusty nail, spice and red fruit notes. Needed aeration to emerge as a real beauty. Poise, purity, elegance and finesse, with a fine structure of decent acidity and silky tannin. Very smooth mouthfeel. 18/20
2001: Quite a floral (violet) nose, with red fruit, animal, coffee and spicy notes. Firm minerality on the palate. A slightly tighter structure than the 2002. Harmonious and gorgeous. Quite sensual. 18.5/20
1999: Quite a deeper colour here. Intense nose with a sweet note dominating the bouquet. Red and black fruit and spices. Rather youthful still, with lots of energy. Robustly structured, with high concentration of high quality raw material, firm ripe tannin. Opulently textured. Long long finish. Drinking well now, with excellent potential for ageing. 19/20
1996: Prune, plum, coffee and violet notes. Velvety tannin, with vibrant and firm acidity. Nicely weighty on the palate, showing generosity and a long finish. 18/20
1995: Red fruit, earthy, sweaty saddle and lightly spicy. Firm, slightly astringent tannin, lower acidity. A little austere still but coming round nicely. 17.5/20
1993: Not sure what to make of it…..slightly madeirised and rather bretty?
1990: A fleshy and flamboyant wine, with the hallmark elegance and finesse. Richness without the weight, mouthcoatingly sensual, a beautifully long long finsish. Notes of coffee, raspberry, pot pourri and minerality on palate. A scrumptious wine. My wine of the flight. 19.5/20
1989: Quite a similar bouquet and palate sensation to the 1990. Slightly more linear in structure than the 1990, but still rewards with mouthcoating richness and a lingering finish. Good acidity. 19/20
1988: A very expressive bouquet. Coffee, mocha, plum, dark fruit, nutmeg. Velvety texture. Firm acidity. A wine still with lots of vigour but perhaps less generous on the palate compared to the 1985! 18/20
1985: Quite mature and charmingly delicious. Mocha, nutmeg and berries. Generous on the palate, with silky texture and a lovely finish. Drinking at peak now. Will not benefit from further ageing. 18.5/20
1983: Rusty nail, mocha and berries. Sweet notes on the palate, does not have the intensity of the 1985. Very good effort for the vintage. 17/20
1978: Very expressive of the vintage. Gracefully aged mature Musigny, with a very refined bouquet of coffee, berries, nutmeg and pot pourri. There still shows a very nice intensity of flavours on the palate, and a well-knit structure, keeping the wine fresh and poised. Plenty of pur sweet fruit on the palate. Drink now. 18.5/20
1971: out of condition
1964: out of condition
1962: out of condition
A sensational tasting……..and what an achievement that we pulled this off as it hadn’t been that easy with logistics and a few other hiccups along the way this year! For me, every bottle of Musigny is a very special bottle and I look forward to re-tasting some of these wines on other occasions, when I would have more time to really appreciate and savour every drop of this precious Grand Cru!
The Drouhin holding of Musigny covers 0.67 ha at the northern end of the Grand Cru climat. It is largely the result of a single block purchase in 1961, with replanting of vines in 1973 and 1976. The vineyard is now biodynamically farmed. I think it would be fair to say that we tasted a range of wines showing very consistent high quality and a finesse and opulence that could only be the benchmark for Musigny.
Here are my very brief notes:
2009: Bright red fruit, floral and spicy notes. Very youthful. Lovely structure and elegance. Textbook Musigny. 18/20
2008: Lovely red fruit, with nuances of sous-bois and tea leaves. Poised structure, generous mouthfeel, with ripe velvety tannin and vibrant acidity. Persistent finish. Really gorgeous. 18.5/20
2007: Much more evolved than 2008. Showing sauvage and earthy notes, with some tea leaves. A more delicate frame, lower in acidity. Drinking deliciously now. A charming Musigny, but does not have the class and pedigree to age effortlessly over a long time. 17/20
2006 (magnum): A great perfume of strawberry red fruit and pot pourri. Some sappy notes on palate. A well-crafted wine but lacking in ripeness, depth and concentration. 16.5/20
2005: Very intense nose. Rich and complex perfume. Fabulously balanced and harmonious. Epitome of finesse, elegance, opulence, richness and concentration. Great definition of minerality on palate. Persistent finish. A complete wine for the very long haul. 19.5/20
2004: 100% destemmed. Sauvage notes, animal, tea leaves, and just a hint of herbaceous note on the palate. Silky texture, with fine acidity. Medium weight, well-balanced, and a long finish. A very good effort for a challenging vintage. 17.5/20
2003: Rather atypical. Some notes of stewed fruit, toffee and coffee notes. Ripe and firm tannin, lowish in acidity. Astringent finish. 15.5/20
2002: Farmyard, rusty nail, spice and red fruit notes. Needed aeration to emerge as a real beauty. Poise, purity, elegance and finesse, with a fine structure of decent acidity and silky tannin. Very smooth mouthfeel. 18/20
2001: Quite a floral (violet) nose, with red fruit, animal, coffee and spicy notes. Firm minerality on the palate. A slightly tighter structure than the 2002. Harmonious and gorgeous. Quite sensual. 18.5/20
1999: Quite a deeper colour here. Intense nose with a sweet note dominating the bouquet. Red and black fruit and spices. Rather youthful still, with lots of energy. Robustly structured, with high concentration of high quality raw material, firm ripe tannin. Opulently textured. Long long finish. Drinking well now, with excellent potential for ageing. 19/20
1996: Prune, plum, coffee and violet notes. Velvety tannin, with vibrant and firm acidity. Nicely weighty on the palate, showing generosity and a long finish. 18/20
1995: Red fruit, earthy, sweaty saddle and lightly spicy. Firm, slightly astringent tannin, lower acidity. A little austere still but coming round nicely. 17.5/20
1993: Not sure what to make of it…..slightly madeirised and rather bretty?
1990: A fleshy and flamboyant wine, with the hallmark elegance and finesse. Richness without the weight, mouthcoatingly sensual, a beautifully long long finsish. Notes of coffee, raspberry, pot pourri and minerality on palate. A scrumptious wine. My wine of the flight. 19.5/20
1989: Quite a similar bouquet and palate sensation to the 1990. Slightly more linear in structure than the 1990, but still rewards with mouthcoating richness and a lingering finish. Good acidity. 19/20
1988: A very expressive bouquet. Coffee, mocha, plum, dark fruit, nutmeg. Velvety texture. Firm acidity. A wine still with lots of vigour but perhaps less generous on the palate compared to the 1985! 18/20
1985: Quite mature and charmingly delicious. Mocha, nutmeg and berries. Generous on the palate, with silky texture and a lovely finish. Drinking at peak now. Will not benefit from further ageing. 18.5/20
1983: Rusty nail, mocha and berries. Sweet notes on the palate, does not have the intensity of the 1985. Very good effort for the vintage. 17/20
1978: Very expressive of the vintage. Gracefully aged mature Musigny, with a very refined bouquet of coffee, berries, nutmeg and pot pourri. There still shows a very nice intensity of flavours on the palate, and a well-knit structure, keeping the wine fresh and poised. Plenty of pur sweet fruit on the palate. Drink now. 18.5/20
1971: out of condition
1964: out of condition
1962: out of condition
A sensational tasting……..and what an achievement that we pulled this off as it hadn’t been that easy with logistics and a few other hiccups along the way this year! For me, every bottle of Musigny is a very special bottle and I look forward to re-tasting some of these wines on other occasions, when I would have more time to really appreciate and savour every drop of this precious Grand Cru!
Sunday, 11 November 2012
2006 Corton-Charlemagne, Simon Bize
11 Nov 2012: Pale lemon. An expressive nose of lemon, pear, frangipane, almond, layered with smoke and herbal notes. Medium weight, supple attack with vibrant acidity and a very distinct chalky and nutty note filling the palate. A very elegant Corton-Charlemagne, subtle, refined and pure, with a very admirable poise. Love the fresh and lingering minerally finish. 18/20
Thursday, 8 November 2012
1997 Leroy Pommard Les Vignots
6 Nov 2012: Bright cherry ruby hue. An elegantly rustic nose of sweet raspberry, dried rose petals, sweet leather, farmyard, mushroom and nutmeg, infiltrated with purity and pedigree. The silky texture belies some astringent tannin, and a good level of acidity keeping the structure intact and poised. Slightly drying finish. There is a feeling of harmony and a very well-defined sense of place, a true expression of the terroir. A very admirable effort for a well-aged village level Pommard, drinking remarkably well, given its age and vintage. Just wish I could be having this every day! 17.5/20
Burgundies between 10 and 20 years old
31 Oct 2012:
Theme: Bourgogne 1992 - 2002.
We started with a very characterful Savigny-lès-Beaune Aux Vergelesses Blanc, Simon Bize. At 10 years old, it still showed a lively and complex nose, rounded mouthfeel with weight and richness balanced by racy acidity, an assertive minerality on the palate, with a spicy finish. I very much like this, still relatively vigourous and energetic, a great expression of terroir! Drink now.
The 1999 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot, Bernard Morey in magnum also remained true to the vintage and terrroir. An expressive nose of honey, acacia, peach, ripe pear, hazelnuts, nuanced with savoury and smokey notes. All the richness and warmth of this vintage framed in a full and almost voluptuous body. The acidity fell short of the necessary level to keep the palate refreshed. Slightly lacking in freshness and elegance. Drink now.
The 1992 Corton-Charlemagne, Tollot-Beaut displayed a very elegant, sleek and sinewy persona, still impressive with layers of complexity, smoke and minerality. This could do with a bit more acidity.....lacking in lift, but nevertheless a very finely balanced wine still supporting a reasonable structure and a persistent finish. A wine for the quiet intellectual. Drink now.
I loved that pure and elegant nose of the 2000 Vosne-Romanée Aux Reignots, Sylvain Cathiard, with the raspberry and plum layered with nutmeg, game and a savoury note. Plenty of freshness, good acidity and silky tannin, presented in a delicate frame. Medium finish. A very fine wine not for longer term cellaring, but an absolute delight to be enjoyed now and over the next 2 - 3+ years!
We then had 2 Pommards. The 1995 Pommard Les Rugiens, de Montille was rather earthy and gamey, and seemed quite ungenerous. The 2002 Pommard Les Pézerolles, de Montille was a nice contrast. Here we have plum, blackberry compote, spice and earthy, but the nose is much more inviting, with a very elegant palate of velvety tannin and good acidity. A good effort.
3 Grands Crus followed. The 2001 Romanée Saint Vivant, Sylvain Cathiard would remain my favourite of the evening, with its very classy nose of spice and red fruits, and a certain stoniness, leather and mocha notes. Not the fleshiest Romanée Saint Vivant, but rather one that shows aristocratic class and poise. Still maintaining a nice balance and fine structure. Lengthy finish. Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.
1998 Bonnes Mares, Roumier performed well despite the vintage. A hefty wine with an angular structure and muscles, still a little austere, needing a lot more time to tone down those astringent tannins. Not sure there would be enough fruit to see through this finetuning. Plum, earthy, leather notes. A meaty wine, if only lacking in Burgundian finesse and elegance. Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.
1990 Clos Vougeot, Bertagna showed a very mature and ripe nose of raisins, prunes, game and sweaty saddle, with just a hint of madeirisation. Some velvety tannin and good acidity. Not much character.
Also highly recommended though not related to this evening is the 2003 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts, Sylvain Cathiard. Gorgeously ripe black fruit, violet and spices. Still very youthful and vigorous. It simply glided over the palate with the mouth-coating velvety tannins. The lively acidity keeping the richness and density in balance and harmony . A very lengthy finish that would take you back immediately for another sip! A deftly crafted wine, that would seem fitting to be called a benchmark wine for the vintage, combining elegance, concentration and power, even if somewhat atypical of a classic Burgundian! Drink now and over next 10 - 12 years!
Theme: Bourgogne 1992 - 2002.
The 1999 Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot, Bernard Morey in magnum also remained true to the vintage and terrroir. An expressive nose of honey, acacia, peach, ripe pear, hazelnuts, nuanced with savoury and smokey notes. All the richness and warmth of this vintage framed in a full and almost voluptuous body. The acidity fell short of the necessary level to keep the palate refreshed. Slightly lacking in freshness and elegance. Drink now.
The 1992 Corton-Charlemagne, Tollot-Beaut displayed a very elegant, sleek and sinewy persona, still impressive with layers of complexity, smoke and minerality. This could do with a bit more acidity.....lacking in lift, but nevertheless a very finely balanced wine still supporting a reasonable structure and a persistent finish. A wine for the quiet intellectual. Drink now.
We then had 2 Pommards. The 1995 Pommard Les Rugiens, de Montille was rather earthy and gamey, and seemed quite ungenerous. The 2002 Pommard Les Pézerolles, de Montille was a nice contrast. Here we have plum, blackberry compote, spice and earthy, but the nose is much more inviting, with a very elegant palate of velvety tannin and good acidity. A good effort.
1998 Bonnes Mares, Roumier performed well despite the vintage. A hefty wine with an angular structure and muscles, still a little austere, needing a lot more time to tone down those astringent tannins. Not sure there would be enough fruit to see through this finetuning. Plum, earthy, leather notes. A meaty wine, if only lacking in Burgundian finesse and elegance. Drink now and over next 5 - 6 years.
1990 Clos Vougeot, Bertagna showed a very mature and ripe nose of raisins, prunes, game and sweaty saddle, with just a hint of madeirisation. Some velvety tannin and good acidity. Not much character.
Also highly recommended though not related to this evening is the 2003 Vosne-Romanée Aux Malconsorts, Sylvain Cathiard. Gorgeously ripe black fruit, violet and spices. Still very youthful and vigorous. It simply glided over the palate with the mouth-coating velvety tannins. The lively acidity keeping the richness and density in balance and harmony . A very lengthy finish that would take you back immediately for another sip! A deftly crafted wine, that would seem fitting to be called a benchmark wine for the vintage, combining elegance, concentration and power, even if somewhat atypical of a classic Burgundian! Drink now and over next 10 - 12 years!
Monday, 5 November 2012
Eric Pras in HK
28 Oct 2012: Patrick managed to secure a table at this sell-out event: Eric Pras, chef of 3-Michelin starred Lameloise (Chagny, France), cooking in Hong Kong! Lameloise is really one of my favourite restaurants in the world: culinary skills aside, it's one of those special places that makes you feel that 'at home' every time you visit - the warm and personal service, the cosy dining areas, the very professional and friendly staff who have largely remained the same since my first visit, and the rush of fresh air that greets you in the face as you leave the restaurant. I highly recommend staying there if you are going to indulge on a gastronomic evening at the restaurant. Chagny is this little town in the Côte Chalonnaise region, just south of the more illustrious Côte d'Or, in the Saône-et-Loire departement, and it's a charming little place. The Sunday market is always a highlight for me and there are plenty of walks around the area, along the canal, in the hills taking you to Bouzeron and Rully. And don't forget to explore the wines of the Côte Chalonnaise because they are wines of character and they offer something different for those seeking value and quality in Bourgogne wines: Bouzeron, Rully, Mercurey, Givry and Montagny.
In his earlier career, Eric Pras trained with various legendary culinary figures in France: Troisgros, Bernard Loiseau, Pierre Gagnaire and Antoine Westerman. He joined Jacques Lameloise in 2008 and took over the kitchen in 2009. The style of food at Lameloise? Simplicity and tradition form a very harmonious entirety here.....the kitchen looks for 'innovation' in 'tradition'.
For this menu degustation, he prepared the following:
Scallops and Jerusalem Artichoke, Marinated and Crispy Celery Perfumed Coat
Jerusalem Artichoke Nectar and Sea Urchin Marshmallow
Burgundy Escargots, Tarte Fine, Herbs, Vegetables, Persil and Garlic Coulis and Sprinkled Liquorice
Slow cooked Seabass, warm mayonnaise, mustard and verbena
Lobster Medallion, Artichoke and Coriander, Light Cream of Parmentier Style Potato (my favourite dish, stunning panoply of flavours and texture......so good with the 88 Clos de La Roche!)
Pigeon roasted with gingerbread praline, turnip with prune chutney and pearled jus
Mango soup, yoghurt sorbet, warm madeleine
Orange cream and jelly, manjari mousse, ginger orange sherbet
As this was a special occasion (a birthday dinner), our host had prepared some rather special wines:
1988 Krug: Bright deep gold. A very expressive, intense and complex nose of quince, fig, apricot, hazelnuts, acacia, nutmeg, gingerbread , pastry and smoke. On the palate, the intense flavours find perfect balance with the lively acidity and creamy texture of fine and persistent bubbles, seamlessly integrated. A very complete and harmonious wine, absolutely irresistible (and disappearing very fast from the glass). Drinking at peak now and for another 8 - 10 years? 19.5/20
2005 Meursault Les Grands Charrons, Michel Bouzereau (in magnum): This is very fine village quality example. A classic Meursault nose of peach, apricot, ripe pear, verbena, bracken and hazelnuts. The rich texture and rounded mouthfeel balanced by firm acidity. There is very good ripe fruit quality here, admirable balance and a long minerally finish. A fine effort and can drink for another 5 - 6 years in this format. 16/20
2006 Meursault-Caillerets, Coche-Dury: First bottle was corked. Second bottle shows a very fine and stylish Meursault, with a very elegant and initially subtle nose of peach, melon, floral, hazelnuts and flinty smoke. On the palate, the refined elegance is unmistakable. A little restrained initially, slowing revealing a very precise expression of terroir: stony minerality, Meursault richness overlaid with a stylish elegance and tremendous freshness. A very long finish. Gorgeous now and can be enjoyed over next 10 - 15 years. (Les Caillerets is a tiny Premier Cru climat next to Volnay and Monthelie.) 17.5/20
1989 Charmes-Chambertin, Rousseau: Sweaty saddle, underbrush, with some plum notes on the nose. Mid weight. Elegant, but a little ungenerous on the palate, slightly lacking in character. Drink now. 16/20
1988 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: This by comparison is a pleasant surprise. Spicy notes overlaid with plum and dried rose petals. Rich mouthfeel, showing a robust structure of fine acidity and velvety tannin, intensity and depth of flavours, with a medium finish. Drink now and over next 45 - 6 years. 17/20
1993 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: Ripe red fruit, plum, spicy and earthy notes with a touch of the sauvage character. Not a wine particularly defined by finesse and elegance, but rather a wine that delivers solid structure, balance, flesh, concentration and richness of ripe fruit material - a very respectable expression of terroir. Velvety tannin, fine acidity and a long finish. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20
1999 Bonnes Mares, de Vogüé: Still very youthful - slightly austere, not really talking to us yet. Probably could benefit from 2 more years of bottle age before trying again. Notes of red and blue fruit and spices. This is a firm and solid wine, with plenty of concentration and depth, but this is going to take some time to unfurl its greatness and finesse. 18.5/20
1959 Coutet: Richard tried it and said it was really delicious and amazingly fresh!
Sometimes when you have a guest chef from overseas, the expectation far exceeds the actual delivery/enjoyment because of various reasons: chef not familiar with the kitchen, linguistic challenges with the rest of the culinary team, etc....but not for this dinner, all the dishes were as we would expect in France. Chapeau! Well done, chef!
In his earlier career, Eric Pras trained with various legendary culinary figures in France: Troisgros, Bernard Loiseau, Pierre Gagnaire and Antoine Westerman. He joined Jacques Lameloise in 2008 and took over the kitchen in 2009. The style of food at Lameloise? Simplicity and tradition form a very harmonious entirety here.....the kitchen looks for 'innovation' in 'tradition'.
For this menu degustation, he prepared the following:
 |
| Scallop and Jerusalem Artichoke - the scallop with crispy celery coat was divine! |
Jerusalem Artichoke Nectar and Sea Urchin Marshmallow
 |
| Escargots - I think the pastry was not very nice - much better with the classic tarte fine |
Slow cooked Seabass, warm mayonnaise, mustard and verbena
 |
| Lobster medallion - my favourite dish of the evening! Love the rich and warm flavours. |
 |
| Pigeon dish - fleshy and tender (and this went beautifully with the 93 Clos de La Roche) |
Mango soup, yoghurt sorbet, warm madeleine
Orange cream and jelly, manjari mousse, ginger orange sherbet
As this was a special occasion (a birthday dinner), our host had prepared some rather special wines:
1988 Krug: Bright deep gold. A very expressive, intense and complex nose of quince, fig, apricot, hazelnuts, acacia, nutmeg, gingerbread , pastry and smoke. On the palate, the intense flavours find perfect balance with the lively acidity and creamy texture of fine and persistent bubbles, seamlessly integrated. A very complete and harmonious wine, absolutely irresistible (and disappearing very fast from the glass). Drinking at peak now and for another 8 - 10 years? 19.5/20
2005 Meursault Les Grands Charrons, Michel Bouzereau (in magnum): This is very fine village quality example. A classic Meursault nose of peach, apricot, ripe pear, verbena, bracken and hazelnuts. The rich texture and rounded mouthfeel balanced by firm acidity. There is very good ripe fruit quality here, admirable balance and a long minerally finish. A fine effort and can drink for another 5 - 6 years in this format. 16/20
2006 Meursault-Caillerets, Coche-Dury: First bottle was corked. Second bottle shows a very fine and stylish Meursault, with a very elegant and initially subtle nose of peach, melon, floral, hazelnuts and flinty smoke. On the palate, the refined elegance is unmistakable. A little restrained initially, slowing revealing a very precise expression of terroir: stony minerality, Meursault richness overlaid with a stylish elegance and tremendous freshness. A very long finish. Gorgeous now and can be enjoyed over next 10 - 15 years. (Les Caillerets is a tiny Premier Cru climat next to Volnay and Monthelie.) 17.5/20
1989 Charmes-Chambertin, Rousseau: Sweaty saddle, underbrush, with some plum notes on the nose. Mid weight. Elegant, but a little ungenerous on the palate, slightly lacking in character. Drink now. 16/20
1988 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: This by comparison is a pleasant surprise. Spicy notes overlaid with plum and dried rose petals. Rich mouthfeel, showing a robust structure of fine acidity and velvety tannin, intensity and depth of flavours, with a medium finish. Drink now and over next 45 - 6 years. 17/20
1993 Clos de La Roche, Rousseau: Ripe red fruit, plum, spicy and earthy notes with a touch of the sauvage character. Not a wine particularly defined by finesse and elegance, but rather a wine that delivers solid structure, balance, flesh, concentration and richness of ripe fruit material - a very respectable expression of terroir. Velvety tannin, fine acidity and a long finish. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20
1999 Bonnes Mares, de Vogüé: Still very youthful - slightly austere, not really talking to us yet. Probably could benefit from 2 more years of bottle age before trying again. Notes of red and blue fruit and spices. This is a firm and solid wine, with plenty of concentration and depth, but this is going to take some time to unfurl its greatness and finesse. 18.5/20
1959 Coutet: Richard tried it and said it was really delicious and amazingly fresh!
Sometimes when you have a guest chef from overseas, the expectation far exceeds the actual delivery/enjoyment because of various reasons: chef not familiar with the kitchen, linguistic challenges with the rest of the culinary team, etc....but not for this dinner, all the dishes were as we would expect in France. Chapeau! Well done, chef!
Tuesday, 23 October 2012
Falling in love with Barolos again....the ripe and warm 1997 vintage
20 Oct 2012: Bocca di Lupo (www.boccadilupo.com) - I had been meaning to try this much-acclaimed restaurant in London for its array of simple honest Italian regional cuisine with a few innovative touches (and manageable portions) but it was only when the chef Jacob Kennedy came to HK that I had the opportunity to try some of his dishes. At Domani, he prepared a 4-course meal of:
Battuto veal tartare with white truffle from Alba
Orecchiette with 'nduja, tomato, red onion and cream
Roast suckling pig with white wine, chestnuts and grapes, boiled vegetables with olive oil
Dessert platter with bonet (a Piemontese pudding of amaretti, chocolate, rum, caramel and coffee), cannolo Siciliano and profiterole with chestnut gelato
Being a lover of all things spicy, the pasta dish was inevitably my favourite dish of the evening. 'nduja according to the Restaurant Manager is something like liquid sausage with chili.....it was hot, spicy and very aromatic, added to the sweetness of the red onion, the tartness of tomato, the creamy texture and buttery taste of the cream and the al dente pasta made one sensational dish. The suckling pig was so tender that it fell apart at the slightest touch of the fork, and completely melted in the mouth. It didn't need anything at all - perhaps the acidity in the grape cut through the fatty taste, but so did our wines!
For wines, we had 3 Barolos from the 1997 vintage, plus a 2001 Gaja Costa Russi.
1997 Barolo La Serra, Gianni Voerzio: A very fresh nose, reminiscent of cherry, roses, tobacco, chalk and graphite minerality. Liquorice, earthy and leather notes followed after some aeration in the glass. Medium-bodied, with perfectly balanced acidity and mellow tannin. A touch of sweetness on the medium-length finish. Not a blockbuster wine, but makes a harmonious accompaniment to the veal tartare dish. Drinking at peak now and for next 3 - 4 years. 17/20
1997 Barolo Bric del Fiasc, Paolo Scavino: Quite a change in style......much more flamboyant than the Gianni Voerzio Barolo. Fruit for this wine is from vineyard in Castiliogne Falletto, so big and structured. Medium ruby. A bouquet depicting warmth, intensity and richness of ripe plum, dark cherry, roses, dark chocolate, smoke, tar, leather and liquorice. Medium body with a velvety texture, bolstered by firm acidity and fine-grained tannin. Very scrumptious, still showing plenty of character and complexity, and a persistent finish. A profound wine that offers appeal and depth, ideal drinking now, and over next 5 - 6 years. 17.5/20
1997 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, Paolo Scavino: Fruit from La Morra. Deep ruby. A pronounced and intense perfume of plum, raisin, stewed prunes and figs, dried roses, violet, kirsch, liquorice, leather and earthy notes. There seems much more concentration here than the Bric del Fiasc and the mouthfeel is more generous, flaunting much more of the ripe fruit and mouth-coating tannin, giving it a chewy texture and a very long finish. This is very fine indeed - a lush, heady and opulent wine that is at once seductive and elegant. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20
2001 Costa Russi, Gaja: Mostly Nebbiolo with around 5% of Barbera....from single vineyard Costa Russi in Barbaresco. A wine with much elegance and class. Liquorice, black cherry, smoke and violet. Fine-grained tannin balanced by firm acidity effortlessly carrying the flavours across the palate. A very stylish and persistent finish. This wine can do with more bottle age, to soften the tannin and to become even more harmonious.....but it's already irresistibly attractive today. Drink now and over next 10 - 15+ years. 18/20
These Barolos are so fine, elegant and full of character, that we wonder why we don't drink them more often!!
Battuto veal tartare with white truffle from Alba
Orecchiette with 'nduja, tomato, red onion and cream
Roast suckling pig with white wine, chestnuts and grapes, boiled vegetables with olive oil
Dessert platter with bonet (a Piemontese pudding of amaretti, chocolate, rum, caramel and coffee), cannolo Siciliano and profiterole with chestnut gelato
Being a lover of all things spicy, the pasta dish was inevitably my favourite dish of the evening. 'nduja according to the Restaurant Manager is something like liquid sausage with chili.....it was hot, spicy and very aromatic, added to the sweetness of the red onion, the tartness of tomato, the creamy texture and buttery taste of the cream and the al dente pasta made one sensational dish. The suckling pig was so tender that it fell apart at the slightest touch of the fork, and completely melted in the mouth. It didn't need anything at all - perhaps the acidity in the grape cut through the fatty taste, but so did our wines!
For wines, we had 3 Barolos from the 1997 vintage, plus a 2001 Gaja Costa Russi.
1997 Barolo La Serra, Gianni Voerzio: A very fresh nose, reminiscent of cherry, roses, tobacco, chalk and graphite minerality. Liquorice, earthy and leather notes followed after some aeration in the glass. Medium-bodied, with perfectly balanced acidity and mellow tannin. A touch of sweetness on the medium-length finish. Not a blockbuster wine, but makes a harmonious accompaniment to the veal tartare dish. Drinking at peak now and for next 3 - 4 years. 17/20
1997 Barolo Bric del Fiasc, Paolo Scavino: Quite a change in style......much more flamboyant than the Gianni Voerzio Barolo. Fruit for this wine is from vineyard in Castiliogne Falletto, so big and structured. Medium ruby. A bouquet depicting warmth, intensity and richness of ripe plum, dark cherry, roses, dark chocolate, smoke, tar, leather and liquorice. Medium body with a velvety texture, bolstered by firm acidity and fine-grained tannin. Very scrumptious, still showing plenty of character and complexity, and a persistent finish. A profound wine that offers appeal and depth, ideal drinking now, and over next 5 - 6 years. 17.5/20
1997 Barolo Rocche dell'Annunziata Riserva, Paolo Scavino: Fruit from La Morra. Deep ruby. A pronounced and intense perfume of plum, raisin, stewed prunes and figs, dried roses, violet, kirsch, liquorice, leather and earthy notes. There seems much more concentration here than the Bric del Fiasc and the mouthfeel is more generous, flaunting much more of the ripe fruit and mouth-coating tannin, giving it a chewy texture and a very long finish. This is very fine indeed - a lush, heady and opulent wine that is at once seductive and elegant. Drink now and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20
2001 Costa Russi, Gaja: Mostly Nebbiolo with around 5% of Barbera....from single vineyard Costa Russi in Barbaresco. A wine with much elegance and class. Liquorice, black cherry, smoke and violet. Fine-grained tannin balanced by firm acidity effortlessly carrying the flavours across the palate. A very stylish and persistent finish. This wine can do with more bottle age, to soften the tannin and to become even more harmonious.....but it's already irresistibly attractive today. Drink now and over next 10 - 15+ years. 18/20
These Barolos are so fine, elegant and full of character, that we wonder why we don't drink them more often!!
1983 Chave Hermitage
14 Oct 2012: Garnet robe. A mature nose of animal, violet, coriander seeds and earthy notes. Just perfectly balanced with firm acidity and the sweetness from the ripe fruit, with a velvety texture. An honest wine, perfect now. Drink now and for next 5 - 6 years. 17.5/20
Saturday, 13 October 2012
1985 DRC Grands Echezeaux and 1996 Roumier Corton Charlemagne
13 Oct 2012:
1985 Grands Echézeaux, DRC. We were a little worried about this bottle as underneath the capsule, the cork seemed a little loose at the top - that it could have fallen victim to oxidation. Garnet robe. A classic mature Burgundian nose of dried rose petals, sous-bois, coffee, earth, leather and still more than a hint of raspberry. Silky texture, well integrated and balanced, nice concentration. Long finish. Harmonious and elegant, drinking at peak now and for the next 6 - 8+ years. 18/20
1996 Corton-Charlemagne, Roumier: Deep lemon, with golden glints. A very rich and opulent nose of lanolin, beeswax, toffee, butter, hazelnuts, quince paste, very ripe pear and dried mango, with a whiff of botrytis-like note. Full-bodied, quite alcoholic. Firm acidity. Showing very good concentration and intensity, but there is something missing from the balance for a classic Burgundian Chardonnay. To me, there is a bit of similarity with a New World Chardonnay. A muscular wine offering richness, power and concentration, rather than elegance and tension. 16.5/20
1996 Corton-Charlemagne, Roumier: Deep lemon, with golden glints. A very rich and opulent nose of lanolin, beeswax, toffee, butter, hazelnuts, quince paste, very ripe pear and dried mango, with a whiff of botrytis-like note. Full-bodied, quite alcoholic. Firm acidity. Showing very good concentration and intensity, but there is something missing from the balance for a classic Burgundian Chardonnay. To me, there is a bit of similarity with a New World Chardonnay. A muscular wine offering richness, power and concentration, rather than elegance and tension. 16.5/20
Legendary Jayer: 1972, 1983, 1987 and 1991
12 Oct 2012:
It's a very rare event that we get to taste a Jayer bottle, and to be tasting 6 Jayer bottles at one dinner would be an experience of a lifetime! And it was, thanks to the generosity of Burgundy lover friends who contributed some of these precious bottles, and made even more special by the impeccable food and service at Amuse Bouche. We added a couple of Méo-Camuzet bottles to offer some (albeit in a very minor way) comparison in style. In preparation for this special evening, I spent quite a bit of time selecting the champagne and white wines, and working on the food/wine pairing. This is the menu and wine selection I came up with:
Amuse Bouche
My notes on the wines:
1982 Salon: Amber golden. Intense and mature nose with notes of grilled hazelnuts, dried apricot, toffee, caramel, coffee and quince paste. There is an intense concentration of flavours on the palate. Lively acidity and a creamy mousse, with persistent and fine bubbles. This bottle seems in a much more advanced state of development, but there is still a brilliant balance of flavours, acidity and mousse, keeping the palate fresh and exciting. 17/20
1973 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray: (good level but loose cork) Deep amber. Plenty of torrefaction on nose: coffee, toffee and nutty. The fruit has largely gone. Not very exciting. Acidic kick at finish. Past its best.
1978 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray: Golden colour. An opulent bouquet of beeswax, lanolin, very ripe pear, marzipan and magnolia. Full-bodied with a rich and unctuous texture, deftly balanced by firm lively acidity. Very long finish. A wine with lots of muscles. Drink now and over next 6 - 8 years. 18/20
1972 Vosne-Romanée, Henri Jayer: (Served blind for everyone to guess!) Ruby-garnet robe. A very classic mature Burgundian nose of raspberry, rose petals, layered with tertiary notes of animal, leather, savoury and truffle. Supple attack on palate. Medium bodied, with silky texture, beautifully balanced, fair amount of intensity on the palate, finish a little short, with just a slight drying sensation. Drink now! A really nice surprise given the quality of the vintage and the level of the appellation. 17/20
1983 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Garnet colour, a little cloudy. A very seductive nose with aromas of pot pourri, coriander seeds, soya sauce, sous-bois and leather, with a very distinct sauvage notes. Velvety texture. Totally harmonious, seamlessly integrated and balanced, with an understated richness and concentration that carries the sweet flavours a long way on the finish. Drinking at peak now and for next 5 - 6+ years. 19/20
1987 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby, garnet rim. A herbal nose of tea leaves and sous-bois and slightly herbaceous notes. Quite a delicate frame. Very admirable freshness on the palate. Slightly astringency on the long finish. Well-balanced and a strong effort for the weak vintage. Drink now and over next 4 - 5 years. 17.5/20
1991 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby. Slightly bretty initially, the expressive nose gradually taken over by primary red and black berries, tea leaves, spicy, savoury, leather, with the rather attractive sauvage character. Full-bodied, with a remarkable display of concentration, integration, balance and richness, all characteristic of the vintage. Very long finish. Still evolving in the glass during dinner. Drink now and over next 10 - 12+ years. 19/20
1983 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: Unfortunately slightly corked, but this does not entirely detract from the potential quality of this strong performance for the vintage. Velvety structure, no sign of any astringency on the palate. Rose petals, earthy, sous-bois, leather notes still evident to the nose, but the palate has been rendered less interesting by the corkedness.
1987 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby. Quite high-toned notes, raspberry, plum, dried rose petals, with earthy, tea leaves and sous-bois. Elegantly presented in a medium structure, with remarkable freshness, flavour intensity and balance, keeping the wine in a relatively youthful state. Tannin still not fully integrated, slight astringency on the very long finish. Excellent effort for this challenging vintage. There was a suggestion that this would go well with Chinese roast goose and plum sauce! (We paired this with duck and fig marmalade and red cabbage, not too far off!) Drink now and over next 8 - 10+ years. 18/20
1991 Richebourg, Méo-Camuzet: Bright medium ruby. Initially reductive on the nose. Quite a change in style from the Jayers. Still plenty of red fruit, with meaty, savoury and earthy notes. Lots of complexity on the palate, Quite austere and reserved on the palate, needs plenty of aeration to get the wine to speak to us. There is no question of its density, concentration and intensity. A powerful wine, that will benefit from a bit more bottle age to harmonise further before reaching its apogée. Finishes very long. 18+/20
2004 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Méo-Camuzet: Deep ruby. The characteristic herbaceous nose of the cool vintage of 2004 is evident, but it is well integrated with the purity of red fruit, leather, savoury and autumn leaves. There is a remarkable freshness on the palate, balanced with sufficient concentration, complexity and depth. A strong effort for a challenging vintage. Lovely long finish. This can be enjoyed now with aeration, but probably better in 2 - 3 years time. 17.5/20
1947 Climens: Deep amber robe. A penetrating nose of grilled hazelnuts, caramel, marmalade, dried apricot and figs, plenty of botrytis. Rich and opulent on the palate, but incredibly well-balanced still, not cloying at all, and only a hint of astringency on the very long finish. Simply brilliant for a Sauternes/Barsac at this age! 18.5/20
As for the food, I highly recommend the pan-fried langoustine, calamari, NZ clam with ink ravioli stuffed with onion confit and shallot lime sauce. The seafood was so fresh, beautifully cooked to retain the freshness and natural flavours. The NZ clam is the plumpest clam I've had for a long time! The ink ravioli was a revelation, al dente skin, with an explosion of flavours once in your mouth.
The pasta with black truffle is a firm favourite of mine and simply had to be included!! It worked so well with the truffle note of the 1972 Vosne-Romanée.
I thought the frog's legs were brilliant - so tender and juicy, with flavours lifted by the garlic and parsley. The garlic was perhaps a touch too strong for our wines. A really excellent dish and could easily be a main course by itself for a lightish meal!
I liked the taste of toasted corainder seeds around the duck breast, which was cooked medium rare. The sweetness from the fig marmalade was perhaps a little too intense for our wines and the red cabbage a little tart for our wines. That was not a good selection by me. The dish itself was great but probably better paired with a Syrah (Hermitage) or a Bandol.
The apple tart is Richard's favourite - so it needed to be included, even if it wasn't the best match with the 47 Climens!
What made Henri Jayer so special? Could it be a combination of his personality, access to some of the best terroirs, and his philosophy of no stems, using only ripe concentrated fruit, plenty of oak and no filtration? He was known for his ability to turn out very good and ageworthy wines in the lesser vintages. This was certainly true in our case: a number of the wines we had were from lesser vintages - 1972, 1983, 1987 and 2004 (for Meo-Camuzet). Jayer was truly a master at his art. I felt humbled by the greatness of his wines. I doubt I would have this experience repeated again - it is to be treasured for many many years to come!
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| The line-up of wines |
Amuse Bouche
1982 Salon
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Pan fried langoustine, calamari, New Zealand clam accompanied by ink ravioli
stuffed with onion confit, shallot lime sauce
1973 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray
1978 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray
1978 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray
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Tuscan artisanal pasta with black truffle, chicken gravy
1972 Vosne-Romanée, Henri Jayer
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Sautéed Frog’s legs with garlic and black olive tomato confit and shredded parsley
1983 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer
1987 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer
1991 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer
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Roasted Challand duck breast flavoured with coriander seed, fig marmalade,
red cabbage, baby pear, orange duck jus
1983 Richebourg, Henri Jayer
1987 Richebourg, Henri Jayer
1991 Richebourg, Méo-Camuzet
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Cheese Selection from Philippe Alléosse served with apricot, cherry jam and raisin
2004 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Méo-Camuzet
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Crispy Granny Smith apple tart, vanilla ice cream
1947 Climens
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My notes on the wines:
1982 Salon: Amber golden. Intense and mature nose with notes of grilled hazelnuts, dried apricot, toffee, caramel, coffee and quince paste. There is an intense concentration of flavours on the palate. Lively acidity and a creamy mousse, with persistent and fine bubbles. This bottle seems in a much more advanced state of development, but there is still a brilliant balance of flavours, acidity and mousse, keeping the palate fresh and exciting. 17/20
1973 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray: (good level but loose cork) Deep amber. Plenty of torrefaction on nose: coffee, toffee and nutty. The fruit has largely gone. Not very exciting. Acidic kick at finish. Past its best.
1978 Corton-Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray: Golden colour. An opulent bouquet of beeswax, lanolin, very ripe pear, marzipan and magnolia. Full-bodied with a rich and unctuous texture, deftly balanced by firm lively acidity. Very long finish. A wine with lots of muscles. Drink now and over next 6 - 8 years. 18/20
1972 Vosne-Romanée, Henri Jayer: (Served blind for everyone to guess!) Ruby-garnet robe. A very classic mature Burgundian nose of raspberry, rose petals, layered with tertiary notes of animal, leather, savoury and truffle. Supple attack on palate. Medium bodied, with silky texture, beautifully balanced, fair amount of intensity on the palate, finish a little short, with just a slight drying sensation. Drink now! A really nice surprise given the quality of the vintage and the level of the appellation. 17/20
1983 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Garnet colour, a little cloudy. A very seductive nose with aromas of pot pourri, coriander seeds, soya sauce, sous-bois and leather, with a very distinct sauvage notes. Velvety texture. Totally harmonious, seamlessly integrated and balanced, with an understated richness and concentration that carries the sweet flavours a long way on the finish. Drinking at peak now and for next 5 - 6+ years. 19/20
1987 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby, garnet rim. A herbal nose of tea leaves and sous-bois and slightly herbaceous notes. Quite a delicate frame. Very admirable freshness on the palate. Slightly astringency on the long finish. Well-balanced and a strong effort for the weak vintage. Drink now and over next 4 - 5 years. 17.5/20
1991 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby. Slightly bretty initially, the expressive nose gradually taken over by primary red and black berries, tea leaves, spicy, savoury, leather, with the rather attractive sauvage character. Full-bodied, with a remarkable display of concentration, integration, balance and richness, all characteristic of the vintage. Very long finish. Still evolving in the glass during dinner. Drink now and over next 10 - 12+ years. 19/20
1983 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: Unfortunately slightly corked, but this does not entirely detract from the potential quality of this strong performance for the vintage. Velvety structure, no sign of any astringency on the palate. Rose petals, earthy, sous-bois, leather notes still evident to the nose, but the palate has been rendered less interesting by the corkedness.
1987 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: Bright medium ruby. Quite high-toned notes, raspberry, plum, dried rose petals, with earthy, tea leaves and sous-bois. Elegantly presented in a medium structure, with remarkable freshness, flavour intensity and balance, keeping the wine in a relatively youthful state. Tannin still not fully integrated, slight astringency on the very long finish. Excellent effort for this challenging vintage. There was a suggestion that this would go well with Chinese roast goose and plum sauce! (We paired this with duck and fig marmalade and red cabbage, not too far off!) Drink now and over next 8 - 10+ years. 18/20
1991 Richebourg, Méo-Camuzet: Bright medium ruby. Initially reductive on the nose. Quite a change in style from the Jayers. Still plenty of red fruit, with meaty, savoury and earthy notes. Lots of complexity on the palate, Quite austere and reserved on the palate, needs plenty of aeration to get the wine to speak to us. There is no question of its density, concentration and intensity. A powerful wine, that will benefit from a bit more bottle age to harmonise further before reaching its apogée. Finishes very long. 18+/20
2004 Vosne-Romanée Cros Parantoux, Méo-Camuzet: Deep ruby. The characteristic herbaceous nose of the cool vintage of 2004 is evident, but it is well integrated with the purity of red fruit, leather, savoury and autumn leaves. There is a remarkable freshness on the palate, balanced with sufficient concentration, complexity and depth. A strong effort for a challenging vintage. Lovely long finish. This can be enjoyed now with aeration, but probably better in 2 - 3 years time. 17.5/20
1947 Climens: Deep amber robe. A penetrating nose of grilled hazelnuts, caramel, marmalade, dried apricot and figs, plenty of botrytis. Rich and opulent on the palate, but incredibly well-balanced still, not cloying at all, and only a hint of astringency on the very long finish. Simply brilliant for a Sauternes/Barsac at this age! 18.5/20
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| Pan-fried langoustine, calamari, NZ clam with ink ravioli (above the 2 glasses of Corton-Charlemagne, showing very different colours, despite only a 5 year difference) |
The pasta with black truffle is a firm favourite of mine and simply had to be included!! It worked so well with the truffle note of the 1972 Vosne-Romanée.
 |
| Frog's legs with garlic, tomator and olive confit with parsley |
 |
| Roasted duck breast with coriander seeds, with fig marmalade and red cabbage |
The apple tart is Richard's favourite - so it needed to be included, even if it wasn't the best match with the 47 Climens!
What made Henri Jayer so special? Could it be a combination of his personality, access to some of the best terroirs, and his philosophy of no stems, using only ripe concentrated fruit, plenty of oak and no filtration? He was known for his ability to turn out very good and ageworthy wines in the lesser vintages. This was certainly true in our case: a number of the wines we had were from lesser vintages - 1972, 1983, 1987 and 2004 (for Meo-Camuzet). Jayer was truly a master at his art. I felt humbled by the greatness of his wines. I doubt I would have this experience repeated again - it is to be treasured for many many years to come!
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