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!! 

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

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

 

Legendary Jayer: 1972, 1983, 1987 and 1991

12 Oct 2012:


The line-up of wines

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

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 

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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

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)

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.

Frog's legs with garlic, tomator and olive confit with parsley

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!

Roasted duck breast with coriander seeds, with fig marmalade and red cabbage

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!

A Vertical of Richebourg

5 October 2012: Richard and I were so excited be part of this very special wine dinner at DN-Innovacion in Taipei (www.dn-asia.com). A highly recommended restaurant serving creative and molecular Spanish dishes with interpretations of classic Taiwanese dishes!!



Golden foie gras ball



Scrambled egg with chanterelle and beef noodles!



24-hour duck breast

Chef Daniel Negreira prepared a special menu of 17 courses of bite-sized creations for us. I was particularly impressed by the shimmering golden ball of chocolate and foie gras, the simply irresistible interpretation of Taiwan's famous beef noodles, infused with truffle aromas (I simply had to soak up the aromatic and intensely flavoured broth with bread!), the very tender 24-hour duck breast, the ingenial interpreation of another Taiwanese classic "ba wan" (or meatball) - succulent meat, intensly flavoured, the al dente and beautifully flavoured Japanese octopus and the finale of Kobe beef cheek with porcini mushrooms - simply divine, utterly indulgent and rich.


As for the wines.........


NV Initial, Selosse: A blend of Grand Cru villages from Avize, Cramant and Oger.  Very refined nose, showing signs of vibrancy and complexity. Toast, grilled almonds, citrus zest, enriched with ripe pear, apple and white peach notes on the nose. Lively acidity and a creamy texture, with fine persistent bubbles filling the palate. Bursting with energy and minerality. Bitter almond aftertaste on the long finish. Gorgeously well-made and a very fine 'house' champagne. 17/20

NV Krug Private Cuvée Silver: A blend of older vintages, probably from 1968 to 1979? This version made in the Brut style, although it had also been made in the Extra Brut style. Amber robe. Rich developed bouquet of caramel, apricot, frangipane, macadamia, sweet corn and sugar cane notes. Cashmere-like texture of delicate mousse and a medium body. Showing great balance for its age, with lively acidity, keeping the palate fresh and exhilarating. Love the spicy cinnamon finish. Opulent and seductive. 17.5/20

1947 Krug: Unfortunately, I find this past its best, and rather lifeless. Deep amber robe. Very madeirised nose of dried orange peel, quince paste, mango chutney, grilled hazelnuts, coffee and caramel, lots of torrefacton. Rather flat on the palate. Perhaps better enjoyed at the end of the meal, with dried fruit and some cheese? 13.5/20

1979 Krug Clos du Mesnil: Uniquely classy and stylish. First ever vintage for Krug Clos du Mesnil. Apparently only 6 bottles left in Krug's own cellars. So this is really a special treat to be able to admire this rare beauty, that seems to have escaped the ravaging of the passage of time, and has stayed rather youthful and timeless. Pale straw lemon robe. The freshness is simply amazing. Very classy bouquet of acacia, spice, citrus, ripe apple and pear. Creamy mousse of very fine and persistent bubbles, with vibrant acidity, keeping the wine extraordinarily fresh and energetic. Finish goes on and on. There is no hurry to drink this wine at all, at this rate of development. Stylish, ageless, sheer class. 19.5/20

2007 Meursault, Coche-Dury: Decanted for 2 hours. Very elegant nose of white flowers, nutty, citrus, ripe apple, ginger and cinnamon. Light/medium body, but gradually takes on weight as the wine develops in the glass. Vibrant acidity. Very youthful. Nice crisp finish. Brilliant crafted village level Meursault. A long life ahead......drink over next 8 - 10+ years. 16.5+/20
2007 Meursault-Genevrières, Coche-Dury: A serious step-up from the Meursault villages, in terms of intensty, concentration, weight and complexity. A wine with a huge amount of character, but will need some time to become more integrated and harmonious. Try from 2016+. Drink over next 12 - 15+ years. 18/20

1997 Meursault, Coche-Dury: Golden hue. Nutty, caramel, soya sauce, toasted hazelnuts, marzipan, ripe pears and confectionery. Firm acidity. Harmonious and well developed. Drinking at peak now and will continue to drink well over 5 - 6 years. Excellent with food. 17/20

1996 Richebourg, Anne & François Gros: Very elegant nose. Supple on palate. Complexities of herbs, compost, earth, lifted by ripe fruit and spices. A little lacking in concentration. Seems a little ungenerous on palate. Not a very long finish. A feminine style wine, but nevertheless well-made and totally integrated and harmonious. Drink now and over 8 - 10 years. 17/20
1996 Richebourg, Leroy: A huge contrast to the previous 1996. Muscular, lush, rich, dense and concentrated. Black fruit, floral, cloves and spices. Nuances of warm pebbles on palate. Despite the dimensions of the elements, a wine of great balance and immense character. Will need some time to mellow. Just a little intimidating at the moment. 18/20

1993 Richebourg, Meo-Camuzet: A very classy embodiment of finesse, elegance, concentration, Burgundian complexity and balance. Coffee, earthy, sous-bois, cloves, spices, ripe black fruit, plum, with velvety tannin and firm acidity, all fitted into a broad-shouldered frame. Simply gorgeous to enjoy now with food, and with a long life ahead! Almost combining the best of the last 2 wines. 19/20

1969 Richebourg, Jean Gros: Unfortunately, slightly corked.
1967 Richebourg, The Wine Society: Probably a Remoissenet wine. Garnet hue. Amazingly fresh for its age. Animal, savoury, red cherry, raspberry and earthy. Very fine indeed, with much concentration and intensity. Finishes long. Rather impressed by this given the inferior vintage! 17/20
1967 Richebourg, Henri Jayer: a recent release directly from the cellars of Henri Jayer. Unfortunately, rather madeirised.

1962 Richebourg, Leroy: This is perfection in the glass - this symbolises Burgundy's finest: perfect harmony, impeccable balance and that understated elegance underlined with persistence that is so Burgundian. Mesmerizingly seductive in its aromas and irresistibly silky on palate. There is only admiration and awe for this wine. A very demure bouquet of dried rose petals, cinnamon, coriander seeds, cranberry, raspberry, sous-bois and tea leaves. Tasting incredibly fresh on the palate, that it could easily taste like "the youngest wine of the flight". Silky mouthfeel, wonderfully fresh, lifted by decent acidity, with a finish that goes on and on. This is a wine that leaves you wanting nothing more. A timeless beauty - Richard calls it "Audrey Hepburn". Drinking at peak now.  20/20

1961 Richebourg, DRC: In stark contrast to the 1962 Leroy, this is a demonstration of opulence, power and richness. Showing very ripe fruit, phenomenal concentration and density, with sizeable dimensions of well-integrated tannin structure and fine acidity. Perfectly balanced, with a very long finish. This is the "Marilyn Monroe" of the evening. Voluptuous and fleshy. Likewise, drinking ate peak.  19/20

1949 Richebourg, Liger-Belair: Lush, rich but sadly madeirised. Full-bodied. Torrefaction nose of chocolate, coffee, caramel and molasses.

1949 La Romanée, Liger-Belair: Remarkably fresh for its age. Aromatically hugely complex. Showing great balance, and sophisticated elegance and class. Silky tannin, totally integrated and harmonious. Showing no signs of deterioration at all. A perfect showcase of the timeless elegance and understated beauty and generosity of Burgundian's best. Long long finish. 19.5/20

1963 Tokay Aszu Esszencia: Brown with amber highlights. Fig, dried fruit, chocolate, wolfberry, ginseng and spices. Lusciously rich but brilliantly balanced by lively acidity. Like being regaled by an aria by Maria Callas. A long and fine finish. 18/20

These are all amazing wines and all worthy of our admiration for the labour and talent of the winemaker and the wonderful expression of the terroirs. I could not say that there was one conclusive style for Richebourg. With vintage differences, winemaker preferences and individual styles, nuances in soil and aspect differences, generalisation would not seem fair nor appropriate. For me, I have just been reminded again of the modesty one needs to maintain in appreciating Burgundy wines, because the surprise more often than not would overpower the expectation.

Thank you very much to our most generous host!

1985 Dujac Clos La Roche

30 Sep 2012:
1985 Clos La Roche, Dujac
Medium garnet. An intense and complex nose of raspberry, dried rose petals, long jing tea, smoke, mushroom, sous-bois, coriander seeds, leather and gamey notes. A sweetness greets you on entry, slowly coating the palate with silky tannin and intense flavours, lifted by lively acidity. Impressive freshness, concentration, depth and persistence, with a finish that goes on and on. A head-turning wine that embodies harmony, elegance, finesse and the sophistication of that uber class of great Burgundies. A wine that seduces you from the very first sip. Enjoy now at its apogée and probably for another decade.

The bottle disappeared rather quickly - it was simply irresistible. 19.5/20

  You can never quite find words to describe that rarified moment of delirious excitement and utter satisfaction when a bottle of Burgundy is so perfect.........