We have a birthday to celebrate!

All the wines are here, plus 1 more magnum of champagne and 1 magnum of 1982 Mouton!
There were 14 of us after all.........

17 Jan 2014: We had a birthday to celebrate! And bravo to the team at Le Manoir Aux Quat' Saisons (Great Milton, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom) for an impeccable job they did in looking after us (and all the heavy lifting for the sommeliers)! We were told to wait in the bar for an hour before sitting down at 9 pm (I think so as not to stress the kitchen) but when we did sit down, the food came at a very good pace and all at once for all 14 of us! So well done!

2000 Pol Roger Cuvée Winston Churchill (magnum) I had never seen 2 magnums of champagne being consumed at such speed! It was a richly intense bouquet of lemon peel, ripe pear, almond and shortbread. Fine creamy mousse on the palate, persistent and delicate bubbles racing to the surface…..a note of minerality dominates on the palate. Vibrant acidity. Finishes extremely long. Sensational. I would drink this now but it will drink well for 6 - 8+ years, depending on your taste. 18.5/20

2008 Meursault Les Clous (magnum) 

This is a magnum bottle of our own wine……it was so delicious….still full of tension and energy, even in its 5th year for a village wine. Loved the lemon and pear notes……with a very fine detail in the long finish. A really brilliant effort and almost delivering above its level! 18/20 (It went brilliantly with the brill, oyster, wasabi and cucumber dish - highly recommended!)

The brilliant brill dish, with oyster, wasabi and cucumber!

Wild mushroom risotto with truffle cream

1954 Lafite (double magnum) - correct! The birth year wine!Medium garnet. Notes of cigar box, cedar, fig, coffee, gamey and mushroomy…….with just a whiff of volatility initially. Silky on the palate, still holding its structure well, albeit in a lighter frame. A languorous finish……marred by just a hint of acidic kick at the end. For me, as I was enjoying it rather slowly….it came through rather well and its best pair was with the mushroom risotto! If your bottle is a 750 ml version, I would be drinking this very soon! 16.5/20

1953 Lafite (magnum) Quite a change from the 1954. This was vigorous, still bursting with blueberry fruit, complementing notes of violet, sweet tobacco, spice and sweaty saddle. A lovely concentration of flavours, intense and powerful at the same time. Drinking perfectly now, and over the next 8 – 10 years! 19/20

1982 Mouton Rothschild (magnum and bottle) Unfortunately the magnum was mildly corked  (but we finished it all the same!) The bottle was amazingly youthful (in fact not quite ready if not aerated properly - I would give it another 5 years before trying again)! Cedar, blueberry, blackberry, violet….medium bodied.

1983 Yquem Amber-gold colour. A rich and intensely complex nose of ripe peach, honey, marmalade and rye bread. Lusciously sweet but deftly balanced by firm acidity. The palate was weighty, but it did not feel heavy at all. The freshness was so remarkable that it was almost irresistible! Awesome! Drink now with a massively long life ahead! 18.5/20


1955 Taylor’s A medium brown colour. Raisin, hazelnut, fruitcake like aromas. Very spirity finish. Perfect with cigars! This might not be the best example of this port, as we had expected more freshness. 16/20


What an indulgence! And the parties continue.......with a friend's 40th to look forward to next month!

Note: There were 14 of us to help us with this line-up! Apparently, a few of us were still thirsty afterwards and enjoyed a digestif or two with the birthday boy! I admit not having the stamina to keep up with this lot!


The following day, we had a bottle from the birth year as well: 1954 Boal! Amber-tawny colour, medium sweet on entry, with a dry finish. Lovely nutty and slightly caramelised notes with a hint of ginger! I loved it with cheese!

A quality restaurant with a name to match!

30 Jan 2014: Another evening in London earlier this month, four of us had dinner at The Quality Chop House (92-94 Farringdon Rd, London EC1R 3EA, United Kingdom; Tel: +44 (0)20 7278 1452), co-run by Will Lander and Josie Stead. Josie was away the evening we visited, but Will made up for it – the best service any diner could have wished for! The decor tells you that food is important here, as is good sense and professional service! The restaurant has 2 parts: the main restaurant and a wine bar. Our table was in the wine bar bit so we could choose from the a la carte menu (the restaurant side serves set meals). Two of us (the men!) got there earlier and immediately tucked into a bottle of 2008 Corton Charlemagne, Domaine de Montille (from the restaurant wine list), which was absolutely delicious…..layers and layers of flavours, not at all overwhelmed by oak, with just the right amount of weight on the palate, and incredibly vibrant acidity. Very impressive and almost irresistible, especially when served with the grilled almonds.

My starter was a dish I had never had before: monkfish liver with chipotle. This was simply divine….monkfish liver was like foie gras from the sea (hopefully easier on the cholesterol level?), lightly pan-fried, caramelised at the edges, served with chipotle sauce and a slightly tangy salad. Quite sizeable as starter…perhaps I should have thought about sharing! It didn't stop me from tucking into the other starters: I especially recommend the pork pie – it came with a lovely crust, just crispy on the outside, but moist inside, and great flavours.

Main course for me was wood pigeon, complete with game chips, bread sauce and a very indulgent piece of fried bread, generously spread with well-spiced chicken liver parfait. The wood pigeon was perfectly cooked, still retaining plenty of moisture, and the wonderfully lightly gamey flavours. The fried bread was not to be missed…….even if it meant it took over the space that would have been reserved for any cheese or dessert afterwards! I think the game season will still go on for a little while…..so be sure to try the woodcock as well if you are thinking of heading to the restaurant!

The wines to go with our main courses were 1953 Pétrus and 1953 Cheval Blanc (Note: not from the restaurant wine list). The Cheval Blanc was remarkably fresher and much more vigorous than the Pétrus, intensely complex, finished very long. I rather liked the Pétrus though when it had settled down into the glass, as I thought its chocolate, plum, wet saddle and earthy flavours, and the harmonious state the wine was in, went very well with my wood pigeon dish, even if it didn't have the concentration nor lengthy finish of the Cheval Blanc!

A change of wine scene was deemed necessary for the cheese course and we enjoyed a bottle of 2007 Morey Saint Denis Cuvée des Alouettes, Domaine Ponsot (from the restaurant's wine list). This was drinking really deliciously…still showing purity of fruit, with a lovely freshness.

To finish: a plate of petits fours arrived with our coffee: chocolate-coated brownies! What decadence!

If you love great food in the no-nonsense, no-fuss way, and if you also enjoy a glass or two of good quality wine from a wide selection of regions, served in Zalto glasses!!! - this is the perfect place for you! I cannot wait to go back to try the pork chop that Richard had – it looked like a seriously good piece of pork chop, slightly caramelised at the outside and succulent inside……simple food cooked to perfection! And even better when the service is impeccable! Bravo!

A Little Piece of Kyoto in Bayswater London

30 Jan 2014: A little more than a week ago in London, I was treated to a magnificent Kaiseiki meal at a little gem of a restaurant called The Shiori (45 Moscow Road, Bayswater, London W2  4AH ; Tel: +44 (0)20 7221 9790). 

This is a husband and wife team: the omnipresent Hitomi-san who excels in her role as maître d’ and her husband Takagi-san who prepares such wonderful dishes with such flair and attention. The restaurant sits a total of 16 people, doubling its capacity from its previous self as a sushi bar near Euston Station. The Shiori opened in its current location about a year and a half ago, far away from the hustle and bustle of Queensway. If you’re not paying attention, you could easily have missed the unassuming entrance - it’s a white façade, almost like paper, with the name of The Shiori in Japanese subtly signposted on one side. We went on a Tuesday night and all the tables in the restaurant were filled, except one. 

There are only 2 menu choices at The Shiori: an 8-course menu at GBP 70 per person or a 10-course menu at GBP 85 per person. The menu is printed on a small piece of paper and neatly folded to fit into an envelope for each diner. We took the 8-course menu and as we’re still in the New Year period, the menu had a New Year theme to it (Kaiseiki Hana), starting with traditional New Year black beans, boiled in a light syrup, still retaining some firmness, and festively topped with specks of gold leaf. The sweetness was very delicate – and interestingly made a very good start to our meal.

New Year's Black Beans

The next course was a platter of a few items, including herring roe, eel bo-zushi, crispy baby shrimp and some extremely tiny baby potatoes (from Mount Fuji), that were the tiniest root vegetable I had ever seen….I loved the baby shrimp – the crispy shell was so translucent that you could see through……the flavours were so intense. The eel atop the almost creamy rice was so soft, almost melting in the mouth, contrasting with the way the yellow herring roe popped when chewed into! There’s something wickedly childish about this sensation….almost like those fizzy candies that explode in your mouth! I occasionally took a bite of the chrysanthemum leaf to refresh the palate, when switching from one flavour to the next.

An Array of Textures and Flavours!

The third course was a beautifully prepared miso group. White miso soup that was slightly creamier than the normal miso soup, almost velvety……and it coated the palate beautifully. Again the chef introduced some contrasting texture into the dish, in the form of a yam ball, cooked a point and a thick slice of lightly grilled Awa wheat cake (Awa-fu)….the best way to describe this would be a firm slice of polenta or a piece of Shanghainese New Year cake with a grainy texture! Gorgeous!

White miso soup with Awa-fu

Hitomi-san told us that the miso soup would always be followed by sashimi. Our next course was a delicate platter of sashimi, elegantly presented, with well-sized pieces of raw fish and seafood, including some small pink prawns and a couple of pieces of Cornish mackerel, lightly seared to charcoal the top…..this was heavenly…….with the homemade wasabi.

Beautiful sashim, especially the Cornish mackerel!!

After the cold dish, came a hot dish again. This time it was the nabe (hotpot) of cod and vegetables in a clear and light vegetable broth. This came in a silver-coloured hotpot, with a burner underneath. There were a few shreds of shirataki inside (noodles made with yam). I agreed with my host that it was probably not necessary to keep the burner going for a long time, as it rather overcooked the cod and made the broth a little scalding to the mouth.

Codfish and vegetable nabe

The next course was again a cold dish – Salmon & Seabass Hakata - pickled fish carefully and artistically assembled like a slice of millefeuille, consisting of thinly sliced pickled seabass, alternating with an even more thinly sliced pickled salmon and seaweed. Not your usual pickled herring! It was really refreshing after the nabe!

Salmon and Seabass Hakata

We finished with the kani (crab) rice with pickles and a clear soup with Ao-nori. The pickles and clear soup felt so cleansing after the plethora of flavours that had come our way through the entire meal. The crab rice was cooked to perfection, garnished with a few edamame adding texture to the rice.

Kani rice

We finished with our own choice of ice-cream. I loved my sesame ice-cream….easily the creamiest, richest, most intensely flavoured black sesame ice-cream I’d ever had. My host had the green tea ice-cream, served on red bean puree. This was delicious too, but the sesame ice-cream was the real highlight for me! Hitomi-san told me that this ice-cream was homemade by her husband. I have such a soft spot for good sesame ice-cream that this alone would be enough reason to go back to The Shiori.

For an optional GBP 50 per person, the chef would propose different sake to pair with different dishes, but we just went for 2 different sakes: a Dassai Junmai Daiginjo 50 from Yamaguchi prefecture, served cold and a Yamatoshizuku Yamahai Junmai-shu from Akita prefecture, served hot. The cold sake was aromatic and floral scented, and it served an adequate job pairing with the assorted sashimi and an even better job pairing with the salmon and sea bass hakata. The Yamahai Junmai-shu worked rather well with the kani rice. We were given a complimentary glass of Ninki-Ichi Sparkling Junmai Daiginjo from Fukushima prefecture to finish…..it was refreshing and fruity, with fine bubbles. Just a perfect way to finish this fabulous meal.

The Shiori is a wonderful little restaurant, encompassing an understatedly elegant and cosy ambiance, professional service, attention to detail, highly skilled cuisine and fresh ingredients. I was so engrossed in the entire dining experience: the quality of every course and the way each course was presented like a picture, that the eight courses went by rather rapidly (of course, the company of my host was absolutely essential!). Next time, if you are looking for an alternative venue in London for an intimate dinner or a chic venue to treat someone special (I would say best for 2 – 4 people), consider The Shiori…..the experience will be an unforgettable one for you and your guests!

1989 Charmes Chambertin, Bachelet

10 Jan 2014: Dinner at Amuse-Bouche, Hong Kong.  I highly recommend the clam chowder.....a lighter interpretation of this classic dish, with giant clams from New Zealand, and the chef added a bean curd parcel of leek and clam instead.....very yummy......I followed this the baked cod in a cellophane wrap, with fennel and pepper...and who can resist the signature dish of black truffle pasta.......indulgence in extreme!

1989 Charmes Chambertin, Denis Bachelet: (We had a corked bottle in November and this is the second bottle from same batch.)  Medium garnet.  Funky barnyard nose, redolent of hay, herbal, cinnamon, mud, rusty nail, with notes of coffee and fig.  Just a whiff of volatility.  Medium-bodied, an elegant expression, with depth and character. Long finish.  17.5/20

1999 Clos Saint Denis, Dujac

12 Jan 2014: 

1999 Clos Saint Denis, Dujac: Medium ruby hue.  Notes of mocha, freeze-dried raspberry, prune, violet and spice.  No signs of other tertiary character......still in its adolescence and pretty vigorous.  Medium body, lithe and silky. Embodiment of elegance, harmony, purity and ripe fruit.  Classy and poised.  Drinking beautifully now...and over next 8 - 10 years. 18/20 

Lejeune: A Gem in Pommard

5 Jan 2014:

Domaine Lejeune is a family-run (Famille Julien de Pommerol) domaine established since 1865 in the renovated winery of the ancient Confrérie du Saint Sacrement. The vineyards of Domaine Lejeune are found exclusively in Pommard, with Premier Cru (First Growth) parcels in Rugiens, Argillières and Poutures, planted with aged vines of Pinot Noir.

Respect of tradition is evident at this domaine, from viticulture to vinification, with the objective of making wine true to the reputation of Pommard – ageworthy wines of deep ruby colour, rounded and robust, showcasing aromatic complexity, finesse, power and classy texture.

We had the opportunity to try 2 vintages of their village wines side by side:

2010 Pommard Les Trois Follots, Lejeune
Clear and bright ruby. The nose shows pure raspberry and cranberry fruit, with hints of floral notes. Mid weight palate, with ripe fine-grained tannin, still needing a little time to resolve. Freshness keeps the palate alive from entry to finish. A lithe and elegant Pommard. Can be enjoyed now, with food (think Coq au Vin....or Peking duck), and will continue to develop over 6 - 8 years. 16.5/20


2009 Pommard Les Trois Follots, Lejeune
Deep ruby hue. A complex bouquet of plum compote, dried prunes, with earthy, savoury and spicy notes. Fleshy and meaty on the palate, with a firmer structure than the 2010, as well as weight of the beautiful ripe fruit, but well balanced by lively acidity, Finishes long. A wine perfect with a gamey stew this winter! Drink now and over next 6 - 8+ years. 16.5/20

1991 La Tache

4 Jan 2014:

1991 La Tâche

Deep ruby/garnet. An intensely perfumed bouquet....violet, coffee, ripe blackberry, raspberry with plenty of spice. On the palate, this is full of vigour, voluptuous and weighty body, with just the remnants of the austerity from youth.....Vibrant acidity accompanying the expansive and ripe fruit palate all the way through the very long finish. Absolutely gorgeous and impeccably harmonious....a stunner that is just shaking off some baby fat....a long long way to go......19.5+/20