Blind tasting dinner at Kitchen W8...

A lovely mix...

This was a really fun evening at Kitchen W8, a good spot that for whatever reason I have never blogged about, despite having been a few times. This is a poor omission, the food is very good, classy and flavoursome and stops on the right side of fiddly. The service too is friendly but not fussy. They are pro-wine and deserve to succeed, which I am sure they will, the only thing I would tweak would be the quality of the wine glasses but that's me being picky. The format of this evening was to enjoy a bottle of Grand Siècle, Laurent Perrier that would then be followed by 5 reds all served blind. The wines then had to be scored, or ranked more specifically, with scores of 10, 8, 6, 4 and 2. This is produces a winner. There had been no instruction other than bring a red.

Now to some this may sound very structured and possibly a little like work but these are keen (and generous) wine people that I am getting to know better and better and actually it is crucial to do this sort of tasting as you have to be honest and really pay attention. We were 6 people in total with a mix of trade and amateur (not that the difference is easy to spot these days) with one MW amongst the gang.

The Grand Siecle was round, rich and quite full without the focus to make it really exciting, in retrospect as I write this I wonder what the dosage was, north of 6g I am thinking. It is not a Cuvee I know well, though I know it became a Non Vintage a few years ago.

So on to the first pair of reds which were: Langhe Nebbiolo Cerretta 2008, Giacomo Conterno and Sori Tildin 1974, Gaja, both suffered a little from being a little warmer than is ideal and a little shaken as a result of tube Journeys  It is fair to say that these two were not that well received and actually came last with Conterno edging the Gaja. I was very surprised and you'll not be shocked to know they certainly were not bottom two in my book. The Conterno is a wine I have written about many times. Roberto Conterno finalised a deal to buy this plot in June 2008 so only had a small involvement in the vineyard for this wine and as a result released it as Langhe Nebbiolo other than the Barolo he could have. The wine is light in colour and to my mind pretty but some of the criticisms were, a warmth and also a greenness, an odd showing. The Gaja was a wine I guessed as a warm vintage Barbaresco, the problem it has was an odd texture. I enjoyed it's degraded iron like richness but I had a good idea what it was and that made a big difference. It was not however 100%. It was a very kind bottle to bring from such an acclaimed vintage.

The three wines served next were:

Shafer Hillside Select 2003

Impostor McCoy 1997, Sine Qua Non

Montrose 1989

My first SQN...

Sadly the Montrose was corked which was a great shame as it was harsh on its generous "bringer" and also I have not had it before. Fortunately  I had another bottle in my bag - Biserno 2007, Tenuta di Biserno - so we added that in, again blind. The Shafer was so primary, so full, rich and the guesses were all over the place. This was mostly due to the succulent black fruit and the slightly indigestible oakiness. My view was that it was Australian, I was hoping it was really young and that would have meant the oak was more logical but as it is 12 years old I feel it will not change and whilst perfectly honest it is not exciting or complex. The bottle was one of the most heavy I have ever come across. It came in mid-division in the overall rankings. The Impostor McCoy was next and ended up winning the evening, I had it down as "weirdly enjoyable", herbs and cinnamon. There was a suggestion of northern Rhone which I came to agree with more and more, possibly out of desperation as I was struggling to place this wine. There was a sense of development but not a degradation. It was good and I was very pleasantly surprised when it was revealed, my first "SQN". The late addition - Biserno 2007 - actually came second with good lush fresh fruit, it is the first vintage of the wine and is mostly Cabernet Franc, it will repay more time but is open and ready for business.

A really fun and well co-ordinated evening, thanks to our hosts. I am already plotting for next time...

A rather delicious veal starter

RHR - another epic!!

This was a brilliant luncheon organised by "Newcastle" who features often on this blog. "Halifax" had also contributed some bottles. So it was for the four of us to relax and enjoy a brilliant meal at the hands of Clare Smyth - Chef extraordinaire and Jan Konetzki - Sommelier extraordinaire.

The menu was exceptional and to pick a favourite course would be simply silly, though I did get tempted when looking at the gallery at the bottom. The large and well flavoured early season white truffles are not to be missed and added that unique aroma and flavour to several dishes.

Canapes

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Steak tartare with Oscietra caviar

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Scottish langoustine, handmade linguine and white truffle

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Cornish turbot baked on the bone with seaweed, palourde clams, sea beet, wild chervil and charred spring cabbage

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Smoked potato and poached egg ravioli with lightly roasted garlic emulsion and white truffle

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Norfolk black leg chicken Albufera with "Ceps on toast"

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Cote de Boeuf with smoked bone marrow, shallot sauce, rainbow chard and lovage

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Cheese

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Cucumber sorbet, salad burnet, lemon verbena and mint

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Wild Strawberry custard tart with lemon balm, lavender and mascarpone sorbet

So what do you drink with that rather wonderful line-up? Well we started with Dom Perignon Oenotheque 1973 - having had the 1971 three years ago I was expecting quite a bit of weight, an almost coffeed richness but the 1973 is a music played at a lower volume with some mellowly tropical fruit and real moreish drinkability, not a chewy wine as some late disgorgements can be, it disappered quickly with the canapés.

The white wines were served as a blind pair. I had them about 5-7 years apart and I had the older one as Montrachet due to the richness and weight. They turned out to be 19 years apart and from the same site and same producer. The producer part is true but there is a sense of two different regimes about the wines. The wines were Chevalier-Montrachet 2002, Domaine Leflaive and Chevalier-Montrachet 1983, Domaine Leflaive. The difference is that the 1983 was made/overseen by Anne-Claude's father Vincent and the 2002 was Anne-Claude herself. The 1983 has an old school yeasty richness about it, more oxidative and a little wilder. Really very very good, a superb wine with the food. The 2002 is a marvel, so pure and clean, so bright and so youthful in colour, a wine which manages to have weight but in a very defined and feminine way, lots of minerality here. An absolutely fascinating pair.

From here is was red for a while! A half bottle of Vina Real 1959, CVNE followed as an intriguing interlude. I think I remember plumbing for Bordeaux but being tempted by Italy. there was a slightly vegetal edge but this was in good shape for its age. Bovril, beef stock, iron-rich blood and a little iodine all gave away elements of the maturity but there was a lovely saline edge too, very fun and staggering from a half.

We then had a pair of reds - Clos Saint-Denis 1996, Dujac and Barolo 2005, Bartolo Mascarello. The similarities between Barolo and Burgundy I think are more emotional and complexity/intrigue based than the actually style of the wines. These two made a good pair. The Dujac, was loose and quite sexy, I actually had it as Cote de Beaune (Lafarge I mentioned) and a fair bit older, mid 80's. There was a slightly grainy easiness about the wine. There was fresh red fruit to start, then more oranges and if anything it actually got younger as we drank it not older. I really enjoyed it - quite a "tart" of a wine but why the hell not. The Bartolo is the first bottle I have tried of this from my cellar. I buy the wine each year and there is a school of thought that this is one of the leading 2005 Barolo wines. This was very youthful in it's purity, very zippy and fresh, very red fruited, I was impressed but at the same time realise this was near infanticide. I never regret drinking a bottle young and this has a very bright future, if I had 12 bottles I'd look again in 2-3 years but as I have only five it'll be 5 years before I breach another.

From here we went to Bordeaux. I have had a very good run of Bordeaux recently and much as I realise there is a disgruntled Bordeaux buying public out there when the wines are "on" they are simply brilliant and that much not be forgotten. This was a blind magnum. We got to "serious left bank" quickly and knew there was some good age but I was then playing the man and had this as 1960's/1970's Latour. My note reads, letter for letter:

"Proper job, saline, delicious, some herbs, delicious, easy yet elegant, grainy grip. Just lovely, cep and truffle join in…yum...more please"

So what was it? Montrose 1959 in magnum, I was delighted by this as I really like the savouryness of Montrose and much as I was out on the year I do (quietly) pat myself on the back for the "proper" note as that's what I often say when I mean savoury complexity with fruit but not in-your-face fruit. It was just a great wine to drink, no edges but not simple, richness but not through alcohol. One more red appeared now and was a little different from what went before. It was Arietta H Block 2000 (or I think it was, no photo), this was all about the Cabernet Franc (100%), red crunchy fruit and a refreshing stalky (good "green") character but ripeness, would love to explore this estate more some time.

Croft 1955 - "odd" label

Cheese!! That means a proper bottle of port on these fine occasions, Jan got the port tongs out and did a mighty fine job. A look into the kitchen at this point was priceless, everything having a place and a process, prep well underway for dinner. As we tucked into the cheese the Port was slipping down a treat, clearly serious age, this was very mellow, elegant with a dash of white pepper, the bottle in question - Croft 1955 - a delight, refined power. If there is one quality wine style that modern life seems to have it "in" for then it has to be the fortified side of things. Port got me into this whole game and Madeira and Port still fascinate me (sherry never quite got me but it has many trade friends). Yet, so often these wines are not given the time they deserve. The great contradiction is that they are all making better wines now that ever...

After the cucumber sorbet - try it, it's amazing, though may be don't put it in your mouth in one go - we had a lovely elegant desert to accompany the Yquem 1948. It quite a grunty even savoury Yquem, a meditative wine, with good rancio character, the creme brûlée is intense with only a medium sweetness, there is a wild decadence about this vintage. I would imagine it is almost best drunk now, while the sweet and the savoury wrestle about with each other.

And from there…home…smiling…top wines…top food…top company…just lucky to be there.

They taste every bit as good as they look...

Now this could catch on...

If I had to choose? May be, just may be...

Turbo Turbot

Smoked potato and poached egg ravioli - brilliant dish

There's rather splendid chicken under the truffle!!

Only "Henry" (old post) ran this close...

Great cheese - Comte to die for...

Elegance

What a team...

Trinity with the gang (why no star?)

Following from the first meeting of what I can see is fast becoming a regular dinner "gang" at Zucca in January here for the post we met last Wednesday at Trinity in Clapham.
I don't really do food and or restaurant reviews (I tend to eat out at Zucca) but I have to say that why Trinity does not have a star I do not know. The dishes were all delicious and clever without being fiddly. The menu and pictures are at the bottom, they do corkage too but I am sure also have a good list. Recommended.
So the wines, there was no theme as you'll see but actually the balance of wines worked really well. We started with two vintages of Bianco Seco from G.Quintarelli. A wine made predominantly from Garganega (as in Soave) but also some other "bits n bobs" amongst them Sauvignon Blanc and Soarin which is near to Furmint apparently. The 2011 and 2007 were the two vintages. The 2011 was Floral but with a nice waxy texture, young and quite taut but very balanced. The 2007 was in a similar weight profile but was a little more oxidative and more unctuous, I don't know if this wine has phases but I would say the 2007 is probably a dash better than this showing or may be could have been a touch cooler. Fascinating wines and a good start. Next up was a bit of a gem Meursault 2007 from P.Boisson, as in Boisson of Boisson Vadot a producer getting rave reviews and the beginnings of a cult following. This was way above village Meursault in ranking, refined and yet with broad chest and shoulders, as yet unpuffed, a lovely touch of reduction and struck match. Serious stuff indeed and another strong showing from a very proper white Burgundy vintage. I am definitely finding, in agreement with the provider of this bottle, the 2004, 2007 and 2010 vintages the place to go for white Burgundy and none with the exception of 2010 get the uniformly rave reviews they might. From here we were onto a pair of Bordeaux, the first of which was blind - Lafite 1970 - from a bottle with no label remaining. We had a bit of fun "guessing" I went for mid 60's Pauillac which was actually more of a hedge that a specific guess as it was never going to be too far away. With a few steers we got there in the end. Encouragingly the wine got better and better with air, it was developed but had good, once black, fruit and tasted less than its 43 years. A real treat. My offering a kind gift from a friend was next - Montrose 1966 - it was a few wines in one. The level was good - at the junction - the colour was a firm and saturated colour, richer and darker than the Lafite. The initial nose was strange but on one swirl in the glass it released a deep beef stock and soy nose with good fruit, there was also a touch of bacon fat and a little caramel before a brief finish. It was strange but fascinating. It also got better with time. A really good pairing.

Burgundy got its chance next - Clos de Tart 2001 - this is a wine I have been impressed with a few times. Sylvain Pitiot took over the helm at the domaine midway through the 1996 vintage and the wines improved from there but I would say that from the 2001 you really see the rewards of the work that was put in. I also love this vintage for reds. It is still in its almost primary phase, there is both freshness and depth which is both encouraging and impressive. The fruit is brambly with some candied cherry elements. So much fruit on the nose, the palate a little more muted, if you own this wine, you are lucky but also I would say keep being patient. Next on parade was Beaucastel 1981 a wine that it appears is a bit of an insiders secret, not a secret I knew about! There was depth and texture with soft black but hard to define fruit and a bit of good greenness. Too many wines now are so afraid of greenness that the over selection that goes on is crazy. This Beaucastel clearly had both young and old vines and was all the better for it, really delicious, mature but not in old age. The next wine was a stunner - Sori San Lorenzo 1989 from Gaja - my notes are a bit strange though as they simply say..."Ski boots" "adolescent" & "very good". The former is a note I have never written before and must be to do with only coming back from Skiing a week ago! This wine was delightful but in mid-development at best and backs up a good Sori San Lorenzo 2001 tasted here.  The last red was Hermitage 1989 from Chave, I am very poorly drunk in the Rhone which needs work, what can you do? This showed as a big wine, very dense black fruit, it was served a little warm which was a shame, the structure was well integrated and I liked it but even more than the Gaja it was still very young. Must drink more Chave. We had a corked bottle of Sauternes so we went for a Pedro Ximenez San Emilio from Lustau with a rather spectacular desert as below. It's a good wine and works so well with the richer darker puddings. A cracking evening, apparently Medlar is next...can't wait!

From my seat, "quite!" near the kitchen

Bresaola

Jerusalem Artichoke Soup, Hazelnut and Brown Butter

Scallop Cerviche, Pickle and Charred Cucumber

Warm Salad of Cheltenham Beets, smoked Aubergine and walnut

Halibut, Fricasse of Shellfish, Cucumber, Sorrel and Sea beet

Smoked Venison, Baked Onions

Black forest (which I didn't photo) & "large" Baked Apple Souffle