Irish makes his half century..."The Lads" celebrate...

So a meeting of "The Lads" was called to celebrate Irish turning 50. The line up being Irish, Halifax, Ronaldinho, Woo, Monty (new name on account of hints dropped) and myself. We were sad to unavoidably lose the presence of Chewy but we drank to him and I am sure he'll be back with a bang next time. 

This group is a joy. A few of the previous outings can be seen below, were I more IT savvy then maybe there would be a section of this site dedicated to the group...the same could be said of the May trips group.

Boats, bottles, tides and pirates

Irish goes into his 50th year

Double birthday bonanza

Lunch at Ronaldinhos

The venue and co-ordination was chosen and orchestrated by Irish. Kitchen W8 is a great spot and one I have always enjoyed - if you've not been you must go. The brief was a simple one "bring a great bottle or two and NO meaningless volume". I tell you what, it worked as you'll see. But first the menu which was faultless - pics at bottom of this post.

Warm Baked Celeriac, Autumn Truffle,

Roast Chicken Skin and Hazelnuts

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Risotto of Cepes with Aged Parmesan

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Fillet of Turbot, Autumn Roots, Iberico Lardo,

Smoked Potato and Red Wine

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Haunch of Venison, Bulgur Wheat, Swiss Chard,

Creamed Chanterelles, Liver and Onions
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Cheese

So let's start at the beginning, Halifax (aka Nobby) is almost always in charge of the Champagne which is fine given he has good stocks and loves it BUT has the one downside of being served first, Nobby is almost always late! Only 15 minutes this time so having discussed the state of the world over a glass of water and got the first of Ron's dodgy jokes out the way we were on. 

North-South divide...

There was an element of "blindness" to almost all the wines. Louis Roederer 1988 from magnum was just splendid. We were on the money vintage wise having been in the 1988 to 1990 range but we were almost all leaning towards a Blanc de Blancs - Taittinger and Salon both being put forward. It was lemony with a little biscuitiness in the mix, no nuts, brioche and toast, great energy, delicious now, will age well but I can't imagine liking it more than right now! The magnum size had a positive effect without doubt. We were off and running in style

With one notable exception we went wine by wine rather than pairs which meant we could concentrate on getting things properly wrong. Meursault-Charmes 1er Cru 2002 from Lafon was up next and bang on the money. A little reduction, some petrol, good generosity, very good, focused but proper and perfect from now on, a taut density and easily of Grand Cru quality.

I decided to go early and get it wrong next, I said Grand Cru Chablis and from the mid-late 90s. I was, kind of, wrong for the right reasons but mainly because the wine was quite cool. It was a cracking bottle of Montrachet Grand Cru 2001 from Sauzet. Once up to temperature it was marmalade, tangerines, rich, with good minerality underneath and opulence (essential in Montrachet I'd say). Lanolin, iodine and full, those that kept a little in their glass just kept getting more and more...lovely.

What came next was the - ludicrously generous - focal point, even in this company. First we had Hermitage La Chapelle 1990 then Hermitage La Chapelle 1978, both these bottles and the next one having come from the estate in original individual wooden cases last year. The 1990 was stinkingly rich on the nose, full, I noted that you could smell the viscosity, whether that is possible or not, I know what I mean, rich bacon fat, so sweet big and bold but balanced and digestible, almost raisined, some soy and aniseed. A brute but a dam good one, mightily good. The 1978 was by contrast all together gentler with a more tender sweet maturity, leaves, forest floor, strawberry leaf and then tea and wood smoke, a delight. A really balanced wine, Burgundian if anything...so poised.

The Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 that followed managed to combine all the best bits of both these wines. It was perfect to have then in this order. Having a bottle of this in perfect shape is a dream come true. I was laughed down for suggesting that there was a time or mood when I would pick the 1978 over the 1961. I maintain there is, the 1961 has everything you could want. I just loved the tenderness of the 1978 as well. Looking back to the 1990 I see this as having the structure and DNA of the 1961 rather than the 1978, it has that incredibly rich sweetness. My note for the 1961 was easy to write; "Pine, resinous, oils, savage, a brut, wild, uber-concentrated degraded berry fruit, bovril and sweetness...super...wild, hickory smoke, grip...stunning...complete, Indian spices now, ferrous...magnificent!"

Where on earth do you go from that? Well one thing is for sure, you get the hell out of the Rhone...Burgundy it was and more specifically Clos Saint-Denis Grand Cru 2000, Dujac from magnum. I really enjoyed this and was pleased it was a magnum as it just begged to be drunk. Degraded sweet and feminine. Waxy with palma violets, and some tangerines rind. We were pretty rubbish trying to get this blind as we were in the 1980s mainly, it had an open knit maturity, attractively so.

Another Burgundy mag next, any Rousseau wine is a treat and in magnum even more so -  Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St Jacques 1988 was everything you would want and expect. So good in fact that it blew a fuse in the restaurant. This was tightly coiled with red fruit power, poised and persistent and with stunning depth. None of the tougher, acidic nature you can get with 1988. Just a super super wine - a treat. A little bit more about Clos Saint.Jacques. 

As cheese was ordered we went back to white and a crackingly interesting pair of whites. Firstly, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 1991 from Neillon, then the very same wine from the following year - Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 1992, Neillon. The 1991 has absolutely no right to be this good, none at all. Oyster-shell and a tinge of green serious focus, spicy with a little nuttiness, some stemginger and a little lanolin, the definition of an over-performer. The 1992 was altogether richer and more decadent, a little reduced, unctuous and superb, spot on with the cheese, toffee apples and hedonistic maturity.

Just the perfect time now for a sugar lift. So where better than Yquem and the 1953 specifically. I've had very few 1953s but those I have had have usually been in verticals courtesy of Jordi. This had an expressive and fully mature nose, creme brulee with a slightly burnt topping. There is a rancio sweetness to this, lifted like PX sherry but then with a drier more intense middle, slightly burning caramel.

The next wine - Mehringer Blattenberg 1989er Trockenbeerenauslese from the wonderfully named Friedrich-Wilhelm-Gynasium - was an amazingly good contrast. So incredibly zippy and energetic, intense yet light as a feather, an amazing liquid. Lemon and even line freshness...superb. 

Then the final bottle, fittingly a birth year wine for Irish - Taylor 1966 - which had been double decanted that morning. Marzipan and full raisined sweetness but a nice medium weight, it just got better and better with air...we had the predictable "why don't we drink more Port" conversation. With that and the sound of a hoover doing its business we managed to depart before anyone arrived for diner!

Another splendid few hours spent with great bottles and great people...long may it continue! It is exactly what wine shouldbe about. Here's to the next 50 Irish!

A wave to Chewy and Newcastle!!

Food pics as promised!

Warm Baked Celeriac, Autumn Truffle, 

Roast Chicken Skin and Hazelnuts

Risotto of Cepes with Aged Parmesan

Fillet of Turbot, Autumn Roots, Iberico Lardo, 

Smoked Potato and Red Wine

Haunch of Venison, Bulgur Wheat, Swiss Chard,

Creamed Chanterelles, Liver and Onions

OS Wine Lunch and my first "Chez Bruce"...

This was actually the second gathering of Old Shirburnians who find themselves in the wine trade! The first being at the now no more, Zucca (wipes tear from eye). We managed to span all the years from 1977 to 1995 with the exception of the academic year '82-'83 but this is under control for the next "meeting".Those present are listed at the bottom of this post.

The venue was chosen and co-ordinated by, organiser-in-chief, Meels and was to be "Chez Bruce" which has long been on my "must visit" list! I was not disappointed one bit, delicious food, well balanced with an emphasis on what I am going to call gentle properness. My only gripe, entirely unjustified, is the location. I desperately need - in a "first world problem" sort of way - a restaurant like this or Kitchen W8, Medlar, La Trompette in North London.

Anyway, once "Larry" had made the long trek from practically next door to the restaurant and only been 25 minutes late we were off and running. No theme just bring a bottle or two...

We kicked off with Nyetimber Tillington Single Vineyard 2009 - first time I have had this and I have to say I was very impressed, good bit of toasty richness but nicely refined and very balanced. No more biscuity than a perfect bit of shortbread, very nice start (well for 8 of us...).

As we cracked on with the starters it was time for some Chardonnay with Californian leading the way before two Burgs. Hapgood Chardonnay 2012, Brewer-Clifton was lovely, rich and full but not smokey, more about the intensity of rich tropical yet mellow fruit. There is acidity there but behind the richness, waxy. Went very well with my Curried smoked haddock with spiced fish pastilla, crisp onions and coriander.

The Burgs were - Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Referts 2007 from E.Sauzet and 

Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chenevottes 2009 from Domaine M.Niellon. Not that it's a competition but the Sauzet pipped it for me here, probably more down to the drive of the 2007 vintage than producer. The Sauzet was crisp with a little richness there but had good energy and is spot on, to my taste, right now. The Niellon, and I am getting to know this producer a little through recent experience, was good but needs drinking and had a slightly looser feel. I am being picky though, it was lovely.

Our "compulsory" middle course of Crab Ravoli worked well with the magnum of Cassis 2014, Clos St.Magdeleine. Clean fresh and wonderfully unpretentious this just flew down.

And so to the reds Spur Ranch Grenache 2014, La Marea kicked us off, another selection from our American evangelist, a very elegant Pinot-like feel to the texture and weight but contrasted by an almost northern Rhone pencil shavings and graphite scenario, nicely done. Corton Grand Cru Clos des Cortons 2008, Faiveley then followed, a very gently handled Burgundy, more Cote de Beaune in feel than the grittiness of Corton. I really like the 2008 reds they have an elegant leanness.

Time for some Rhone as the conversation continued its predicted decline.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 2003, Domaine de la Mordorée and Chateauneuf-du-Pape 1990, Vieux Telegraph were the pair and I have to say I really enjoyed both. The Vieux Telegraph is in a lovely place, degraded and mellowed but still together, no real upside to keeping it I imagine but lovely now. The Mordoree had all the good characteristics of 2003, richness, ripeness and slightly dry fruit but none of the over extraction or over ripeness. Love the Rhone more and more.

Off to Italy for Biserno 2010 by Tenuta di Biserno (I am biased), I possibly miss-judged this by having it decanted for quite a while. It might have been better with less air as it had tightened up, still lovely though. Rich full and decadent!

Rieussec 1976 was a very thoughtful selection with a handful of those present born in this warm (hot) vintage. It was just like the top of a creme brulee, rich, decadent and lovely with the tart and the cheese. I had brought along another bottle that i love showing people and had no intention of carrying it all the way home - Barolo Serradenari 2011 from Giulia Negri was the wine in question. From the highest Cru site in the Barolo region, elegant and poised, lovely young Barolo.

A splendid afternoon (early evening if you include the beers) that made it all rather obvious why we'd all ended up in the trade…we like wearing pink shirts and talking (mostly) nonsense…onwards to round 3 which may aptly be held on 1st April... 


Present: (age order, ladies first!)
Amelia Jukes (Pinsent) SSG (89-94)
Jo Thompson (Haycock) SSG (89-94)
Julian Chamberlen (77-82)
Tom Ashworth (83-88)
Rory Benham (86-91)
Peter Richards (89-94)
Will Hargrove (89-94)
James Mason (89-94)
David Porter (90-95)

Medlar...the gang has finally done the big three...

There are quite a few restaurants that have become wine trade haunts over the years. I'd like to think it is a good sign when the wine trade like a restaurant, it tends to mean that the food is good, the service unstuffy and the attitude to wine and corkage a positive one. About a year ago a group of us decide to have impromptu dinners at three of the most popular restaurants that fitted this bill. Namely Zucca, Trinity and Medlar. Thursday just gone was the final leg at Medlar. I had been once before but that was just after it opened. As the team arrived it was time for a glass of Manzanilla, such a good way to start on a warm and slightly muggy evening.
The real action started with two contrasting white Burgundies Puligny Montrachet Les Combettes 2008 from Sauzet and Puligny Montrachet Folatieres 1999 from Leflaive. Both were showing well. The Sauzet showing a good dollop of that Combettes richness, I often think Combettes has the weight to be a Grand Cru. This was a lovely expression, not too big but starting to drink really well, refined. The Leflaive I was excited about as I have had a lot of joy with Leflaive 99's. There was the "struck match" reduction and quite a generously serious nose, this was a little more evolved than Pucelles 99 is at the same stage, dense and complex but not too heavy, delicious.
From white Burgundies we were onto a pair - Trotanoy 1997 and Dominus 1987 - that made a lot of sense together as they are made by - under the control off - the same man, Christian Moueix. Now it is often said that Dominus is a Bordeaux-like Napa wine but actually that is something Mr Moueix has a bit (he is a very gentle yet firm man) of an issue with, he has always said Dominus tastes how Napa valley wines should. The Trotanoy had a bruised fruit character, good balance of fruit and savoury, poised. Just enough sweetness to make it very complete, perfect now, it is a good 1997, a tricky vintage for a Chateau like Trotanoy where masculine power is more the terroir's style. The Dominus was a gentle wine of real savoury complexity; iodine, inky spiced bovril and a little bacon, not frazzles yet, it was a soft wine on the palate and very graceful if possibly starting to fade a little, a fun pairing.
Over to italy now, Barbaresco Asili Riserva 1996 from Giacosa was arguably the wine of the night. Just such a gentle yet firm and proper nose, the right amount of clean fruit and bruised loveliness, alluring, thrilling and almost so good to smell you didn't need to drink it. The palate though had grip and a more 1996 shape about it. The question, as with almost all serious wines in northern Europe made in 1996, is will the structure ever soften enough to allow the fruit "over the top"? Who knows but this was stunning. Brunello di Montalcino 2001 from Sesti was good, intense, rich with black fruits this wine has a way to go, an exctiting future. It was good to have it along side the Giacosa as it was so different that it did not suffer by comparison.
With some cheese and then pudding we had a couple of sweeter wines. The Hocheimer Domdechaney Rielsing Spatlese 1997 from Kunstler was evolved soft and seriously enjoyable, I drink a lot of Mosel and need to remember to get some Rhinegau. It was spot on now. The Raymond Lafon 1989 was rounded and slightly rancio in style, a dense and not overly subtle sauternes it did the job nicely. We didn't really get too geeky with the food but the three courses, we opted for the two starter tactic, I had were very good:

 - Sea bream carpaccio with sauce vierge, cucumber, seaweed purée and a tempura prawn.
 - Crab raviolo with samphire, brown shrimps, fondue of leeks and bisque sauce.
 - Under blade fillet with café de paris snails, salad, triple cooked chips and béarnaise.
With Dinner done it was round to the Sporting Page for one last drink and a cigar. Three smokes were fired up: Partagas Serie D No4, Partagas Short and a Bolivar Royal Corona. The Later was the one I smoked, rich if a little under filled, after so much good food and wine it was nice to have a smoke with some decent body and not too much complexity....until next time!

White Burgundy 2010's and food at Trinity...

In a "follow-on" from a similar tasting of 2008 White Burgundies (see here) a slightly different collection of ten current and past members of the trade and a few collectors joined together to taste 25 white Burgundies from the 2010 vintage. The first half of the wines were tasted at our hosts house and then the remainder at the really great Trinity Restaurant (another diner I have had at Trinity can be read about here). All wines were just poured from bottle and tasted as they are. The one exception is the Chablis which had been double decanted. The wines were tasted in 3's or 4's and within their communes. There are lots of vintage reports about the 2010's it is viewed as a very good to excellent vintage for red and whites.

Flight 1:

Bourgogne Aligote, Coche Dury - If you love white Burgundy and haven't had wines from Coche Dury then you really are missing out. This is the first time I have had his Aligote, in short the nose is pure Coche which means "struck match" and mineral intensity as well as very refined oak. The palate and finish was pure Aligote...green, gooseberries and tart, nice. 16/20.

Flight 2:

The Puligny's

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Combettes, Sauzet - A kind contribution from an absent friend. was quite closed initially but there was density here, a little of that late-harvest richness then a more savoury mid-palate, a little oak too but not too much, quite easy and not far off ready to drink. 16.5-17/20

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Folatieres, Francois Carillon - corked - a real shame as I have had this a few times and enjoyed it.
Puligny Montrachet 1er Caillerets, de Montille - Clean and possibly an little neutral to start but then does open out a little, some lemon shortbread. Actually in good balance, I liked this, impressive. 17/20

Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon, Domaine Leflaive - Generally the least prized of the Domaines 1er Crus. This stole the show in the Puligny round (by 8 votes to 2) was was both taut and big at the same time, plenty of fruit under a currently savoury structure, some really good lemon freshness. 18/20

Flight 3:

Chassagne Montrachet, Marc Antonin-Blain - Not a terribly clean example, green fruit then a goey more evolved palate and texture, not scored.
Chassagne Montrachet Tete du Clos, Benjamin Leroux - The "winner" of the Chassagne selection. Easily worthy of 1er Cru and a good one. A big wine with savoury richness and a very well integrated and quite large wood component. I would probably have been in Meursault if it had been blind, very good 18/20

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Caillerets, Jean Noel Gagnard - Almost a slight spritz here I thought, a little spice and then pears and peaches, a dry and almost tannic finish, just a little awkward. 15/20

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie, Fontaine Gagnard - Quite toasty and open, a little sweaty on the palate and nose but not badly so. Not massively great, ok. Unexciting but open for business and a drinker. 16/20 

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Boudriotte, Fontaine Gagnard - Sweaty socks but nicely so, good fruit, initially I was unsure but it got better and better, quite full. 16.5/20

Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Boudriotte, Gagnard Delagrange - Clean and green, pure Chardonnay nose, a little closed but in a good way. I liked this. 17/20

Flight 4:

Corton Charlemagne, Bonneau du Martray - This got a very mixed review, I really liked it in my biased way and felt it showed well, I've never seen Bonneau criticised for being "too big" but it was here. I felt the opposite, all in check and good. 17/20

Corton Charlemagne, Lemoine - Richer and more oaked, a little too much for me (as a small aside the bottle had the biggest punt I have ever seen), spiced with good acidity which it needed, a "volume turned up wine" not necesarrily very Corton Charlemagne like. 16.5/20

Flight 4a:

Chablis Grand Cru Preuses, Dauvissat - As mentioned above this had been opened at 5pm and double decanted. It was very pure, very chablis and faultless but therein there lies "the slight" the problem, there just wasn't the excitement you might want, this is not to be overly critical and it was still very good. 17.5/20

Flight 5:

Meursault, Coche Dury - This lacked the Coche nose that was expected and actually was possibly not the best bottle of this, not corked though, it was just a bit loose on the nose and on re-visiting did start to show bruised apples etc 16/20 but tempting not to score it as I imagine the true reflection is much higher.

Meursault Grands Charrons, Boisson Vadot - One of the most talked about producers at the moment and from the 4-5 wines I have had, justifiably so. This was a very Coche like nose a dash of reduction but mostly a struck match and quality smoked oak. Good fruit under it to, not massively subtle but very much a drinkers wine. 17.5/20

Meursault Chevaliers, Boisson Vadot - Not the rich opulent nose of the Grands Charrons but I would say certainly a step up in poise, fruit weight and refinement very impressive and one of the wines that was multi-dimensional. 18/20

Meursault Tete de Murgers, Javillier - This got slightly split reviews it certainly had more opulence, but not oak, more exotic fruit flavours and more expressive almost new world-ish. I liked it's different approach. 17/20

Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres, Bouzereau - This was decent but had a slightly distracting bed of acidity that was a little hard to see passed. It was a greener type of fruit too, still ripe but with a zing. 16/20 

Meursault 1er Cru Genevrieres, Lafon - corked
Meursault 1er Cru Perrieres, Lafon - One of the real stars, a very exciting wine, lemon and oak richness, savoury underneath, good acidity and just all round impressive. True Meursault, very fine. 18.5/20

Flight 6:

Batard Montrachet, Fontaine Gagnard - Grapefruit was the first thing that sprung to mind here, a little hollow also but that all sounds too negative, it was decent but didn't really have the masculine depth of Batard for me. 16.5/20

Batard Montrachet, Roche de Bellene - More texture and depth that the first on the palate but still quite closed. Good but not really Grand Cru quality for me. 16.5-17/20

Batard Montrachet, Leflaive - Very good as you would expect but a little like the Fontaine Batard it was almost too refined, may be these 10's just need time to add some weight. Also a little less oaked than I might expect from Leflaive Batard. There was definite class though. 17.5-18/20

Batard Montrachet, Gagnard Delagrange - This was the most "old-skool" of the Batards and possibly all the wines. More saline on the nose, almost a little tannin too, a little dry but with grapefruit (but not tart). Not at all over the top, would be an interesting wine to follow. 17-17.5/20

Conclusion on 2010 Whites:
I was left a little subdued and slightly confused. The Lafon Perrieres, the Leflaive Cavoillon and the Boisson Vadot's (for contrasting styles) gave some excitement but generally I expected a little more focus, zest and excitement. A good vintage? Yes and to my mind better than the 2008's BUT I think the main lesson for me was that in White Burgundy generalising about a vintage is next to pointless. From producer to producer the styles are different, the use of oak and the time of picking so crucial that it is more a house style one needs to find than a vintage.

There were a couple of reds shown too. Firstly (open) was Dry River Pinot 1996 - was really good very full fruited, both red and black fruit there. It had a nice aged quality and is great now. Served blind was Romanee St Vivant 1990, Louis Latour, wishing to get the embarrassment out the way early I was actually moving towards older northern Rhone, the only doubt I had was the depth of the wine in colour and on the palate. Some went for southern rhone other Burgundy but it was a novelty rather than profound wine, fun though.

And that was that, a fun evening, generously organised and hosted with great food and a lot of chat...what vintage next time...?

The first of our two starters...I could eat it everyday!

A cracking Scallop dish.

Pork Loin anyone?