The only people anywhere....

Yesterday's lunch at 67 Pall Mall had been in the diary for a little while and was always intended as a day ending luncheon. Mr Magnum, RMW and myself each produced a couple of bottles. Blind to a varied degree.

We started with Taittinger 1992 "Art Series" a wine I have heard of once but never experienced. A little more information can be found here - Taittinger Collection. The series was conceived in the late 1970s by Claude Taittinger. A long time lover of the arts. In 1983, Champagne Taittinger introduced the first rendition, a special bottle with a laser-sealed sheath that visually expresses the artist’s concept of the magic of Champagne. The artist in 1992 is Matta. The Taittinger Collection wines are released only in great vintages, from a selection of the year's finest cuvées. The wines are made from Chardonnay mainly from the Grands Crus of the Côte des Blancs, and Pinot Noir from Montagne de Reims and Vallée de la Marne. So it does not clash with the Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs from the very same house. This was rich and incredibly vinous, a good, mellow but persistent mouse there was a toastiness as well as a savoury yeasty element with green apple acidity to stop it being too weighty. RMW set the tone with the phrase "if gold had a flavour then this is it"! What a unique start…

Time now for some white wine having ordered our food. Once we new what this was - Meursault Santenots 1er Cru 2000 from d'Angerville we reckoned that we were probably the only people anywhere having this combination of wines this year and we were only two bottles in…Served blind (although embarrassingly we had been told a few days earlier what it was but had lost the ability to recall it). There was a good stink of reduction at the start that made me think of serious Burgundy then as this passed and a richness of fruit came through I was was in the Rhone with rich aromatics. It then changed again and became far more mineral and stoney, like very good Chablis, clearly little or no new oak at all, delicious. The only other time I have had this as a mature wine was the 1990 during this dinner - Clos des Ducs 1920-2002. A real treat. 

Next - Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Cuvee Duvault-Blochet 1999 from Domaine de la Romanee-Conti - served blind and it was a star from the moment it hit the glass and continued over 2 hours or more to excite and amaze. It is so glorious when a bottle sings it's very best tune - this was just in the moment. The DRC 1999's (and I am hideously biased) are supreme. This was so poised and fine but at the same time decadent with layer upon layer of fruit and delicate persistence revealing itself. A marvel and a very generous one. It is always special to have  bottle of this wine and this was the first "modern" vintage of it.

Now time for my pair - Barolo 2005, Bartolo Mascarello and Barolo Cascina Francia 2005, Giacomo Conterno - I have had these together a few times. I love how they both outperform the slightly tricky vintage and show two different sides of the traditional School. Conterno is about "single site" and Bartolo about blending sites. Neither is right or wrong. Again I have bias. The Bartolo is a rich more velvet textured and darkly fruited example, the Cascina a shade more driven and focussed, more savoury, less extrovert with that telltale salinity to the fore…they were fascinating to follow.

Then for what was supposed to be our last bottle, Poggio di Sotto Il Decennale 2001, essentially this is a Brunello Riserva that could not be name as such as it, in theory, did not have enough colour back at release time to be deemed a Riserva…what a load of nonsense. This must have gained colour, as if that was ever a good justification. A lovely, still rich but ready, wine with poise and a delicate bruised dark fruit aroma…lovely. Having had the Brunello normale in St.Emilion as well this is such an estate to watch (not that this is news).

It was Friday and not even 4pm yet so Mr Magnum decided, as he does, that another bottle was crucial. Not just any other bottle either, served nice and cool and growing in stature and depth the Musigny Vielles Vignes 2001 from de Vogue was quite something. The old adage of "the iron fist in a velvet glove" is a good one with this vintage now. There is a core of rich almost ferrous fruit and depth but with enough flesh to make this obviously a very fine bottle now. Delicious.

The UK may not be quite were we want it at the moment but with a lunch like this the world seems a better place…bravo chaps and thank you!

Lunch in the office

We had a rather special guest(s) in the office for a tasting and as he came from Bordeaux we couldn't serve him anything from that fine region.

Instead we served the above wines but not before we started with Delamotte Blanc de Blancs 2002 which is drinking superbly now, just the beginning of a bit of biscuit appearing but essentially still focussed and fine with a linear drive. If you own any then you've done well to keep it, just let me know if you need a "hand" drinking it.

We then went for Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru 2009 from Domaine Leflaive which was both very much a Chevalier and very much not a 2009. Real focus and saline, slight reduction but tightly wound. No goey-ness here which was good. Opening white Burgundy can be a game of roulette and I would still recommend a read of the guest post by my colleague Sara on premox. The wine got better in glass and the remnants smelt lovely, white fruits.

So to the reds, the Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Cuvee Duvault-Blochet 2006 from DRC is a wine I last had here - it showed just as well this time but a little more focussed and a little less rich, slightly less 2006 ish you could say. Lovely elegance and drive with a core of darker red fruits and a real lift, clearly a wine with a long future but certainly not a waste to drink it now. Obviously always a bit of a treat given the name of this blog!

Soldera 2008 - was next up and not a wine our visitors knew. I last tasted it here, on a brilliant visit to Case Basse (mind you they all tend to be). The wine has such incredibly purity with slight spice behind that and a wonderful energy. There is a salinity that makes it just about the most drinkiably moreish wine I know. I am biased, and I've said this before, but I really don't think anyone gets near Gianfranco when it comes to Purity from Sangiovese.

Our final wine was Corney & Barrow 2010 Sauternes which comes from an address that stands up well in this company and I am saying no more than that...if only everyday was like this...

First of the last Suppers...

From the second it was announced that Zucca is to close on the 23rd December there were several last meals planned. As I write this I only have two dinners left. Zucca has featured large here with endless blogs that I have written over the last 5 and a half years. To say I will miss the place is a savage understatement but I am sure Sam has something up his sleeve. It is the deliciousness of the food, the simplicity of the produce, the easy service and the emphasis on wine without subservience to it that has kept me going back.

This was a  really fitting meal as it was with many of the people whom I have shared the most meals at Zucca, all folk who for me "get" what this rather wonderful world of food and wine is all about. That Eric, who introduced me to Sam as well as being ever helpful in my Piedmont obsessions, organised it was all the better. The only shame was that Sam himself was ill and missed out (Sam - I advise you stop reading here - it was rather good!).

The brief was to bring special bottles. So what better way to start than two of the best and most contrasting of Champagnes; Salon 2002 and Pol Roger Cuvee Sir Winston Churchill 1999. Both performed just as you would hope. The Salon was fresh, zingy, citrus and minerals, stones even, tight, elegant. Contrastingly the "Winnie" was toasty and rich but not heavy, yeasty, serious, coiled tight. There was no contest here they are both superb and both will be fascinating in 10, 20, 30 years time. A fun and good start.

As you can imagine the food was already flowing thick and fast from Megan in the kitchen. Many of the classics - Seabass Carpaccio, Zucca friti, Vitello Tonnato - going down as well as ever. The next flight was white Burgundy:

Meursault Tessons Clos de Mon Plaisir 2009 from Roulot, this was almost Chablis like in refined texture, quite an achievement for 2009. There was then a slight unctuous waxy texture, delicious. Spot on right now.

Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru 2006 from Domaine Leflaive, a little lactic and lacking drive, village Meursault in style rather than Grand Cru, generous and opulent, almost to a fault. The 2006's from almost anyone in Burgundy need drinking. A generous bottle but underwhelming on this occasion.

Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Pucelles 1999 from Domaine Leflaive, this followed the Batard in order but flew straight past it for quality and reminded me of having it once before at the end of a White Burgundy 2008's dinner. There is something brilliant about the Leflaive 1999's, a whiff or reduction and a moreish refinement. Either way it was delicious.

A brace of Barolo magnums from Rinaldi is something you dream of as a Barolo drinker. It might well be the only time it ever happens to me. First up it was Barolo Brunate Riserva 1986, this was a marvel, lifted, lovely freshness, brine and saline, herbal. There was such floral freshness. I am not a mad fan of people saying Barolo is like Burgundy (despite the obvious similarities of attitude, size and layout) in terms of taste but this magnum was exactly that. It went from being Brunate through and through to the elegance of Chambolle, simply put it was delicious and "right up there". The Barolo 1999 was a contrast - tight intense, almost hard, there was a fear it was corked but it seemed not to be to me just introverted. Briney, dark and deep with some grainy tannins. I like it but it was very different to the 1986. I have a bottle of each of the Rinaldi 1999's in 75cl and will keep them longer before sharing with the provider of this mag.

We moved to another 1999 - Barolo Monprivato 1999 from G.Mascarello, this was a little maderised in character with a slightly mocha and dark chocolate thing going on. It was decent but unexciting, a little too savoury despite the comments above. The last bottle 

Vosne-Romanee 1er Cru Cuvee Duvault-Blochet 2006 from DRC, showed a primary voluptuousness, overflowing with expressive fruit notes but without any lack of focus. I am totally biased for all sorts of reasons but it really was a lovely bottle on which to finish.

We were all at bursting point by now with so much good food and lovely wine. A cracking evening with lovely people in a setting we will all miss so very much!

So simple, so delicious...

There's some pasta under there!!

Two wonderful days...

A third post from the biennial meeting of the DRC agents...the two previous ones are
first - the 2012's and then second - the tasting of a lifetime. This is a summary of a few other wines tasted or drunk at meals. It was a brilliant two days, really quite humbling the wines were all served immaculately and humbly. Never is there a feeling that these wines are priceless and too precious, they are wines to be drunk and enjoyed, just exceptionally good ones! 

The first lunch we had was at Le Bistrot du bord de L’eau in the Hostellerie de Levernois, a lovely spot outside Beaune.

Le Pot au feu de Queue de Boeuf au Foie gras, Consomme au sel de Celeri

Le Tournedos de Volaille fermiere, Champignons et Gnocchi, sauce au Vin Jaune

La Selection de Fromages Frais and Affines

L’ille Flottante et Crème Vanille

We had two wines:

Batard-Montrachet 2000

This small parcel was bought at the same time as the Domaines Montrachet holding. It is never sold and is used by the Domaine for "family" use. The style is delicious, quite opulent but always with a cleansing salinity. 
A little mocha and almost coffee but very mellow, saline, very good balance, lovely fruit that stops short of being tropical. Rich and quite savoury but with an easiness and sweet fruited element. There are notes of dry botrytis. Finish with a clean note of toffee on the outside of a toffee apple.

Vosnee-Romanee 1er Cru Duvaut Blochet

Given the name of this blog it is always a pleasure to drink this wine.
Slightly bruised red fruit, some iodine and a little subtly minty eucalyptus, a nicely dry edge that is very “2008” and good length. Interestingly the fruit freshened up with air and became “cleaner” and redder.

Later the same day:

A Gala dinner at Domaine de la Romanee Conti

The food was cooked by Chef Thomas Collomb who has two restaurants:

La Rotisserie du Chambertin in Gevrey-Chambertin and La Maison des Cariatides in Dijon

Vol au Vent de Cuisine Bourgeoise

Pintade de la Ruchotte, puree a la truffe noire

Assortiment de fromages

Tartelette aux chataignes de L’Ardeche, sorbet au gingembre

The wines served were:

Corton 2009 (from magnum) which we tasted just before being told what it was. This is a really easy wine to drink, taste, enjoy, lovely sweetness, not so much a Corton, quite bold with sweet black cherry and good acidity but always an easy 2009ness about it.

The following three wines were then served blind!

Romanee Conti 2011 – this stumped me completely it had such pure red fruited elegance that I thought it may well be 2010 Romanee-Saint-Vivant, it had a seriousness as well to the structure which made me think of 2010. There is a slight graphite minerality and massive amounts of pure character. I think this is a wine for the serious long term not because it is a blockbuster but because there will be very serious layers of elegance to come.

Romanee Conti 1961 – I don’t think I ever imagined I would taste or drink this wine twice in one day. This bottle was a lovely middle-aged colour, a little red but mainly tawny. The nose was multifaceted and immediately difficult to pin down to decade let alone a year. There was a little funk and an sweet animal edge. A warm year such is the high-toned elements. Heady and rich but not heavy may be bold is a better word. Of the wines earlier in the day it reminded me of a sweeter 1971. Magnificent and only improving and dancing in the glass.

Le Montrachet 1983 Methusalem (6L)

The oldest Montrachet from the Domaine that I have tasted. Butterscotch and crème brulee, toffee notes, lots of botrytis but none of this made it too heavy. Some briney notes on the palate and finish give this lift and also make the slightly rancio full-on nose not cloy. Honey with a dash of lemon. Dry and intense yet with a sweet fruit character. Amazing. If you want mature, intense Montrachet…this is it.

Chateau de Fargues 2005

Good, rich but not over the top, a lot of warm fruit and an unctuous density with just enough density.

I was lucky to sit next to the engaging and energetic Nicolas Jacob, vineyard manager (chef de culture) and therefore asked him a few questions:

The hardest vineyard to work? Certainly RSV, the soils have more clay.

And the easiest? The top section of La Tache simply it is lighter.

How big is his permanent team in the vineyards? 20 people are exclusively for the Domaine.

The following day we had one last meal again at the Domaine. Cooked by the team member – Claude Menetrier - you can well see why the team here must be happy during harvest if Claude is in the kitchen. Very classical Burgundian food but deliciously so.

Jambon Persille

Poulet Gaston Gerard

Mont d’Or

Paris-Brest

The wines were both served blind after having had the Domaine’s Champagne Method Rose (100% Pinot Noir). I had never been aware it existed and it is made off site.

It was then time for Blind wines again.

White: This was absolutely stunning. A shade reduced, in perfect balance, some richness and white fruits but also a little botrytis if kept in perfect check by the acidity. It is wonderfully moreish and hedonistic at the same time. So we got to having to have a go at the wine…on our table I was quick out of the blocks with Montrachet 1999, others then followed with 2000, 2001, 1995 etc…and it was actually Batard-Montrachet 2005. A stunning wine.

And then it was time for a red…sadly I turned round at just the wrong moment and caught the “LT 07” on the bottle out of the corner of my eye. Nobody noticed I had seen this but in the interests of wine karma I immediately declared it and counted myself "out". The La Tache 2007 was just lovely, in fact "lovely" is damming with feint praise and that is wrong…it is open and ready to be enjoyed, not that it will not see decades more, it will. It has a quite primary nose with the full spread of dark red fruit with a dash of spice, there is a lovely “shells on the beach” minerality. I love a lot of the 2007’s and this is the best I have had…gracefully gorgeous.

With a train to catch from Dijon back to Paris then London it was always going to be tight to see if we could taste the 2013's but fortunately we could:

2013’s

Tasted from Barrel at "pace" after lunch, hosted by Bertrand de Villaine. I made very few notes. As with 2012 there will be no "Duvault Blochet"...

Corton

A nice darker fruit character, not overly hard but with structure, a little puppy fat, cherries and freshness.

Echezeaux

A lovely spicey density here, very “grown-up”, pure as well.

Grands Echezeaux

Broad and quite bold, long, some fresh fruit but not too red, density but poise is the lasting impression.

Romanee-Saint-Vivant

A little bit more savoury than usual but this may be to do with the slight reduction, serious, especially for R-S-V.

Richebourg

Very pure and lifted, exceptional fruit. Good structure also.

La Tache

Superb nose here, very hard to describe, power and sweetness but not at the expense of the complexity, really very fine.

Romanee-Conti

Sustained red fruit, really brooding. There is a really elegant power to this wine, it has depth and power and structure too, it is hidden by the gorgeous fruit.

And that was the end of two amazing days in Burgundy.