TNS: some wines from Saturday night.

[JonoB]

Having gone for cocktails and what-knot at Beach Blanket Babylon (notting hill, london), we migrated to the Ledbury (on the same street) for an 8:45 kick-off.

We started with some lovely amuse bouche, paired with.

1990 Cristal, Louis Roederer (magnum)
crisp, mineral, intense, subtle, long, lots of herbs, citrus, bitters, honey, chalk, an elegant regality and persistance, hints of brioche, nuts sea breeze and a slight cassis note, richness, white truffle, very complex, apples, soft, balanced, rounded and compelling, plum, wild peach, elderflower and rose perfume, incredibly complex but it feels as though it has a lot more to give, a touch of liquorice, elegant and classy. A superb food wine! 78-82+/100

The the oyster chantilly and tartare it was to Alsace.

1997 Alsace Grand Cru Kastelberg Riesling, Marc Kreydenweiss
butter, toffee and richness, oily, metals, minerals, limes, butterscotch, balanced, silky, violets and oyster shell, shale but its all about the richness and velvety texture, lovely subtle length and a balance that hints at a further ability to age, bruised apples, stewed limes, very long with an umami like bitterness to the length, a touch of wet soil and earth. Almost a bloody, braised chicken aroma with time in the glass, intense and will continue to unfurl. 76+/100

For me the next dish and wine was the really great match of the evening, with Japanese styled Mackarel.

2006 Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons; Domaine Raveneau
herbs, aniseed, still quite closed, very crisp, linear, poised, nuts, almonds, butter and minerals, oyster shell, complex and long, slate, flint, a smoky note with citrus, cooked lemons and acacia honeyed richness, absolutely wonderful with the mackarel (soy and sugar) after some time in the glass. Great length, and whilst still very young, a good decant or food will bring it to life. Beautiful stuff. 72-75+/100

With our melange of Root Vegetables...

1990 Cuvée Nicolas Francois Salmon; Billecarte-Salmon
rich, lifted, brioche, honey, buter, poised, precise, cassis, strawberry, earth, chalk, apples, limes, linear and hints of Burgundy-esque Pinosity. Structured and backward, but with plenty of flamboyance. Apples, chalk, long and classy but more obvious, zesty and fresh. Surprisingly Pinot dominated structure and flavours given the blend of 60/40 in favour of Chardonnay. 75-77++/100

With our delightful fillet of Sea Bass...

2006 Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru "Les Pucelles"; Domaine Leflaive
toasty, buttered corn on the cob in a glass! Quite ripe and forward, leaves and herbs, crisp, stewed lemons, cooked limes and bruised apples, lots of sap, and richness but remaining poised, complex and rocky minerality. Long, elegant and rich. It needs more time but there is enough to improve a great deal, perhaps the forward nature is a product of the vintage. Broad and long. 74++/100

We then had two reds with our Muntjac (over two courses).

2000 Felton Road, Block 3 Pinot Noir
fresh, zippy and with an agostura bitter note, the nose is super, perfume, dark fruits, herbs, tar, rosebush, wonderfully Burgundian and almost like young Sylvain Cathiard whilst maintaining a very Central Otago feel to it. Sous bois, mushroom, leaves and unripe strawberry, plums, violets, almost zesty, raspberry. This is still youthful but is drinking fantastically well. Very long clearly a great food wine. 73+/100

2003 Shafer Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley
quite herby, cassis, banana and sweetness, ripe plum, a quite silky texture and soft structure. Very primary and long, quite classy Cabernet, minty, eucalyptus, currants, herbs and a raw tobacco note on the finish. The sweetness of the food combats the sweetness of the wine leaving a classic Cab, but without the food the sweetness returns. It needs time for the puppy fat to recede perhaps. 68-70+/100

And finally with our miriad of desserts...

2007 Westhofer Kirchspiel Riesling Spatlese; Weingut Keller
rich, metallic, very appley and lifted, quite a lot of sweetness on the palate, rich, powerful, quite sappy and long. Lots of apple cidre, lots of acidity, just about balanced, crisp and long but perhaps a touch simple and in need of time to evolve and release its full complexity. 64-67++/100

A big thanks to all the culprits for a wonderful evening of great wines.