BDX themed lunch in West London

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mek
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BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by mek »

WIMPS Bordeaux themed lunch: 25 June 2015, La Trompette restaurant in West London

Oxtail ravioli with cauliflower, girolles, fresh almonds and bone marrow
2011 Ch. Brane-Cantenac
This was a 'special bottle' and brought along by one of the guests and direct from the estate. We had fun guessing why it was special and within minutes two guests, almost in concert, discovered it was 100% carmenere varietal. We were told there are only three barrels of the stuff on the estate. It tasted like a young Argentinian wine!
2005 Ch. Brane-Cantenac
Mid-weight with a lovely tension on the palate, a charming wine that is starting to show us an inkling of its stature.
1999 Clos l’Eglise
Young, spritely, but a tad hollow on the mid-palate. Dark fruits and leather notes. 90 pts

Anjou pigeon with cracked wheat, preserved lemon, dates, rainbow chard and fennel
1996 Ch. Rauzan-Segla
Initially served too cold. Resisted the temptation to imbibe until it warmed up in the glass. Classic nose of pencil lead and blackcurrants. Mid-weight, fine tannins, refined and reserved. An elegant wine. 94pts
1971 Vieux Chateau Certan
Bit dusty to start but this blew off after a short while. Prunes, tea notes, spices and tar, refined tannins and prunes on the palate. Still enough acidity and charm to want to keep coming back to this wine. 92pts
1970 Giscours
Surprisingly dense and deep in colour. Soft sweet fruits on the nose with cigar, cedar and floral notes. Great structure and still an immense amount of tannins for its age. An impressive bottle, with a big presence. 94pts


Pol Dorset lamb with coco beans, turnips and leek scapes
1971 Ch. Haut-Brion
An enjoyable HB, however, I preferred its elder sibling on the day. A nose of tobacco and mocha, returning with hints of leather on the palate, the tannins were completely resolved and the flavours on the palate enjoyable. 93 pts
1970 Ch. Haut-Brion
My wine of the day. Exciting and lively from the first attack: red ripe fruits, saddle leather, earthy notes and hints of tar. Perfectly structured and balanced with a refined and very elegant finish. 95 pts
1970 Ch. Margaux
Others around the table found it 'thin and simple', I'd say resolved and delicate. 88 pts
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DavidG
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by DavidG »

Nice report! How do you get away with a mid-week lunch like that? No way I could go back to work after such an event. I'm definitely in the wrong business!
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mek
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by mek »

DavidG wrote:Nice report! How do you get away with a mid-week lunch like that? No way I could go back to work after such an event. I'm definitely in the wrong business!
One takes annual leave! It is the only way.
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JimHow
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by JimHow »

Great report. I was a big fan of the 2005 Brane Cantenac when it was first released. I have 6 bottles that have been sitting there, my sense back then that this was a big 2005, interesting that you describe it as mid-weight and charming. I'll have to check one out and see where it's at.
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by Comte Flaneur »

MEK was too modest to say that she was sat - not just on the top table - but next to the hottest wine critic on the planet, the one everyone is watching, who brought along the 'special bottle' and hails from the same English county as she does. The county is more renowned than any other for its contribution to English popular culture in the 1980s and home to some of the greatest ....and most charismatic ... modern day English test cricketers and England captains (Alistair Cook and Graeme Gooch). Also on that 'top' table included a city lawyer, a medical academic, a retried City financier, London's most renowned restauranteur, and a retired multi-millionaire. 

On our table we had a farmer...but also an old Etonian who went to Oxford with Boris Johnston, the Mayor of London who is tipped to be a future Prime Minister. 

We kicked off with a bottle of Palmer 1979 Champagne recently disgorged which was an absolute treat, followed by a Laville Haut-Brion 2004, which was backward but grippy and punchy, and one suspects will improve. Next up we had Pichon Lalande 2002, which was strikingly backward. A very good wine, but I would back the 2002 Baron over it. Likewise I would rather drink the fabulous 2001 and 2004 PLLs. 

The two most interesting wines on our table were the 1985 and 1989 Le Gay generously donated by the Old Etonian and his wife. The 1989 was a strapping wine with a lot of grippy tannin, while the 1985 was more resolved, delightfully so actually. The former and latter were respectively stimulating and thrilling old school Pomerols.

In the last flight we had a mag of Lagrange Pomerol 1986 which was delicious and nicely resolved and tertiary. Who said 1986 was a mediocre right bank vintage? Then we had a delightful 1982 Poujeaux, yes the Cru bourgeois, which was in fine fettle and utterly delicious. 

We finished with a brace of Ducrus. My 1982 was unfortunately 'stripped' while the 1978 - from the same case as we had in La Tupina - was a delight, like the Tupina wine. It was a wine that passed by by the rest of the table I thought. 

Coutet 1988 with a soufflé had a magnificent green gold colour and a surprisingly reticent personality. It was overwhelmed by the soufflé. Surprisingly. 
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stefan
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by stefan »

Great report.

We drank many a bottle of the wonderful 1970 Giscours, but none in the last 20 years. I am glad that it has held up well.

'70 & `71 Haut-Brion are a fine pair, but I never drank them at the same dinner.
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AKR
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Re: BDX themed lunch in West London

Post by AKR »

Older Le Gays are usually surprisingly good. I kick myself now over purging some during the aggravations of moving/life changes in the last decade.
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