England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

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AlexR
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England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by AlexR »

Hi,

A wine dinner at the house on Saturday started off with two sparkling wines. The first was the Nyetimber classic cuvée from Chiltington, England. Although made from the traditional Champagne grape varieties and probably grown on chalky soil, this was easily spotted as something other than Champagne. However, that did not mean it was not appreciated, and everyone was glad to sample such an exotic wine. This was followed by 1999 Ayala, which was in fine form – biscuity, but not oxidized and certainly not too old.

We had 2 whites with the first course. The 2014 Suntory Koshu was served blind and no one came even close to guessing its origin. This was not a tremendously expressive wine, but was clean as a whistle and technologically irreproachable. The white 2014 Nuits-Saint-Georges premier cru Les Terres Blanches from Domaine des Perdrix divided the table somewhat, some people thinking it seemed older than its age and slightly oxidised, while others (including myself) thought it was classic white Burgundy not out of line for a wine of its age. In any event, this was less heavy than I remember and was good as well as being curiosity.

Three Médocs were served with the main course (agneau de Pauillac). We were completely off as to the first wine, a 2005 Brane Cantenac. Because of a certain alcoholic hotness on the finish, we were thinking it was a hot climate wine made with Bordeaux grape varieties! Anyway, the wine is not far from being ready to drink and was a pleasure, although atypical. We then compared, side by side in two glasses, 2001 Pichon Baron and 2001 Mouton Rothschild. The former was unfortunately corked. The latter was classic and delightful, not far from its peak, which it will certainly hold for a long time. Lots of people in Bordeaux just love the 2001s, which was a classic “Atlantic” vintage rather than a “Mediteranean” one beloved of certain critics. 2001 Mouton has good acidity, poise, all one might hope for. The earth did not move, but what a treat with food!
As for the Pichon Baron, one of my guests, an enologist, said that the chateau she works for replaces corked bottles. So, I have written today to the château and mailed the cork and we’ll see what happens…
I might add that another guest had arrived that day from England and brought 3 cheeses with him. I just love English cheeses, and everyone enjoyed them immensely.

I did something pretty unusual for the dessert course (red kuri squash and chestnut purée) and decanted 2 Sauternes, both from the 1997 vintage: Sigalas Rabaud and Rabaud Promis. These were in fine form and opinions were divided as to which was better. My preference went to the former because of its finesse, but the Rabaud Promis was delightful as well: fuller, richer, and sweeter.

As if 2 dessert wines weren’t enough, a Portuguese friend served a final wine blind. I thought this was a young vintage Port but, no, it was a Napa Valley Heitz Cellars “Ink Grade” Port. This had been “smuggled” into Europe because the EU does not allow the importation of non-European wines with European place names… Anyway, this was showing lots of toasty American oak and exuberance. It was made with 8 Douro Valley grape varieties. If I had another bottle, I would let it age for a very long time.

Best,
Alex R.
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AKR
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by AKR »

I keep seeing those Ink Grade bottles around here, and they are more costly than the usual CA attempts at port like offerings.

Very cool to pour those two 97 Sauternes side by side. I don't think I have any pre 2001 Sauternes left at this point.
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DavidG
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by DavidG »

Very interesting report Alex.

Is your use of "exotic" to describe the Nyetimber sparkler based on its taste or rarity?

Pairing Sauternes with a chestnut dessert sounds really intriguing. I'm imagining the interplay between the chestnut's rich sweetness and the wine's acidity. How did that play out?
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AlexR
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by AlexR »

Hi David,

Theword exotic is was used more because of rarity and cheekiness in serving such a wine in France to French people. I actually did this once before when François Audouze came to the house. He needs to taste more foreign wines :-).
The quality of the English sparkler was unquestionably good, but it was not exactly memorable. I've had better from the UK (Ridgeview).
I think that such wines have a good future, but will always be hard to find and expensive.

The dessert was my wife's idea. You can buy ready-made "crème de marrons" (chestnut purée) here, so that was put on the bottom layer of the dish. My wife put yoghurt (rather than crème fraîche so as not to make it too rich) and sweet spices into the creamed kuri squash as well as lemon zest. The interplay of flavors was great and the dessert was neither too rich nor too heavy.
Kuri squash (potimarron in French) is a great food. It is related to pumpkin, but has more flavor. It is often used in soups.

All the best,
AR
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Comte Flaneur
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by Comte Flaneur »

Thanks for the note Alex...I always find Nyetimber a curiosity more than anything else...if someone hands me a glass at a function I will drink it but I would never buy it because there is no price or quality advantage over a bog standard NV house champagne.

As for the Mouton 2001 man that is infanticide! Well I have some but it is buried deep somewhere and judging by the LLC at the Quebec dinner and the Cheval Blanc 2001 Tim and I drank with Danny here, sine 2001s still seem a long way off their plateau.
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AlexR
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by AlexR »

Ian,

I know you and I have different views on drinking windows. However, I was not alone at table in thinking that the 2001 Mouton was mostly where it needs to be.

I've got one more bottle and will be glad to share it with you the next time we meet.

As I said, this will be a fine bottle for many years to come. But I always, always have in mind the balance between fruit, vigor, and tertiary complexity in wines such as this. There comes a point, of course, when the third factor detracts from the first two. I am undoubtedly more sensitive to this than you are. And it's a very healthy thing we don't all taste the same way and have the same préférences!

I'd have just *loved* to visit Latour with you at the last en primeur tastings. They no longer sell on a futures basis, but have the new vintage for tasting plus one older vintage. This years old vintage was the 2000. I'll bet you think of this as a 30 or 40 year wine on principle. And yet... As it was the last wine of the tasting, and because it's so rare and expensive, I not only tasted but swallowed the stuff. I turned to the fellow from Latour and remarked "This is amazingly drinkable. I thought it might be tight as a drum, but no way". The man agreed with me.

Alex
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DavidG
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Re: England, Japan, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Champagne

Post by DavidG »

Alex, that dessert sounds delicious.
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