TN: La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin Dinner

WINE TALK
1

LA CONFRÉRIE DES CHEVALIERS DU TASTEVIN DINNER - The Otesaga Resort, Cooperstown, NY (4/17/2016)

After years of planning, the Albany-Capital Region and Central New York Sous-Commanderies (chapters) of La Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin got together for this first ever joint dinner. The dinner was held in the stunning Otesaga Resort which sits on the shore of beautiful Otsego Lake in Cooperstown, NY. Amy and I attended as guests.

View from the back porch of The Otesaga:

The food was excellent and the wonderful wines came from the cellars of the two Sous-Commanderies. Reception at 2pm. Dinner at 3pm. The reds were opened at 1:45. The whites removed from the refrigerator at 2:15 and opened. The first white was poured slightly after 2:30. The last wine was served around 4:30.

Photos and more details here:

http://www.finewinegeek.com/tn/2016-04-17_CCT_Otesaga/

Reception
Hors D’ Oeuvres:
French Artisan Cheese (Chevre, Brie, Tomme, Roquefort) with Grapes, Fig Jam, Shallot Confit, Candied Walnuts, Classic Baguettes, and Cranberry-Walnut Batard.

Passed Selections:
Smoked Trout with Potato Crepe, Crème Friache, Chive, and Caviar.
Chicken Liver Pate with Pistachios and Charred Baguette.
Onion Tart made with Vidalia Onions, Thyme, and Flaky Crust.

There was also a NV Crémant de Bourgogne Métisse from Domaine Verret served which I did not taste.

Course 1
Foie Gras Stuffed Morels with Cauliflower Puree, Apricot Gastrique, and Crispy Sage.

  • 2007 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Corton-Charlemagne Grand Cru
    Complex nose. Quite tasty now, but may improve with a few more years of age. Complex lemon custard in the mouth. (93 pts.)

Course 2
Chevre Soufflé with Apple, Golden Beet, Frisee, and Citrus Tarragon Vinaigrette.

  • 2008 Joseph Drouhin / Drouhin-Vaudon Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
    First bottle was off, perhaps slightly premoxed or corked? Second bottle was terrific. Crisp, clean with a long complex expansive finish of sweet lemons and slate. A joy to drink, esp. with the Chevre Soufflé. (94 pts.)

Course 3
Roasted Salmon with Beluga Lentil and Artichoke Ragu, Crispy Skin, and Beurre Rouge.

Course 4
Calotte de Boeuf with Butcher’s Butter, Roasted Bone Marrow, Potato Leek Fondue, and Truffled Bordelaise Sauce.

  • 2003 Domaine Louis Remy Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru
    Big, smoky, ethereal nose of ground beef, flowers, and spices. Stunning in the mouth. Expansive and complex. A wow wine, and surprisingly elegant for the vintage. (96 pts.)

A lovely way to spend a beautiful spring afternoon.

Posted from CellarTracker

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Are you in the Chevaliers? I joined the San Francisco chapter a few years ago.

-Al

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No. The Albany chapter was formed almost 20 years ago by members of my local tasting group. I went to the original organizational dinner, but decided not to join. Back then, almost all their dinners required a tux. For that, and other reasons, I didn’t join. I am reconsidering now. Apparently they only require a tux once a year now. Even this was tie and jacket, but several long-standing members didn’t even wear a tie. I’m not a big fan of pomp or ties.

4

For those who care about such things, I’ve corrected the information on how the wines were handled:

The reds were opened at 1:45.
The whites removed from the refrigerator at 2:15 and opened.
The first white was poured slightly after 2:30.
The last wine was served around 4:30.

5

Well…Ken, if you’re not a big fan of “pomp”, I don’t see how the Chevaliers is “for” you. I’ve been to a number of dinners, including one at the Clos Vougeot. They are nice, I guess…but all about “pomp”…singing, joking…ceremonies, etc. (I don’t think they really take it too seriously, but…that’s part of the theater.) I decided it really wasn’t for me…as I REALLY don’t like “pomp”. Some people enjoy it, but…it’s not for everyone…and not for serious Burgundy tasting, IMO, though could be fun for some.

6

At this point, I am hoping to just attend their dinners which have less pomp and don’t require a tux. The next one is an induction dinner which requires a tux and has an hour of speeches scheduled. I’ll pass on that one.

7

plenty of singing and hand dances, too…you’ll be missing.

8

Our chapter is black tie for the Chapitre (induction ceremony) and usually for the December holiday event. Most other events are jacket and tie, although I think some come with just jackets. We also have relatively little pomp, other than the induction, and no singing.

-Al

9

Really…i thought the song with the hand stuff was mandatory. Seriously…I did, as it has been at every event I’ve ever attended.

Your chapter doesn’t do that?

Should I report you to those at the CV?

10

There is a short “la-la-la” salute with hand waving and clapping, often for the chef and crew. But it’s pretty minimal and I wouldn’t call it singing. Maybe 20 seconds per salute.

-Al

11

Yeah, the singing is kinda weird. What is the turnover of these groups, more or less than a regular tasting group? I understand their is a big financial commitment to maintain the cellar(s) they have, so they need a fairly constant base of members to work it out.

12

Again, not sure if the song you heard is different from the salutes we do. As for the authorities, some of them have attended our events and we’ve hosted other chapters.

-Al

13

It’s a pretty cool idea, actually. In the '30s in Burgundy, when no one could sell a bottle, some of the good names there came up with a chamber of commerce/fan club for the region. And, they made it seem very selective, so they could charge people for admission…and still do. My sense is that once involved, most people stay involved. They take it pretty seriously, though those in charge of the organization try to keep the whole thing light and slyly irreverant. Some of those original families in the Chevaliers in France are still involved. They look at it as something to continue to nurture: a natural fan club around the world…and a big lure to entice people to come to Burgundy and spend their money on the region.It can get pretty packed there when Chevaliers events are going on…and pretty loud at some restaurants before and after the big events.

14

Why do I imagine Monty Python’s Knights of the Round table dinners in my head?

15

There is lots of singing and “la la la’s” in our chapter but very little pomp. The Paulee of our chapter is my favorite “excessible” wine event of the year.

16

Well, to me those “la la la’s” is pomp…or similar.

Not my thing.

17

Do they recognize Beaujolais or is just Pinot Noir wines?