Wonderful Monday table hosted by Big G and with Scotty Picket on the pans at Melbourne’s Estelle. The theme was Chambertin-Clos de Bèze and we had a lot of fun while learning about this vineyard from a few of the legendary years. During vintage discussion, Big G noted that Charles Rousseau was reluctant to comment on any vintage until the wine had been in the cellar for one year. Charles would not have fitted in here, we comment on the vintage as soon as there’s budburst!
Big G was in rare form, recounting humorous stories about the wine industry. I quite enjoyed the acronym, nick-name he gave to one of his mates who was famous for ducking out for lunch every day. He was known as O.D.D. Organise, Deputise and Disappear.
The following snacks were simply made for Champagne:
Claire de lune & rusty wire oysters with a sauce mignonette.
Smoked Wallaby, black rice and bbq sauce
Salmon pearls with crème fraiche
Chicken oyster, whipped cod
Champagne
N.V. Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Rosé: From magnum this was disgorged around 4 years ago. It had plenty of strawberry and yeasty things going on along wi9th a light toastiness. There’s a nice line of minerally acidity.
King Salmon, peas and quail egg
Raveneau Bracket
2000 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot: Oxidised
1999 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot: Very fresh nose of spearmint, Arum lilies and mineral. It is rich and intense in the mouth, with great shape and loads of saline minerality.
1998 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot: Has a touch of candied peel to the aroma. In the mouth it is rich and detailed. There’s delicate white peach and citrus fruits. It is sappy, powerful and long.
1997 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot: The nose is discreet but complex. You get a subtle whiff of white flowers and white peach. The palate is rich, powerful and layered. There’s some spearmint cream and all sorts of geological matter. It has great build and is super-long.
Flinders Island lamb, macadamia & saltbush. A normal lamb from the supermarket is around 18kg. Scott’s little baby he served us here weighed in at around 5kg. The act of cradle snatching was rewarded with the sweetest, most subtle, milky lamb one could hope for.
A few ‘10’s with an ’05 Wedgie
2010 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Inviting and expressive from the word go. It is quite spicy, with notes of sandalwood, sarsaparilla and freshly grated ginger. There’s a core of delicious cherry fruit and some rose petal action too. It has a sensual velvetiness against the gums, is beautifully balanced and seriously long.
2010 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: A spicy nose also offers up ripe black cherry fruit. There’s notes of tar and earth as well. It has excellent underlying minerality and whilst very young it offers pleasure now yet is stacked for further development.
2010 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: The nose is a little reduced at first and there’s plenty of meat and game. The palate is sweet and luscious and the wine opens up with air to show plenty of spice and earthy complexity.
2005 Pierre Damoy Chambertin-Clos de Bèze Vieilles Vignes: Just a bit too much mushroom from the cork. There’s a deep, dark concentrated wine beneath the mustiness.
Milawa farm duck, cherries and red cabbage
A few ‘05’s with an ’08 Wedgie
2008 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Very pretty nose of floral spice, sandalwood, sarsaparilla root and cherries. It is sweet and inviting but with excellent detail. All flavours are back-lit with minerally acidity.
2005 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Asian spices envelop the nostrils. There are cherry and plum fruits and it is deep and long. It leaves a wonderful and long inner moth perfume once swallowed.
2005 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: The nose is just a little funky with some musk and game action. The palate is luscious, layered, deep and penetrating.
2005 Dominique Laurent Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Sadly marred by cork taint.
Parmigiano Reggiano, beetroot and fig
Three Outstanding ‘99’s
1999 Faiveley Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Complex and fresh aromas of Cherry, earth, white flowers and vitamin B. It is quite waxy and powerful against the gums and it is a wine of great posture and strength. It leaves a lovely calling card of fruit and earth once swallowed.
1999 Louis Jadot Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: There are notes of smoked meats, cherry, dried flowers and earth. It is rich, full and complex with deep flavours and length to burn.
1999 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin-Clos de Bèze, Grand Cru: Highly perfumed and ethereal, with plenty of earth, black cherry and Asian spice. It is luscious yet possesses outstanding detail and a fine line of minerally acidity. So good now. So much better in a decade or two.
Apricot, burnt custard & oats
A Legendary Sweetie
1986 Château Coutet Cuvée Madame: Smells of tinned peaches, coconut, apricots and vanilla. It is so sweet and concentrated yet everything remains in place thanks to a line of strong minerally acidity. It is such a luscious, sensual treat that engages one cerebrally at the same time.
A Vintage Port, just to aid with digestion
1977 Taylor’s Vintage Port: The spirit is a little raw upon first whiff. There’s plenty of red fruit and earth and the palate is rich, powerful and long.
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