Another spectacular dinner at The Ledbury. Yet more courses from brett provoking wonder and amazement together with a superb range of excellent wines. Thanks to Ian and Jeremy for organising and to everyone for their generosity and great company. The menu:
Raw mackerel with compressed cucumber and celtic mustard - this was stunning and only let down by there being too much cucumber.
Best end of muntjac with chervil roots and licorice - simply amazing, as always.
Potato risotto with mousserons and smoked bone marrow - there was something in here that just melted one’s heart…
Compote of berkshire hare with jerusalem artichoke, crones and shaved cepe - Dish of the night. Amazingly rich and meaty with the gameyness I associate with hare.
Caramelised banana galette with salted caramel and peanut ice cream - good but not up there with the famous sauternes ice cream…
The wines
1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon - France, Champagne (10/28/2009)
Surprisingly advanced colour, but, overall I’d say this was at that in between stage of its development. SLightly mushroomy, muffled nose. Vibrant fruit on the palate - lots of orange peel with a slightly bitter, black olive finish. With some air some honey started to come through. I’d try these again in another 5 years for my taste.
Flight of austrian/german whites…
2000 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Kabinett - Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer (10/28/2009)
Very light yellow, young colour. Glorious nose and precise palate stacked with tangy grapefruit juice, apples, mangos and lychees. Superb wine and held up beautifully throughout the evening.
1995 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Dürnsteiner Kellerberg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (10/28/2009)
Noticeably more golden colour than the Loibner Berg served alongside it. Initially, incredible nose of marzipan and nuts. With some air, the wine put on tons of weight and transformed into a deliciously precise, powerful melange of honey, lychees and white pepper.
1995 F.X. Pichler Grüner Veltliner Smaragd Loibner Berg - Austria, Niederösterreich, Wachau (10/28/2009)
Consensus was that this was slightly corked. Not sure about that as the wine didn’t really deteriorate in the glass with air as I would expect a corked wine to do. Nevertheless, clearly not a perfect bottle. Although a younger looking wine than the Durnsteiner, the nose was much more open in a creamy, refreshing way. Plenty of nuts and then honey with air. Will try another bottle soon for comparison. NR (flawed)
Flight of 91 Latricieres…
1991 Domaine Louis Remy Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru (10/28/2009)
Very earthy, farmyardy and sweaty nose and palate. Some of the farmyard disappeared with air but the sweat was always there. Behind that, a delicious core of soft strawberry fruit.
1991 Faiveley Latricières-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Latricières-Chambertin Grand Cru (10/28/2009)
Opened and slow oxygenated for 12 hours before serving. Surprise, surprise, still so young! At first, deep, black fruit for a second and then tannins give you a damn good slap around the chops for the temerity of a moment’s pleasure from an 18 year old Faiveley GC. By the end of the evening the tannins had softened a bit and the purity of the wine was really coming to the fore although still with lots of structure. As ever with Faiveley, needs another 10 years.
Flight of clarets…
1985 Château La Conseillante - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Pomerol (10/28/2009)
Gorgeous, lifted nose of fresh cut grass, sage, oregano and thyme. Silky palate with a really sweet, red fruited entry that got blacker in fruit profile with air. For me, absolutely a point and a gorgeous wine though I would never have picked it as a pomerol.
1998 Château Figeac - France, Bordeaux, Libournais, St. Émilion Grand Cru (10/28/2009)
Colour as black as night. Nose and palate of black fruit, licorice and creosote. Dry, but soft, refined tannins. So young but extremely promising.
Flight of superb barolos…
1996 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/28/2009)
Blueberry, purple fruited nose. Initially so young on the palate with a very dry finish. With air, it softened to reveal a gorgeously sexy but disciplined wine. Really superb and my red WOTN just ahead of the 85 Conseillante.
1999 Cappellano Barolo Piè Rupestris Otin Fiorin (Gabutti) - Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo (10/28/2009)
Spectacular, soaring amarone-like nose but crazily young wine! Black fruited palate with plenty of creosote but, oh, that nose!
Flight of northern rhones reds…
1990 M. Chapoutier Hermitage La Sizeranne - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage (10/28/2009)
At first, served too cold and came across as woody and dry. With air and a little warmth, it began to wake up. Intense, sweet, red/black fruited entry with a very nice follow through. Unfortunately, it got a little lost with the excellence of the previous flights.
2007 Pierre Gaillard Côte-Rôtie - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Côte-Rôtie (10/28/2009)
Amazing nose and palate dominated by sweet caramel. Some red and black fruits, licorice and creosote make up the other 3% of the experience!
Some interesting sweet wines to finish…
2004 Silver Springs Winery Gewürztraminer Ice Wine - USA, New York, Finger Lakes, Seneca Lake (10/28/2009)
A brute of a sweet wine. Overwhelming power and sweetness hits you in the face. Massive burnt caramel and pineapple.
2003 Château Rieussec - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (10/28/2009)
Didn’t match my expectations for an 03 sauternes in terms of being overly sweet and lacking in acidity. Clearly very sweet but with plenty of acidity to hold it together. Lots of burnt caramel and barley sugar.
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