"Battle Burgundy"

[Dick_Krueger]

Last night our small group got together at Jinny and Jack Johnson’s for “Battle Burgundy”. While the group was assembling we enjoyed an NV René Geoffroy 1er Brut, either plain or as Kir Royale. This was very good with Jinny’s goat-cheese Gougères and toast with shallots and walnuts. A nice start to a wonderful evening. When that was finished, we moved to the dining table.

The next course was Charlotte Graham’s outstanding Sole Quenelles with Sauce Nantua. This was served with a very nice 1997 Louis Latour 1er Cru Meursault-Charmes, followed by a 2002 Bernard Morey 1er Cru Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot. The quenelles were as light and delicate as any I’ve had. The sauce was rich in crayfish tail meat, and each serving was topped with a tasty whole crayfish. Both wines were very good with the dish. The Meursault was rich and complex, with no sign of oxidation, and a long finish. The Chassagne was crisper than most Chassagnes, but with good flowery fruit, and a pleasant long finish.

We then moved on to my dish, Escargot a l’Amphytrion, escargot cooked with tomatoes, garlic, ham, mushrooms, and butter. These were served with two quite different wines - a 2003 Regnie ‘Cuvée des Braves’ and a 2005 1er Cru Savigny les Beaune Les Narbatons. The Regnie was as rich, ripe, and as good as the first time we had it when I was trying the snail dish. The nose on the Savigny just lept from the glass. It was darker in color and richer in flavor that the Beaujolais. The group was split on which wine was better with the dish.

Next was Jinny’s rabbit with mustard and wide noodles with mushrooms. This was a tasty dish with a surprisingly youthful 1976 Leroy 1er Cru Beaune - bright clear garnet in color; rich nose and flavors of spicy red and black fruits; a balanced middle with good acidity; and a long complex fruit finish. We also had a 1988 Domaine Chezeaux Griotte-Chambertin - slightly cloudy with fine sediment; none of the '88 hardness, just good rich fruit; balanced with a medium long fruity finish. Both wines were good with the rabbit, but the Leroy was truly amazing.

Then we finished with Laura Chancellor’s Tarte Tatin served with a 2002 Chateau Pierre-Bise Les Revelles Coteaux de Lyon Rochefort and a 1994 Navarro White Riesling Anderson Valley, Mendocino. Both wines were nice with the tasty apple tart. This was a pleasant finish to a wonderful meal. Thanks much to all the participants.

[Jeff_Pf0h1]

Navarro?? Is that their new French winery?