Lunch at The Ledbury

Fantastic lunch that reaffirmed the genius of Brett. All the courses were consistently outstanding but the pork jowls especially was heavenly.

Salad of green beans with fresh almonds, apricot and grated foie gras.

Roast Scottish scallops with carrots, olive oil and ginger was stunning with the flight of whites. The fillet of wild salmon with tomatoes cooked in lobster oil and lemon verbena however was even better.

  • 1995 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur - France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru (8/3/2013)
    Stunning bottle. No such thing as bad mature Raveneau! Lovely, light yellow gold colour reflected in a slightly buttery mouthfeel. Great persistency on the palate. Luxurious end of Chablis but retaining focus and minerality.
  • 2004 Etienne Sauzet Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru (8/3/2013)
    Slightly advanced colour but actually a very nice showing. Rich palate but a little one dimensional. Overshadowed by the 05 boillot monty.
  • 2005 Henri Boillot Montrachet - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Montrachet Grand Cru (8/3/2013)
    Superb showing. Very light yellow colour. Explosive nose of minerals, chalk and flint. Just wouldn’t quit. Lovely palate although still quite closed in.

Crisp poulet de bresse with sweetcorn, girolles and black truffle followed by jowl of pork with apricots, girolles and new season almonds.

  • 1983 Château Palmer - France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Margaux (8/3/2013)
    Served without decanting. Fabulously rich nose of dark fruit and raspberries with figs. Ripe but not overly so. Palate was a little tight still though.
  • 1967 Château Haut-Brion - France, Bordeaux, Graves, Pessac-Léognan (8/3/2013)
    1st bottle from an OWC. Label looked brand new and cork was pristine which caused us to question the authenticity! However, wine itself seemed real. Fully resolved on the nose and palate but not at all over the hill. Nice nose and palate of balanced red fruit with some stony minerality.

Loin and neck of herdwick mutton and aubergine, shaved fennel and garlic followed by aged fillet of belted Galloway beef with celeriac baked in juniper and bone marrow.

  • 2000 Bernard Dugat-Py Charmes-Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru (8/3/2013)
    This more than held its own vs the 96 Rousseau chambertin. Dark colour. Sharp, precise nose of dark berries. Quite expressive palate but clearly with years to go. Could have used more time with this wine.
  • 1996 Domaine Armand Rousseau Père et Fils Chambertin - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Chambertin Grand Cru (8/3/2013)
    Just another great bottle of Rousseau chambertin. Ho hum. None of the fabled 96 screechy acidity. Dark, ripe, luscious but precise fruit profile. Sensuous and alluring. Hard to resist.

Quick intermezzo course of Comte cheese followed by the classic Ledbury dessert of passion fruit soufflé with Sauternes ice cream.

Posted from CellarTracker

Very nice wines and lunch!

No Brett Graham’s classic; Hampshire Buffalo milk curd with a consommé of mushrooms and grilled onions served with Saint Nectaire truffled toast ?

Nice lunch! Such a consistently great restaurant.

So jealous. Truly a fantastic restaurant.

Forgot to mention that was served as amuse bouche.

did you explode after?
alan

I love the Ledbury!

One of the best places to take a vegetarian as well, they do everything superbly!

Do they allow BYO in general, or were you able to due to personal connections?

I thought Brett was a flaw?

Yes, and great wines too!

Love this place! Fantastic lineup of wines.

Not this time - they skimped on the prawns and we missed the wafer thin mints.

I recall that they do a “bring one buy one” deal but haven’t tested that out myself. This was more of a regulars thing.

I bring wine sometimes. Never a problem. A couple of visits ago the table next to us was served wine they brought in wine shop carrier bags, bottles wrapped in wine-shop paper, that looked like it had been purchased on the way to the restaurant… I believe the regular corkage charge is £50/bottle.