Notes from the annual Terrine and wine event.
First up (an enviable position to be in as you can then relax for the rest of the afternoon) was a Bombe Martiniquaise – a terrine of ground chicken, pork, onion, garlic and coriander, with bands of solid chicken.
1996 Pol Roger Brut Blanc de Blancs, Extra Cuvee Reserve – fair bit if colour, a vanilla biscuit nose and in the mouth, crisp with tons of acid.
2002 Albert Mann Riesling Schlossberg – good as the bubble way, this one sang to me. Some colour, and a mature mellow nose of lime and ripe apple. Good length. Ready – don’t hold on this one. I thought I had some of this but it turned out to be 2000 Furstentum – better put that on the ‘to drink’ list!
Next terrine was a classically styled jambon persillé.
2006 Le Rocher des Violettes Montlouis-sur-Loire Cuvée la Negrette – another lovely wine that showed some apricot, ripe peach and vanilla in the nose, smooth silky middle and medium finish.
The next course was mine, so I’ll describe it a little more fully. It was a Ballotine of pork tenderloin, wrapped with bacon (a more traditional ballotine would be a boned animal including skin, stuffed and cooked – if roasted usually called a ballotine, if poached, a galantine). I roasted it over a fire and then slow cooked it until cooked through. It was stuffed with spinach, feta cheese, pepper flakes, and shallots. Served cold, in slices, with a salad that intentionally echoed the stuffing – spinach, feta, shallot and topped with thin slices of not too ripe pear, dressed only with reduced balsamic vinegar – the acetic acid boiled off and the sweetness and complexity of the balsamic remained. Decorated with cherry tomatoes marinated in a shallot vinaigrette.
2011 Anarchist Chardonnay (Osoyoos BC) – I wanted to put a local chard against a similarly priced French chard. This one had a vanilla and lemon nose (significantly but not excessively oaked) with the vanilla and lemon following on palate with a medium long full finish.
2011Dom. de la Sarazinère Mâcon Bussières ‘Cuvée Claude Seigneuret’ Vieilles Vignes – same vintage and grape, different continent. Good chardonnay nose, without the oak, clean and tasty. Preferences were divided as to which one pleased the most.
The next course was sublime – Sopa y Salad - a ‘soup and salad’ that consisted of a chilled peach gaspacho with a terrine of manchego cheese green pea and asparagus. The food was as perfect as I could have asked – I normally would have some comments (usually kept tactfully to myself) about how one aspect or another might have been done differently, but with this one I wouldn’t have changed a thing.
2007 Remelluri Rioja Granja Nuestra Senora de Remelluri – this white Rioja was excellent, with some colour, a toasty nose with floral hints and orange rind highlights. In the mouth, complex and dry with good persistence – good wine.
2012 La Conreria d’Scala Dei Priorat Black Slate La Morera – peach nose that echoed the gaspacho, as well as lime peel and wet stone. Mellow and smooth. Refreshing.
Next up was a hog jowl and pork terrine en croute.
2003 St. Prefert CNduP ‘Auguste Favier’ - a ripe figgy nose, and rich ripe flavours on palate with low acidity. Not my stle and like some 2003s now, showing a bit of browning at the edges.
2004 St. Prefert CNduP ‘Auguste Favier’ – this was more my style. Classic leather and dark fruit nose with hints of pepper and anise. Excellent acidity almost made the 2003 seem flabby in comparison. Balanced and long. Nice wine.
Final terrine with food was a trio of cheese terrines. Gorgonzola, mascarpone and nut, caramalized pear with St. Augur (my fave) and Brebis with slices of courgette.
1997 Ch. Bastor Lamontagne – this wine was quite dark, and showing oxidized hints that heralds and early end, at least compared to better vintages (like the 89 I ‘found’ in my cellar recently, and opened with trepidation given the age and the fact that is a modest wine. It was lovely!) apricot nose, a bit too sweet for the amount of acidity present.
2001 Ch. Filhot – this was another story. Lighter with lemon drop nose with honey and orange peel, also fairly sweet but much better balance. This one was batting way above it’s price range!
We finished up with a dessert terrine of chocolate with a clear coffee gelée on top, made to look like a faux liver mousse terrine.
Weather was overcast and not too hot, which suited all present. There will be a T-11 event next year!
