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It’s D-15 and we have a morning meeting at Pierre Gagnaire’s restaurant in order to deliver the precious wines that will need to rest for several days to allow them to express their full character. Discussion and meetings with the head sommelier who is already brimming with enthusiasm. Pierre is there, smiling and gracious as ever. The menu is going to be divine - and the “exquisite” wines given all due care and attention. D day, it’s 5 p.m., Jacques is already here to prepare the wines with the sommelier, who will be on hand for our group the whole evening. Invited to arrive at 8 p.m. for a dinner set for 8:30 p.m., the first guests arrive at 7:45 p.m. and the last at 8:15 p.m.! Amazing how in certain cases there aren’t any latecomers… And now the evening begins! |
Champagne Agrapart Terroirs Grand Cru blanc de blancs, accompanied by: Savoury pastries
While some of our party had already dined together before, for others, this was their first time with the group: the Champagne Agrapart Terroirs Grand Cru blanc de blancs, served in a magnum bottle, was the perfect choice for breaking the ice and getting to know each other better before sitting down at the dining table.
With its light golden yellow colour, aromatic nose of white fruits (with more than a hint of brioche), full-bodied flavour and wonderful mineral tension, this wine offers all the elegance of its superb blend of 4 leading Grand Cru cuvees - Agrapart sur Avize, Oger, Cramant and Oiry. Only the first course and the diners are already enthusing over the wines: “Exquisitely fragrant, sweet and aromatic!” “How fresh and invigorating!” “What a wonderful long finish on the palate”.
Champagne Substance by Jacques Selosse, accompanied by:
White-black puffed bread, squid ink clams, braised cabbage
Special grilled oyster, with sea fennel and figatellu, Eriang sauce
Poached escalope of foie gras, hibiscus gelee, frosted grapes; parsnip, passion
This mythical cuvee from Jacques Selosse (3,000 bottles worldwide, and only 1,200 in France) is simply superb!
For most of us, this was our first tasting of Anselme Selosse wines and, in particular, our introduction to his remarkable and much sought-after cuvee ‘Substance’, the first champagne to be produced using the ancestral Solera method. “Smooth… Extraordinary… What a finish! You can taste cardamom, fresh fruits, and a hint of nuttiness as well! Walnut, hazelnut… “
A beautiful golden hue, a magnificent and captivating nose redolent of candied citrus fruits, stewed fruits and honey with notes of praline and spices, a full, generous flavour, an impressively long finish…, the wine met with unanimous approval… “The grand Soléra works its magic every time” added the sommelier.
To accompany this superb wine, Pierre Gagnaire prepared a fabulous dish that brought all the aromas into play, especially the special grilled oyster with its salty, sea flavour that formed a perfect marriage with the excellent purity of this rare and unique champagne.
Hermitage blanc, Jean-Louis Chave, 1998, accompanied by:
House spaghettini, gambas, Osciètre caviar. Sweet onions, Grappa
Any dish created by Pierre Gagnaire is bound to be sublime… and this one is an absolute sensation!
It also marries perfectly with this very elegant 1998 vintage, full-bodied, with a certain freshness and sweetness. A beautiful golden colour, robust attack, superb volume, a powerful, sun-drenched, full-bodied wine with notes of honey, biscuits, candied pear, sweet spices…, the Hermitage blanc by Jean-Louis Chave follows on brilliantly from the Selosse.
Fat on the palate and full in body, this magnificent wine with its exceptionally long finish (Ah! a sublime finish with notes of pineapple, pears in syrup, apple, orange zest, and spices in abundance, confirms our sommelier…), is echoed by the zesty flavours of our dish, the sweet sea aroma of Osciètre caviar, the hint of grappa that gives the Gambero Rosso the perfect edge, the melting consistency of the squid ink spaghettini…
Meursault Charmes Premier cru, Domaine des Comtes Lafon, 1989
Accompanied by: Corolla of grilled Erquy scallops, cream of Parmesan with turmeric, walnuts. Fondue de trévise, Comice pear, puntarelle
The Meursault Charmes 1er cru, from the Domaine des Comtes Lafon, is produced using grapes grown high up on the hillside, known as Charmes Dessus. Dominique Lafon said of this wine, that led the rankings from 1974 to 2002, “the main issue was to decide which is the very best vintage - 1990 or 1989: we chose 1989 for its exceptional depth and complexity, its heavenly aromas of fresh honey and its wonderful long finish… “.
The very best white Burgundies all have excellent cellaring potential, amply demonstrated by this “very great Burgundy”, at once rich and intense, a well-developed colour flecked with hues of aged gold, a floral nose, a milky aroma, honeyed with a hint of caramel that so perfectly brings out the delicate, sophisticated flavours of the Erquy scallops.
“The flavour of this Meursault reminds me of the wines that my grandfather used to let me taste. A flavour that I haven’t come across since my period of Proust madeleines. And we always end up drinking them too soon … “
Chambertin Grand cru, Domaine Rousseau, 2007, accompanied by:
Terrine of petit bateau sole, marinière of Bouchot mussels and clams with Swiss chard;
potato potage with a taste of the sea
A real treat! In the words of our sommelier, how did the “Great Pierre” achieve the promised alliance and marry “one of the glories of Burgundy wines” with this delicately flavoured sole dish? This was a truly inspired marriage of flavours, and we took our time to taste and savour – for the first time for most of us - this great vin de garde!
The first thing that strikes you is the intense, jewel-like garnet-red colour, followed by the deep nose of red fruits and notes of spice… then a small sip reveals a lively, full-bodied wine, a fruity ripeness, a perfect aromatic harmony, a subtle strength, a long, lingering finish on the palate…
Now it is our sommelier’s turn to extol the virtues of this wonderful wine “Chambertin de Rousseau is one of the very finest wines around - a wine fit for kings, beautifully textured, with smooth tannins and exceptional depth of flavour... it is a wine produced in limited quantities and has excellent keeping qualities.”
Château Ausone, Saint-Émilion Grand Cru Classé, 1989
Escalope of whitefish from Lake Geneva; voile de Savagnin wine, Paris button mushrooms, parsnips, nasturtium leaves
A blend of Cabernet Franc and Merlot, this is considered the most ‘intellectual’ wine of the Bordeaux region, and perhaps of France as a whole! With its nose of intense exotic black fruits, allied with an exquisite minerality - one of the distinguishing features of the best vintages from this domain - this is one of the finest Ausone that you will find…
“Elegant, silky and full-bodied … “, the comments were coming from all sides. “An outstanding vintage, added our sommelier, and one that can keep for even longer”.
Although powerful and full-bodied (this particular year, and for the first time at this Domain, the grapes reached an alcohol content of 14.6°) this is an exceptionally well-balanced, highly tannic wine that marries perfectly with the fine, delicate flavour of the whitefish.
An exaltation of 2 distinct culinary expressions! A novel flavour combination and an audacious choice!
Domaine de Trévallon, 1989
FiFine, Chinese artichoke, snow peas, Thaï grapefruit and Melanosporum black truffle. Culoiselle chicken supreme with Aomori black garlic, velvety spinach soup
Many of us were tasting Domaine de Trévallon for the first time, and all of us were enchanted by this superb, ready-to-drink vintage.
It is a medium garnet-red colour with a distinct “southern” nose, mature and harmonious, with a symphony of flavours and aromas, ranging through blackcurrant, bell pepper, dried flowers, redcurrant jam, cocoa, spices, with notes of olive, liquorice and pepper!
A subtle softness rises from the glass, a silky touch that marries perfectly with the exquisite flavours and textures of the dishes prepared by Pierre Gagnaire.
“What a wonderful minerality! Such a fine finish on the palate “, “a perfect match with the viticultural landscape in the heart of the Alpilles”.
Domaine La Grange des Pères rouge, 2003
Pot-au-feu, knuckle of veal, macreuse and tenderloin steak, Morteau and Montbéliard smoked sausage Bouillon of lie-de-vin and Dijon mustard. Tarbais beans and green Puy lentils with bone marrow. Chicory, Ardeche caillette
It takes a finely honed culinary instinct and a special sensitivity to bring out the best in traditional products and cuisine! And to match them perfectly with our next wine. Pierre Gagnaire has a virtuoso talent for creating perfect harmonies between the classical and the modern.
La Grande des Pères perfectly embodies the renaissance in wines from the Languedoc…
The colour is a clear ruby red with a hint of cherry… The lively nose is redolent of candied red fruits, raspberry in particular, unveiling smoke, pepper and a hint of game. The body is harmonious, with a wonderful freshness and silky tannins: “What an exceptionally fine and subtle wine! “ “It’s absolutely magnificent”. This wine is just spectacular! “This vintage has an outstanding freshness - silky, creamy and elegant”.
Château Yquem, 1985
Accompanied by Mont-Ventoux. Royale Richerenches
This is just such a beautiful dish! And the wine is absolutely magnificent…
This beautiful deep colour of aged gold, this intensely aromatic nose, open and fruity! What do you think: yellow peach maybe? Pineapple? Apricot? Notes of vanilla and fruits... white fruits, candied fruits, stewed and honeyed fruits...
The combination is pure delight. On the palate, this Château Yquem, already well rounded, fulfilled our wildest dreams: exceptionally full-bodied with just a hint of bitterness to add freshness, creamy with a long, lingering finish, this is a wine of outstanding aromatic complexity. “This wine is just marvelous”. “This wine is simply magical”.
Vouvray moelleux Domaine Huet, 1989, accompanied by:
Cassata flavoured with lemons from Menton, blood oranges, clementine syrup. A light drizzle of olive oil. Lamb’s lettuce shortbread
A very great wine! Following on magnificently from the Château Yquem... a rich nose, heady with aromas of fresh citrus fruits, almond and yellow fruits.
It has a remarkable freshness that gives it a certain vigour and energy. An enchanting wine that is absolutely irresistible. The long finish on the palate draws out into delicious aromas of honeyed peach; the marriage of the sweet Vouvray, lemon, blood orange, and the brilliant final touch of a streak of olive oil was a pure delight...
Banyuls Rimage Docteur Parcé, 1989
Accompanied by Chocolates
We rounded off our meal with a delicious, sweet wine, a dark ruby-red with shades of purple, a lovely nose of black fruits where candied black cherry dominated, with notes of cocoa-kirsch-prunes-figs, mocha and vanilla, full-bodied and hearty in the mouth, rich, fruity and powerful. And a very long, lingering finish.
This is a voluptuous wine that gives you the impression of drinking the chocolates laid out before us and that the wine is beckoning us to taste.