Comment faire passer mes arguments ? Regardez les couleurs des vins dans les verres. Il y a certainement Yquem 1861 parmi eux.
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I leave my country where students protest in the streets against the Government to arrive in a country where the streets are clean, the mobile phones can be used when being driven in a car because the signal is good, where people tend to work, where it is possible to find a bar after a huge dinner and to be served by a handsome and competent young girl. A country which has a perfume of lower taxes, where people know what is wine. It is named Belgium.
A group of wine lovers receives Dan Kravitz, an American importer of wine. The idea came that I could join the group. As Dan wanted to taste a 1945 Essencia brought by a German member of the group, it was the occasion to create a match with one of my Cyprus 1845, a wine for which I have a special love.
We are 8 people meeting in a nice restaurant where the food is excellent. The chef has a very unusual look, very tall and imposing, small round glasses and very long blond hair, the length of the hairs being generally associated with an increasing baldness, and shows an interest about what we do. That was extremely pleasant. He smoked huge cigars with our Belgian friends after the dinner and talked with us in a pleasant way. One American, one German, one Spanish, one French and four friends of Antwerpen formed a very nice group. One of them told me : “do not underestimate Belgians and their cellars”. I had not such an intention but I know now that the Belgians that I met know what wine is, have great wines, drink great wines and have a great generosity.
We began with Bollinger RD 1990, which replaced an announced Krug 1990. The champagne is obviously a great one, but is too green, too young and should wait years before being opened.
The menu had not been prepared for the wines, so the only really passionate combination was the first one : raw langoustine with a sauce of oyster and caviar of Belgium (does this exist ?) accompanied an incredibly great wine : Chablis Grand Cru les Clos Raveneau 1972. The smell is huge, penetrating. Very mineral, very different from what a Chablis should deliver, this nose is impressive. And in mouth, it is a festival of complexity. This wine impresses me.
Then three wines of various qualities which changed a lot from the first contact to the last sip. The Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne Etienne Sauzet 1992 has a very enigmatic smell in which I found traces of makeup powder. It has a nice fruit in its taste, but finishes very quickly. Largely shorter than the Chablis. The Batard Montrachet Domaine Leflaive 1992 is a bomb. It is a mouth invader. Generous, complex, with an incredibly large set of tastes, this wine is nearly too much as it ignores the food, conquering the palate with its power.
And, with a paradox, this Batard helps the following wine to shine even more. The Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive 1982 appears fantastic, emotional, seductive, feminine, gracious, impressive. I have adored this wine above the others. But when the wines in the glasses expanded, the Sauzet gained some length, and was more appreciable. The Mount Eden Santa Cruz Mountain 1999 which was served just after these three was not in a position to shine. Smelling and tasting like banana, the wine had a limited interest for me.
The course a soup of beans with an eel was purely delicious.
The three first reds came blind. I was impressed immediately by the generosity of the second. When the wines were installed gently in their glass, it was obviously the first which was evidently the greatest : it was Chateau Latour 1990. This wine is a perfection. It is very drinkable, and it makes sense to drink it at this age, even if it shows a promise of being transcendental in ten or twenty years. This is the unique perfection of Bordeaux, with every aspect attaining what it should. The second is more sexy. More alcoholic, it has a the charm of a morganatic lover. It is Beauséjour Dufau 1990. Its reputation is fully accurate. The third is Montrose 1990. And this wine that I have already drunk several times did not please me so much tonight. Great, but very far from the Latour 1990 when considering what we had in our glasses.
The course of fish was absolutely not to be consumed with the wines.
A Phelps, Eisele 1977 was a little curious at that time, but the more it opened the more I loved it. I found it very Bordeaux like which is a compliment. It had finesse and charm.
But what could it do when served with Mouton-Rotschild 1982 which is an hymn to the glory of Bordeaux. We were exploring what can be considered as the best among young wines. Very balanced, velvety, filling the mouth with politeness but efficiency, the Mouton is magnificent. It is very hard to say which flight, the whites or the reds, is the best, as both are impressive. But the Latour 1990 and the Mouton 1982 represent something rare.
I have had what pleases me a lot : a discovery of taste. And I enjoy a lot. The cheese, époisses of Berthault, which accompanied the Yquem 1989 is demoniac. This is so great! The 1989 is magnificent in its youth. Not making too much, elegant, it represents an archetype of Yquem. The Yquem 1967 has a marvellous colour, probably a little more brown than the 1967 that I have and have drunk. Excellent as usual, it is a very gratifying Yquem, with a length that is its signature.
The Essencia Tokaji 1945 of Rainer is excellent. The sugar is heavy, but the botrytis is elegant. It tastes like over mature grapes burnt by the sun. Becoming more and more elegant, I appreciated it even if it is rather monolithic when compared with Yquem.
I am probably a bad judge for the Cyprus 1845 as I am in love with the wine. The smell is of pepper and liquorice. Deep as a perfume and invading. And in mouth, it is as if you look at the sun with your open eyes. You are hit by an unbearable flash. It is as if heavy liquid gold would be poured in my mouth. Complex, with an immense set of flavours, I adore it above everything. I can imagine that some friends, comparing it to Madeira could have been unimpressed by this Cyprus. But for me, the old muted wines are near alcohols when this Cyprus is a real wine like a Sauternes can be, and I love a length which never ends. I can imagine the pleasure my friends had with a cigar and this Cyprus.
We continued endless discussions in a bar with a juniper alcohol. We were happy.
What to say about this event? The Belgian friends and their friends are dynamic, know really the wines that they drink, share wines of a remarkable quality, and are of a great generosity.
The format of what I do is different as I open largely less wines; I care more for the food to create nice combinations. But such an event in a very friendly atmosphere and outstanding wines pleased me a lot.
I thank the Antwerpen group to have invited me to attend this very memorable event. I will remember that the country where people really drink wine is Belgium.
Je quitte cette
Je quitte cette assemblée de solides débatteurs pour rejoindre Bouchard Père & Fils qui tient séance au Plaza Athénée, halte incontournable du monde du vin. En un circuit accéléré Stéphane Follin-Arbelet me fait goûter : Chevalier-Montrachet 2004, Montrachet 2004, Montrachet 1990 éblouissant que je connais sur le bout des doigts, Beaune Clos de la Mousse 2001 un peu fermé, le Corton 2000 et un magnifique Volnay Caillerets ancienne cuvée Carnot 1976 en magnum. La galaxie Bouchard Père & Fils a vraiment de grands vins. Le nom de Bernard Hervet est évidemment souvent prononcé. Je ne peux pas ignorer que c’est lui qui m’a initié aux vins du prestigieux domaine de Joseph Henriot.
With some friends, all born in the same year, we have created a club.
We meet once every two months, and the one who invites the others is always different.
We meet in Automobile Club of France where I am member.
Aperitif by the bar with a Moët & Chandon NV which has certainly more than 10 years. So the champagne has got signs of age, is a little smoked, and it is loveable.
I thought it would not be possible for the second bottle to be as good, but, to my surprise, it was as good. These champagnes, when they get a little age, are purely lovely.
I am not a big fan of Moët, except on vintage cuvées. But with age, it is largely better. It makes sense to store such champagnes for 10 years.
Then on a very ordinary cook (in school, I would give a note : "could do better"), we had three bottles of Pape Clément 1989.
Due to the cellar of the club (on Place de la Concorde) the wines get probably more age than in a normal cellar.
– the first was very balanced
– the second had a pronounced wood, rather charming, which pleased me
– the third had a little too alcohol in front of the scene;
But the three bottles had a common characteristic :
The wine is good. Really good. Very obvious personality, and what pleased me, did not try to show. Very balanced and not playing with its muscles.
I do not know how behaves Pape Clément now, under the leadership of Mr. Magrez, but this way of making the 1989 pleased me a lot.
A very pleasant wine.
I hope it is today in the same direction as this very charming, balanced, elegant Pape Clément 1989.
I had been charmed recently by the cook of Christian Le Squer in Ledoyen, so I was afraid that a new try would be less emotional. My wife suggested that we invite friends for a dinner and I reserved there. As I write a bulletin which was sent to the director of the restaurant, I arrived before the others, welcomed as if I were Richard Gere entering a boarding school for young girls. If I arrived earlier, it is because my wife does not like that I spend time reading the wine list. I ordered the wines, and they arrived.
We begin with a champagne Gosset 1999. It is a champagne which has a very expressive taste. We had it with the “amuse bouche” made of four different pieces of a very clever and sophisticated cook, but I had an idea. I asked that each of us we receive an oyster. And the combination is magical. Since I have discovered this combination, I try to get it as often as I can.
We had an incredible menu. I write it in French :
Oursins de roche en coque à l’avocat, soufflé de corail rafraîchi
Grosses langoustines bretonnes croustillantes, émulsion d’agrumes à l’huile d’olive
blanc de turbot de ligne juste braisé, pommes rattes écrasée à la fourchette et montées au beurre de truffe
anguille fumée sur toasts brûlés à la lie de vin
carré de chevreuil, réduction d’une poivrade relevée de griottes
fromages
croquant de pamplemousse cuit et cru au citron vert
soufflé passion à l’ananas épicé, sorbet litchi
chocolat noir en fines feuilles croustillantes au lait de pistache glacé.
We had the urchin (delicious and airy) with “Y” d’Yquem 1985. I had this wine the last time I came, and as I adore this wine, I ordered it. And I did well. This wine is incredible. Such a personality, such a charm is incredible. But what is even better, it changes its personality by every combination with food. Kaleidoscopic, this wine amazed me by every sip. I adore this wine above many others due to its semi sweet discrete attitude behind the dry wine. And 20 years advantage this wine.
I had ordered a few hours before a Clos de Vougeot domaine Méo Camuzet 1998. This Clos de Vougeot has been the first wine that I had drunk of the Domaine, which made me adore the domaine. Since that, Jean Nicolas Méo became a friend. Of course, 1998 is young, but with air the wine broadened. And if it was not appropriate with the eel, it was fantastic with the roe-deer. A very pleasant wine, but it is not so good to drink it so young. It has many qualities and represents a nice form of the present Burgundies.
The cook of Christain Le Squer was fabulous, and the fact that I was pleased as the first time represents a very good point.
He cooks very naturally. It is extremely well built and realised, but it is mature, with no need to show.
Perfect on every course, I appreciate a lot. And I recommend the place.
But for my eyes, the star of the night (after my wife of course) is the “Y” d’Yquem 1985.
To drink a Pavillon blanc de Chateau Margaux 2005 looks like trying to discover the beauty of a Muslim woman wearing a burka. Lots of aromas, which is classical for well made white wines. But what to say ? More fruity than the Smith Haut Lafitte white 2005. Not more to say.
We arrive by ‘le lion d’or’, a restaurant that I did not know but that I recommand : the meat has a quality which is incredible. The chef is a nice man, easy, talkative. A pleasure.
I had brought for Paul to share with him a Riesling Zind Humbrecht 1983. We had it on "charcuterie", and it was absolutely impressive. Citrus fruit, artichoke, prunes, and a way of filling the mouth which has a lot of charm. A truly great wine.
On the lamb of Pauillac, we drank Margaux 1989 and Margaux 1990 from halves bottled originally in due time. So, no samples, original filling.
Paul wanted to check with me how we judge the two wines.
For me, it was not necessary to analyse or to describe why : the 1989 is enjoyable, full of joy, showing its best aspects, and the 1990 is reserved, discrete. So, no possible hesitation, the 1989 is clearly the best.
And, more than that, it is a great wine.
Then, if one wants to analyse, one can think.
It is possible to say that the 1990 has a great future. It is possible to say, as Paul said, that this half of 1990 was not at its best.
But one thing is true, and the only important thing is that we were there at this specific moment, without hesitation the 1989 is a glorious wine, and the 1990 will be an immense wine in 20 years.
We left half of the bottle of the Riesling to the chef who will enjoy it tonight.
I arrive before 4 pm in the castle of Yquem. For the last two days the bottles were standing on a table in the circular room of one of the towers. A photograph will take pictures of the whole event.
Christiane prepares the table, and 12 glasses are strictly arranged in front of every seat. Nice white flowers are presented in every possible place. All is nice. The whole place smells wax as every room had been cleaned and waxed. I ask that every window would be opened to rub this awful smell.
I open the bottles, and Sandrine Garbay, whose husband had an operation in a clinic, was not there, but Valerie Lailheugue looked with a great attention to my operations. Every smell is very classical. The smell of the Carbonnieux 1928 is so generous that I decide to close it with a neutral cork. The Corton 1929 is a little disturbing but will be cured by the air. The Chateau Chalon 1955 instead of having a smell of nuts has a smell of truffle. We will see.
Now my emotion is at its maximum. I will open the Yquem 1861. Here is what is included in the book of Yquem written in 1986 by Richard Olney : “Yquem 1861 : totally incredible wine. One of the great wine experience of a lifetime… a nectar that should see the next century in fine shape. Dark brown colour, amber gold tones. Rich, intriguing nose. Rich, deep, liqueur-like texture… Very long finish. Perfect balance. Exquisite (The Underground Wineletter, 1983). Twice tasted by A. de Lur Saluces who was both times astounded by its vitality, depth and complexity. Picking began 24 September.”
The castle has still one 1861, but which was recorked. My bottle is original, and Sandrine Garbay, responsible of the cellar and of the wine making, had already confirmed that it is an original cork and confirmed again when she came later. So, for me, to open a liquid which had stayed in the same bottle for 145 years minus 3 of barrels is incredibly serious.
I put away a capsule of golden colour but which has some black stains. I try to clean the top of the bottle, and some pieces of glass fall. I separate some tiny pieces of glass. Why does the glass break so easily ? And I begin to panic. I ask for a hair dryer to put away any piece of glass, the wine being protected by the cork still inside. And I begin to pull the cork. It breaks as a flower which would lose its petals. I use a special corkscrew which allows me to feel what happens, and I succeed in pulling every piece outside the bottle with nothing falling in the wine.
I smell. And “wow”. Imagine the actor who listens that he has received the Oscar award for the best actor. This smell gave the same message to me. Perfect.
The colour had made me fear that it would be caramelised. It was not! Less that the Yquem 1950 that I had four days ago. Fantastic. If Valerie had not been there, I would have danced alone in the room. I drank a sip and shared a drop with Valerie. Once again fantastic. I was so happy. As if my heavy weight had become a feather weight. Wow. The rest of the day would be relaxed. And in our mouth, the taste of the Yquem never ended.
Sandrine Garbay arrived, and I had kept the empty glass. The perfume that came from the glass had the real perfection of Yquem. I had such a joy. Sandrine seeing my excitement took a Yquem 1957 that was recently opened, and gave me one glass. A pure Yquem with no extravaganza, whose length was shortened by a few days of opening. But a delight. And I was happy.
I talked with the people who would serve the wines, I arranged every bottle for a proper temperature and position, and when I was sure that everything would be proper, I went to take a shower in a room of the castle. Under my shower, it was as if I were the king of the universe.
I wait for the guests in the office of Pierre Lurton, who is always between two trips, chatting with him.
The guests arrive, and we visit the chais, and we taste the Yquem 2001. This Yquem is immense. It is the definition of the perfection of Yquem. What a personality. It has already changed since the last time I drank it. The taste of grapes has evolved towards darker grapes. I love this wine.
We go to the castle. We are nine. Four couples and myself. We drink a Dom Pérignon 1985 which was designed to clear the mouth from the invading persistent charm of Yquem 2001. It is served with some cakes that I could not negotiate to avoid. These cakes shorten this elegant champagne which is a champagne of fight : it requires a complicated food to fight with it for the pleasure of our palate. Obviously a great champagne.
We go to our table nicely dressed in an emotional room. The menu of the chef Marc Demund is : Œuf Poché au Corail d’Oursins / Noix de st Jacques sur Effilures d’Echalotes Confites / Homard Rôti aux Truffes / Esturgeon et Poireaux Bordelaise / Mignon de Veau à la Fleur de Lavande / Foie Gras de Canard Poêlé aux Amandes / Comté / Pavé de Mangue et Agrumes / Mignardises.
I had talked a lot with Marc to make these choices.
We begin with Laville Haut-Brion 1976. Already golden colour, intense nose, this wine exposes what I announce concerning the world of old wines. Magnificently balanced, the wine is enlarged by the urchin.
The Chateau Carbonnieux white 1948 is an enigma. I had checked that it is an original bottling (this can be done by looking, under the capsule, the sediment), and it amazes everyone that the wine is incredibly young. The yellow colour is almost as green as for a young wine, the smell is of an infant, and the taste is brilliant because then we see that age has integrated every aspect. With the scallop, a classical combination.
The lobster will welcome two wines : Pavie 1971 and Carbonnieux red 1928. My palate is used to such old wines which appear as heavy as Port wines. This Carbonnieux is truly heavy like lead, having an unbelievable concentration. I love a lot. My guests less. The length is incredible. If they do not try so much the Carbonnieux, it is because the Pavie is to adore. I will not raise any controversy, but I adore this Pavie, elegant and expressive, for my taste largely above any recent version of the same wine. And with the Audouze method, the two wines shine at their best. The combination with a lobster a little too cooked is a delight. The heavy truffled sauce taken with the Carbonnieux which smells truffles is a unique moment. Probably the best match for me.
The smell of the Chambolle Musigny Bouchard Père & Fils 1967 is, after the great old Yquem the smell of the evening. Emotional, seducing. I love it. And in mouth with the sturgeon, it is fantastic. This wine is absolutely performing above its category. And the Echézeaux Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1991 is magnificent too, even if more accessible for everyone due to its age. I have loved it. I was a little afraid of a possible repulsion of the bordelaise sauce with the wines. It was a success, and it is my coquetry to have put a bordelaise sauce with two Burgundies in Chateau d’Yquem.
The veal was delicious and the Corton« cuvée B » Brossault 1929 whose smell was unpleasant had gently become to the state I expected. A delicious Corton of the greatest year for Burgundies. Light colour with some pink. Smell rather short. And a fill in mouth of warm welcome, complex taste, pleasure. I have drunk better 1929, but this one was nice too.
I had asked that the foie gras would come at the end, as it was made in the 19th century. The Krug 1988 was not the proper match with it. A gently light sweet wine would have been more logical.
A delicious Comté not too old as I had asked made shine a Chateau Chalon Jean Bourdy 1955 which was rather light for a “vin jaune”, which was particularly good, as a stronger wine would have disturbed some of my guests, specially the women.
Not knowing that the 1861 would be so good, I had planned that we would finish with the Yquem 1961 to keep a nice taste in mouth. But as it was so great, we would finish naturally with the older.
Yquem 1961 is a great Yquem. It is the gift of Pierre Lurton for this dinner, with the intention to see what a century of distance will make. Directly in the historical line of Yquem, with a great power, a balanced structure, a very deep trace in mouth made by fruits like peaches, apricots. Great, and historically designed. If I want to be indelicate, I would say that it is the first time in this historical room that I have tasted such a perfect match of a dessert with a Yquem. I know that it is naughty from me.
We were expecting the star : Yquem 1861. The nose is spicy, prunes, intense, and curiously, with no default. In the glass the colour is very brown, but when the wine is moved, the gold shines more. In mouth it is religious. The definition of the structure is so precise, delicate. It evokes candied prunes, or prunes burnt by the sun, or marmalade of prunes. The citrus fruit aspects are very discrete but exist to make it more charming, and the caramel, torrified aspects, are discrete too. You can think of coffee, tea, but the main image is prunes. And what is impressive is the incredible length.
Normally in the castle some alcohols like Paradise Hennessy are served. Everyone did not touch any, just to keep the perfection of this rare Yquem in mouth.
The atmosphere was not to make people vote. But I give my ranking : Yquem 1861, Chambolle Musigny Bouchard 1967, Carbonnieux blanc 1948 and Château Pavie 1971. The Yquem 1961 would be highly ranked in another dinner, but tonight it is in the shadow of the 1861.
I could say that for a collector as I am, to present my wines in a dinner by Château d’Yquem represents what could make me think : now, I can die in peace. Many events to come should give me the motivation to continue these adventures.
le menu composé par Marc Demund :
Œuf Poché au Corail d’Oursins
Noix de st Jacques sur Effilures d’Echalotes Confites
Homard Rôti aux Truffes
Esturgeon et Poireaux Bordelaise
Mignon de Veau à la Fleur de Lavande
Foie Gras de Canard Poêlé aux Amandes
Comté
Pavé de Mangue et Agrumes
Mignardises
Tout le monde est servi, et Pierre Lurton va boire son premier Yquem du 19ème siècle, un 1861 dont le bouchon était d’origine, rendant encore plus rare cette expérience.
Les vins sont ici dans l’ordre de service. La 11ème, un Yquem 1938 ne sera pas ouverte ainsis que la douzième, demie-bouteille d’Yquem 1893 (année mythique). Elles étaient là pour pallier une faiblesse de la 1861 (que l’on voit 13ème de cette rangée). Il n’en fut pas besoin.
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