Archives de catégorie : dîners ou repas privés

un renfort de poids samedi, 22 avril 2006

Lorsque j’ai annoncé l’arrivée de Londres de la bouteille de Lafite 1865, voici ce qu’a écrit Robert Parker sur son forum :

Well a magnum of 1864 Lafite from the Glamis castle …original cork…served at the unforgettable Robuchon dinner in Tokyo in December,2004, brought me to tears….and I don’t cry easily… not with respect to wine…..I think Broadbent had called it the "greatest wine of the 19th century’…..but he couldn’t have tasted every wine made that century….as I recall…even Robuchon was misty-eyed over this amazing wine……hope your bottle is as memorable…

ça fait plaisir !

Margaux 1937 so-so jeudi, 20 avril 2006

Il y a des jours où l’on se précipite dans la gueule du lion en faisant tout pour cela. Je vais livrer les vins pour deux prochains repas. Je passe au restaurant Ledoyen où Patrick Simian m’accueille. Nous avons discuté du menu, aussi je goûte la fourme, que je trouve trop forte pour un Sainte-Croix du Mont 1927, et j’essaie le dessert au pamplemousse. Patrick me dit qu’il a été fait spécialement pour Pierre Lurton pour accompagner Yquem. Malgré ce brevet, je demande qu’on supprime le sorbet qui raccourcit la bouche et qu’on augmente le volume de chair rose. Nous décidons de simplifier la recette des langoustines. Le cœur rassuré sans avoir eu la moindre crainte, je vais au restaurant Laurent où Patrick Lair reçoit les bouteilles d’un futur immense dîner, et la gueule du lion s’ouvre : « vous ne voulez pas manger un petit morceau ? ». Je savais qu’on me le demanderait. Et je savais que je cèderais. Mon épouse est encore dans le Sud. La perspective d’une carotte râpée devant un Sudoku est moins attirante que les ors et les stucs de cet élégant palais. Patrick me propose d’ouvrir pour moi un Château Margaux 1937 bouteille qui est en cave depuis toujours et dont j’ai déjà asséché quelques congénères avec des fortunes diverses. Va pour le Margaux. A une table voisine un ami amateur de vin célèbre l’anniversaire de sa fille de 12 ans. J’irai lui porter un verre du 1937 pour lequel nous aurons la même analyse.

Mon repas commence par des cuisses de grenouille dont l’accompagnement est infiniment trop épicé et typé. Je m’en ouvre à Patrick qui réagit instantanément : quelques minutes plus tard, une assiette de cuisses justes poêlées, aillées, avec un court jus de viande constitue un plat divin, à cent coudées au dessus de la précédente version.

Le Château Margaux 1937 a un nez convenable et une jolie couleur grenat qui ne trahit pas son âge. Mais le vin semble engoncé dans un habit de poussière. En bouche, c’est du savon et de la poussière qui masquent le message. Mais, par un de ces caprices irrationnels, sur la deuxième préparation des cuisses de grenouille, comme s’il avait compris mon enthousiasme, le vin s’est mis à devenir brillant, un vrai et beau Margaux.

Puis, estimant son effort suffisant, malgré le délicieux pied de porc, il retourne dans ses saveurs de grenier. Mon ami confirmera : poussiéreux, mais une lueur, l’espace d’un instant. Il est certain que le résultat eût été tout autre avec quatre heures d’oxygène de plus, tant cet adjuvant fait des miracles.

Pendant ce temps, Patrick faisait mes relations publiques auprès de Philippins qui organisent des événements d’exception. Je ne me fis pas prier quand on me demanda d’être photographié auprès d’une ravissante femme au visage de pure perfection qui semblait boire mes paroles lorsque je racontais les vins de mes dîners.

Le dessert dut pris à la table de mes amis au moment où les cadeaux se distribuaient. Un vin liquoreux allemand de 2004, perlant comme un vin de la veille est franchement trop jeune pour mon palais.

Ce Margaux 1937 ne marquera pas ma mémoire, mais la gentillesse de ce restaurant, oui.

an immense Henri Jayer wine and a so-so Coche-Dury by Michel Bras dimanche, 16 avril 2006

I have celebrated with my wife the anniversary of 40 years of our wedding. We went to Laguiole, in the hotel and restaurant of Michel Bras.
To go to Laguiole is a real adventure as this hotel is in the middle of nowhere.
The building is extremely modern and expresses the personality of Michel Bras, the son of this difficult and poor region.
We spent two days, which gave us two opportunities to discover the way of cooking of Michel Bras. In a recent study, classifying the chefs, he was named number six in the world, and second French, just after Gagnaire.
The way of cooking has a high level of perfection. But the will to show many different tastes in the same preparation does not correspond too much to my personal search. So, compared with a Marc Veyrat whose creation is endless, I must say that I was more attracted by the style of Veyrat than by the very proper and justified style of Michel Bras.
The greatest splendour of the place is the wine list.
I complain with the Parisian wine lists which have insane prices. There the prices are absolutely normal and show a very appreciable approach.
In such a case, I want to show a sign by ordering nice wines, to give, at my modest level, a reward to their attitude.
So, the first dinner I ordered a Vosne Romanée Cros Parantoux Henri Jayer 1992. I had almost tears of pleasure with that incredible wine. I would be happy to know if some people who have drunk this wine have had the same impression.
The nose has the smell of a jam of red berries. It is sweet, candied fruits, smells of jam of roses. It is like a perfume. And in mouth this is the ultimate form of an easy wine. The wine tastes as if it was a new born wine, just taken from the barrel. And it is a easy as a village wine. It is so pure, so direct as if it were just pressed. It is, for my opinion, the definition of a pure wine, as the David of Michel-Angelo is the pure definition of the proportions in a human body. I was pleased at an immense level, saying every minute to my wife how I enjoyed this wine. It is certainly my best ever Henri Jayer.
The second day, I ordered a Corton-Charlemagne J.F. Coche-Dury 1997. By the first smell, I knew that it did not please me. The first smell was mineral, like petrol, but this petrol disappeared. The wine, for me, was too much. There was power, and not elegance. Of course it is a great wine, but after the seduction of the Henri Jayer, this wine, much worked, did not please me. I cannot be suspected to have anything against Coche-Dury, as I have adored the CC 96 and the 90. But this wine was too much. And I was desperate, as it was our wedding anniversary. I felt trapped by this wine. So, I drank it as I felt that it would have been too much to change for another wine, as it represents a great wine.
And my patience was rewarded, as at the moment of the cheese course, I saw a local cheese, a Laguiole of 6 months, which is like a Cantal, a little softer. And the CC plus the cheese went wonderfully together.
The cook of Michel Bras, made of very authentic tastes, with a regional expression was marvellously enlarged by the authenticity of the Henri Jayer wine. The Coche-Dury, more civilised than authentic, more urban modern style, was not adapted to this cook.
So, one great wine at an unbelievable level. A great wine not giving me the pleasure I was looking for. The world of wine is full of surprises.

Dom Pérignon 1998 and a surprising Lafite 1981 jeudi, 13 avril 2006

I am in my house in the South.

I have just received my new jet ski, so it was an occasion to celebrate that.

I invite two friends with my wife and we go to a small restaurant directly on a beach.

I think that to begin with Dom Pérignon would be a bad thing as our mouth is not prepared, so I order a Champagne Mumm Cordon Rouge.

After the week-end I spent with Moët & Chandon this champagne makes me a shock : no personality.

But slowly the Mumm broadens and becomes civilised. Not to jump to the ceiling, but drinkable.

The contrast is what I wanted : the Dom Pérignon 1998 shows immediately the huge difference. A loveable champagne. Not really drinkable at this age, but already very enjoyable. A very great length and a promising complexity.

I had brought with me Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1981, just opened when I arrived, so having only 1.5 hours of breathing, a fill in the neck, and immediately a sensual smell that I would never expect from a 1981.

There is a seriousness which belongs to Lafite, but a very deep structure, a joy of life, an expansion in the mouth that surprised me as I did not expect as much from that wine. One would have told me that it was a 1986, I would not have been too surprised.

On a fish (loup or bar in French), it was purely delicious.

Wanting to be nice, the owner of the place offered me a marc de provence.

Almost as ugly as the ugliest grappa. Something which, when you drink it, makes holes in your shoes’ soles.

A very enjoyable dinner, with a surprising Lafite 81.

a lunch on a beach, in the sun, a promise of Summer dimanche, 2 avril 2006

With my wife, we went a week ago to Marc Veyrat in Megève.

I will make a subject about this lunch, as we explored wines of the Rhone, some of them being magnificent.

Marc Veyrat is a genius. I was wondering if a new experience would make me as happy. I was.

Then, I drove to my house in the South of France, in a lovely place on the sea. For the week, no drop of wine was on my planning.

But friends announced that they would come to visit me, and we went to a small restaurant which is one the rare places installed directly on the strand. They have put tons of white sand, so the place has an atmosphere of a small Saint-Tropez, the prices in less and the top models in less. But the place is charming. The name : “Le Day” in Hyères, near the airport, on the beach.

Last year was their first installation and they had a good idea to have Dom Pérignon and Cristal Roederer for affordable prices. They had reopened the day before, so their cellar was nearly zero.

I asked them to go and buy wine as I would come back with friends. And they promised me that they would have nice fishes.

We began with a Cristal Roederer 1999. I must say that I was very disappointed by this champagne that I found too “dosé”. Much too sweet for me. I would be happy to receive comments : am I wrong ?

Fortunately, the waiter came with huge plates of urchins (offered), and with the sweet taste and iodine taste of the urchins, it went largely better. But, I was disappointed.

Then a Blanc de Blancs Domaine d’Ott 2003. I am always hesitant when Ott is concerned, because Ott is a “must” as Dom Pérignon is a must. So, I am always cautious. But I must say that I was bluffed by this wine which was extremely intense, deep and with a great personality. I had it on a Carpaccio of salmon. I have loved this wine.

Then on a sea bream, I had ordered a Bandol, Chateau Salettes red 2003. Very nice, but largely less convincing than the white. And after that, a Chateau Jasson red Cotes de Provence 2004 was promising, but largely too young for me.

Such a lunch on the beach with a little wind but much warm sun is a promise for Summer.

I enjoyed the Ott.

A nice day.

préposé au chariot lundi, 27 mars 2006

Dans les grands retaurants, il y a le chariot du pain, le chariot du beurre, le chariot des fromages, le chariot des infusions, le chariot des chocolats, le chariot des desserts. Je fais mieux, et avec le sourire, car j’apporte un nouveau chariot, le chariot de Marc Veyrat !!!

un Côtes de Francs, un Premières Côtes de Bordeaux et des accords !!! dimanche, 19 mars 2006

Ma fille cadette

Ma fille cadette nous invite à dîner. Je propose d’apporter des vins, mais je sens que des choix ont déjà été faits. Je limiterai mon apport à un liquoreux. Sur une approche radicalement personnelle de la gougère, où le moindre trou d’air est exclu, comme représentatif d’une expansion inutile, un champagne Ruinart 1999 est assez aimable mais n’est pas disert. Il parle peu à nos papilles. Le carpaccio de coquille Saint-Jacques à la Granny-smith et à la betterave est délicieux. Et son association à Laville-Haut-Brion 1987 est d’une belle justesse. J’ai peur de la betterave avec le vin, mais enveloppée dans une fine tranche de coquille, elle crée un accord très intellectuel mais aussi fort bon. Nous sommes dans la délicatesse pure. Le Laville franchit une étape de plus avec les gambas caramélisées au sucre de canne et cacao. L’excitation du vin est à son paroxysme. Il devient lourd en bouche, rayonnant. Un vin déjà marqué par un vieillissement réel, que la gamba accepte totalement et que ce sucré-salé excite et provoque. Par une délicate attention mon gendre avait cherché un vin de 1966, année du mariage de sa belle-mère et moi, car cela fera dans quelques jours quarante années de vie commune. Il a déniché un Bordeaux Côtes de Francs Château Le Puy 1966 qui nous surprend tous par son excellence. Bien sûr, ce n’est pas une bombe. Bien sûr, ce n’est ni Latour ni Margaux. Mais que c’est bon ! Le nez est très expressif et puissant. En bouche, c’est frêle, mais aussi velouté, charmeur, délicat. Quel beau vin qui a su, comme notre amour, braver le temps qui passe ! Sur un mignon de veau aux morilles, il brille, et paradoxalement, beaucoup plus sur les morilles qui ont l’intelligence de parler à voix basse pour laisser entendre le message du vin. Il faudrait savoir par quel cheminement ce vin de la famille Amoreau a été étiqueté avec la mention : « expression originale du terroir ». Ce n’est pas un plaidoyer de cette époque.

Sur l’époisses, nous essayons le Domaine du Pin, Vial négociant, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 1937 à la belle couleur et au nez racé. Mais ce liquoreux n’a pas la puissance d’un Yquem (accord essayé à Anvers). Il ne peut pas lutter à son avantage, même si l’accord se justifie. Il est beaucoup plus à l’aise sur une tarte au citron de Pierre Hermé, qui précède une fanfare ahurissante d’accords miraculeux. Les macarons de Pierre Hermé sont redoutables de perfection. C’est surtout leur texture, leur « mâche » qui impressionne. Les goûts sont compliqués car Pierre veut sans doute trop montrer. On rêve d’un macaron à une seule saveur dont celui à la rose indique la voie à suivre. Mais tous sont magnifiquement bons, et les accords avec les vins explosent de toutes parts. Le macaron à l’huile d’olive et vanille, avec le 1937, est éblouissant : le liquoreux rebondit sur l’amertume de l’olive pour offrir une palette aromatique insoupçonnée. Le macaron fruit de la passion et chocolat au lait est déjà, lui tout seul, une œuvre d’art. Mais le Domaine du Pin capte le fruit de la passion pour un accord invraisemblable.

Le macaron chocolat et caramel a une texture divine comme j’en ai rarement croquée, et un Maury Mas Amiel millésime 1980 surgi de nulle part comme le mari trompé dans une pièce de boulevard, exacerbant son coté griottes, nous a plongés dans une béatitude irréelle. Et le macaron au pur chocolat a fait ressortir la griotte et le café du Mas Amiel pour un plaisir final digne d’un feu d’artifice.

Dîner de grande joie, où un Côtes de Francs et un Premières Côtes de Bordeaux ont montré que la région de Bordeaux ne se limite pas à cinq ou six appellations. Ce dîner avait plus de trois macarons. C’est bien.

Latour 90, Mouton 82, Yquem 67, Tokay 1945, Chypre 1845 etc. vendredi, 17 mars 2006

This story is a side effect of writing on the forum of Robert Parker. I received an invitation for a dinner.

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.

Pape Clément 1989 mercredi, 15 mars 2006

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.

dinner by Ledoyen with a nice « Y » 1985 mardi, 14 mars 2006

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.