ma cave est filmée jeudi, 20 avril 2006

Ma cave a été filmée par une équipe de Télé Monte-Carlo. Apparemment le sujet passera en juillet 2006, et sera repris sur la chaîne Odyssea. Le cameraman est un amoureux des vins anciens car ses parents avaient un magasin de vente de vins. Il a abondamment salivé. j'ai ouvert en fin de séance un Aloxe Corton Joseph Drouhin 1961.

Margaux 1937 so-so jeudi, 20 avril 2006

pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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. pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Le pan style="COLOR: red">Château Margaux 1937 apan style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: windowtext"> 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.pan>pan>pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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. pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Ce Margaux 1937 ne marquera pas ma mémoire, mais la gentillesse de ce restaurant, oui.pan>p>

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.

Le rapport avec le vin : plaisir ou domination ? vendredi, 14 avril 2006

pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">La dégustation à l’aveugle, ou le besoin de noter, correspondent à un rapport d’autorité avec le vin. pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Avez-vous remarqué les gens qui ont un chien? Il y a ceux qui entretiennent avec leur chien un rapport confiant. Le chien est vraiment l’animal de compagnie. pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Et il y a ceux qui ne voient en leur chien qu’un objet de domination. pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">« Ici », « couché », « non », « tranquille », « rapporte », … pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Ces comportements d’autorité compensent certainement un mal être.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Peut-on pousser l’analogie avec le vin ? pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Pourquoi ce besoin de noter, de juger, de proclamer qu’un petit vin à deux sous vaut plus gustativement qu’un grand cru encensé ? pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Est-ce pour compenser un mal-être par rapport au coût des vins ? Est-ce pour justifier que n’ayant pas les moyens d’acheter les plus grands vins, il faut une désacralisation des idoles ? pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">C’est peut-être aller trop loin, mais ce besoin de juger, de montrer qu’on domine le vin au point de le noter, de le classer, d’en faire un bon ou mauvais élève procède d’un manque de sérénité.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On ne mange jamais trois gigots en même temps pour dire quel est le meilleur. Pourquoi ne pas profiter d’un vin pour lui-même ? Sans ce besoin de domination qui donne à l’amateur le sentiment qu’il est le juge suprême. pan>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On gagnerait beaucoup à bien séparer la fonction achat, dans laquelle il est logique et judicieux de comparer de la fonction plaisir, où le fait de boire un vin doit être une rencontre entre le message d’une terre, d’une appellation, d’un vigneron, d’un vinificateur et d’un dégustateur.pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Je rêverais de commentaires où celui qui a bu dit : « c’est bon ».pan>p>

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

pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I am in my house in the South.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I have just received my new jet ski, so it was an occasion to celebrate that.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I invite two friends with my wife and we go to a small restaurant directly on a beach.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I think that to begin with Dom Pérignon would be a bad thing as our mouth is not prepared, so I order a pan style="COLOR: red">Champagne Mumm Cordon Rougepan>.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">After the week-end I spent with Moët & Chandon this champagne makes me a shock : no personality.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">But slowly the Mumm broadens and becomes civilised. Not to jump to the ceiling, but drinkable.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The contrast is what I wanted : the pan style="COLOR: red">Dom Pérignon 1998pan> 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.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I had brought with me pan style="COLOR: red">Chateau Lafite-Rothschild 1981pan>, 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.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">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.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On a fish (loup or bar in French), it was purely delicious.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Wanting to be nice, the owner of the place offered me a marc de provence.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Almost as ugly as the ugliest grappa. Something which, when you drink it, makes holes in your shoes’ soles.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A very enjoyable dinner, with a surprising Lafite 81.pan>p>

A delicious week-end with old champagnes Moët & Chandon dimanche, 9 avril 2006

pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">All the week-end has been under the banner of Moët & Chandon.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I arrive in Chateau de Sarran, the castle of Moët & Chandon, whose function is to receive guests of this house of champagne. 11 rooms are offered to the friends of Jean Berchon for the night.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">My Mercedes 600 is urged to leave the place in front of the door, which will be attributed to Ferrari, as Ferrari offered to Enrico Bernardo (best world sommelier) to come to this Chateau ( # 100 miles drive from Paris) with one of their cars. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Needless to say that jealous as I am, I would be able to say good words on Moët for less than that (joke).pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The castle offers a view on the landscape on more than 30 miles. The vicinity was the way that armies took when invading France. In the dining room, a British table of mahogany for more than 30 persons is an appeal for the most elegant dinners.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">My room is deliciously decorated, and from my window I see a cedar of certainly more than 300 years. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We take a bus to go in a big room where the ‘Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne’ will designate candidates to become chevalier, officier or grand officier. Many friends of Moët, big customers, foreign amateurs will be decorated with a medal and receive a diploma.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">This is of course something commercial, but it is made with elegance. The president (Commandeur) of the “Ordre” is a representative of Taittinger. He will say very nice words to me when I am named Chevalier.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I am named at the same time as Richard Geoffroy, which pleases me as he is the man who creates Dom Pérignon, and has become chief oenologist of the whole group Moët.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We drink pan style="COLOR: red">Moët 1999pan> delicious, and some of the champagnes of the members of the ‘Ordre’.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Then through the caves, we go to a very large cellar which will accept 300 people for a dinner, whose name is “pan style="COLOR: blue">cellar Napoleonpan>”, as Napoleon was a school friend of Jean Remy Moët (it is why the champagne is named Brut Impérial).pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The menu was absolutely delicious. Médaillons de homard, vinaigrette balsamique, crème légère de fenouil / Osso bucco de lotte, caviar d’Aquitaine, fondue de poireaux / Filet mignon de veau à la truffe noire et sa poêlée de champignons / dacquoise aux noix, sauce aux épices chinoises.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Ruinart Blanc de Blancspan> served in magnums is absolutely delicious. Very easy to drink.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Delamotte Blanc de Blancspan> is highly expressive. I love this champagne.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Moët & Chandon rosé 1990pan> does not impress me as the Dom Pérignon rosé 1990 (remember that I did not get a Ferrari) (joke). With the rosé meat, it is delicious. But I have been impressed that it went so well with the mushrooms. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I was sitting next to the ‘Commandeur’ who explained to me the reason he had to create the pan style="COLOR: red">Taittinger Nocturne Secpan>, a champagne dosed with 19 gram of cane sugar per litre. So, largely sweeter than normal champagne it is a champagne for the last part of the night. It was delicious, but the dessert, too sugared, did not help the champagne to shine as it should have done.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I had in front of me the president of Moët, Frédéric Cuménal, and next to me the former President, Yves Benard. So, we had passionate talks. I was asked to say a few words at the end of the dinner making comments on wine and food. I felt it as an honour as the only two who talked were Enrico Bernardo and me in front of such a great group of people. I congratulated the chef. I mentioned that a sugared dessert was a bad choice for the Taittinger.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">So, after the dinner, everyone mocked me, saying that with that remark, I would be banned by the Commandeur !pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We went back to the castle where pan style="COLOR: red">Dom Pérignon 1998 in magnumspan> was waiting for us. Passionate and relaxed talks up to 2:30 am, finishing with a pan style="COLOR: red">Paradis Cognac Hennessypan>.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Taking my breakfast in my room with porcelains designed by Bernardaud, named “Eugenie de Montijo” with a lovely pink romantism, this helps to see life positively.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">By a sign of fate, a Ferrari was proposed to me to go back to the head office of Moët.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A nice film on Moët, very artistic, a trip underground with a lovely guide, Karine, and then I ampan style="COLOR: blue">oenotheque of Moëtpan>. In large cases of concrete, many bottles standing head down, of one year per case. I was nearly collapsing with pleasure to see such a dream : 25 bottles of 1892 or 28 bottles of 1915, and so on. I was largely less impressed by this special assembling of the best years of the last century, which produced “only” 323 bottles.pan>p>

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pity_imageComment_txt">my dream

asked to push the metallic doors which close the p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">In a tasting cellar room, we tasted :pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Moët 1999pan>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> : very precise and lovely champagne (I have driven the Ferrari) with the typical signature of Moët made of smoked and caramel taste. A really elegant champagne.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Moët 1983pan>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> : many signs are absolutely lovely. I was a little annoyed by a trace of metallic tastes.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">As Richard Geoffroy talked only of years and not name, I asked if we were tasting Dom Pérignon and Richard answered to me that I should grow up to be allowed to taste the Dom (this is a joke as he intends that we make a private tasting as this one was organised for many people).pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Moët & Chandon 1962pan> was disgorged in front of us. It took three tries to succeed. When I proposed to take the two unopened away to help them to keep the room clean I did not receive any approval. So I knew that these bottles were not lost for everyone.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The 1962 is something fantastic. The smell was immediately of rose and of jam of rose. The taste was very floral and fruity. But what struck me, as a characteristic of this age, is the perfect integration of every component, which allows the champagne to be very long.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Moët & Chandon 1952pan> disgorged in the same instant is magnificent, and completely opposite to the 1962. The younger is a flower, the older is a pure wine. It is the exact definition of champagne. And this is incredible that such a difference can exist.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">But when sipping the two, I could see distinctly the signature of Moët, with obvious characteristics of smoke, caramel, sugared spiced bread. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">A lovely tasting.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Then we had a lunch by the “pan style="COLOR: blue">orangeriepan>” of the chateau, in a lovely “à la française” garden designed by Isabey, a French painter. We drank pan style="COLOR: red">Moët Brut Imperialpan> which I found lovely, a pan style="COLOR: red">Phélan Ségur 1993pan> which was charming and tasty.pan>p>Jean Berchonpan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">, with a great sense of hospitality offered me a glass of pan style="COLOR: red">Richard of Hennessypan> a magnificent cognac made with some alcohols of 150 years. One of the greatest cognacs.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">When the noise of some 12 cylinders covered our farewell words, we knew that we had spent a lovely week-end, due to the generosity of a wonderful house of champagne. pan>p>

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pity_imageComment_txt">Enrico Bernardo first world sommelier

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pity_imageComment_txt">a 1962 is ready to be disgorged

galerie 1899 samedi, 8 avril 2006

pace="5" src="https://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/uploads/DSC06370.jpg" width="336" border="0" />p>Blanc vieux d'Arlay Bourdy Père & Fils 1899.p>Ce vin est exceptionnellement bon. Je suis amoureux de cette étiquette à la simplicité évocatrice de perfection.p>pace="5" src="https://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/uploads/1899Sauque.jpg" width="336" border="0" /> p> Chateau de la Sauque 1899, vin de Graves qui a sans doute disparu. Bouteille d'un ami ouverte lors d'un dîner de lancement de wine-dinners, avant le N° 1, en décembre 2000.p>ps://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/uploads/DSC06488a.jpg">Nuits 1899p>pace="5" src="https://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/uploads/DSC06488a.jpg" width="448" border="0" /> p>

a dinner of the « academie du vin de France » mercredi, 5 avril 2006

pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The French pan style="COLOR: blue">« Académie du vin de France »pan> was founded in 1933 by Edmond Sailland called Curnonski (just a short note on this name. Edmond was in a period when it was popular to be either Russian or from Poland: Nijinski was a famous dancer. Wanting to find a pseudonym, he decided that it should finish by “ski” to be as the mode required, and found that in Latin language it would be : “why not ski?”, which is “cur non ski,” so Curnonski). The idea of the Academy was to have representatives of the best wines in France to talk to the government or to the press. This club was sort of a lobby. They have working sessions and an annual dinner, and they made me the pleasure to invite me for the last four annual dinners. Some people being not wine producers are there like Alain Senderens or Alain Dutournier, two famous chefs, and some people are considered as friends of the Academy like the journalist Bernard Pivot, a man who helped a lot the French literature and language. We are very few to have this honour. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">It begins by one and a half hour of wine tasting of their latest production, so 2003 or 2004, and then, there is a great dinner by restaurant Laurent.pan>p>Aubert de Villainepan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">, owner of Romanée Conti came very early to make a very serious analysis of every wine, wanting to be before the crowd which will not allow exploring all the wines. His wife Pamela prefers to talk with friends. Some nice wine makers comment their wines. I meet Beatrice Cointreau, represented by her champagne Gosset. She told me that she would attend my dinner in June, and would bring a very old alcohol.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I did not notice precisely the years of the wines or the precise appellation, but here are some remarks :pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Meursault Clos de la Barre Comtes Lafon 2003pan> is of an extreme subtlety, very elegantpan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive 2003pan> pan> pan>has a power to explode in the mouth, which is very different from:pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">pace="5" src="https://www.academiedesvinsanciens.org/uploads/2004DRCRichebourg.jpg" width="336" align="left" border="0" />pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">pan>Hermitage white Chave 2003pan>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> which is a powerful but pushing on one line like in the sport play rugby, when the Puligny explodespan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Corton Charlemagne Bonneau du Martray 2003pan> seems to be not completely formed. It promises a lot.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">In one room for reds at the first floor of restaurant Laurent, the samples are not to be ignored:pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Richebourg Domaine de la Romanée Conti 2004pan> is very highly emotional. The smell evokes highness. And in mouth the sensuality is extreme.pan>p>The Hermitage Chavepan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: red; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> red 2003pan>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> is a bomb. The smell is of a black berry very green, combined with a huge pepper. It is amazing how it invades the mouth.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On the contrary, the pan style="COLOR: red">Volnay Santenots-du-Milieu Comtes Lafon 2003pan> is an angel. It is a poem. All in it is delicious, like a noble discussion between people of the 18p>thp> century in Versailles. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">So, three expressions of completely different red wines, all of them expressing something very intelligent.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I drink a pan style="COLOR: red">Pol Roger 1998 inpan style="FONT-WEIGHT: normal; COLOR: windowtext"> magnum, a pan>Gosset of a special cuvee 1999pan> and I go to try pan style="COLOR: red">Chateau Haut-Brion 2004pan>. The nose is very noble, very exciting. In mouth it is more a promise than a great wine.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">In the room for sweet wines, I drink a pan style="COLOR: red">Vouvraypan> Huet Montpan style="COLOR: red"> du Milieu 2004pan>, very generous and natural, a pan style="COLOR: red">Riesling VT Zind-Humbrecht probably 2004pan> which is elegant and a little more linear. The wine of pan style="COLOR: red">Cauhapé 2003pan> is expressive, but invaded by sugar, and the pan style="COLOR: red">Chateau de Fargues 2001pan> wins easily as Alexandre de Lur Saluces had chosen to show a very great year, a success for Fargues as it is for Yquem.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">We go to our table, and at my table are, on my right Jean Hugel the young dynamic man being 81 years old and who talks endlessly, on my left, Alexandre de Lur Saluces, and on the left of Alexandre, François Peyraud, the owner of Domaine Tempier in Bandol. I talked mainly with these three gentlemen as the form of the table did not allow to talk with people being farer, as the general noise was great.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The dinner prepared by Philippe Bourguignon and Alain Pégouret was :pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">asperges vertes de Provence en feuilleté et homard juste saisi, sauce coraillée pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">filets de rougets relevés au safran, moelle, sauce matelote pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">morilles étuvées et délicate « royale », cappuccino pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">abbaye de Cîteaux, Saint-nectaire fermier, roquefort Carles pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Litchis et faises des bois en arlettes croustillantes, glace au lait d’amandes pan>p>pan style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">mignardises et chocolats.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">As I know very well Philippe, I knew immediately which intentions of combinations were behind every choice. All the wines were from 1997.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Riesling « Clos Winssbuhl » Zind-Humbrecht 1997pan> was for me a little limited, but Jean Hugel made compliments about its genuineness, so, he is the expert on such wines. I will trust in him.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Puligny-Montrachet « les Combettes » Domaine Leflaive 1997pan> was absolutely bluffing by its power and its interest. Such a broad spectrum of flavours is rare. The Riesling was proper on the asparagus, and the Puligny went admirably with the lobster.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On the red fish, how would react the pan style="COLOR: red">Bandol « Cabassaou » Domaine Tempier red 1997pan>, as it was associated to the pan style="COLOR: red">Château Haut-Brion 1997 redpan>. The Bandol behaved well. The Haut-Brion as a magnificent nose, and has been the only wine of this dinner to express the specific limits of the year 1997. Every other 1997 performed, but the HB did not. There is a reason for that : I know quite well HB in good years. So the difference of 1997 with other years was more obvious to me.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The Bandol has not a structure as precise as the HB but was warm enough in its heart to shine on the fish. The sauce was a little too aggressive for me. I would have preferred that the meat of the fish would have been left more free to show itself. It would have enlarged the two wines.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Alexandre and Jean know me, and they know that I can be enthusiast. When they saw me being tetanised by the incredible beauty of the next course, they were anxious on my health.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I was enjoying one of the greatest possible combinations which exist.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">vin jaune, Château d’Arlay, Côtes du Jura 1997pan> formed with the cappuccino of morels an unforgettable match. It was heaven, pure heaven. I was on a white cloud. Immense.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">On the three cheeses, three wines.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Corton de Bonneau du Martray red 1997pan> is an extraordinary wine. All in it is pure grace. So light, so romantic, so refined, it has every possible weapon of soft seduction. A great wine;pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The pan style="COLOR: red">Corbin-Michotte Saint-Emilion 1997pan> comes from a castle where wine is always well made. But I was not surprised.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The Château de Farguespan style="COLOR: red"> 1997pan> is purely delicious. It was provoked by a Roquefort which is creamy but very powerful. It was a fight – delicious – but not a real combination of pleasures.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">The dessert, very exact, went well with a very high class wine : the pan style="COLOR: red">Gewurztraminer Sélection de Grains Nobles (SGN) Hugel 1997pan>. This is elegant, powerful, but is airy. This is the secret of these perfect Alsatian wines.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">At the beginning of the dinner, the president of the Academy, Jean Pierre Perrin of Beaucastel, had made a very fighting speech talking about international taste versus French cultural tradition for wine. At the end of the dinner, Jacques Puisais, a true gastronome, made a very poetic speech commenting all the wines and combinations. I agreed on almost every points except one : I am not in favour of the bread with cheese when wine is concerned. I prefer the weddings for two, to the weddings for three. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">What would be my ranking for tonight?pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">1 – the Arlay yellow wine, as it jumped to the sky due to the match with the foodpan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">2 – the Corton Bonneau du Martray for its elegance made of finessepan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">3 – the gewürztraminer Hugel as it combined power and lightnesspan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">4 – the Puligny Leflaive, as its palette of tastes was extremely shining.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">And the wine of the night, for me, but I pretend to no objectivity, has been the Richebourg DRC 2004. A dream.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I noticed during this meeting that many people read the bulletin that I send every week on my adventures. They made nice comments.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I am very proud to be accepted in a group where are people making wines like Romanée Conti, Haut-Brion, Leflaive, Chave, and so many others. pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">I have spent a magnificent moment.pan>p>

un article dans « Bourgogne aujourd’hui » lundi, 3 avril 2006

Dans le n° 69 du bimestriel "Bourgogne Aujourd'hui", sous la plume de Laurent Gotti, une interview de trois pages ! avec de magnifique photos sur ma passion pour les vins anciens et sur l'académie.

Un article dans le Financial Times dimanche, 2 avril 2006

Dans le numéro du 2 avril, il y a un supplément mensuel du genre "art de vivre.p>Un article parle des dîners avec des vins anciens. Le texte me concernant est le suivant :p>"pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Yet another variation on the wine dinner theme can be found in France where the delightful French collector and bon vivant François Audouze continues to organise his extravagantly hedonistic – yet immaculately discreet wine dinners for like-minded epicureans. Formerly the CEO of steel company Arus, Audouze was looking for a way of sharing his passion for wine and food and hit upon a remarkably simple concept. Every month, Audouze’s website invites nine paying guests to an undisclosed two- or three-Michelin starred restaurant in Paris where he and they will enjoy 10 rare and exquisite wines from his magnificent personal cellar. (His pre-1945 collection alone accounts for over 10,000 bottles. “Younger” vintages are even more plentiful.)pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Audouze not only hosts his hedonistic dinners (which usually cost just under € 1,000 / about £580 per person), he also selects the wines (and to an extent the food) so that not two events are the same. The result is a truly eclectic mix of wines and venerable old vintages. For instance, the dinner in January included an 1893 chateau Guiraud, a Nuits Saint Georges from 1915, a 1938 Mouton Rothschild and a 1954 Cos d’Estournel. All of which made Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1976 Grands Echezeaux and the ’82 Salon look positively infantile in comparison.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Audouze started his dinners about five years ago and now offers tailored events for companies too. As a result, his dinners attract aficionados from all over the world. Mostly, though, the people who attend tend to be men. “but at our next dinner we have four women, which I like. If it is all male, it can turn into a combat de coqs which I would rather avoid”, he adds.pan>p>pan lang="EN-GB" style="FONT-SIZE: 11pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Unlike most wine dinners, Audouze never does themes that focus on a single vintage or chateau. “Partly, this is because it then becomes an intellectual exercise about which wine is best”, he says. “Instead, I want people to enjoy and understand the wines rather than judge them. So my rules are simple. If you know something about wine – forget what you know. And if you think you know nothing about wine – forget that too”. Certainly, his dinners have occasionally been known to upset the form guide. “Once, we ranked a 1947 Moulin à Vent Beaujolais above a 1934 Latour”, says Audouze. ‘I love it when that happens, because it shows just how surprising and exciting wine can be”.pan>p>Ce n'est pas mal du tout.p>La revue : Financial Times du 1 et 2 avril, supplément mensuel "How to spend it" avril 2006, page 66/67.p>p>

Académie des vins anciens

Wine-dinners.com et l'Académie des vins anciens

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