I wanted to make a dinner by restaurant La Grande Cascade because the new chef is Frédéric Robert, the former cook who worked with Alain Senderens, when Alain had three stars Michelin in Lucas Carton.
I arrive by 5 pm and a man who had attended one of my dinners and had already seen me opening the bottles wanted to be there once again. Just before I came to the restaurant, a journalist had phoned me to make an interview. I suggested that he comes to see me when I open the bottles. So, two people saw me opening the bottles. Imagine their surprise when they discovered by listening to each other’s accent that both of them were Canadian !
The corks of Cos 28 and of the Moulin à Vent 45 are absolutely splendid. I had to fight a lot with the corks of the two 1942 wines, the Laville Haut-Brion and the Haut-Brion. Was it due to the war period ? The bottle of Haut-Brion has the blue colour of the war wines, but the Laville has a clear bottle. The weakest impression comes from the Barsac 1931 which seems to be a little tired. When the smells seem dusty, I see no real risk. So the bottle that I had brought in case of danger will not be necessary.
The meny composed by Frédéric Robert is extremely interesting :
Coquille Saint Jacques crue au caviar impérial Baeri et coquille St Jacques à la plancha, bouillon crémeux au lait d'amandes et cèpes séchées
Courgettes fleurs ivres de tourteau, coques et couteaux, huile d'olive au citron et gingembre
Filets de rouget cuits à l'étouffé dans le varech, royale de poireaux, pâte de piment doux
Canard croisé étouffé, rôti au sautoir, la cuisse en pastilla, épices, retour de Marrakech
Pommes de ris de veau cuites lentement, olives, câpres et croûtons frits, herbes à tortue comme au Moyen Age
Stilton, brioche toastée au miel et raisins de Smyrne
Passe- Crassane rôtie au beurre demi-sel, caramel au mendiant, crème glacée Belle Hélène.
It was highly interesting but I will be happy if for future dinners, we try to simplify some of the recipes.
We were 11 and 8 of them had already attended some of my dinners. Four women were there, which is always better for the atmosphere of the dinner. Due to the long table, the discussions were split in three groups, but when there was a great emotion created by a wine, the entire table was in communion.
A magnum of champagne Salon 1988, this is rare, as this format was not frequent. We toasted to welcome everybody, and with the scallops, the champagne was absolutely brilliant. I like this champagne, but it did not impress me so much. Is it in a phase which is more quiet? I do not know.
This impression is the contrary to what I have felt with Château Laville-Haut-Brion white 1942. The nose has an incredible intensity. In mouth, the personality is great. Very expressive, it is probably the best that a Bordeaux white can be. The only word which fits to this wine is : “perfect”.
The sommelier pours the first drops to me in order that I can warn the guests. The first drop of the Château Haut-Brion red 1942 begins with a great charm, and the finish is puzzling, as it goes to nowhere. I had smelled that it was a rather dusty wine by opening, but with no great risk. When my friends were poured, they had not such a problem. But what amazes me is the number of votes that were given to this wine, because even if it had a quick recovery, it was not 100 % fit.
This was not the case for the Château Cos d’Estournel 1928 which had a cork incredibly perfect (I am wondering what happens as I see more and more perfect original corks), a perfect fill, and a colour of a young wine. And I am completely sure that it is an original bottle. This wine is absolutely great, serene, velvety, sweet (not in the sense of a sweet wine, I mean more soft). One of us says that the 1942 HB is the expression of a Haut-Brion when the 1928 Cos is the expression of the year 1928. And this is true. The 1942 HB is exactly what HB should be, and the 1928 Cos is exactly what a perfect 1928 should be. It has to be noted that it is the third 1942 that I drank in two days. Nobody could say that this year has a weakness. There was absolutely no sign of a weak year, which means something : one has to be careful about schemes which were made when the wines were young.
I was more at ease with fish and red wines than many guests.
The 1929 Musigny « grand vin de Bourgogne » négoce AMG (fondé en 1862) is largely better than the same one that I had drunk recently with Aubert de Villaine. He was upset by the obvious melting of Algerian wine in it. It is clear that there is not 100% Burgundy, but this time it is better, even if I find it a little tired. Some guests adored it and some not.
A great contrast with the Moulin à Vent Chanson Père & Fils 1945 which is immediately fantastic. This wine has a high class, and a charm made of pure joy of life. The cork had played its role magnificently, giving a level nearly to the top, a colour very friendly, and a precise smell. This wine has no complex, and plays in the mouth a nice dance. The duck creates a combination of pleasure.
As the president of Salon was at our table, I did not want to create a competition between the Salon and the other champagne. So, I decided to put it there, between two courses. And it was a great choice. This Champagne Dom Ruinart rosé 1990 is spectacular, and I must say that it is the best 1990 rosé Ruinart that I have ever tasted. I was completely astonished by its purity.
On the sweetbread, the Côte Rôtie La Turque Marcel Guigal 1992 is marvellously appropriate. This is a nice deep Cote Rotie. But in such an atmosphere of old wines, it was not what was required, and despite its intrinsic quality, this wine is the only one which did not get any vote.
It is only by opening the bottles that I discovered that the négociant of the Barsac is the same as for the Musigny! The 1931 Barsac (maison AMG fondée en 1862) was a little tired when I opened it. The Canadian friend who had seen the opening made me notice the change of colours. It is the first time that I see such a change, the colour being largely browner than some 6 hours ago. And, what is strange too is that the wine has gained strength. It became lively, interesting, with aspect of bloody orange.
The 1900 Moscatel de Setubal José Maria da Fonseca (Estab. 1834) is for me a first time, a discovery. This wine has certainly spent more than 60 years in barrel and it has all the characteristics of a wine which has more than a century. The smell and the taste are of caramel, coffee, burnt sugar. It is very Porto like, but probably dryer and lighter. It reminds me some aspects of my Cyprus 1845. This wine is a pure excitement. Strange, enigmatic, and full of pleasure.
To vote was not easy as the wines were so different. 9 wines out of ten got votes, and four got votes as first. The Laville got four votes as first, the Haut-Brion got three votes as first, which makes seven votes as first for the year 1942. Purely incredible ! The Cos and the Beaujolais got two votes as first.
The consensus vote is :
Laville Haut-Brion 1942,
Haut-Brion 1942,
Cos d’Estournel 1928
Moulin à Vent Chanson 1945
My vote has been :
Cos d’Estournel 1928,
Laville Haut-Brion 1942,
Moscatel de Setubal 1900,
Moulin à Vent Chanson 1945
If the Salon is not in the vote, it shows how great these wines were.
Frédéric Robert has made an intelligent cook, but I would be happy to have it more simplified. The meat of the duck was splendid.
The service was great, Four women brought their luminous charm to our group. It was a very pleasant dinner.
