I have quite often messages of people who ask me : « could you help me to evaluate some wines », or « do you know someone who could buy my wines ». Recently someone proposed me a list of wine with a very polite and pleasant message, so I made an offer. The discussion that we had was very gentle, so I bought some 30 wines of interest and among them a nice number of Dom Pérignon 1966. We met and we talked and he explained to me that the grandfather of his wife was short of money which explained that he sold. And he told me : “as I read with pleasure what you write, I would be happy that when you drink one of my wines, you send me your report. The grandfather of my wife will be happy”.
The next day at 2:06 pm, a phone call from Jean-Philippe a friend of mine who is a genius cook : “tonight, I will cook for one of my friend that you know, and our small group with whom you were by Marc Veyrat two times will come too. Are you interested to come tonight for an informal dinner?”.
At 2:08 pm I call my wife. She says yes.
At 2:10 pm I call my friend, ask for the menu and I say : I will come with a Dom Pérignon 1966 and a red. What does your friend love? She loves Cote Rotie.
We arrive in her apartment and we are 7, among whom 6 shared our adventures by Marc Veyrat.
We begin with champagne Brut Jacques Selosse, disgorged in September 2004 which is very dry, which I like, and we have langoustines with mashed carrots and a lot of spices whose name is : “Raz el Hanout”. The champagne works wonderfully with the sweetness of the carrots, and less with the delicious langoustines. When the plate is empty, what remains in mouth is the memory of the sweetness of the carrots associated to this particularly elegant young champagne.
This Selosse was a good thing to appreciate even more the champagne Dom Pérignon 1966. The colour is of ambered gold, the bubbles are very active, and the smell is a conquering perfume. We have is with a risotto of white truffle with scallops. As the first sip without the dish showed a small tiredness of the champagne, there is a spectacular transformation with the risotto. The champagne became younger, more elegant, and got a length which is unique. Imperial champagne. As it was not playing so well with the scallops, Jean-Philippe had a secret solution : with a special salt made of many components, the scallops danced with the Dom Pérignon. The grandfather of the buyer will be either happy or sad : happy that this champagne was absolutely outstanding, and sad that he did not drink his wines earlier.
Before drinking my red, I suggested that we have a transition. My friend who was our host opened a Domaine Ollier Taillefer, Castel Fossibus Faugères 2004. I must say that Faugères was a word that I had heard many times, but that I had not very often in my glass. It was extremely pleasant. Not any excess of wood, elegant, juicy, filling nicely the mouth. I found it largely better than any preconceived idea that I could have had. With slices of Spanish ham, it was great.
And it prepared gently the mouth for a very fantastic pigeon (“suprême de pigeon à la goutte de sang, côtes de blette au fumé virtuel, sauce aux foies et baies noires ») which is one of my beloved dishes from Jean Philippe. The Côte Rôtie La Landonne E. Guigal 1997 is purely immense. More and more I love these wines from lighter years, as the wine expresses more all its subtleties. It is like the photos of David Hamilton, all in suggestion. The wine fills the mouth with joy, full of juice, of happiness. I spent much time to try to catch all the aspects of this beloved wine.
Jean-Philippe was tricky as he knows that I do not suggest very old Comté with Jura wine. But this Comté of 36 months from Barthélémy famous cheese grower was purely elegant with a young Vin Jaune Château d'Arlay 1987. Very proper, but lacking of course of what age can add to such wines.
The dessert of Pierre Hermé, “Madame Figaro”, with many soft fruits should have been absolutely adapted to the Vouvray Moelleux "Le Haut Lieu", Domaine Huet, 1997. I must say that I am not convinced by such a wine, which had interesting aspects, but lacking of intelligence and deepness. It is not the bottle, it is the wine.
Despite a very late invitation, my wife and I we reacted immediately. And I tried one of my newest wines, the Dom Pérignon 1966, which proved, what I knew, that it is a fantastic champagne. Grandfather, thank you!
