Wraysbury Dinner

Gruyere biscuits
Smoke turbot roe mousse on squid ink pearl barley crackers

• 1998 Lanson Champagne Noble Cuvée de Lanson Brut 93 Points

  France, Champagne

  Pale to light mid straw. Fresh and vigorous on the nose. Similar on the attack with plenty of zingy, crisp freshness with a sense of toast at the edges. Mid weight, fresh with good line. Very elegant and stylish. Dosage showing slightly as it warms up. A shade behind a recent bottle but that may just be that this was polished off between six whereas the previous one lasted the evening between two. ****

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Scallops, black pudding and pea purée

• 2009 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Clavoillon 91 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru

  4th from a case and the best yet. Lighter and seemingly less evolved/more classical than previous bottles. Quite ripe and full with some tropical notes in with the floral and lime fruit. Quite fat. Served blind this was taken to be new world or a ripe vintage burg. It is ripe, but just about the right side of the line. There's complexity and a decent length too. Provides good context for the Chevalier alongside. ****

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• 2009 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet 95 Points

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Chevalier-Montrachet Grand Cru

  Pale straw. Served alongside the Clavoillon. Both bottles opened at cellar temp four hours in advance and then restoppered and refrigerated. Poured ten minutes before tasting. Riedel Montrachet glasses. This is gorgeous. More finesse than the Clavoillon, but oh so much more depth, minerality and presence. This has breadth and depth and weight but also precision and line, and a really persistent grippy minerality. Very long. A small amount left in glass holds well over the course of three hours. Really super. *****

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Turbot on a fricassee of morels, asparagus, broad bean and spinach gniochi, veal demi-glace jus

• 1966 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Especial 93 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Mid to full garnet. Classic mature Rioja nose with orange peel, leather and fireside spice. Lovely slightly faded but bright red fruit and good acidity. Not quite the depth and persistence of a great vintage but punching above its official weight and drinking beautifully. ****

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• 1966 Bodegas Riojanas Rioja Monte Real Reserva 88 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, Rioja

  This suffered somewhat by being served alongside the CVNE Imperial and Vina Real Gran Reservas of the same vintage. Mid garnet with a fairly typical mature rioja nose. Similar palate, a little more difuse, but also a slightly woody element to the finish that starts off showing a green pepper element and then becomes a little more herbal — a cool greenness that's not unlike a78 claret. Maybe just a sign of the less good vintage in the lesser wine whereas the CVNEs have the fat to cover it. Anyway, decent and an interesting drink, but of the three this is the one where the glasses weren't all fully drained. ***

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• 1966 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Imperial Gran Reserva 92 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Slightly deeper and fuller than the VR alongside. More savoury, coffee-ground aroma and a little more velvety to the silkiness of the VR. A little less cut and precision than the VR. Lovely, and showing very well indeed. ****

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Cheese

• 1964 C.V.N.E. (Compañía Vinícola del Norte de España) Rioja Viña Real Reserva Especial 91 Points

  Spain, La Rioja, La Rioja Alta, Rioja

  Half. More evolved than last week's immaculate half. Full deep garnet, a bit more stuffing than the 66, but also a slight volatility manifesting itself in a creamy hot chocolate lactic nose that's not exactly offensive, but is wrong and a little off-putting — others tolerated it less. Better on the palate, but there's still a slight edge to it that detracts from the purity and precision that can be here. My first less than stellar experience after six splendid bottles and half bottles. Still a lot of wine here though, just not what it can be. ****

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lemon meringue pie

• 2003 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Auslese Goldkapsel 93 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Half. Pale to mid straw. Fresh and zingy alongside the obvious sweetness. Very elegant and poised. Currently in a half-way house having lost the sweet puppy fat but not really having developed much secondary complexity. It's all there though, and this is an excellent 03. A wonderful drink on its own, but at this stage not quite sweet enough to match the lemon meringue pie it was paired with. ****

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