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Andre Brunel Dinner
The Century at The Star
Tasted December 2, 2013 by chatters with 602 views
Introduction
I was really looking forward to this as I'm a big fan of Cailloux Chateauneuf du Pape - Brunel is the producer who turned me onto the region - and, having tried the 2010 VDP Grenache, I was very interested in trying some of the other wines in their range
Flight 1 - served with deep fried prawn dumpling, deep fried dim sims, spring rolls (2 notes)
White
2012 Domaine de la Becassonne Côtes du Rhône Blanc
Muted peach skin, slight bees wax, slight herbs. In the mouth medium minus flavours of peach and pear. Slight bitter with a waxy palate. Medium plus length. Meh
White
2011 Domaine de la Becassonne Côtes du Rhône Blanc
touches of marzipan, ripe stone fruit, apricot over peach, slight spice and notes of bees wax. In the mouth medium plus acid, quite forward, tart apricot and mouth coating phenolic grip. Nice but quite forward - a touch of oxidation as well.
Flight 2 - Live Pippies with XO sauce and Vermicilli (2 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine André Brunel Grenache Vaucluse
Black cherry, red berry, cream, burnt cabbage undertones. In the mouth, cherry and berry, slight tongue coating phenolic grip, slight metallic notes - not quite right
Red
2010 Domaine André Brunel Grenache Vaucluse
red berry and cherry, slight spice…quite simple. In the mouth berry, cherry, just the beginnings of some leathery notes, medium minus fine tannin, quite nice and finishes with a touch of alcohol warmth
Flight 3 - Salt & Pepper Prawns and Squid (3 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Est - Ouest
red berry, slight spiritousness, cream, vanilla. In the mouth medium minus intensity flavours of sour red berries with drops off quite quickly…tight…short…Meh
Red
2010 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Est - Ouest
Rich red berry, slight spice and slight volatile acidity. Touches of cedar - quite a concentrated (medium plus intensity aromas) nose. On the palate the wine is rich and textured with the primary red fruit dominating and touches of leather. Quite simple. Hmm
Red
2011 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Réserve
red berry and cherry, slight spice and a slightly pungent green note shows through, though the fruit is dominant. IN the mouth there is concentrated red berries that are slightly sour but have refreshing acidity - more in balance - medium minus tannin and medium plus length that introduces a touch of residual sugar for me. Hmm
Flight 4 - Cod Fillet with Snow Peas (2 notes)
Red
2011 Domaine André Brunel Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Sommelongue
concentrated and very slightly jammy red and black berry fruit, spice, slightly meaty notes. In the mouth the wine is rich, ripe red berry fruit, meaty notes, medium minus tannin, medium plus acid, creamy and rich, medium plus length which introduces, for me, a touch of residual sugar. Nice
Red
2011 Berard Père et Fils Crozes-Hermitage Cuvée Prestige
green and black peppercorn, slightly smoked notes - autumn bonfire. In the mouth the wine is wet then sour black fruit with touches of pepper and medium fine tanning. Finish short and sharp. Meh
Flight 5 - Crispy Skin Chicken (2 notes)
Red
2010 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium plus intensity red tending to black berry, spice. Slight leather, cedar notes. In the mouth there is juicy, savoury red and black berry which drops quite quickly revealing drying tannin and warm notes with touches of liquorice on the long finish. Hmm. Not quite there for me.
Red
2009 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium minus aromas of contained, brooding spice, leather, blackberry and liquorice. In the mouth the wine massive black over red fruit is hidden in a fair tannic heft and considerable structure. Nice but very young.
Flight 6 - Peking Duck with pancakes Duck Meat San Chow Bow (3 notes)
Red
2010 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire
Leather spice, black and red fruit, slight green notes, alcohol warmth and slight meatiness. On the plate the wine is savoury, concentrated, thick and unctuous with medium plus mouth gripping tannin over very slight notes of red fruit. Long finish.
Red
2007 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire
Farmyard funk, leather, slight VA, red currant over berry. In the mouth more funkiness, leather, medium plus tannin, savoury and slightly meaty, tight with medium minus flavour intensity tart red currant fruit. Meh.
Red
2006 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire
Volatile acidity, red berry tending to currant, cream, vanilla. Again in the mouth there is considerable volatile acidity, medium plus tannin, savoury red berry, tight, slightly juicy with slight alcohol warmth on conclusion. Hmm. Not flawed but not right.
Closing
The food did not match the wine at all. If I had realised that we'd be having chinese seafood with red wines I would not have come along. And the wines themselves were quite disappointing which was very depressing. I'm not sure if that was because of the food itself. The stand out wine of the night was the Les Cailloux 2009 CndP...all in all a disappointing evening.