Important Update From the Founder
Read message >
Champagne and Pinot Noir WIMPS #168 31st August 2023
La Trompette, Chiswick
Tasted August 31, 2023 by Vinumming & Ahhing with 110 views
Introduction
Another fabulous lunch with excellent food throughout.
Flight 1 - Oyster (1 note)
White - Sparkling
2002 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Vieilles Vignes de Chardonnay
First champagne served and from the off this is very, very good. There is a crumbled lemon muffin character to the nose with the faintest hint of rhubarb. Palate is fresh and really long. With air a touch of lime oil emerges. Cracking
Flight 2 - Crab and scallop tortellino, beurre blanc (4 notes)
White - Sparkling
2008 Pierre Gimonnet & Fils Champagne Special Club Millesimé de Collection
This is an interesting wine with an apple paté de fruits character to the nose, a couple of ppm of blueberry. A certain appliness to the palate as well. The bubbles vanish fairly quickly. Although no suggestion of oxidation it feels older than the 2002 Vieilles Vignes de Chardonnay from the same house it is served with. Pleasant enough but not at quite that level for me.
1 person found this helpful
Comment
White - Sparkling
N.V. Bérêche et Fils Champagne Brut
Sliced Jonagold and crême pat on the nose here. A faint dusting of nutmeg too. Palate has more apples and a lovely texture. A different cuvée had been expected but this is lovely.
White - Sparkling
2012 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
Lemon posset on the nose here with some pineapple stalk contrasts. Later some lime sherbet pip. Palate really lovely, final sip a few hours later has a core of pure lime juice. Lovely stuff.
White - Sparkling
2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Cristal Brut
More mature than the 2012 it is served alongside as would be expected, some around the table thing atypical; not had one previously to compare but it doesn't feel flawed. There is a slight marzipan richness to it and some mango stone. Very vinous and rich on the palate. Like it.
Flight 3 - New season grouse, crushed vegetables, port roasted figs and pancetta (2 notes)
Red
2017 Jean-Claude Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte Rouge
First of the reds. Savoury, earthy nose. Some bilberry and also as a table mate points out a subtle spearmint quality too. Palate is silky, very poised and perfectly balanced. Yet another stonking 2017. Final sip after a couple of hours has a slight grated chocolate quality. In the mould of the 1999 enjoyed last autumn.
Red
2015 Domaine Pierre Guillemot Savigny-lès-Beaune 1er Cru Les Serpentières
From magnum. This is lovely, savoury, more-ish and the perfect foil for the grouse. With air this shows more and more, there is a coffee bean character and a couple of parts per million of banana leaf and tarragon. Lovely to revisit over the meal and it gets better and better. For me, red of the lunch.
Flight 4 - Veal rib eye, Scottish girolles, celeriac pueée, fondant potato (3 notes)
Red
2009 Domaine Gachot-Monot Nuits St. Georges 1er Cru Les Poulettes
Darker fruits on pouring than either of the Côte de Beaune wines that preceded this but some air lightens these. There is a venison carpaccio meatiness and lovely structure to this. Palate is well balanced and combines savouriness and sweeter fruit elements well. A shade behind the Guillemot Savigny however.
Red
2005 Dominique Laurent Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes Intra-Muros
Quite clarety on pouring, like with many of these Laurent wines might have benefited from a shake in a little bottle to shift the dissolved SO2. Does open out in the glass to reveal sweet cassis notes, doesn't really get going or charm on the day.
Red
2007 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Combe aux Moines Vieille Vigne
A melange of sweet red fruits and tarter lingonberries on the nose. Later a little Bakewell sweetness too. The palate is harder to work out; doesn't quite get going. I'm not sure if a sub-par bottle or just in need of a proper multi-hour decant but not quite what it should be on the day.
Flight 5 - Summer betty & vanilla pavlova, blackcurrant leaf ice cream (1 note)
White - Off-dry
2007 Von Hövel Oberemmeler Hütte Riesling Auslese
A very generous extra to accompany pud. Absolutely classical Riesling. Nose has lemon barley water, pure, clean juicy lime juice. Some cut hay and a little sewing machine oil. Lovely texture too. Just deligthful.
Closing
Such a fabulous way to spend a late summer's afternoon