Dinner with Gérard Depardieu, Bernard Magrez and their wines

I was intrigued to try the wines of Gérard Depardieu, so when an e-mail landed in my inbox with the opportunity to attend a dinner with the man himself along with Bernard Magrez I jumped on it. The location was W'Sens, a restaurant run by the talented Pourcell brothers. The food, btw, was excellent, though at times not particularly well-matched with the wines.

Upon entering we were greeted with canapés and the Fombrauge Blanc, which is a rather nice wine though I was very surprised to find out it was a Bordeaux.

• 2004 Château Fombrauge Bordeaux Blanc 91 Points

  France, Bordeaux

  Notes of vanilla, melted butter and white flowers on the nose. Quite a "new world" style on the palate, oak still pronounced but very good underlying acidity and length, along with nutty flavours. Not usually my style of wine, and certainly not a typical white Bordeaux, but well made and I liked it. Only 3,500 bottles of this made - cépage is 41% Sauvignon Blanc, 33% Semillon, 21% Sauvignon Gris and 5% Muscadelle.

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Having been shown to our tables, after some brief and rather amusing words for Mr. Depardieu (in "Franglish" of course), we started off with some pan-fried foie gras, served on a lattice ("paillasson") of potatoes with cep mushrooms and reduction of Banyuls, and of course some wine:

• 2002 Gérard Depardieu Référence 86 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Vin de Pays d'Oc

  Dark in colour, the nose has burnt matches, dark fruit and chocolate notes. On the palate this is a very simple wine, slightly over-ripe fruit and hints of mocha. Short-medium finish. The blend is 60% Merlot and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon, grown on clay and limestone soil. 9,000 bottles made.

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• 2002 Château La Croix de L'Espérance 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Libournais, Lussac Saint-Émilion

  A nice nose of strawberry, chocolate and dried herbs. A nicely structured wine, with fine tannins and good length. Nice fruit on the attack, somewhat "new world" in style. Nice wine. 100% Merlot, 25,000 bottles made.

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We were next served with a middle course of oven roasted fillet of sea-bass, Venere risotto and citrus butter emulsion - this was a truly superb dish. The risotto provided the gravitas needed to cope with the following winesL

• 2003 Gérard Depardieu Ma Vérité 89 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Haut-Médoc

  Despite the blend - 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot - this smells and tastes like a Merlot-driven wine. Rich fruit, chocolate and coffee notes and very substantial tannins. For my palate, this lacks some acidity and freshness. 30 year old vines, and only 6,000 bottles made.

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• 2003 Bernard Magrez Languedoc Le Bien Décidé 91 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc

  A blend of 36% Syrah, 35% Carignan and 29% Grenach, from 30 year old vines. An enticing nose of violets, raspberry/blackberry and espresso. On the palate quite gripping, with fine, dry tannins as well as overtones of game and dark fruit. Long finish. Very good. 10,000 bottles made.

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The main course consisted of perfectly cooked tender veal cutlets, served with butternut blinis, sautéed girolle mushrooms, and cherry and licorice sauce.

• 2002 Gérard Depardieu Lumière 80 Points

  Morocco, Meknès-Fès

  Very jammy on the nose with some noticeable (i.e. unpleasant) brett. On the palate rather stewy with vegetal notes, lacking acidity and flabby. This is a 50/50 Grenache and Syrah blend, from 25 year old vines grown at the foothills of the Atlas mountains. 8,600 bottles made.

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• 2003 Gérard Depardieu Toro Spiritus Sancti 94 Points

  Spain, Castilla y León, Toro

  This is made of 100% Tinto de Toro (=Tempranillo), from vines grown on sandy and pebbly soil in Morales de Toro. Dark and impregnable, and with a nose of coffee, smoke, toasted oak and sous-bois, this is a serious wine. Well structured, with nicely integrated dark fruit, tannins and very fine underlying acidity. Excellent length. This wine reminded me of Vega Sicilia wines (e.g. Valbuena) and I think has tremendous aging potential, though enjoyable now as well. 7,800 bottles made. My WOTN.

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A platter of cheese helped us with the final flight of wines

• 2003 Gérard Depardieu Confiance 92 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux

  Fresh nose of red currants, white flowers, raspberry. Elegantly balanced, with nice acidity and very fine tannins, depsite some seriously heavy dark fruit and high alcohol. Very good, potentially excellent. 95% Merlot, 5% Malbec. 5,800 bottles made.

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• 2002 Magrez Tivoli 90 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc

  A rich, oppulent style with blackberry, plum and blackcurrant. Pronounced French oak on the palate, a bit disjointed but may improve with further aging. A powerful, if not elegant, wine. 6,000 bottles made, representing a yield of only 18 hl/hectare.

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• 2002 Bernard Magrez Côtes du Roussillon La Passion d'une Vie 75 Points

  France, Languedoc Roussillon, Roussillon, Côtes du Roussillon

  This blend of 41% Carignan, 27% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre disappointed - a medicinal, VA nose, and an odd medicinal taste. Nobody around the table liked it.

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We finished with a superb dessert - "Chocolate: hot, cold and iced" (a fondant, dark chocolate icecream and creamy chocolate drink...)

Overall a very enjoyable dinner and some very interesting wines. Some of the wines (e.g. my WOTN, the "Spiritus Sancti") were very good indeed and worth seeking out. With quantities being so small, I'd imagine they'd be pretty hard to find though.