Robert Weil and Rougie Foie Gras dinner

I was really looking forward to this - Robert Weil's Auslese from some young, but very good vintages, paired with foie gras in some form or another in every course, cooked jointly by one of the world's top 100 chefs and another up and coming one - sounds like a match made in heaven. Unfortunately service was bad, food was often cold, and some of the dishes (barely cooked, 3cm long baby quail anyone?) just plain weird. Thank goodness the wines were oustanding. Had a nice little chat with Wilhelm Weil as well. Unfortunately, at the end of the dinner, even Wilhelm had a little too much noble sweet wine - 8-10 glasses of young Auslesen was quite punishing!

For the record, the menu (with even numbered dishes cooked by Wayne Nish of Prive, and odd numbered ones by Dorin Schuster) was:

Rare foie gras, riesling custard, mirabelle plum gastrique
Scallop eviche, cured foie gras, yuzu
Torchon de foie gras, langoustine, jamon iberico, haricotes verte
Poached foie gras, kyoto tofu, micro greens
Baby quail, foie gras, spinach, sage
Pigeon, foie gras, white asparagus, truffle jus
Riesling-Spatlese wine jelly with red fruits

• 2005 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 94 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  In a bit of an awkward place at the moment, and it took quite a bit of time in the glass to open up. Nose had a touch of sulphur, which blew off to show rubber, a hint of petrol and grassy, gooseberry notes along with some chalk, flowers, honey and a touch of forest floor. Very rich, almost viscous on the nose. Just as rich on the palate, lots of concentration, with notes of rubber and some fresh lemon, and then a whole lot of honey, nectar and flowers. Good acidity, but heavy, oily, thick and viscous - very rich. Finish was powerful and sticky, with one more blast from the sweetness, and then some musk and honey notes. There definitely is complexity woven into the bones of this wine, but it seemed rather monolithic and forbidding at this time. Obviously excellent, but visit again in 10 years.

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• 2004 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 93 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Higher acid on this wine was quite a relief after the monolithic 2005. However, enjoyable as it was, this also has a long, long way to go. Nice nose, with a touch of toast, nuts, a hint of mushrooms, earthy, wet leaves and dried longans. Complex and rich. The palate was sweet, but balanced by fresh lemony acidity, with musky white flowers, white peaches and a touch of pink guava. Nice long finish just slid through the mouth with a glide of honey and mineral. Lovely with torchon of foie gras.

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• 2003 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 94 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  I actually thought this was really good. None of the flabbiness and heat I expected from 2003. Nose showed quite a bit of petrol and kerosene for its age, along with rubber, white fruit, peach, flowers and quite a bit of truffle. Very attactive. Palate sure was sweet, but I was surprised with the great amount of acidity laced through the wine, so that it was so fresh that it almost seemed sharp at points. Nice richness, with nectarines, apricots, and lemon and lime. Rather layered, but not quite as effortlessly complex as the 2004 and 2005. Finish was long, but again rather shorter than the previous two vintages. Still, a gorgeous wine, and drinking very well now - certainly in a much more drinkable place than its younger siblings. I think this will be a great surprise in 10 years time, should be smashing then.

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• 2002 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Auslese 95 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Absolutely fantastic. By some distance the best wine of the night. A much deeper golden colour than the 2005, 2004 or 2003, almost an orange glow. Wilhelm Weil said that this was because of more oxidative elements in the wine in 2002. Fantastic nose. Orange marmalade, honey, caramel, fleshy yellow fruit and dried figs and apricots along with lovely perfumed nots of violets and geraniums. All very lush. Beautiful palate too - rich, sweet and heady, but balanced and superbly integrated, with bright acid woven through botrytis notes and flavours of treacle, marzipan, a little drizzle of petrol, apricot, nectar, musk - all moving into a long, minerally finish. I loved this wine.

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• 2006 Weingut Robert Weil Kiedricher Gräfenberg Riesling Spätlese 93 Points

  Germany, Rheingau

  Very, very good. Pale straw colour, gentle nose - slatey minerals, white fruit, a touch of flowers, very refined and attractive. Lovely, lovely palate. Great balance, lots of verve and life, with lemony acid melded to pomegranate, grapefruit, honeyed apples and lots of nice minerality moving into a fresh, defined finish. Such an enjoyable wine. Great way to end the night.

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