Very enjoyable night. Great food, great wine, great company.
Digital SLR - $800 Mini-Tripod - $25 Remote trigger - $30 Not paying attention to the tripod legs and watching camera fall over and the lens plant itself face first into the dish – Priceless
I really struggled with the lighting there, very dim, and I didn’t want to use a flash so photos are meh. Plus I was getting more and more drunk as the night wore on. Missed a few bottles as well.
WOTN for me was the 1967 Grange with the 1969 Oppenheimer in the whites pipping the 1990 Dom. Dish of the night was the suckling pig, sensational.
Many thanks to Gav and Shannon for organising it and their generosity also for Justin North and the team at Becasse for looking after us so well.
Wow, it was truly a wonderful night. Good pics there dave, love the hair of the dog !
ALL wines were in superb condition, although the 1938 was showing signs of being a touch past it, a bit acidic and lacking fruit, but such history in the glass. 493 years of age in total over 14 wines, and not even the slightest hint of a cork issue. The gods were smiling, and of course it speaks well for the provenance and careful buying of Shannon and Gavin. Thanks for putting this on guys, it's an honour to be amongst such great company and great wines.
Special mention to Becasse, lovely space near the kitchen just for us, food was delicious and matched beautifully, service was incredible, our french sommelier was faultless all night. Merci Beaucoup. What a perfect place for wine events.
My favourites (and there wasn't a dud so a 'just slightly greater than the other greats' really) would be the Grange 1967, Riddoch 1986, Saltram 1971, Karl Straub 1959 and Ramon Von Gilsa 1964.
Will try and post a few notes and more pics once I get a chance. Busy few days ahead.
Rooman: Gavin and Shannon's respective cellars. Both are collectors of European Rieslings.
Shannon: these emerging-as-annual events require new descriptors of our appreciation of your vision, your hosting decisions and the quality and rarity of the wines. To be able to attend and share such magnificent fare is, truly, the stuff of a fine food/wine lover's lifetime dreams. And I do not use the term 'lifetime' lightly. Thanks to you and Gavan, we have experienced some of the world's great wines at stages of maturity that pile elite status upon elite status.
I echo Tim's comments on Becasse and thus recommend it to Formites. They've won us over; I've never experienced a degustation menu so well matched to the wines - and yet the wines at their respective stages of maturity were rarities!
Another fantastic evening of Amazing wines, great food and excellent company. Thank you to all who attended and made it such a wonderful evening we could not have done this without you all there. The ability to try such wines side by side is almost impossible on any other occassion and i think that is part of the beauty in this type of evening. The cork gods yet again shined down upon us without a dud bottle in sight. My notes on the wines will follow in a few days time when i have the opportunity to go over them and write them up.
Dave: Great photos and would i be able to grab a few of them for my blog? Also how was the 38 showing the next morning?
Tim: Great to have you with us on this occassion, hope you both pulled up ok the next day.
John: Thank you for your kind words, it was great to catch up with Kerry and yourself yet again. Thank you for you invitation for saturday afternoon but i somehow managed to forget about it completely until this morning when writing this, probably all those wonderful wines on friday night
Rooman:As per John, both Gavin and I are collectors of European Riesling and we go to great lengths to procure well cellared Rieslings from European cellars. The other wines have come from both mine and Gavin (Gavins Father's) cellars. Perhaps you would like to join us next time round?
WOW and I really do mean WOW, you are some lucky guys and gals to have experience such a tremendous feast.
I am a true fan of aged rieslings, but cannot attest to being fortunate enough to have tried some of the wines mentioned in the notes. I loved the pictures too, I think it adds so much to a note when you can see the bottles and the food and the setting with the various people involved.
The Giaconda chard is a fabulous white and one of my absolute favs in oz white wines, easily rivals the LEAS.
I was so interested to read that the 86 John R was rated above the 77 and 83 grange. I've had all 3 vintages of the grange mentioned and in particular, I found the 83 to be the king. IMHO. Many times before on other posts, I raved about how spectacular the 86 JR is and I still believe it is one of the best ageing cabs in Australia today. JO sais its past its best, I say at least another 3- 5 years at its peak.
That surely was a dinner to rival many of the best. Probably only BCP could top those bottles.
Really looking forward to the notes on each wine, ----- lucky fellas
At every turn, it pays to challenge orthodox ways of thinking
Friday 16th July Becasse Restaurant, Sydney 6.30pm and its time again for our annual Rare and Vintage Wine Dinner. This time there are 3 vintages of Penfolds Grange spanning 3 decades of wine making 67, 77 and 83. Another high light is the 3 vintages of German Spatlese Riesling 59, 64, 69 showing 5 years of separation at the 40 – 50 years of age development. Not to forget the Magnum of 2001 Giaconda Chardonnay, the very rare 1971 Saltam special bin Claret and 1976 Lindemans Limestone Ridge show reserve cellar release, 1990 Dom Perignon and 1976 Christoffel Jr Auslese. All this expertly matched by the restaurant team at Becasse to a seven course degustation menu. Surely a very memorable night is about to be had by all those in attendance with perhaps a once in a life time opportunity to try some of these wines.
Now the first of what will prove to be 3 very special Spatlese wines with amazing complexity often leaving me lost at how to describe exactly what it was I was smelling and tasting. 1969 Oppenheimer Krotenbrunnen Spatlese was first, pink gold and slight hints of amber in colour, lovely balance, tight and complex, smoke, toffee, honey, citrus notes with a dash of kero and more packed so tightly into a medium length palate that just defied description in some of its personality. Closely followed by the 1964 Baron Von Gilsa which while similar in colour to the 69 the nose shot from the glass with flowers and tropical fruits covered in honey, very fragrant, an amazing nose unlike anything I have encountered before. The tropical fruit characteristics followed onto the palate with caramel honey richness, marmalade, glace pineapple and amazing soft acidity that just kept it all in balance.
Then the 1959 Karl Straub with its deep gold yellow colour, oily and unctuous in the glass, another fragrant nose that to me had hints of subtle lavender, lemon, lychee and smoke. Buttery in the mouth, coating every corner, smoky, citrus and tropical. Very complex and that presence of glace pineapple that I found in the previous wine also sneaking into this wine. Perhaps on the cusp of decline although one or two others thought that it was perhaps already beginning to slide. Personally I thought it was absolutely beautiful and brimming with character. All three wines testament to the incredible age ability of German Riesling and white wines. All three boasting their own unique personality and yet not a sign of cork taint or oxidation in sight despite the condition of these very old corks. A rare and unique experience to say the least. I would be interested to see the notes and impressions of other people present on the evening as these wines were at times difficult to describe.
All three of these wines served with a Salad of Marinated Heirloom Vegetables which incredibly matched the characteristics of these ancient Rieslings very very well. Matching these wines would have been no easy fete yet Becasse managed it with ease. Delicate and fresh with hints of lemon and the sweetness of the miniature vegetables was just great.
A quick breath and the 2001 Giaconda Chardonnay was in my glass, poured from Magnum, golden yellow in colour, smokey bacon, toast, cashew, peaches and herbs with medium buttery mouth feel. Well balanced and my first Giaconda Chardonnay this was a lovely wine showing clear development even in magnum format served with a Risotto of Confit King Prawn, Peas and Shell Fish Bisque, all I can say is “What a Dish†for me one of the dishes of the night almost ethereal with the Giaconda to wash it down, a perfect match in my opinion. Yum Yum Yum!
The whites have come and gone and what an intriguing and rare experience. All outstanding and bulging with personality I find it hard to pick a favourite or top wine of the whites. The Rieslings taking our experience in Riesling to a completely different level again. The champagnes both fantastic and the Giaconda testament to a truly great Australian chardonnay comparable to many of the world’s best.
Now for the Reds!
1986 John Riddoch the first to be poured, lovely aged Cabernet to me this is what good Aussie Cab is all about, mint, eucalypt, cedar, cigar box spiciness, sweet capsicum and some leafy greenness. Soft and well integrated with smooth slightly dusty tannins supporting the wine and indicating that this wine may still even improve for another 5 years yet. Medium bodied, great length, outstanding structure and just delicious. The Slow Cooked Vegetables and Smoking Cedar that was served at about this point were just great. The smoking cedar pulling extra notes of complexity and smokiness out of the wines. Interesting experience.
1976 Lindeman’s Limestone Ridge Show Reserve, for me, WOW! Deep Purple in colour. Soft black currant, Plums, blackberry, a touch of spearmint and lolly shop pastilles, incredible feel and long in the mouth. For me this was a standout wine showing no sign of decline and likely at its peak. Full bodied and Just divine. A very special experience indeed.
1971 Saltram, Bright Red colour, red fruits including cherry and a little nail polish or varnish on the nose. Another special wine with great complexity Cherry and red fruits in the mouth. Unfortunately my notes are a little sparse on this wine. The caramelised Suckling Pig and Braised Pork Tail was just sensational with these well aged Cabernet, Cab / Shiraz blends. A wonderful match that will leave long lived memories for me.
3 Decades of Grange Goodness.
1967 the first up, complex and seductive, red with hints of purple, not a block buster but very enjoyable and certainly not showing any signs of fading from this bottle. Classic old Grange, grand in proportions, Dark fruits, soft tannins, earthiness, some cinnamon and spice, soft round tannins and very long. This bottle was in fantastic condition. A most enjoyable experience and arguably wine of the night, WOTN.
1977 Good good good! Still dense purple, Classic Grange nose of sweet vanilla and the ripest of blackberry fruit with chocolate and tar. In the mouth the wine was full bodied, very masculine with layers of tannin still so powerful and outstanding structure. Very long, blackberry and raspberry fruit, vanilla, dark chocolate and surely with tannins like this it will yet be long lived. Amazingly youthful for a 33yr old wine. I believe this wine sits in the shadow of the great 76 but is certainly no short coming. Very good indeed.
Now the 1983, Look out! Amazing concentration and length, packed with blackberry liqueur, boysenberry, black currant, menthol, anise, chocolate, coffee, earthiness, briar patch, tar, round tannins and well balanced acid laying underneath in a supporting role. Just entering its drinking window this is an impeccable wine. A massive wine that lingers in the mouth for minutes. Great balance and sheer brooding power. A long, long life ahead of it and should continue to improve for another decade or two. A monster of a wine that was thoroughly enjoyed.
Just to keep these wines in balance Becasse served up the most amazingly tender Roast Milk Fed Veal with perfect vegetables that was just lovely with the 67 Grange. Another brilliant dish that makes me just want to come back to Becasse again and again.
Onto dessert and a wonderful interpretation of Apple Crumble with Cheese Cake Mousse, Rhubarb and Sorbet this topped off an amazing line up food that was expertly matched with every flight of wines or wine. At this point the notes are becoming sparse and the writing a little more messy, the wines have just been mesmerising and yet again not a corked or tainted bottle amongst the lot. Next up is the 1976 Christoffel Jr Auslese, the nose full of Kero and citrus, honey suckle and richness, these flavours followed onto the palate with amazing concentration and a brilliant acid back bone which left a fresh and clean mouth feel after the oily mouth coating sweet intensity of honey, citrus and kero. Concentrated and outrageously good this wine has many years ahead of it. The 1938 Leutesdorfer Auslese from Austria was next, Amber in colour with a touch of soft orange, caramel sweetness, acid and unfortunately only a glimmer of the fading memory that was once probably great fruit. Obviously past its best but certainly not dead and a great old curio to finish the line up.
There was also a 1963? McWilliams Muscat graciously bought along by Dave that was also poured at this point. Unfortunately no notes but from memory it was fresh and packed with Christmas cake and lovely rancio characteristics, concentrated and mouth coating.
At this point I have to make special mention to the fantastic service from all of the team at restaurant Becasse. Max our sommelier for the evening handled the wines with great care and obvious knowledge in the handling and pouring of aged wines. Just as excited about each wine as we were he took part in conversation with guests without intruding. To his credit he is surely a great asset to the team at Becasse and on behalf of everyone in attendance we wish to convey our thanks. The Kitchen team on the night delivered some of the most amazing dishes with clear fine cut accuracy, great attention to detail and every dish perfect in every aspect of flavour, texture and balance. Last but not least a special thank you to Victoria whose efforts in assisting with the evening behind the scenes was fantastic. I would have no hesitation in recommending Becasse to any would be Diner. A shining example of culinary excellence on the Sydney restaurant circuit.
To finish off a big thank you to all who joined us on this magical evening for the journey into some very rare and well aged wines with some excellent food. I believe an amazing experience was had by all on this occasion. Incredibly not a bad bottle in sight. I’m looking forward to the next one already.
If you would be interested in joining us on one of these special occasions you can drop me a pm and I will email when details of the next event are ready.
(Note: All wines including the whites were decanted (not the champagnes). The whites were decanted approximately 30 minutes before being served while the reds ranged from 3 - 5hrs in decanter. Glass wear included Riedel Vinum Syrah, Bordeaux, Spieglau Flutes and White glasses).
