Rare Wine Dinners at Arras
Posted: Sun Jul 21, 2013 12:55 pm
Last night we had a fantastic Wine Dinner at Arras restaurant in Sydney (http://www.restaurantarras.com.au/) drinking through a bevy of old wines from France, Italy and Germany. Shannon from Rare Wine Dinners organised it all and the line-up, as always , was very interesting and special. The night overall was very well organised. So big kudos to Shannon and his team.
First up on the food/restaurant, Arras was once again spot on with the variety and matching of the food and impeccable with the service. It was just one of those evenings where everything ‘just happened’ there was no looking for waiter/sommelier for top-ups for water, bread, questions, new cutlery, it was unobtrusive yet attentive at all times. The food was very interesting and if anything I think there was too much of it! I was really struggling and had to start utilising the Dessert Stomach reserves we all have.
(Cam will post some pics no doubt) The Raw and Cooked salad/vegetable plate at the start of the night was a perfect counterpoint for the Raw and Cooked Dessert plate and executed brilliantly with a real hunter and gatherer type fishing around of all the different components on the plate, who said eating couldn’t have a fun element. From Skate to Salmon, to duck, venison and lamb to name a few courses all had their own strengths. And of course the Willy Wonka factory-like Petit Fours at the end of the night is always a great finisher as we wound the night down. We started eating at 7pm and didn’t finish much before 1am. So a big well done from me to the restaurant staff and kitchen. :clap:
Also thanks to the company of the others really enjoyed the banter as always, always makes it much more enjoyable with people with experience and knowledge in the wines/styles etc.
The final line up of wines on the night were as follows…
1985 Veuve Clicquot, Rare Vintage, Rose, Champagne, France
1988 Veuve Clicquot, Rare Vintage, Brut, Champagne, France
1978 M Chapoutier, Chante-Allouette, Hermitage, France
1978 Cantine Conte Zandotti, Frascati DOC Superiore, Tenimento San Paolo, Italy
1987 Dr.F.Weins-Prüm, Erdener Pralat, Gold Kapsel, Spatlese, MSR, Germany
1945 Furst Von Mettinich, Schloss Johannisberg, Rosalack, Auslese, Rheingau, Germany
1947 Albert Bichot, Hospices de Beaune, Beaune Cuvee Estienne, France
1969 Leroy, Avenay, AC, France
1964 M.Chapoutier, Hermitage, France
1979 M.Chapoutier, Cuvee de Bellerouche, Cotes Du Rhone, France
1928 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Premier Cru, Pauillac, France
1964 Chateau Cheval Blanc, Premier Cru, St Emillion, France
1959 S A Huet, Le Haut Lieu, Vouvray Moelleux, Loire Valley, France
1969 Schlossgut Diel, Dorsheimer Goldloch, Edelbeerenauslese Cabinet, Nahe, Germany
I’ll give brief notes/impressions about various ones.
The 85 VC had some lovely secondary characteristics coming through on the nose, with crushed apple, pear and hints of cider and oxidative notes. The 88 was silky smooth, with caramel, banana and pineapple through the palate. Are these Chardonnay dominant? As they exhibited to me very chardonnay type aged characteristics.
The 78 Chapoutier White Hermitage aka Marsanne, started off with some VA, this had nuances of butterscotch and caramel, the palate was very silky, almost oily. There was some mustiness and the acid and alcohol also came through on the palate was a great match for the food.
The 87 Weins-Prum GK Spat, started off with fly spray on the nose which blew off after a while, it was very tart and acidic, with lemon sherbet and Robinsons Lemon Barley coming through after letting it sit in the glass for about 30mins. This will live forever, not sure if the fruit will keep up thought.
The 45 Auslese was beautiful, with mandarin, burnt caramel, pith with it moving to toffee and iced coffee after sitting on it for about 2 hours, wonderful balance of structure and fruit. Brilliant.
We then moved to the reds, the 47 Bichot was a bit past it in my opinion, it still had some interest but I found the portiness, coffee bean characteristics a bit out of whack to the 69 Leroy in the same flight which was drinking really well. Hints of strawberry and cream, lots of acid and floral notes, hints of tea – almost green tea like with its tannic structure. Wonderful drink.
The 64 Chapoutier Hermitage, still had great structure, it was soft and ethereal, people were describing it as delicate almost pretty. This is the Aubrey Hepburn of wines. It then started to develop a lovely smokiness, wood and tobacco characteristics. We’re not worthy.
The 79 Chapoutier, had some brett on the nose (surprise, surprise), with lovely red fruits underneath. Someone sat on their one for an hour or so, it was like a phoenix rising, it slowly opened up to these wonderful complex jammy notes of blackcurrant just wafting out of the glass.
28 Lafite, massive wine, hugely tannic after 80 years, lots of blackcurrant, leather, coffee bean. I’m not sure what amazes me the most – that ostensibly it still has life in it even today (I’m talking lick the inside of your mouth coating tannins) or that it still exhibits fruit to try and overcome the tannins. You can see it’s age by the bricking around the edges but it still appears remarkably youthful. As I left it in the glass it moved to more Xmas Cake characteristics of cherry brandy and wood/cedar notes.
The 64 Cheval Blanc was probably WOTN for me. A massive wine, huge structure, cherry, marzipan. great length, dare I say Petrus like. The balance of the wine is off the charts, it just has the most remarkable melding of tannins, acid and fruit on a 50 year old wine. Had I not known what it was I wouldn’t have said it was more than 20 years old. Certainly up there with 66 Grange as my favourite ever wine. Brilliant.
The 59 Huet was showing nutty, honeysuckle and a wonderful freshness of tangerine, acid and zest and great foil to the heavy French wines and a great match to the dessert.
The 69 EBA was a strange one for me. Having had some 53 EBA’s I was expecting similar things with the volume turned down a bit. If anything I thought the 45 Auslese was streets ahead of this. It still had heaps of acid, orange marmalade with lots of length. Masterful balance on the wine will ensure it will no doubt live for another 40 years no problems. It was just missing that wow factor after all the fantastic wines preceding it. On its own I’d have probably raved about it.
All in all a great night of wine and food.
First up on the food/restaurant, Arras was once again spot on with the variety and matching of the food and impeccable with the service. It was just one of those evenings where everything ‘just happened’ there was no looking for waiter/sommelier for top-ups for water, bread, questions, new cutlery, it was unobtrusive yet attentive at all times. The food was very interesting and if anything I think there was too much of it! I was really struggling and had to start utilising the Dessert Stomach reserves we all have.
(Cam will post some pics no doubt) The Raw and Cooked salad/vegetable plate at the start of the night was a perfect counterpoint for the Raw and Cooked Dessert plate and executed brilliantly with a real hunter and gatherer type fishing around of all the different components on the plate, who said eating couldn’t have a fun element. From Skate to Salmon, to duck, venison and lamb to name a few courses all had their own strengths. And of course the Willy Wonka factory-like Petit Fours at the end of the night is always a great finisher as we wound the night down. We started eating at 7pm and didn’t finish much before 1am. So a big well done from me to the restaurant staff and kitchen. :clap: Also thanks to the company of the others really enjoyed the banter as always, always makes it much more enjoyable with people with experience and knowledge in the wines/styles etc.
The final line up of wines on the night were as follows…
1985 Veuve Clicquot, Rare Vintage, Rose, Champagne, France
1988 Veuve Clicquot, Rare Vintage, Brut, Champagne, France
1978 M Chapoutier, Chante-Allouette, Hermitage, France
1978 Cantine Conte Zandotti, Frascati DOC Superiore, Tenimento San Paolo, Italy
1987 Dr.F.Weins-Prüm, Erdener Pralat, Gold Kapsel, Spatlese, MSR, Germany
1945 Furst Von Mettinich, Schloss Johannisberg, Rosalack, Auslese, Rheingau, Germany
1947 Albert Bichot, Hospices de Beaune, Beaune Cuvee Estienne, France
1969 Leroy, Avenay, AC, France
1964 M.Chapoutier, Hermitage, France
1979 M.Chapoutier, Cuvee de Bellerouche, Cotes Du Rhone, France
1928 Chateau Lafite Rothschild, Premier Cru, Pauillac, France
1964 Chateau Cheval Blanc, Premier Cru, St Emillion, France
1959 S A Huet, Le Haut Lieu, Vouvray Moelleux, Loire Valley, France
1969 Schlossgut Diel, Dorsheimer Goldloch, Edelbeerenauslese Cabinet, Nahe, Germany
I’ll give brief notes/impressions about various ones.
The 85 VC had some lovely secondary characteristics coming through on the nose, with crushed apple, pear and hints of cider and oxidative notes. The 88 was silky smooth, with caramel, banana and pineapple through the palate. Are these Chardonnay dominant? As they exhibited to me very chardonnay type aged characteristics.
The 78 Chapoutier White Hermitage aka Marsanne, started off with some VA, this had nuances of butterscotch and caramel, the palate was very silky, almost oily. There was some mustiness and the acid and alcohol also came through on the palate was a great match for the food.
The 87 Weins-Prum GK Spat, started off with fly spray on the nose which blew off after a while, it was very tart and acidic, with lemon sherbet and Robinsons Lemon Barley coming through after letting it sit in the glass for about 30mins. This will live forever, not sure if the fruit will keep up thought.
The 45 Auslese was beautiful, with mandarin, burnt caramel, pith with it moving to toffee and iced coffee after sitting on it for about 2 hours, wonderful balance of structure and fruit. Brilliant.
We then moved to the reds, the 47 Bichot was a bit past it in my opinion, it still had some interest but I found the portiness, coffee bean characteristics a bit out of whack to the 69 Leroy in the same flight which was drinking really well. Hints of strawberry and cream, lots of acid and floral notes, hints of tea – almost green tea like with its tannic structure. Wonderful drink.
The 64 Chapoutier Hermitage, still had great structure, it was soft and ethereal, people were describing it as delicate almost pretty. This is the Aubrey Hepburn of wines. It then started to develop a lovely smokiness, wood and tobacco characteristics. We’re not worthy.
The 79 Chapoutier, had some brett on the nose (surprise, surprise), with lovely red fruits underneath. Someone sat on their one for an hour or so, it was like a phoenix rising, it slowly opened up to these wonderful complex jammy notes of blackcurrant just wafting out of the glass.
28 Lafite, massive wine, hugely tannic after 80 years, lots of blackcurrant, leather, coffee bean. I’m not sure what amazes me the most – that ostensibly it still has life in it even today (I’m talking lick the inside of your mouth coating tannins) or that it still exhibits fruit to try and overcome the tannins. You can see it’s age by the bricking around the edges but it still appears remarkably youthful. As I left it in the glass it moved to more Xmas Cake characteristics of cherry brandy and wood/cedar notes.
The 64 Cheval Blanc was probably WOTN for me. A massive wine, huge structure, cherry, marzipan. great length, dare I say Petrus like. The balance of the wine is off the charts, it just has the most remarkable melding of tannins, acid and fruit on a 50 year old wine. Had I not known what it was I wouldn’t have said it was more than 20 years old. Certainly up there with 66 Grange as my favourite ever wine. Brilliant.
The 59 Huet was showing nutty, honeysuckle and a wonderful freshness of tangerine, acid and zest and great foil to the heavy French wines and a great match to the dessert.
The 69 EBA was a strange one for me. Having had some 53 EBA’s I was expecting similar things with the volume turned down a bit. If anything I thought the 45 Auslese was streets ahead of this. It still had heaps of acid, orange marmalade with lots of length. Masterful balance on the wine will ensure it will no doubt live for another 40 years no problems. It was just missing that wow factor after all the fantastic wines preceding it. On its own I’d have probably raved about it.
All in all a great night of wine and food.
Damn you to hell.