The 226th Wine-Dinners Dinner is held at the Exceptional Cellar of the Hotel de Crillon. It is a large room whose walls are windows where the greatest wines are exposed, with a brightness that does not harm their conservation. During the dinner at the Kaviari factory I had wanted to explore the marriage between old spirits and champagnes on caviar dishes. In this dinner, at two moments, we will explore the cohabitation of very old sauternes with rather sweet champagnes on dishes. It is with the chef Christopher Hache that I want to do it because I have the memory of nice dinners that we made before the renovation of the hotel de Crillon.
During a lunch at the hotel’s brasserie we had developed the menu with Christopher and his team including Pablo the pastry chef. All the logistical aspects were developed with the director of the restoration and I was able to measure to what extent all the teams of kitchen, table service and sommellerie are involved. It’s nice to feel such a motivation.
I had delivered my wines almost a week ago and they were set up the day before by Xavier, the excellent sommelier who will follow us all night with Elise, sommelier. Gautier, will manage the service and will be accompanied by Manon. And the chef will come several times to cover our plates with delicious sauces.
At 16:30 I am hard at work to open the bottles. I had brought two bottles of Yquem 1918 to be able to choose at the last moment the one that would be suitable, the lower one having a more sympathetic color. I opened the lowest and the perfection of its rich and flawless perfume reassured me. The 1955 Cheval Blanc perfume is extremely pure and the cork is beautiful.
Due to a tightening at the top of the neck, the cork of La Tâche 1959, very healthy, comes in several pieces. Its promising but still closed odor indicates that aeration will do him good. The cork of Vega Sicilia Unico 1959 comes in many crumbs because the top of the neck tightened and sharp, forbidden to go up the whole. The 1894 Yquem is the only bottle that does not have its original cap. It is marked on the new stopper that reconditioning dates from 1989 but I cannot believe, while it is written, that this cap is so young, because it is blackened in places and splits like old plugs. This is an enigma. The perfume of wine is magic of complexity. The Yquem 2001 opened just after, the darling of victory since he has won all the best ratings since birth, has a fragrance that seems discreet alongside the 1894 which is paradoxical. The wax of the 1869 Cyprus bottle is so thick that I would need a jackhammer to remove it. The scents at the opening are very smoked, even old cabinet. We feel that after aeration it will be big. The most beautiful smell, by far, is that of Rhum 1864, olfactory bomb combining power and incredible sweetness.
While I open the bottles a dialogue is formed with the cooks who prepare the dishes. I will taste sauces, I suggest some attenuations and when we talk about the avocado that would accompany the poached foie gras, I would tend to want to forget it, but Christopher Hache who will join us later, will convince me to keep it.
After the wines are opened and at 18:15, I open the first champagnes. The magnum of Krug Grande Cuvée has a blackened cap that breaks when I turn the top. I get the bottom with the tirebouchon. The perfume is promising and as the format is a magnum, I allow myself to taste this Krug which is divine. Xavier enjoys my glass. He is delighted. The 1962 Krug Collection will need air to flourish and the 1978 Veuve Clicquot Rosé is so powerful, with an explosive bubble that Xavier makes a suggestion that I immediately approve: instead of putting this rosé on the lobster, it would be worth better put it on the pigeon, because there will be no fight with la Tâche and the Spanish wine.

Everything seems on track, I will not need the two spare bottles that I brought. I can change and wait for the guests. We will be twelve, including a woman. The eleven guests all know each other professionally and nine of them have already participated in dinners, the tenth attended a session of the academy of old wines and the eleventh is the only « rookie ».
The aperitif is taken upright. Appetizers are: Quejo Pan & Quail Egg – Tamarind / Gaspacho Sphere / Frog Gyosa. The Magnum Champagne Krug Private Cuvée from the 60ies is rather from the 50ies when we take into consideration the cork and taste. The bottle is beautiful and of great rarity. The champagne is a little amber. In the mouth it plunges all of us into the world of ancient wines because there is no resemblance to current champagnes. It is powerful, sweet, round and offers both red fruits and salt. It has no bubble but a beautiful sparkling, it is very gastronomic and goes very well with the varied tastes of finger foods, the most beautiful agreement being with small tomatoes reconstituted that we bite at once.
We sit down to table. The menu composed by Christopher Hache is: pie – vegetables / shell – coriander / blue lobster – bisque / chicken – broth / pikeperch – meat sauce / pigeon – stuffing au gratin / poached foie gras – avocado / stilton / grapefruit – mango / financial / chocolate – declination.
The Yquem Y 1960 is a beautiful clear gold. The nose is very close to that of a Yquem and in the mouth, while it is a dry wine, this wine of Graves has a lot of kinship with Yquem. It looks more like a light Yquem than a dry wine. It is delicious, round and full but the agreement probably a little too conventional that I proposed with the pie will deprive it of votes at the end of the meal which is unfair because it is a wine of great pleasure.
The soup of shells coriander is accompanied by the Château d’Yquem 1918 because I remembered a successful marriage with a shell soup and Yquem. I probably did not explain enough, I do not know, but even if the agreement was found, it should have avoided coriander and make a broth rather than a cream. We will have to redo the test.
The Château d’Yquem 1918 will now coexist with the Champagne Krug Collection 1962 on the wonderful lobster. The very rare Champagne is completely different from the Krug Private Cuvée of the aperitif. The 1962 is sharp and of great depth. It is an intense and educated champagne. He inspires respect. The 1918 Yquem is of rare elegance. She is a very feminine Yquem who walks around twirling her crinolines and vertugadins. The demonstration is made that a great noble champagne can cohabit with an elegant Sauternes. What is impressive is that the trace of the Yquem in the mouth never ends and never goes out.
And this is where the absolute weapon appears, advised by Alexandre de Lur Saluces, chicken broth, served in a cup, which recalibrates the palate and makes it ready to face the reds. It’s really effective.
We will all be touched by lightning, as the agreement that arrives is out of the ordinary. The Château Cheval Blanc Heirs Fourcaud-Laussac 1955 merges with the zander (pikeperch) in a symbiosis unheard. It is undoubtedly the incredible perfection of the agreement that will propel this wine in first place in the final ranking. The grain of the wine is heavy, truffled like the most beautiful bordeaux of the right bank. I would put this wine on top of the recent Cheval Blanc 1947 that I had the opportunity to drink. This wine is glorious, balanced, rich and full of serenity.
On the pigeon, we will taste three wines because to the two red wines I added the champagne that should have been served on the lobster and that Xavier and I decided to move. La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959 had at the opening a fragrance that required aeration but promised. He is now subtly Burgundian. It has the beautiful bitterness of the wines of the Romanée Conti estate. He may be a little shy next to Spanish wine. The supreme pigeon showcase it.

Champagne Veuve Clicquot Cave Privée rosé 1978 is a bubble bomb after the previous champagnes that had almost no. It is adapted to the pigeon and finds its place without quarreling of borders with the two reds. It is large and long trace in the mouth, in pink tones that suggest the blood of the pigeon. It is very gastronomic.

The Vega Sicilia Unico 1959 is the quiet strength. His nose was strikingly balanced at the opening. He still is. It’s a Frank Sinatra. Despite his ease he has a rare power that allows him to be most suited to pigeon paw and especially the succulent stuffing. It looks like this « farce » was designed for the Spanish wine.

We will now explore the second challenge of combining an old Yquem with sweet champagnes on the same dish. I put two bottles of Cordon Vert CH.Mumm & Co 1930, one almost full and the other half only. We start with the most evaporated which is an incredible surprise because the champagne is lively, precise, measured sugar, the sweet is elegant. And I’m going to suggest something that I never do, the fuller bottle will be served in the same glass. It turns out that it works and this champagne delights me as it is precise and lively. We would not have given three cents to these tired, torn and stained bottles, but in the glass it’s a marvel.

Beside, the Champagne Moët & Chandon « Mousseux » from the 1930ies that I would rather see from the 50ies is a little clumsy, heavy sugar. It is interesting but the Cordon Vert is much more lively. The Sparkling wine »Mousseux » is not lacking in interest because the sublime poached foie gras enhances it.

Christopher Hache was right to have me keep in the recipe the burnt avocado, sweet as a candy, because it marries wonderfully with the Château d’Yquem 1894 absolutely glorious. This wine has incredible power. While I’m not a foolish lover of reconditioned wines, this Yquem rebouched in 1989 is a perfection and an incredible richness and poached liver enhances it. Complexity, aromatic richness, length and power make it an immense wine that will be the first of my vote.

What is paradoxical is that the Château d’Yquem 2001, a magnificent expression of a Yquem young and one of the greatest in history is almost « pale » next to the former 107 years his eldest. The agreements with stilton then with grapefruit and mango work fully with the 2001.

The Cyprus Wine 1869 is strange because it has smoky accents, but under this envelope it reveals beautiful spices and a beautiful pepper. It is a confusing but charming wine, very interesting for its taste that has nothing comparable. The very successful financiers suit him exactly.

We are twelve to vote for the five favorite among 13 wines since Rhum is not part of the vote. 12 wines out of 13 had votes which makes me extremely happy. Six wines had the honor of being named first. The Yquem 1894 and the 2001 Yquem each had three first votes, L’Yquem 1918 and Cheval Blanc 1955 each had two first votes. La Tâche 1959 and Vega 1959 each had a first vote. The Cheval Blanc who has been on eleven voting sheets with two first and five second votes is the winner of this evening.

The vote of the consensus is: 1 – Château Cheval Blanc Fourcaud-Laussac Heirs 1955, 2 – Vega Sicilia Unico 1959, 3 – Yquem Castle 1894, 4 – La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959, 5 – Château d’Yquem 2001 , 6 – Yquem Castle 1918.

My vote is: 1 – Château d’Yquem 1894, 2 – Château Cheval Blanc Fourcaud-Laussac Heirs 1955, 3 – Vega Sicilia Unico 1959, 4 – La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959, 5 – Champagne Krug Collection 1962.

The most beautiful chords are pike-perch and Cheval Blanc then stuffing the pigeon « farce » with the Vega Sicilia Unico.

We take a seat in the courtyard of the hotel. I brought cigars over thirty years old, from the time I smoked. Xavier had put the cigars to hydrate in the cigar cellar of the hotel. For the first time in 27 years I smoked a Cohiba while drinking a Rhum of Saint Martin 1864 absolutely exceptional presence and sweetness, stubborn perfection.

In a friendly and cheerful atmosphere, with an attentive and motivated service, on a kitchen of a talented chef and also motivated, we lived a dinner of very great wines. I wanted to try old Yquem with champagnes on two courses. The experiment succeeded. Off to new adventures.

(pictures are in the article in French. See below)

Le 226^ème dîner de wine-dinners se tient à la Cave d’Exception de l’Hôtel de Crillon. Il s’agit d’une grande salle dont les murs sont des vitrines où les plus grands crus sont exposés, avec une luminosité qui ne nuit pas à leur conservation. Lors du dîner à la manufacture Kaviari j’avais voulu explorer le mariage entre de vieux alcools et des champagnes sur des plats au caviar. Dans ce dîner, à deux moments, nous allons explorer la cohabitation de très vieux sauternes avec des champagnes plutôt doux sur des plats. C’est avec le chef Christopher Hache que j’ai envie de le faire car j’ai le souvenir de beaux dîners que nous avons faits avant la rénovation de l’hôtel de Crillon.

Lors d’un déjeuner à la Brasserie de l’hôtel nous avions mis au point le menu avec Christopher et des personnes de son équipe dont Pablo le pâtissier. Tous les aspects logistiques ont été mis au point avec la directrice de la restauration et j’ai pu mesurer à quel point toutes les équipes de cuisine, de salle et de sommellerie sont impliquées. Ça fait plaisir de sentir une telle motivation.

J’avais livré mes vins il y a près d’une semaine et ils ont été mis à la verticale la veille par Xavier, l’excellent sommelier qui va nous suivre toute la soirée avec Elise, sommelière. Gautier, prenant en charge le service de salle sera accompagné de Manon. Et le chef plusieurs fois viendra napper lui-même nos assiettes.

A 16h30 je suis à pied d’œuvre pour ouvrir les bouteilles. J’avais apporté deux bouteilles d’Yquem 1918 pour pouvoir choisir au dernier moment celle qui conviendrait, la plus basse ayant une couleur plus sympathique. J’ai ouvert la plus basse et la perfection de son parfum riche et sans défaut m’a rassuré. Le parfum du Cheval Blanc 1955 est d’une pureté extrême et le bouchon est beau.

Du fait d’un resserrement en haut du goulot, le bouchon de La Tâche 1959, très sain, vient en plusieurs morceaux. Son odeur prometteuse mais encore fermée indique que l’aération lui fera du bien. Le bouchon du Vega Sicilia Unico 1959 vient en miettes nombreuses car le haut du col resserré et tranchant, interdit de le remonter entier. L’Yquem 1894 est la seule bouteille qui n’a pas son bouchon d’origine. Il est marqué sur le nouveau bouchon que le reconditionnement date de 1989 mais je n’arrive pas à croire, alors que c’est écrit, que ce bouchon soit aussi jeune, car il est noirci par endroits et se fend comme de vieux bouchons. Voilà une énigme. Le parfum du vin est magique de complexité. L’Yquem 2001 ouvert juste après, l’enfant chéri de la victoire puisqu’il a raflé toutes les meilleures notes depuis sa naissance, a un parfum qui paraît discret à côté du 1894 ce qui est paradoxal. La cire de la bouteille de Chypre 1869 est tellement épaisse qu’il me faudrait un marteau-piqueur pour l’enlever. Les senteurs à l’ouverture sont très fumées, voire de vieille armoire. On ressent qu’après aération il sera grand. La plus belle odeur, et de loin, est celle du Rhum de 1864, bombe olfactive combinant puissance et une douceur incroyable.

Pendant que j’ouvre les bouteilles un dialogue se noue avec les cuisiniers qui préparent les plats. On me fait goûter les sauces, je suggère des atténuations et lorsque nous parlons de l’avocat qui accompagnerait le foie gras poché, j’aurais tendance à vouloir l’oublier, mais Christopher Hache qui nous rejoindra plus tard, me convaincra de le garder.

Après les vins et dès 18h15, j’ouvre les premiers champagnes. Le magnum de Krug Grande Cuvée a un bouchon noirci qui se brise quand on tourne le haut. Je récupère le bas au tirebouchon. Le parfum est prometteur et comme le format est un magnum, je m’autorise à goûter ce Krug qui est divin. Xavier profite de mon verre. Il est enchanté. Le Krug Collection 1962 aura besoin d’air pour s’épanouir et le Veuve Clicquot rosé 1978 est si puissant, avec une bulle explosive que Xavier fait une suggestion que j’approuve immédiatement : au lieu de mettre ce rosé sur le homard, il vaudrait mieux le mettre sur le pigeon, car il n’y aura pas de lutte avec La Tâche et le vin espagnol.

Tout me paraît sur de bons rails, je n’aurai pas besoin des deux bouteilles de réserve que j’ai apportées. Je peux me changer et attendre les convives. Nous serons douze dont une femme. Les onze convives se connaissent tous professionnellement et neuf d’entre eux ont déjà participé à des dîners, le dixième a assisté à une séance de l’académie des vins anciens et le onzième est le seul « rookie ».

L’apéritif est pris debout. Les amuse-bouches sont : Pan de Quejo & oeuf de caille – tamarin / sphère gaspacho / Gyosa de grenouille. Le Magnum Champagne Krug Private Cuvée années 60 est plutôt années 50 quand on prend en considération le bouchon et le goût. La bouteille est magnifique et d’une grande rareté. Le champagne est un peu ambré. En bouche il plonge chacun d’entre nous dans le monde des vins anciens car il n’y a aucune ressemblance avec des champagnes actuels. Il est puissant rond et offre tout à la fois des fruits rouges et du sel. Il n’a pas de bulle mais un beau pétillant, il est très gastronomique et se marie très bien avec les goûts variés des amuse-bouches, le plus bel accord étant avec des petites tomates reconstituées que l’on croque en une fois.

Nous passons à table. Le menu composé par Christopher Hache est : pâté en croûte – légumes / coque – coriandre / homard bleu – bisque / poule – bouillon / sandre – jus de viande / pigeon – farce à gratin / foie gras poché – avocat / stilton / pamplemousse – mangue / financiers / chocolat – déclinaison.

L’Y d’Yquem 1960 est d’un bel or clair. Le nez est très proche de celui d’un Yquem et en bouche, alors qu’il s’agit d’un vin sec, ce vin de Graves a beaucoup de parenté avec Yquem. On dirait plus un Yquem léger qu’un vin sec. Il est délicieux, rond et plein mais l’accord sans doute un peu trop conventionnel que j’avais proposé le privera de votes en fin de repas ce qui est injuste car c’est un vin de grand plaisir.

La soupe de coques à la coriandre est accompagnée par le Château d’Yquem 1918 car j’avais le souvenir d’un mariage réussi avec une soupe de coques et Yquem. Me suis-je mal exprimé, je ne sais pas mais même si l’accord s’est trouvé, il aurait fallu éviter la coriandre et faire un bouillon plutôt qu’une crème. Il faudra refaire l’essai.

Le Château d’Yquem 1918 va maintenant cohabiter avec le Champagne Krug Collection 1962 sur le merveilleux homard. Le Champagne très rare est complétement différent du Krug Private Cuvée de l’apéritif. Le 1962 est vif et d’une grande profondeur. C’est un champagne intense et docte. Il inspire le respect. L’Yquem 1918 est d’une rare élégance. C’est un Yquem très féminin qui se promène en faisant virevolter ses crinolines et ses vertugadins. La démonstration est faite qu’un grand champagne noble peut cohabiter avec un élégant sauternes. Ce qui est impressionnant c’est que la trace de l’Yquem en bouche ne s’éteint jamais.

Et c’est là qu’apparaît l’arme absolue, que m’avait conseillée Alexandre de Lur Saluces, le bouillon de poule, servi dans une tasse, qui recalibre le palais et le rend prêt à affronter les rouges. C’est vraiment efficace.

Nous allons tous être touchés comme par la foudre, tant l’accord qui arrive est hors du commun. Le Château Cheval Blanc Héritiers Fourcaud–Laussac 1955 se confond avec le sandre dans une symbiose inouïe. C’est sans doute l’invraisemblable perfection de l’accord qui propulsera ce vin en première place du classement final. Le grain du vin est lourd, truffé comme les plus beaux bordeaux de la rive droite. Je mettrais ce vin au-dessus des récents Cheval Blanc 1947 que j’ai eu l’occasion de boire. Ce vin est glorieux, équilibré, riche et de totale sérénité.

Sur le pigeon, nous allons goûter trois vins car aux deux vins rouges j’ai ajouté le champagne qui aurait dû être servi sur le homard et que Xavier et moi avons jugé opportun de déplacer. La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959 avait à l’ouverture un parfum qui demandait de l’aération mais promettait. Il est maintenant subtilement bourguignon. Il a les belles amertumes des vins du domaine de la Romanée Conti. Il est peut-être un peu timide à côté du vin espagnol. Les suprêmes de pigeon le mettent en valeur.

Le Champagne Veuve Clicquot Cave Privée rosé 1978 est une bombe de bulle après les champagnes précédents qui n’en avaient quasiment pas. Il est adapté au pigeon et trouve sa place sans querelle de frontières avec les deux rouges. Il est grand et de longue trace en bouche, dans des tons rosés qui suggèrent le sang du pigeon. Il est très gastronomique.

Le Vega Sicilia Unico 1959 c’est la force tranquille. Son nez était d’un équilibre saisissant à l’ouverture. Il l’est toujours. C’est un Frank Sinatra. Malgré son aisance il a une puissance rare qui lui permet d’être le plus adapté à la patte de pigeon et surtout à la succulente farce. On dirait que cette farce a été conçue pour l’espagnol.

Nous allons maintenant explorer le deuxième challenge qui est d’associer un vieil Yquem avec des champagnes doucereux sur un même plat. J’ai mis deux bouteilles de Champagne Cordon Vert CH.Mumm & Co années 1930, une quasiment pleine et l’autre à moitié seulement. Nous commençons par la plus évaporée qui est une incroyable surprise car le champagne est vif, précis, au sucre mesuré, le doucereux étant élégant. Et je vais suggérer une chose que je ne fais jamais, la bouteille plus pleine sera servie dans le même verre. Il se trouve que ça marche et ce champagne me ravit tant il est précis et vif. On n’aurait pas donné trois sous à ces bouteilles fatiguées, déchirées et tachées, mais dans le verre c’est une merveille.

A côté, le Champagne Moët & Chandon « Mousseux » années 1930 que je verrais plutôt des années 50 fait un peu pataud, au sucre lourd. Il est intéressant mais le Cordon vert est beaucoup plus vif. Le Mousseux ne manque pas d’intérêt car le sublime foie gras poché le met en valeur.

Christopher Hache a bien eu raison de me faire garder dans la recette l’avocat brûlé, doux comme un bonbon, car il se marie à merveille avec le Château d’Yquem 1894 absolument glorieux. Ce vin a une puissance incroyable. Alors que je ne suis pas un amoureux transi des vins reconditionnés, cet Yquem rebouché en 1989 est d’une perfection et d’une richesse incroyable et le foie poché le met en valeur. Complexité, richesse aromatique, longueur et puissance en font un vin immense qui sera premier de mon vote.

Ce qui est paradoxal c’est que le Château d’Yquem 2001, magnifique expression d’un Yquem jeune et l’un des plus grands de l’histoire fait presque « pâlot » à côté de l’ancien de 107 ans son aîné. Les accords avec le stilton puis avec pamplemousse et mangue fonctionnent pleinement avec le 2001.

Le Vin de Chypre 1869 est étrange car il a des accents fumés, mais sous cette enveloppe il révèle de belles épices et un beau poivre. C’est un vin déroutant mais charmeur, très intéressant par son goût qui n’a rien de comparable. Les financiers très réussis lui conviennent exactement.

Nous sommes douze à voter pour les cinq préférés des 13 vins puisque le rhum ne fait pas partie du vote. 12 vins sur 13 ont eu des votes ce qui me fait extrêmement plaisir. Six vins ont eu l’honneur d’être nommés premiers. L’Yquem 1894 et l’Yquem 2001 ont eu chacun trois votes de premier, L’Yquem 1918 et le Cheval Blanc 1955 ont eu chacun deux votes de premier. La Tâche 1959 et le Vega 1959 ont eu chacun un vote de premier. Le Cheval Blanc ayant figuré sur onze feuilles de vote avec deux votes de premier et cinq votes de second est le vainqueur de cette soirée.

Le vote du consensus est : 1 – Château Cheval Blanc Héritiers Fourcaud–Laussac 1955, 2 – Vega Sicilia Unico 1959, 3 – Château d’Yquem 1894, 4 – La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959, 5 – Château d’Yquem 2001, 6 – Château d’Yquem 1918

Mon vote est : 1 – Château d’Yquem 1894, 2 – Château Cheval Blanc Héritiers Fourcaud–Laussac 1955, 3 – Vega Sicilia Unico 1959, 4 – La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959, 5 – Champagne Krug Collection 1962.

Les plus beaux accords sont sandre et Cheval Blanc puis farce du pigeon avec le Vega Sicilia Unico.

Nous montons prendre place dans la cour intérieure de l’hôtel. J’ai apporté des cigares de plus de trente ans, de l’époque où je fumais. Xavier avait mis les cigares à hydrater dans la cave de cigares de l’hôtel. Pour la première fois depuis 27 ans j’ai fumé un Cohiba tout en buvant un Rhum de Saint Martin 1864 absolument exceptionnel de présence et de douceur, entêtant de perfection.

Dans une ambiance amicale et enjouée, avec un service attentif et motivé, sur une cuisine d’un chef talentueux et lui aussi motivé, nous avons vécu un dîner de très grands vins. Je voulais essayer de vieux Yquem avec des champagnes sur deux plats. L’expérience a réussi. En route pour de nouvelles aventures.

Magnum Champagne Krug Private Cuvée années 60

le bouchon s’est cassé, le bas extrait au tirebouchon

‘Y’ d’Yquem 1960

Champagne Krug Collection 1962

Champagne Veuve Clicquot Cave Privée rosé 1978

Château d’Yquem 1918 – j’ai prévu deux bouteilles pour le cas où il y aurait un problème

rapprochement des bouchons de l’Y 1960 et de l’Yquem 1918

Château Cheval Blanc Héritiers Fourcaud -Laussac 1955

La Tâche Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1959

Vega Sicilia Unico 1959

Champagne Moët & Chandon « Mousseux » années 1930

Champagne Cordon Vert CH.Mumm & Co années 1930 (j’ai mis deux bouteilles)

Château d’Yquem 1894

Château d’Yquem 2001

Vin de Chypre 1869

Rhum de Saint Martin 1864

les vins dans la cave, sans le Veuve Clicquot rosé

les vins dans la cave d’exception

les bouchons avec de gauche à droite et de haut en bas : Y 60, Yquem 18 / Cheval Blanc 55, La Tâche 59 / Vega 59 / Krug Private Cuvée // Rhum 1864 / Chypre 1869 / Yquem 1894, Yquem 01 / Veuve Clicquot 78 rosé / Krug Collection 1962

notre table

les plats (j’ai oublié le pigeon et le foie gras poché)

les verres en fin de repas

les votes des 12 participants de ce dîner

The 225th dinner of Wine-Dinners is held at Pages Restaurant. Given the smallness of the restaurant’s cellar, I deliver the wines on the day of the dinner, at 2 pm. Then chaining appointments, I find myself with a friend and a winemaker at the bistrot 116 Pages, drinking a Champagne Rosé Selosse disgorged in 2015. Arrived too cold, it is more cider than champagne and gradually it will flourish finally offering what should be Selosse rosé champagne, strong, impregnating and vivacious.

I am hard at work to open the bottles of dinner at 5 pm. An Englishman who will attend dinner tonight and recently attended the 30th session of the Academy of Ancient Wines is by my side to observe what I am doing. Even if some corks break in a few pieces, I do not have any major problems. Some perfumes are of stunning nobility, like Cyprus 1870, bomb of pepper and spices, the Fargues 1949 which has the majesty of very large Sauternes and the Petrus 1976, which is in the definition of the perfect Petrus. I said before opening the wines to Lewis that what best represents my passion for wine is the Grand Chambertin 1929. When I open the bottle, the sensuality of the discreet but promising fragrance moves me. We will see later what it is at the time of the votes. The white Haut-Brion 1990 has a rather discreet nose compared to what I expected. The only uncertainty is the Rausan-Ségla 1934 which could have a hint of cork. We will see.

We are ten, three of whom are new, with an overwhelming male majority against my will. The only woman registered phoned an hour before the meal to announce to the restaurant that she could not come because of a robbery she had just suffered. I almost got her to come anyway, but after saying yes she said no. She was replaced at short notice by a young American student at Le Cordon Bleu School whose director is at our table. There is an American, an English, a Belgian, a Lyonnais and six Parisians around the table.

The menu was developed with Chef Teshi and his team a few days ago and my suggestions were accepted. It is on the realization that the dinner was prodigious. The appetizers are: ceviché of ‘lieu jaune’ / iced carrot / chervil tuber / parmesan and beetroot.

The menu is: Royal sea bream carpaccio, caviar Daurenki, lemon caviar / ‘pouces-pieds’, mayonnaise with parsley and garlic / abalone, risotto, sea lettuce / red mullet, red wine sauce / lobster blue breton, sauce civet / veal sweetbreads, chanterelles / pigeon from Vendée, salmis, artichoke with barigoule, cherry / stilton / mangoes, fresh / financial almonds.

It’s warm weather so it is nice to have an aperitif on the sidewalk, Naoko, Teshi’s wife, coming to bring us appetizers. Champagne Dom Pérignon Magnum 1992 when served is a bit imprecise and short, as if he had a tiny trace of cork. But in fact it snorts, warms quickly because it is very warm in Paris and the champagne takes off and really looks like a beautiful Dom Pérignon, long, with a well-controlled acidity and generous yellow fruit flavors. It’s especially the sweet ice cream carrot that expands the champagne.

We go to the table and on the sea bream carpaccio we drink Champagne Pol Roger 1959. Its color is beautiful light amber, the bubble is almost invisible but the sparkling is there. This champagne combines with happiness unparalleled sweetness with a rare energy. He is noble and conquering and the agreement is good. We did not all have the same proportion of lemon caviar. My plate had a lot and others little and lemon caviar in high doses fights against champagne. But overall this champagne is exciting and joyful.

Château Haut-Brion Blanc 1990 is a legendary wine. I expected a lot and I find a real lack of power. It remains big with the beautiful bitterness of the wines of Graves, but it is not flamboyant and the demonstration will be given by the white who will follow it. The ‘pouces-pieds’ are delicious, original and it’s not the mayonnaise that suits them best, but a delicate vinaigrette that excites the Haut-Brion.
What abalone, these abalone! A marvel of taste. So, the Corton Charlemagne Bouchard Father & Son 1959 is totally at ease, glorious, serene, the real crooner. It is for my taste the risotto that propels Burgundy to an exceptional level of emotion.
It’s one of my quirks to associate Pétrus with red mullet. This will be the case again. The nose of Pétrus Pomerol 1976 was magical at the opening. He is even more so. And this rich pomerol is heavy with truffles and charcoal. It is a glorious and distinguished Petrus. The mullet is beautifully cooked, its skin is a treat and the agreement shows once again its relevance. What a beautiful Petrus!
I made suggestions for lobster and did not expect that they would be followed with such talent. I said that I much prefer the lobster body to the claws and now there is the body alone, without the slightest flourish, placed on a heavy sauce. And we are going to live one of those rare moments that I cherish: Château Rauzan-Ségla Margaux 1934 ‘is‘ the sauce of lobster, like lobster sauce ‘is‘ Margaux 1934. The continuity of taste is total. And the wine, for which I dreaded a possible taste of cork, is glorious. It is balanced, serene like the Corton-Charlemagne and all this is due to the long period of aeration of the wine. Powerful wine has no age, it is timeless. I would never have imagined that this wine that was reconditionned probably forty years ago would reach such a new perfection.
The Grand Chambertin Grand Cru Sosthène de Grésigny 1929 is a wine of Jules Régnier, owner of the estate Sosthène de Grésigny. My heart belongs to him because it is in the line of my passion to look for curiosities which can be placed on a par with, even above much more capped wines. This wine is charm and subtlety. Everything is velvet in him. The nose has charm and the mouth is of a total sweetness. It is at once the odalisque of Ingres for mad seduction and d’Artagnan for persuasion. The perfect calf sweetbread is discreet, because on a stage, it is appropriate to be able to emphasize the first role, the star of the show. How this wine does stir my heart! I’m thrilled and Banana Republic votes will show that I was not the only one.
The pigeon is a marvel, the artichokes are sweets and the cherry is the touch of genius that will excite the Côte Rôtie The Landonne Guigal 1991. This wine is a lord, heavy but freshness minty. This is the most successful year for this Landonne and since we have just gone back 62 years since the Chambertin, all this seems an absolute natural. We are all dazzled by so much culinary perfection.
Château de Fargues 1949 is so brown that it is almost black. At the opening he had a perfume of incredible complexity. It still has it and this warm wine is madly complex in the mouth. The agreement with stilton fat is superb and while we have already eaten well, we would have wished more. Sauternes is also paired with a mango and fresh almond dessert that showcases other facets of wine with incredible charm.

The Porto Burmester 1920 had a discreet nose at the opening. The nose is a little more radiant and it is in the mouth that everything is played. This port is all in refinement. He is delicate despite his power. He surfs on the tongue to show his fluidity. The financiers accompany him with happiness. He has palpitations of rare elegance.

The financiers will also accompany the 1870 Cyprus Wine and there is no better tenet than these little pastries. Cyprus is a pepper bomb. While it is rich in spicy flavors, it can give the impression of being dry. But the most mesmerizing is that it takes us to territories of unknown flavors. We find ourselves lying on a beach next to vahinés wearing fragrant flowers that sing soft and enveloping melodies like their perfumes. I like this trip in another dimension.

It is time to vote and we all have stars that shine in our eyes as we lived a unique moment. Each of the ten participants must vote for five favorite wines out of the eleven of the meal and what fills me with joy is that the eleven wines appear in at least one vote. The Chambertin Grand Cru Sosthène de Grésigny 1929 has an insolent score that I think I never had at one of my dinners: nine first-in-ten votes. Never. The other wine that was voted first is the Petrus by a single voter.

The consensus vote would be: 1 – Chambertin Grand Cru Sosthenes Grésigny 1929, 2 – Pétrus Pomerol 1976, 3 – Château Rausan-Ségla Margaux 1934, 4 – Corton Charlemagne Castle Beaune Bouchard Father & Son 1959, 5 – Champagne Pol Roger 1959, 6 – Wine of Cyprus 1870.

My vote is: 1 – Chambertin Grand Cru Sosthenes Grésigny 1929, 2 – Wine of Cyprus 1870, 3 – Pomerol Pétrus 1976, 4 – Champagne Pol Roger 1959, 5 – Château de Fargues 1949.

All the guests who have already participated in my dinners say that we are at a higher level than anything they have known. It must be said that all agreements have worked through the simplification of the recipies, which does not hinder talent. The presence of pouce-pieds and abalone at dinner was a pleasure because it is not every day that we eat. The most beautiful agreement was the symbiosis of Rausan-Ségla 1934 with the lobster sauce, so beautiful in its simplicity, followed for me by the risotto with Corton-Charlemagne 1959. The cherry on La Landonne is a whim I love and financiers on Porto and Cyprus are a piece of happiness.

The attentive guests brilliantly animated this meal held most often in English so that Lewis could participate in the debates. I am still amazed at the absolute success of this beautiful meal.

(see pictures on the following article)