Solihull Fine Wine Society 25th Anniversary Dinner
Who would have guessed that 25 years ago, some impoverished doctors, would set up a wine club, and that club would still be flourishing today. Last night, a rather splendid bash and some wonderful wines.
Not blind. Bollinger 1990, deep straw, a good mousse, a forward nose of wet cardboard and Roses chocolates, soft and long, not as good as the 90 Dom.
Salmon and Monkfish Terrine Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Les Chaumees, Colin Deleger, 1998, up front buttery Montrachet, smokey but simple. Fat entry, apples, long, but died after an hour. Batard Montrachet, Grand Cru, Remoissenet, 1989, bright and viscous straw, a wonderful nutty nose, fat complex and long, needed half an hour to open up, and needed the fish to balance its weight.
Seared Foie Gras Yquem, 1947. Bought by Jeremy for 37/6 in 1954, his last bottle. Orange and bright, worry, worry, has it died, no way. This was a lifetime wine. Old sauterne nose of sweet shops and barley sugar. Like drinking syrup, BUT still acidity to balance the sugar, so long. It was still wonderful four hours later, now a scent honey and smoked salmon! and my empty glass this morning sung its praises. Class shows.
Fillets of Venison, in a red wine sauce scented with walnuts. Palmer 1989. Portlike with no hint of age, bright, typical vegetal Margaux nose, pencils, perfume and armpits, big tannins still, chewy, spice and long. Long life ahead. Reminds me of 89 Latour.
Cheese. Pichon Longueville Lalande 1982, a harder version of the Palmer, no brown, extract +, Old cigar box and spice. Rather austere entry with puckering tannins, but fruit and spice, long, opens up and softens. Will live for sometime. Margaux, 1982, stunning and bright, huge legs. Soft perfumed vegetal nose, then bang, huge tannins still, perfumed spice and fruit, still closed in after 22 years. Views on maturity were mixed, this was a man's claret, more Pauillac then Margaux. Some thought it would not improve????
Tarte Amandine and a Honey and Fig semi-freddo. Riussec 1983, typical orange Riussec, not as dark as the Yquem, pungent botrytis nose and good balancing acidity, long. Again took an hour to open up. Riussec 1976, we have drunk this on many occasions and have wondered how long it would keep. Identical colour to the Yquem, very bright, nose now restrained and some bitterness amongst the sweetness, is it starting on the slippy slope. I have one bottle left.
Stilton Fonseca 1970, dark broody wine, bright. Raw alcohol nose with sweet perfume, very closed. Raw on palate with hidden complex fruit.....too young? Taylors 1955, very pale, almost Burgundian robe, that ethereal old port nose of antique leather and old books. Soft entry and all in balance, wonderful and long.
So there, another 25 years, if we last that long, bring on the Zimmers.
To me, the wines of the night were the Yquem, then the Taylors and the Palmer 89
Slurp