Had a remarkable lunch yesterday. It was hosted by Keith Prothero with guest of honour Bertus Basson, star South African restaurateur (Overture at Hidden Valley). It was held at Chez Bruce, and the combination of food, wine and company was just about perfect.
Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 1996 France
Intense yet fresh with high acidity (very typical of this vintage) and lovely savouriness.. Notes of truffle, toast, citrus and spice with some nuttiness. Really intense and toasty, yet so fine and nervy. Brilliant wine. 96/100
Wild sea trout rillettes with smoked eel, apple, beetroot and horseradish
Trimbach Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile 2001 Alsace, France
Beautifully delicate but full flavoured at the same time, this is the special anniversary bottling. Citrus, melon, a hint of lychee, some creaminess. Delicate and precise with a lovely crystalline fruit quality, and with fruit sweetness that adds a rounded character. 95/100
Trimbach Riesling Clos ste Hune Vendange Tardive 1989 Alsace, France
A rich orange/yellow colour, this is powerful and intense with lovely grapefruit freshness and sweet apricot and nut notes. There’s some spiciness and also a hint of undergrowth. Lovely weight in the mouth. 95/100
Buckwheat orecchiette with veal cheek, sweetbreads and almonds
Emmanuel Rouget Echézeaux Grand Cru 1996 Burgundy, France
Lovely sweet cherry fruit with some spiciness and subtle earthiness. Very fine and expressive with lovely purity. Good acidity and lovely tannins. Superb. 96/100
Christophe Roumier Rouchottes-Chambertin Grand Cru 2001 Burgundy, France
Sweet nose with a savoury, slightly soya sauce edge to the warm cherry fruit. Some spice and earth notes, and some grippy structure. Opens nicely in the glass to reveal lovely complexity. 95/100
Domaine du Comte Liger-Belair Vosné-Romanée Aux Regniots 1er Cru 2004 Burgundy, France
Savoury, spicy, earthy nose, with some herbal notes. The palate has nice fruit but also a strongly savoury, earthy character that suggests some brett. But after a while it opens out and sweetens up a bit, and the brett character recedes, and the wine has more energy. Perplexing and quite fine. 94/100
Roast pigeon with cepe duxelle, umbrian lentils, liver crostini and balsamico
Château Léoville Las Cases 1985 St Julien, Bordeaux, France
Warm, slightly meaty black fruits nose with some hints of tar, spice and toffee. Dense palate with a nicely savoury edge to the fruit. Grippy with good structure and nice depth of flavour. Admirable purity. 95/100
Château Cheval Blanc 1985 St Emilion, Bordeaux, France
Beautifully aromatic and pure with refined black cherry fruit, with some red cherry and spice. Lively, supple palate with a hint of green and lovely poise. Real elegance. 97/100
Château Haut Brion 1985 Graves, Bordeaux, France
Warm and spicy with some earthy notes as well as berry fruit characters. Supple and elegant with some fine earthy notes on the palate, as well as some spiciness. Very stylish: mature but lovelly. 94/100
Apricot and amaretto feuillete
Château Climens 1988 Barsac, Bordeaux, France
Powerful, complex and spicy with amazing apricot and citrus intensity as well as grapefruit freshness and some crystalline fruit notes. Incredible concentration and precision. 97/100
Dear Jamie, i hope you are well. I run a small London based importers that specialise in small, hands on producers. we are hosting our portfolio tasting on Tuesday September 3rd and it would be great to send you an invite. if you could kindly let me know the best email address to contact you on then that would be very kind. all the best, David Knott (www.theknottedvine.com).
Thanks for fine notes Jamie. It was a pleasure to have you as a guest and hopefully when you are next in the Cape,you can join me for lunch or dinner at the Overture. It is quite a special restaurant.
Good for you KP, the young lad Jamie should drink more wines like that!!
Bob Alberta
What a privelage to drink such wines, it seems the treasures of Keiths cellar are infinite!
Well desrved for Bertus though, he is a fine Chef and, just as important, a great restaurateur. Overture is a leading venue in the Cape, where the stunning views are easily matched by Bertus’ great food. To top it off Bertus is modest and thoughtful and one of our top chefs, in my opinion.
I just had a little trouser accident. Okay, I’ll admit it wasn’t that little.
Agreed Chris, And the main purpose of the lunch was to thank Bertus for his generosity to Pebbles http://www.pebblesproject.co.za He gave us a night at the restaurant for free last June and we raised a considerable sum for the charity