Lunch at St John today. A special time with Francis Percival, Dan Keeling and Jeremy Seysses. The company, the wines, the food: all were on sparkling form. I haven’t been to St John in a while. I will be back soon, for sure. Highlights included a wonderful crispy pig skin salad, and decadently rich devilled kidneys.

Bérêche et fils Les Beaux Regards Chardonnay 2010 Champagne, France
Disgorged January 2014. Lovely precision here: fine and toasty with lively lemony fruit and subtle creamy notes. Some toastiness in the background, as well as a bit of spice. Really refined. 94/100

Niero Côte Rôtie 1999 Northern Rhône, France
Soft, perfumed and quite elegant with lovely red cherry and pepper notes as well as subtle earthiness and an agreeable maturity. An elegant style that’s now drinking perfectly. 93/100

Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Charmes 1993 Burgundy, France
Fresh and a bit bloody with nice finesse to the bright red cherry and plum fruit, offset with some peppery spiciness. Lovely purity and direction here with precision to the fruit. Beautiful. 95/100

Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche 1993 Burgundy, France
Thrilling: pure, sanguine, with some savoury iodine notes and elegant, mature black cherry and plum fruit with some citrus characters. Lovely herb and spice notes. So fine and expressive with finesse and elegance, and in a really good place for current drinking. 95/100

Find these wines with wine-searcher.com