More February wine drinking

It is looking like I might be going back to work soon (probably early March), so I have been packing in a few wine lunches and dinners. I also got my cellar sorted out, which is a result. I will still attend some events, but less frequently. Big events on the horizon are Maureen's northern rhone dinner on 22nd March, where we hope to get at least three mature Noel Verset Cornases. Then on 12th April I am hosting a 1982 Bordeaux dinner to mark the 30th anniversary of this esteemed vintage. Is it all it is cracked up to be? We have many of the most reputable wines, including all of the first growths, so I can't wait to find out.

Last Friday my good friend Jeremy organised a burgundy lunch at La Trompette, one of Nigel Platts-Martin's establishments and therefore one of the best restaurants in London. And we only paid £50 a head for a four course meal. We started off with Joseph Perrier Cuvee Josephine (after my daughter) 2002 (she, however is a 1997 vintage). Very good chunky champagne, needs more time. In the first flight we had:

Denis Mortet Chambolle Musigny Beaux Bruns 1993 (wine 2)

This was quite restrained earthy and mushroomy for a Chambolle; quite an austere style in line with the vintage and perhaps the grower. I liked it a lot.

Thomas Bassot Griottes Chambertin 1970 (wine 1)

The original number one Jean Grivot Vosne Romanee Les Brulees was corked. This number 1 smelt like a number 2. It is the shittiest wine I have ever smelt. It didnt just smell like a toilet, but a freshly laid turd. That is a compliment by the way. It was cloudy as anything but still holding up.

Then on to the next flight:

Jean Grivot Nuits Saint Georges Les Boudots (3) - this was reticent but had a delightful shy perfume and a lovely texture.

Louis Jadot Clos Saint Denis 1996 (4) - my contribution - this was quite rustic bumptious and chewy, with just a hint of 'petillance.' It has a nice core of rch, ripe berry fruit. Much more forward that the last one I tried.

Louis Jadot Clos Saint Denis 1998 (5) - much rounder, smoother and more polished than the 1996, and a markedly different wine. Very good but I liked the 1996 slightly more.

Last flight

Louis Jadot Chambolle Musigny Les Amoureuses 1998 - the real experts around the table - Jeremy and Tom - were very impressed by this. I remember it being quite taut and a bit tannic, but really well poised. Probably a wine that will give more pleasure in the future.

Louis Jadot Charmes Chambertin 1999 - quite similar in fact to the 1996 Clos saint Denis and purchased from the same place (WH Frank in Long Island, New York).

Rene Engel Echezeaux 1999 - this was very wound up and tight - it was the most backward wine here.

To finish off:

Fonseca Port 1985 - this was a fabulous bottle of Port from my favourite Port producer. In fact this vies with the 1977 Fonseca for the best port I have ever drunk (never tasted '63 Nacional). Without taking anything away from the burgundies it was wine of the day.

Last night Jeremy organised a 'macro dinner' - where a group of us meet up - ostensibly - to discuss economics and markets: and to taste some bally good wines as well.

To kick off we had a Dr. Pauly-Bergweiler Bernkasteler Badstube am Doctorberg Riesling Spätlese, really impressive cut and thrust here. The burgundies didnt impress: a 1978 Icard Savigny Berry Bros bottling, it was still alive but all over the place and not in a good way. It did improve but I think the Algerian rotgot stole the show. A Perrot Minot Morey Saint Denis Les Riottes 1999 was tough and a bit charmless.

The rhone flight was very good with Jasmin's 1984 Cote Rotie edging Chapoutier's 1983 Hermitage Sizeranne; both very good examples of mature northern rhone - not often you see that. On the Bordeaux flight we had two 2000s - Vieux Chateau Certan and La Tour Haut Brion - and one 2001 - Rausan Segla. The Segla was delightful, but surprisingly sweet on the attack. The LTHB was also sweet on the attack - disconcertingly so, as if it had been souped up - otherwise it wasn't showing anything. Neither was the VCC but the class really shone through on this one. You will need to be very patient. We finished off with 1999 Rieussec. Sheer delight.