Oh, what a night!
Ye Gods, those boys in the kitchen at the delightful Punter Pub in Cambridge really know how to put together a ‘Gastronomic Dinner with Wines’!
Louis Picamelot Cremant de Bourgogne
36 gastronomists assembled at 7 to launch into Louis Piccamelot’s Cremant de Bourgogne and how good was that tasting this evening?! With it’s fine mousse and gentle toasty tones, full flavours and luscious texture, this is Champagne in everything but name and damned good Champagne at that.
First up was Crayfish with Scotch Quail Egg and Salt Cod Fritters and that ensemble was dispatched with Philippe Chavy’s 4 micro~vineyard 1 hectares worth of Meursault 2008….what an utterly dreamy combo. We had got off to a very, very good start.
Next up was Duck Breast with Confit of leg…my absolute favorite and that with the quintessential, finely toned and classic Bellvale Pinot Noir perfectly put together by John Ellis in Australia’s South Eastern corner, Gippsland in Victoria, where the cooling breezes roll off the Tasmanian Seas and take the heat out of the sun-drenched, north~facing vineyards creating perfect conditions in which to make pretty and toned Pinot. A shock to all present tonight who couldn’t believe that such an elegant wine could come out of anywhere but Burgundy.
Bellvale Quercus Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008
Next on the Game Menu was Barolo Tre Ciabot 2005 with Hare that married perfectly and how we loved the sweet, almost raisiny fruit with the subtle game meat.
Then, blast o blast, the alarm went off on my phone and it was time to jump into a cab to hasten to Cambridge Station and return to The Capital but I just had a mo to savour a mouthful of Armonió de Mas Neuf 2005….no longer brutishly tannic, but, massively powerful, concentrated, hot Grenache suppled up by ripe, lush, curranty Cabernet and Merlot and then chunkied up by a year in Yquem’s old wooden casks…the most expensive tonneaux made in the world. Thank heavens I didn’t cancel our reservations when it looked like the world would end in 2008….I knew this would be special and by Harry it is!
My laughing, twinkling, happy chums will be enjoying that with Roasted Muntjack now and I’m rumbling back to town on the 10.28. Well, who said life was fair?
Gastronomy by The Punter Pub, Pound Hill, off North Street, Cambridge CB3 0AE. 01223-363322.
Wines by Jascots.
Jacko – a superb evening, great to see you again and the only shame was that you had to dash off early.
Here’s my version of the event:
http://cambridgewineblogger.blogspot.com/2011/10/big-game-and-big-wines-at-cambridges.html
Cheers, Tom