The 2015 Wine Trade Lunch
What a way to spend a Wednesday. As the rest of us pottered through a day like any other, SmoothRed co-director Tony Stebbings met with some of his closest friends in the elite of the wine trade for their quinquennial lunch in the boardroom of London’s Berry Bros. & Rudd. Good food, good company, and some of the best wines from the last fifty years all under one roof – here’s his account of the day’s proceedings.
The aperitif beforehand was a magnum of Château Smith Haut Lafitte White 2013 (very kindly donated by Daniel and Florence Cathiard), a wine which lived up to its reputation, having grapefruit and vanilla on the nose with a lively palate with great depth of flavours and length – what a start to the day’s proceedings.
Then a magnum of Chablis Mont de Milieu Pinson 2002 – my initial reaction was a strange nose, but this soon disappeared after a mouthful of the Cornish crab with avocado, kohlrabi, lime and lettuce foam; the wine seemed to evolve and married up to the dish quite beautifully.
Magnum Smith Haut Lafitte 2001: while the dishes were taken away the sommelier poured out this little number, which to me had a complex nose of black fruit and vanilla – rich and with a soft and supple palate. An excellent wine.
Whilst we discussed these wines, our main course was served: a feast of shoulder and fillet of lamb with gnocchi, capers and carrot – and what a flight of wines we were presented with, all decanted (as should be).
Magnum Palmer 1982: this had a particular rustic flavour to it, with lots of mature blackcurrant on the nose – kept going back to this one.
Magnum Léoville-Barton 1976: slightly earthy on the nose with a hint of coffee. Perhaps the wine is getting a bit old, but still very enjoyable.
Then, two bottles of Mouton 1970. Oh my, not sure on this to begin with – seemed a bit austere, but then shortly after being in the glass it showed its true colours. Very elegant, and I would say at its peak.
Magnum Haut Brion 1970: this was a little disappointing after the others. A bit light and lacking fruit – we felt it may have been down to the particular magnum we had.
Once again, while we are all chatting away (discussing our time in the wine trade – conservatively 400 years between the 10 of us) the cheese board came round, along with a magnum of Dominus 1991. We had this very wine at our previous lunch in June 2010, and from the notes it was suggested back then perhaps the wine needed a bit more time. Well, it’s had another 5 years, and what a difference. Much more balanced, great black fruit notes on the nose, with lots of complex flavours – one of the stars. Let’s see what it’s like in another 5 years! I’m not sure it can get any better.
We then had poached peach with white chocolate, grapefruit and lemon. What better wine could you find to go with the dessert than this little winner? A magnum of Gewürztraminer Hugel Grand Noble 1998. Quite delicious – I think we all agreed that this was the star of the day. Needless to say, the magnum did not last long.
I know what you are thinking… what’s coming with the coffee and chocolates? Well, a lunch with the wine trade would not be right without a bottle of port, so we had a bottle of Taylors 1985. This had super aromas of ripe fruit, and was lovely, smooth and rich on the palate. I love eating chocolate with port, and probably helped myself to far too many.
Then came the final wine, a magnum of Dom Perignon 1976 (which may have been a bit of a mistake; we should have had it as an aperitif, because after all those other wines our palates found it very difficult to taste and do it justice. It had a very mature colour and nose, with surprisingly loads of bubbles for its age. Quite nutty.
All in all, as Gerald Duff said, “the best lunch or dinner in the wine trade this year. Nowhere has anybody had such a fantastic range of magnificent wines complemented by such superb food.”
Hate to admit, but after thanking Simon Berry for his wonderful hospitality and saying our goodbyes, a few of us popped round the corner for a couple of pints of real ale! And bloody good they were, too.
List of those in attendance:
Simon Berry
Allan Cheesman
Gerald Duff
Rosemary George MW
Tim How
David Hunter
Tim Langley
Tim Littler
Jancis Robinson MW
Tony Stebbings
