Dîner de wine-dinners au restaurant de l’hôtel Bristol jeudi, 23 mars 2006

I arrive by the restaurant of hotel Bristol to open the bottles for a new dinner. The bottles have been delivered one week before and were put standing in the cellar yesterday morning by Jerome Moreau, the efficient sommelier of the place. Some material is waiting for me and I appreciate that, as it shows the commitment of the staff. Ludovic, a junior sommelier will help me and will smell rare scents. This ceremony of opening has become a tradition.

I am extremely disappointed by the three red Bordeaux, which seem tired, which should not be the case. Mission Haut-Brion 1964 is a solid wine. This one has an extraordinary fill in the neck. So, it should be good. I am ready to declare it dead. The Ausone 1953 looks tired, the Coutet 1952 (the Saint-Emilion) looks tired too, but I have more hopes. Added to that, the Sauternes 1943 seems to be weak. I am disappointed, and even more, for a specific reason.

A TV Channel, Monte Carlo TV, will make a subject on my cellar in a few weeks. So, I asked a friend who is a sommelier to make my cellar a little more glamorous, and he found some bottles whose future is compromised. Having hurt a Chateau Margaux whose year could be 1931, he suggested that I drink it rapidly, and two other Bordeaux were in a bad situation and needed to be drunk rapidly too.

If I had added the 3 wounded Bordeaux to sound bottles, it would be OK. But if I add them to wines counting some weak wines, things are not so good. As I had taken with me two spare bottles in case of emergency, I decided to open them. So, instead of having 10 bottles for 10 people, we will have 15 bottles, due to the addition of the 2 of the reserve and the 3 wounded added. We will see that many surprises occurred.

The guests of the dinner arrive precisely at 8 pm and I give the instructions or « rules » in order to enjoy the dinner, while we drink a champagne Charles Heidsieck 1982 that I have added. The colour of the wine is of an elegant peach light gold, the bubble is still lively, and the champagne is a good way to show what happens with old wines which have integrated all their flavours. The small “amuse-bouche” are very spicy, which seems to be a “façon” of the chef. They make appear various aspects of the champagne.

The menu has been composed by Eric Fréchon helped by Jérôme Moreau, and my comments, which were not numerous, have been taken into account.

Here is the menu :

Chamalot parmesan, beignets de lotte, cornets de foie gras aux anguilles, maquis

Bouillon cube de foie gras de canard, langoustines mi cuites au gingembre, coriandre et cébettes

Topinambour et truffes noires, cuites en croûte de foin, bouillon mousseux au jus de truffe

Filet de Sole farci aux girolles, sucs d’arête réduit à peine crémé

Pot au feu de cochon et bœuf, volaille au foie gras, os à moelle et céleri rave

Fourme d’Ambert

Poire caramélisée cuite à l’étouffée, jus aux zestes de clémentine semi confite, glace à la vanille

It was a truly comfortable menu as it was not too provocative, and was designed to help the old wines to shine.

In our group, three people had already attended a previous dinner. We had French, Belgian and Luxemburg people around the table. Many people from business and finance, and a man managing a group of restaurants.

There was a big contrast between the first champagne and the Laurent Perrier cuvee Grand Siècle from a recent release, with wines coming probably from the period 1995 to 1997. If the first was masculine, this one is outrageously feminine, seducing, with an immense power of evocation of white flowers as the ones which accompany the new design of Laurent Perrier. It has the charm of a sophisticated strip tease.

 The Gewurztraminer Gustave Lorentz réserve 1966 is one of the greatest surprises of this dinner. The nose was very generous by opening some hours ago, and when drinking it, it is really flashing. It is not a late harvest so some points of dryness are really exciting. It is enigmatic and very successful. On the soup, it shines marvellously. A great wine and a great combination. I heard many “oh” and “ah” as everyone was amazed by this level of quality of a perfectly kept wine.

The Jerusalem artichoke of Eric Fréchon is exceptional. I had said so many nice words on the rare Montrachet Comtes Lafon 1990 that when it appeared, all of us we were surprised. It is a great wine, with a light gold in colour, a nice smell, but it is as if a car was on the first gear and could not go to the second one. We can feel the promise of a great wine, but we have not the true Montrachet that we were expecting.

Eric Fréchon had thought of a provocative choice to associate the course with a white and a red. And I had said yes. So, La Mission Haut-Brion 1964 was served at the same time as the Montrachet. And the surprise came from this wine, which I would have declared dead, and which came back to life due to the oxygen. Of course it was not the most brilliant example of a Mission 1964, but it was really expressive. And the truffles doped it.  And as the Montrachet was playing under its category, it helped to make the Mission even more loveable.

On the sole, two wines. Objectively, it is the Château Coutet Saint-Emilion 1952 which is in the logic of the fish course. The wine has suffered. A little roasted, truffle like, it goes very well with the sauce. The Château Ausone 1953 starts slowly. Polite, it begins by being discrete. But when it is installed in the glass, we can see all the charm of this great wine. It is very intelligent, not invading, but sufficiently great to be appreciated by all.

On the “pot au feu”, we will have three Burgundies instead of two, as I had added the Corton.

The Chambolle Musigny les Amoureuses P. Misserey et Frère 1981 is extremely charming and performs largely better than what could be expected. Very young but altogether evolved, it is warmly sympathetic. The Le Corton Bouchard Père & Fils 1980 has a very clear message, as in a Chinese calligraphy. I love these Burgundies. And the Chambertin Charles Viénot 1934 is highly emotional. I had acquired this wine on the public sale of the cellar of Pierre Cardin in Maxim’s, and up to now, every try had been convincing. This wine is perfect. The structure is precise, dense, signalling a truly great wine. What is amazing is that critics could be made to the Bordeaux, even the most noble, and that no critic could be made to the three different Burgundies. This happens once, tonight, and cannot be considered as general.

Then we tried the three added wounded wines. The Chateau Margaux 1931 has been bottled by a merchant some decades ago and has no year on the label. As I wanted to know, we drank it with experts some years ago, and the central idea was 1931. A weak year, but a pleasant wine. And this one, just wounded by a manipulation of my friend was spectacularly good. So, this addition could sweep all the interrogations on the previous Bordeaux. We enjoyed a truly great Margaux.

The two others had not the same presentation. The Lynch-Moussa 1953 was undrinkable, and the Château Trottevieille 1967 could have been tried, but there was no need to insist, so I rejected it.

The Haut Sauternes Guillaume 1943 has a nice colour of a Sauternes of this period. The smell had been discrete and remained in the same stage. But the fourme d’Ambert helped it to appear a little intelligent. It was pleasant for a while.

Now, it is possible to forget anything as the Chateau d’Yquem 1936 is absolutely exceptional. I had already drunk this year, but this bottle is above any of my expectations, and by far. I consider generally that the decade 30ies gave, with the exception of 1937 wines with a low botrytis. But this one is against my analysis. This Yquem is a Yquem full of joy, with fantastic expression of fruits with an orange colour : apricot, mango, some sorts of prunes, yellow peaches, and it is wonderful. It is this type of Yquem that I love, and tonight I loved it more than the last 1937 that I have drunk.

The pear of Eric is very tasty, but does not add anything to this shining Yquem which needs to be drunk alone.

We have voted as it is traditional.

The Yquem won 7 votes as first, the Chambertin 1934 got one vote as first, as is the case for the Laurent-Perrier and the Gewurztraminer.

The consensus of the votes was in favour of Yquem 1936, Chambertin 1934, Gewurztraminer 1966 and Ausone 1953.

My personal vote has been :

–          Yquem 1936

–          Chambertin 1934

–          Gewurztraminer 1966

–          Ausone 1953

The bad surprises were the Mission 1964 with a super high fill and the Montrachet Comtes Lafon 1990 for which I do not understand the underperformance.

It appears that the bad performing were not the oldest ones, which gained the best votes.

But it shows that wine collecting is not a quiet hobby.

And it shows too that the oxygenation helped a lot to make some wines better than they would have been with another method. The Coutet 1952 and the Margaux 1931 have benefited from the oxygen.

Eric Fréchon has made a very intelligent cook as he acted to enlarge the quality of the wines. The service has been perfect.

Despite the dissatisfaction that some of my “children” did not perform as I would have liked, this was a great dinner, with, once again, a wonderful and impressive Yquem.

premier jugement de Robert Parker sur 2005 mardi, 21 mars 2006

Ce mot est émis sur son forum, en date du 18 mars, soit quinze jours avant la présentation officielle des 2005 à la presse à Bordeaux.

Il est intéressant de noter que son message parle d’un vin d’Afrique du Sud, dans lequel est glissé subrepticement celui ci. Le titre : "Fabulous South African wine-ANWILKA"

"Funny to me commenting on this wine after tasting 225+ rather astonishing 2005 Bordeaux this week,but this is the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa….a partnership of Bruno Prats,Hubert de Bouard,and the Klein Constantia folks.This debut release, the 2005,a blend of 37% syrah and the balance cabernet sauvignon,is world class stuff….as one might expect from the people behind it….the first release…there are 42,000 bottles from their vineyards in Stellenbosch,and it is priced to sell for about $40-45 in the USA…release is imminent….exceptional wine….
Of course, I will be here in Bordeaux for another week,but 2005 is very exciting…and particularly at the lower levels….where a plethora of exceptional wines have been produced…and it is these wines which are never given a thought by the speculators so I think there will be many splendid 2005 Bordeaux available for very reasonable prices….unlike the famous names….you can be sure they will be priced in the stratosphere…the vintage is that exciting,and demand is already at a frightful fever pitch 4-6 weeks before prices are announced…..actually….to put it another way….the vintage looks to be historic in terms of what has emerged….." (Robert Parker)

The greatest Yquem of the 20th century lundi, 20 mars 2006

I was asked on the Mark Squires forum which years are the best for the 20th century. Here is my answer :

Here are the Yquem that I have drunk for the last six years, since I take notes on what I drink.

1861 – 1876 – 1893 – 1893 – 1900 – 1906 – 1908 – 1908 – 1917 – 1921 – 1921 – 1921 – 1928 – 1928 – 1929 – 1931 – 1932 – 1933 – 1934 – 1936 – 1937 – 1937 – 1937 – 1937 – 1940 – 1941 – 1942 – 1942 – 1945 – 1947 – 1948 – 1949 – 1949 – 1950 – 1955 – 1955 – 1959 – 1959 – 1959 – 1960 – 1961 – 1962 – 1966 – 1967 – 1967 – 1967 – 1967 – 1967 – 1973 – 1975 – 1976 – 1978 – 1979 – 1980 – 1981 – 1982 – 1982 – 1983 – 1983 – 1983 – 1984 – 1986 – 1986 – 1987 – 1987 – 1988 – 1988 – 1988 – 1988 – 1988 – 1988 – 1989 – 1989 – 1989 – 1990 – 1990 – 1990 – 1990 – 1991 – 1991 – 1991 – 1994 – 1995 – 1995 – 1995 – 1996 – 1996 – 1996 – 1997 – 1998 – 1998 – 1998 – 1999 – 1999 – 2001 – 2001

What is difficult is that I never compare Yquems, as I never open two together, or if I do so, there is a young and an old.
And I must say too that when I drink Yquem, I enjoy it so much that every Yquem is my best Yquem.

As I like old Yquem, my answer will be :
1 – 1900
2 – 1928
3 – 1947
4 – 1959
5 – 1955

But I must say that I am not sure of my answer, as some 1929, a 1908 and a 1917 have pleased me enormously.

On Thursday, I will open a Yquem 1936 of a very high fill and of a magnificent colour (original fill). Normally it should be a great one as I prefer the taste of Yquems with orange colours to caramail colours.

Les prix des vins s’envolent dimanche, 19 mars 2006

voici un article du Monde :

LE MONDE | 18.03.06 | 13h20 • Mis à jour le 18.03.06 | 14h50

Après plusieurs années marquées par la morosité, le marché des enchères de vins s’est repris en 2005 avec quelques belles ventes au cours du second semestre sur des premiers crus classés de bordeaux ou des grands bourgognes. Selon le courtier en ventes aux enchères et en ventes en ligne de vins Idealwine, le retour des investisseurs étrangers, qu’ils soient américains, russes ou asiatiques, sur le marché français et le regain d’intérêt pour des crus plus mûrs ont permis au marché de se reprendre. "Les nouveaux acheteurs sont très exigeants et se constituent de très belles caves, déclare Pascal Kuzniewski, expert en vins. Cela correspond à la fois à un art de vivre et à un outil de diversification du patrimoine. Ce type d’investissement est directement lié aux marchés financiers."

Après une campagne primeurs 2004 sans grand relief et une offre pléthorique, les amateurs de vins ont préféré limiter leurs achats sur ce segment pour réallouer des fonds vers des crus plus mûrs. Ils ont également profité d’offres massives de déstockage proposées sur des vins récents, y compris sur certains grands bordeaux 2000 en début d’année. Une bonne affaire, car les prix sont repartis à la hausse : un Latour 2000, adjugé 318 euros en avril 2005 à Toulouse, était coté 382 euros en fin d’année. Sur les huit derniers millésimes commercialisés en primeurs, le bordeaux de 2000 est actuellement le seul à avoir enregistré une plus-value annuelle de plus de 5 %. Le Château Léoville Las Cases figure parmi les vins les plus recherchés.

Les millésimes des années 1980 et 1990 se sont échangés à des niveaux élevés. "L’année 1982 reste la valeur de placement par excellence", souligne Pascal Kuzniewski. Un Latour 1982 a atteint ainsi 708 euros à Paris en novembre 2005, soit 64 % de plus que sa cote habituelle au moment de la vente. "Les caisses complètes de bordeaux 1982 devenant rarissimes, on devrait voir les prix continuer à grimper en 2006", ajoute-t-il. Le fait est : jeudi 16 mars, un Petrus 1982 coté 1 580 euros a atteint 3 749 euros et un Cheval-Blanc 1982, estimé 520 euros, s’est vendu 1 310 euros, lors d’une vente organisée à Paris chez Tajan.

Les vieux millésimes séduisent de plus en plus d’amateurs et de professionnels. Après les bourgognes et les liquoreux de Sauternes, le phénomène atteint maintenant les bordeaux anciens. Un Lafite- Rothschild 1898 s’est ainsi vendu 847 euros en juin 2005 et un Haut-Brion 1926 a été adjugé 1 592 euros quatre mois plus tard.

Difficile de parler de bordeaux sans citer Petrus, dont le cru reste mondialement recherché quel que soit son millésime. "Un Petrus 1975, coté habituellement 760 euros, a atteint 1 028 euros en octobre 2005 à Paris", rappelle Angélique de Lencquesaing, associée fondateur d’Idealwine. En 2006, il faudra suivre de près les cours de Haut-Brion après les fortes hausses enregistrées l’an dernier et un millésime 2005 annoncé comme particulièrement réussi."

LES GRANDS FORMATS TRÈS RECHERCHÉS

Toujours en bordeaux, on retiendra la vente chez Tajan à Paris, en octobre 2005, d’une caisse "Carré d’as" 2000 (Petrus, Margaux, Latour et Haut-Brion). Les grands formats restent très prisés. De la bouteille à l’impériale en passant par les doubles magnums et les jéroboams, les tarifs se sont envolés fin 2005 : un jéroboam de Château Mouton-Rothschild 1982 s’est vendu 6 133 euros à Montauban (Tarn-et-Garonne) en décembre 2005 et un Château Margaux 1990 en impériale 7 198 euros. A long terme, la plus-value enregistrée sur un magnum creuse l’écart avec le prix de deux bouteilles.

Les grands bourgognes, et en particulier le domaine de la Romanée-Conti, ont terminé l’année sur quelques ventes spectaculaires. Ainsi, un flacon de Romanée-Conti de 1945 a obtenu 15 214 euros à Louviers (Eure) fin 2005. "Les résultats, nombreux, ont permis d’établir une cotation en Europe et aux Etats-Unis, et en font une valeur de placement facile à suivre. Donc un cru éligible à l’investissement", précise Mme de Lencquesaing. Parmi les autres domaines très spéculatifs figurent Dugat-Py, notamment avec le Chambertin 2003 (1 229 euros à Cannes en décembre 2005), ainsi que les domaines de Vogüé, Leroy et Jayer. En bourgognes blancs, la tendance est toujours à la hausse autour des domaines de la Romanée-Conti, de Coche-Dury, des Comtes Lafon…

Reste le champagne, qui enregistre à nouveau une année record avec les millésimes de collection. Un Cristal Roederer 1990 en mathusalem a été adjugé 13 327 euros à Toulouse, en décembre 2005. C’était une cuvée spéciale "2 000 flacons pour l’an 2000".

Martine Picouët

Article paru dans l’édition du 19.03.06

un Côtes de Francs, un Premières Côtes de Bordeaux et des accords !!! dimanche, 19 mars 2006

Ma fille cadette

Ma fille cadette nous invite à dîner. Je propose d’apporter des vins, mais je sens que des choix ont déjà été faits. Je limiterai mon apport à un liquoreux. Sur une approche radicalement personnelle de la gougère, où le moindre trou d’air est exclu, comme représentatif d’une expansion inutile, un champagne Ruinart 1999 est assez aimable mais n’est pas disert. Il parle peu à nos papilles. Le carpaccio de coquille Saint-Jacques à la Granny-smith et à la betterave est délicieux. Et son association à Laville-Haut-Brion 1987 est d’une belle justesse. J’ai peur de la betterave avec le vin, mais enveloppée dans une fine tranche de coquille, elle crée un accord très intellectuel mais aussi fort bon. Nous sommes dans la délicatesse pure. Le Laville franchit une étape de plus avec les gambas caramélisées au sucre de canne et cacao. L’excitation du vin est à son paroxysme. Il devient lourd en bouche, rayonnant. Un vin déjà marqué par un vieillissement réel, que la gamba accepte totalement et que ce sucré-salé excite et provoque. Par une délicate attention mon gendre avait cherché un vin de 1966, année du mariage de sa belle-mère et moi, car cela fera dans quelques jours quarante années de vie commune. Il a déniché un Bordeaux Côtes de Francs Château Le Puy 1966 qui nous surprend tous par son excellence. Bien sûr, ce n’est pas une bombe. Bien sûr, ce n’est ni Latour ni Margaux. Mais que c’est bon ! Le nez est très expressif et puissant. En bouche, c’est frêle, mais aussi velouté, charmeur, délicat. Quel beau vin qui a su, comme notre amour, braver le temps qui passe ! Sur un mignon de veau aux morilles, il brille, et paradoxalement, beaucoup plus sur les morilles qui ont l’intelligence de parler à voix basse pour laisser entendre le message du vin. Il faudrait savoir par quel cheminement ce vin de la famille Amoreau a été étiqueté avec la mention : « expression originale du terroir ». Ce n’est pas un plaidoyer de cette époque.

Sur l’époisses, nous essayons le Domaine du Pin, Vial négociant, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux 1937 à la belle couleur et au nez racé. Mais ce liquoreux n’a pas la puissance d’un Yquem (accord essayé à Anvers). Il ne peut pas lutter à son avantage, même si l’accord se justifie. Il est beaucoup plus à l’aise sur une tarte au citron de Pierre Hermé, qui précède une fanfare ahurissante d’accords miraculeux. Les macarons de Pierre Hermé sont redoutables de perfection. C’est surtout leur texture, leur « mâche » qui impressionne. Les goûts sont compliqués car Pierre veut sans doute trop montrer. On rêve d’un macaron à une seule saveur dont celui à la rose indique la voie à suivre. Mais tous sont magnifiquement bons, et les accords avec les vins explosent de toutes parts. Le macaron à l’huile d’olive et vanille, avec le 1937, est éblouissant : le liquoreux rebondit sur l’amertume de l’olive pour offrir une palette aromatique insoupçonnée. Le macaron fruit de la passion et chocolat au lait est déjà, lui tout seul, une œuvre d’art. Mais le Domaine du Pin capte le fruit de la passion pour un accord invraisemblable.

Le macaron chocolat et caramel a une texture divine comme j’en ai rarement croquée, et un Maury Mas Amiel millésime 1980 surgi de nulle part comme le mari trompé dans une pièce de boulevard, exacerbant son coté griottes, nous a plongés dans une béatitude irréelle. Et le macaron au pur chocolat a fait ressortir la griotte et le café du Mas Amiel pour un plaisir final digne d’un feu d’artifice.

Dîner de grande joie, où un Côtes de Francs et un Premières Côtes de Bordeaux ont montré que la région de Bordeaux ne se limite pas à cinq ou six appellations. Ce dîner avait plus de trois macarons. C’est bien.

Will modern wines age as old wines ? samedi, 18 mars 2006

Here is what I have written in a discussion on the forum of Robert Parker on this subject. It concerned Montrose 1970  and went to this question. Mark Squires who manages the forum is violently against old wines.
The question that is put in this discussion is like the sex of the angels, there will never be any answer.

I do not know if old wines are good, but the joy that I have by freeing a wine of 1861, and checking how immense it is, is one of the greatest moments of my life

I have attended the tasting of the 38 years of Montrose with 9 wines of the 19th century. And for me, the optimum of taste is reached for the decade 20ies.
The 21, 26, 28, 29 represent a form of Montrose which is the greatest to my palate.
Of course the 1959 represents a magnificent wine. But my pleasure is at its top with the decade 20ies.

If Mark Squires does not like old wines, this can be understood. He drinks so many wines that he has formed his palate, and his palate excludes old wines. This is a point.

But as some wine lovers find their pleasure with old wines, it would be rude to say that they are nuts or that they understand nothing.

I have the chance to love old and young wine.
And when I say that I love La Tache 1990, it is my emotion
And when I say that I love a Chambertin Coron 1899, it is my emotion equally.

I have adored the Latour 1990 shared with the Belgian friends in Antwerpen, but I have adored the Latour 1870 that I have drunk too.

Wine has not been made with the same techniques. So we drink a wine of 1899 made with the techniques of 1899 and we drink a wine of 2002 made with the techniques of 2002.
I let experts say what is better.
I have drunk with Alain Vauthier Ausone 2002 and Ausone 1949 at the same dinner. The 02 is a bomb of fragrances. Impressive. But for me, this has nothing to do with the historical image of Ausone. It is a great wine, but different. And Alain told me that he thinks that it will age wonderfully.
This taste is enjoyed by many people. I say OK.
But for me, I do not see the connection with the historical line of Ausone.
But then I do not blame anyone.

If you take books of the 18th century, there are no photographs in them. The books were made differently, but have their charm.

I do not want to give any theory. I just want to drink wines which exist and try to explain to wine lovers how to approach them. This is my motivation.
And I thought of my action :
– do I make wines live longer ?
– do I shorten their lives ?

And it is clear that the answer is the second one. Old wines exist. When I drink them, when I share them, I make their life shorter as wines have been made to be drunk.
So, by sharing old wines, I make their life shorter.
And I do not suggest that someone keeps a wine for more than 50 years. There is today no sense for that.
But as old wines exist for various reasons, I am happy to give them the best possible destination : my palate and the palate of my friends or guests.

The question of ageing of actual wines has not a great interest as they will be consumed early.
The question for me is : what do we do with the existing bottles that change of owner every ten years and are never drunk ?
I try to explain how to open them, how to approach them to make no mistake of an inappropriate judgement.

As I love both young and old wines, I can say, and hopefully be understood :
the greatest emotions of my life come from great old wines, with pleasures that can never be found with young wines. The Montrachet Bouchard 1864 is my greatest ever dry white, and I was not under hypnosis when I had this sensation. The Richebourg DRC 1929 is my best ever red, and I was not under hypnosis when I had this sensation.
And I fall in love with La Mouline Guigal 1990, as I find an immense charm in it too.

And what is sure is that there is no competition between old and young wines.
The wines were made differently. Let us drink them with the same pleasure :
– one for old wines
– one for young wines
And I let the wine makers believe in what they do.
If they think that they have invented the truth, it is their belief.
I will see what is in my glass.
And generally in my glass, I find a true pleasure.

Article dans le journal « La Vigne » vendredi, 17 mars 2006

Cette revue du monde viticole est mensuelle. Pour le numéro de Mars, en page 81, sous un "chapeau" : magazine et "prestige", un article intitulé : "des dîners d’exception", avec un sous-titre "vins anciens et lets ‘étoilés’ font la soirée".

L’article est agréable à lire et très positif. Il est signé Florence Bal.

L’envie de convaincre vendredi, 17 mars 2006


Comment faire passer mes arguments ? Regardez les couleurs des vins dans les verres. Il y a certainement Yquem 1861 parmi eux.

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Latour 90, Mouton 82, Yquem 67, Tokay 1945, Chypre 1845 etc. vendredi, 17 mars 2006

This story is a side effect of writing on the forum of Robert Parker. I received an invitation for a dinner.

I leave my country where students protest in the streets against the Government to arrive in a country where the streets are clean, the mobile phones can be used when being driven in a car because the signal is good, where people tend to work, where it is possible to find a bar after a huge dinner and to be served by a handsome and competent young girl. A country which has a perfume of lower taxes, where people know what is wine. It is named Belgium.

A group of wine lovers receives Dan Kravitz, an American importer of wine. The idea came that I could join the group. As Dan wanted to taste a 1945 Essencia brought by a German member of the group, it was the occasion to create a match with one of my Cyprus 1845, a wine for which I have a special love.

We are 8 people meeting in a nice restaurant where the food is excellent. The chef has a very unusual look, very tall and imposing, small round glasses and very long blond hair, the length of the hairs being generally associated with an increasing baldness, and shows an interest about what we do. That was extremely pleasant. He smoked huge cigars with our Belgian friends after the dinner and talked with us in a pleasant way. One American, one German, one Spanish, one French and four friends of Antwerpen formed a very nice group. One of them told me : “do not underestimate Belgians and their cellars”. I had not such an intention but I know now that the Belgians that I met know what wine is, have great wines, drink great wines and have a great generosity.

We began with Bollinger RD 1990, which replaced an announced Krug 1990. The champagne is obviously a great one, but is too green, too young and should wait years before being opened.

The menu had not been prepared for the wines, so the only really passionate combination was the first one : raw langoustine with a sauce of oyster and caviar of Belgium (does this exist ?) accompanied an incredibly great wine : Chablis Grand Cru les Clos Raveneau 1972. The smell is huge, penetrating. Very mineral, very different from what a Chablis should deliver, this nose is impressive. And in mouth, it is a festival of complexity. This wine impresses me.

Then three wines of various qualities which changed a lot from the first contact to the last sip. The Puligny-Montrachet Clos de la Garenne Etienne Sauzet 1992 has a very enigmatic smell in which I found traces of makeup powder. It has a nice fruit in its taste, but finishes very quickly. Largely shorter than the Chablis. The Batard Montrachet Domaine Leflaive 1992 is a bomb. It is a mouth invader. Generous, complex, with an incredibly large set of tastes, this wine is nearly too much as it ignores the food, conquering the palate with its power.

And, with a paradox, this Batard helps the following wine to shine even more. The Puligny Montrachet Les Pucelles Domaine Leflaive 1982 appears fantastic, emotional, seductive, feminine, gracious, impressive. I have adored this wine above the others. But when the wines in the glasses expanded, the Sauzet gained some length, and was more appreciable. The Mount Eden Santa Cruz Mountain 1999 which was served just after these three was not in a position to shine. Smelling and tasting like banana, the wine had a limited interest for me.

The course a soup of beans with an eel was purely delicious.

The three first reds came blind. I was impressed immediately by the generosity of the second. When the wines were installed gently in their glass, it was obviously the first which was evidently the greatest : it was Chateau Latour 1990. This wine is a perfection. It is very drinkable, and it makes sense to drink it at this age, even if it shows a promise of being transcendental in ten or twenty years. This is the unique perfection of Bordeaux, with every aspect attaining what it should. The second is more sexy. More alcoholic, it has a the charm of a morganatic lover. It is Beauséjour Dufau 1990. Its reputation is fully accurate. The third is Montrose 1990. And this wine that I have already drunk several times did not please me so much tonight. Great, but very far from the Latour 1990 when considering what we had in our glasses.

The course of fish was absolutely not to be consumed with the wines.

A Phelps, Eisele 1977 was a little curious at that time, but the more it opened the more I loved it. I found it very Bordeaux like which is a compliment. It had finesse and charm.

But what could it do when served with Mouton-Rotschild 1982 which is an hymn to the glory of Bordeaux. We were exploring what can be considered as the best among young wines. Very balanced, velvety, filling the mouth with politeness but efficiency, the Mouton is magnificent. It is very hard to say which flight, the whites or the reds, is the best, as both are impressive. But the Latour 1990 and the Mouton 1982 represent something rare.

I have had what pleases me a lot : a discovery of taste. And I enjoy a lot. The cheese, époisses of Berthault, which accompanied the Yquem 1989 is demoniac. This is so great! The 1989 is magnificent in its youth. Not making too much, elegant, it represents an archetype of Yquem. The Yquem 1967 has a marvellous colour, probably a little more brown than the 1967 that I have and have drunk. Excellent as usual, it is a very gratifying Yquem, with a length that is its signature.

The Essencia Tokaji 1945 of Rainer is excellent. The sugar is heavy, but the botrytis is elegant. It tastes like over mature grapes burnt by the sun. Becoming more and more elegant, I appreciated it even if it is rather monolithic when compared with Yquem.

I am probably a bad judge for the Cyprus 1845 as I am in love with the wine. The smell is of pepper and liquorice. Deep as a perfume and invading. And in mouth, it is as if you look at the sun with your open eyes. You are hit by an unbearable flash. It is as if heavy liquid gold would be poured in my mouth. Complex, with an immense set of flavours, I adore it above everything. I can imagine that some friends, comparing it to Madeira could have been unimpressed by this Cyprus. But for me, the old muted wines are near alcohols when this Cyprus is a real wine like a Sauternes can be, and I love a length which never ends. I can imagine the pleasure my friends had with a cigar and this Cyprus.

We continued endless discussions in a bar with a juniper alcohol. We were happy.

What to say about this event? The Belgian friends and their friends are dynamic, know really the wines that they drink, share wines of a remarkable quality, and are of a great generosity.

The format of what I do is different as I open largely less wines; I care more for the food to create nice combinations. But such an event in a very friendly atmosphere and outstanding wines pleased me a lot.

I thank the Antwerpen group to have invited me to attend this very memorable event. I will remember that the country where people really drink wine is Belgium.