This is the 18th year that I organize a dinner of winemakers known as the « dinner of friends of Bipin Desai » because it was he who had the idea. He is a great collector of wines of Indian origin living in California, organizer of fantastic vertical tastings of the greatest estates, and also professor of nuclear physics at Berkeley. My task was to collect, register, receive the wines brought by the winemakers and develop the menu, thanks to Ghislain, very competent sommelier, with the chef of restaurant Laurent, Alain Pégouret. The dinner being organized as one of my dinners will be the 229th.

There are ten of us: Frédéric Barnier (Louis Jadot), Philippe Foreau (Clos Naudin), Marc Hugel (Maison Hugel), Jean-Luc Pépin (Comte Georges de Vogüé domain), Rodolphe Péters (Pierre Péters champagnes), Charles Philipponnat (Champagnes Philipponnat), Pierre Trimbach (Maison Trimbach ), Aubert de Villaine (Domaine de la Romanée Conti), Bipin Desai and me.

At 16:30 I open the bottles which, with few exceptions, are relatively young. I find that almost all corks are very tight in the necks, requiring great effort to remove them. Is it weather-related, I do not know. All smells are encouraging, and some even magical.

The aperitif is taken in the beautiful rotunda of the entrance of the restaurant with Champagne Pierre Péters Cuvée Les Chétillons magnum 2002 disgorged in 2012. I had it opened by Ghislain an hour and a half before the aperitif and despite that the champagne seems to me closed, a little tight. But it needed the delicious appetizers to reveal it. These appetizers are precise, without fuss and very effective to expand the champagne. Rodolphe Péters says that this 16-year-old champagne is starting to take its personality and the scale it must have. It’s a big balnc de blancs of Mesnil-sur-Oger, the mecca of blanc de blancs.

We sit down to table. The menu created by Alain Pégouret is: Scallops marinated with a mushroom of olive oil lemon caviar and red pepper of Pondicherry, jelly of cucumber and mint, tortilla guacamole / sweet onion confit and caramelized, light cream of apple ‘ Charlotte ‘, Alba white truffle, Parmesan cheese and flowing yellow / Veal sweetbreads caramelized with balsamic apple vinegar, chips and chestnut muslin, chanterelles and bacon au jus / Rack of lamb of Lozère cooked on a marinière, « shots and creamy artichokes and crystalline / Queen apple pudding, blackcurrant yoghurt, ice cream with beer / Financiers.

The dish of Saint-Jacques is aerial. It is accompanied by a champagne and a white wine. Pierre Trimbach thinks that the Riesling makes a little shade on Philipponnat Champagne Clos des Goisses 1996 disgorged in 2010, but we are many to think that both fertilize each other. There are many bridges that are created between champagne and the Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Trimbach magnum 1990. The champagne is equally made of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and has a beautiful personality. He is alive. Riesling has an incredible scent. This perfume is conquering. The wine achieves this miracle of appearing warrior, invader, but also of great elegance. Riesling seduces me with its extreme precision. It’s fresh. It is a huge wine and Philippe Foreau notes that the combination is realised with the mint notes of the very fresh dish. I think it’s the cucumber dice that create the bridge between the two, champagne and wine. We are delighted with this beautiful association.

The onion is superb and the truffle of Alba releases haunting perfumes. The dish is accompanied by two very disparate wines, whereas they are of the same year. The Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru Louis Jadot Magnum 1999 is like the Riesling a warrior wine. When it is served, it shows its muscles, with a heady perfume. But as soon as the wine is refreshed in the glass, the subtleties appear. Power and elegance are his two strengths.

The White Burgundy Domaine Georges de Vogüé 1999 is in fact a White Musigny which by humility erases since 1991 its name as long as the replanted vines are not old enough. It reclaims its appellation from the 2015 vintage. This wine is more discreet than the Batard and is of rare elegance. He suggests more than he affirms and shows his refinement. The agreement is very interesting, Batard successfully facing the white truffle while the wine of Vogüé is measured gently with the delicious onions and egg very justified for the consistency of the dish.

Aubert de Villaine, who has read the menu, is worried about the appearance of a sweet wine that risks harming the two red wines that will follow. Philippe Foreau says his Vouvray semi-dry Clos Naudin 2005 will have no negative effect on the reds. I ask in the kitchen if we can pass the dish red before the planned dish, but the service is launched also I open a second bottle of Clos des Goisses 1996, we drink after the Loire wine and before the red. The Loire wine is quite simple at first contact, but it is like a Bugatti that needs a few minutes before the engine with innumerable cylinders begins to sing its symphony. The agreement that Philippe Foreau had suggested to me, with sweetbreads, is superb. The subtle wine is discreet, a message of courtly love, and if it is sweet, it keeps the mouth fresh. Philippe was right, the palate is not marked and we could have gone to red wines, but it is more prudent not to challenge the devil.

The bottle of Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 1996 disgorged in 2010 is fundamentally different from the first while they come from the same batch. Philippe Foreau suggests that the second bottle would be more dosed than the first and Charles Philipponnat is categorical, it is impossible that the dosage is different. The taste of this champagne is richer, more powerful, with strong evocations of almonds and hazelnuts. Personally I preferred the first bottle served, but opinions are shared.

Our palates are calibrated and arrive the rack of lamb, chosen not to hit the two big reds. At the opening at 17 hours, the Musigny Vieilles Vignes Domaine George Vogüé 1970 had conquered me by its perfume of a rare elegance, all in suggestion. But the wine I drink now is a little tired, more evolved than it should be. But he will make a fantastic comeback, come together, will lose his veils of excessive maturity to become gallant. It is a very charming wine. He is very fine, even in this year of little renown.

The Richebourg Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1964 has a very young fruit. He is solid and robust and only gradually delivers the complexities of the Domaine. It is a wine with a wide range of flavors, that it declines elegantly. Neither wine harms the other and we enjoy two Burgundian expressions of great talent. As we drink big thirst I ask that we do not serve cheese because there will not be enough wine. Fortuitously no cheese was listed on our menus while it was planned. Despite some expressed wishes, we go directly to dessert.

The Late Harvest Riesling Sélection Personnelle Jean Hugel 1935 is announced by Marc Hugel as being very dry and although it is late harvested, it is actually very dry. This wine is a marvel of subtlety. We could have a meal with this wine alone, to explore its exciting ability to marry the gastronomy. This wine is a wine of meditation. It gives me a very strong emotion.

The Vouvray Goutte d’Or moelleux Clos Naudin 1947 with the extremely amber color is the reverse of the previous one. It is absolutely fantastic in very strong notes where Philippe Foreau finds evocations of an incredible imagination, like the horse that comes back to the stable, whereas I find under its very roasted message, almost molasses, notes of tea. This wine is a thundering prodigy of gourmet sweets. You can go from one wine to another, each offering admirable sensations.

I had told at the beginning of the meal that thanks to Etienne Hugel, brother of Marc Hugel, I had the chance to drink a Constantia of South Africa of 1791 belonging to Jean Hugel. The presence of Marc made me want to open for my friends winemakers a Red Constantia J. P. Cloete Great Constantia South Africa around 1860, the wine of kings, emperors and tsars, the most mythical wine that is. At the opening, I was paralyzed by the perfection of its perfume. This wine is my Grail, my search, my love. He is rich, peppery, with extreme acidity which supports the wine, and he has held the 158 years of his life without getting a wrinkle. Its length is infinite and its aromatic persistence is too. It is fat / dry. I enjoy this perfect wine and am particularly happy that my friends love it, because who better than they could appreciate these eternal flavors?

In the pretty dining room of the Laurent restaurant we had a nice table but the shape made it very difficult to have common conversations. Three or four small discussion groups were formed except when it was necessary to address a general message and the opposite wings could not speak to each other. So, when we got up, the conversations continued very late, as everyone was happy with this friendship dinner.
The chef made an inspired cuisine, of great delicacy and without parasitic tastes that hit the wines. The service of the dishes and wines was very attentive and intelligent. We left happy to have shared a great moment of friendship with wines that are the most beautiful expressions of prestigious domains, represented by those who embody them. Everyone has only one desire, it is to come back next year.

(pictures are in the article in French, just below)

C’est la 18^ème année que j’organise un dîner de vignerons que l’on appelle le « dîner des amis de Bipin Desai », car c’est lui qui en a eu l’idée. C’est un grand collectionneur de vins californien d’origine indienne, organisateur de fantastiques dégustations verticales des plus grands domaines, et par ailleurs professeur de physique nucléaire à Berkeley. Ma tâche a été de recueillir, les inscriptions, recevoir les vins apportés par les vignerons et mettre au point le menu, grâce à Ghislain, très compétent sommelier, avec le chef du restaurant Laurent, Alain Pégouret. Le dîner étant organisé comme un de mes dîners sera le 229^ème.

Nous sommes dix : Frédéric Barnier (maison Louis Jadot), Philippe Foreau (Clos Naudin), Marc Hugel (maison Hugel), Jean-Luc Pépin (domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé), Rodolphe Péters (champagnes Pierre Péters), Charles Philipponnat (champagnes Philipponnat), Pierre Trimbach (maison Trimbach), Aubert de Villaine (domaine de la Romanée Conti), Bipin Desai et moi.

A 16h30 j’ouvre les bouteilles qui, à peu d’exceptions, sont relativement jeunes. Je constate que presque tous les bouchons sont très serrés dans les goulots, demandant de grands efforts pour les extirper. Est-ce lié aux conditions météorologiques, je ne sais pas. Toutes les odeurs sont encourageantes, voire magiques.

L’apéritif se prend dans la belle rotonde de l’entrée du restaurant avec le Champagne Pierre Péters Cuvée Les Chétillons magnum 2002 dégorgé en 2012. Je l’avais fait ouvrir par Ghislain une heure et demie avant l’apéritif et malgré cela le champagne me paraît engoncé, un peu fermé. Mais il fallait les délicieux amuse-bouches pour le révéler. Ces amuse-bouches sont précis, sans chichi et très efficaces pour élargir le champagne. Rodolphe Péters dit que ce champagne de 16 ans commence à trouver son envol et l’ampleur qu’il doit avoir. C’est un grand blanc de blancs du Mesnil-sur-Oger, la Mecque du blanc de blancs.

Nous passons à table. Le menu créé par Alain Pégouret est : Saint-Jacques marinées d’une mousseline d’huile d’olive citron caviar et poivre rouge de Pondichéry, gelée de concombre et menthe, tortilla guacamole / Oignon doux confit et caramélisé, crème légère de pomme ‘Charlotte’, truffe blanche d’Alba, parmesan et jaune coulant / Noix de ris de veau caramélisée au vinaigre balsamique de pomme, chips et mousseline de châtaigne, chanterelles et bacon au jus / Carré d’agneau de Lozère cuit sur une marinière, « grenailles » et crémeux d’artichauts et cristalline / Pomme reine des reinettes, yaourt de cassis, crème glacée à la bière / Financiers.

Le plat de Saint-Jacques est aérien. Il est accompagné d’un champagne et d’un vin blanc. Pierre Trimbach pense que le riesling fait un peu d’ombre au Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 1996 dégorgé en 2010, mais nous sommes plusieurs à penser que les deux se fécondent mutuellement. Il y a beaucoup de ponts qui se créent entre le champagne et le Riesling Cuvée Frédéric Emile Trimbach magnum 1990. Le champagne fait à égalité de pinot noir et chardonnay a une belle personnalité. Il est vif. Le riesling a un parfum inouï. Ce parfum est conquérant. Le vin réussit ce miracle de paraître guerrier, envahisseur, mais aussi d’une grande élégance. Le riesling me séduit par son extrême précision. Il est frais. C’est un immense vin et Philippe Foreau fait remarquer que l’accord se trouve avec les petites notes de menthe du plat très frais. Je trouve que ce sont les dés de concombre qui créent le pont entre les deux, champagne et vin. Nous sommes ravis de cette belle association.

L’oignon est superbe et la truffe d’Alba dégage des parfums envoûtants. Le plat est accompagné de deux vins très disparates, alors qu’ils sont de la même année. Le Bâtard-Montrachet Grand Cru Louis Jadot magnum 1999 est comme le riesling un vin guerrier. Quand il est servi, il montre ses muscles, avec un parfum entêtant. Mais dès que le vin s’aère dans le verre, les subtilités apparaissent. Puissance et élégance sont ses deux forces.

Le Bourgogne Blanc Domaine Georges de Vogüé 1999 est en fait un Musigny blanc qui par humilité efface depuis 1991 son appellation tant que les vignes ne sont pas suffisamment vieilles. Il reprend son appellation à partir du millésime 2015. Ce vin plus discret que le Bâtard est d’une rare élégance. Il suggère plus qu’il n’affirme et montre son raffinement. L’accord est très intéressant, le Bâtard affrontant avec succès la truffe blanche alors que le vin de Vogüé se mesure gentiment avec les délicieux oignons et l’œuf très justifié pour la cohérence du plat.

Aubert de Villaine ayant lu le menu s’inquiète de l’apparition d’un vin doux qui risque de nuire aux deux vins rouges qui suivront. Philippe Foreau affirme que son Vouvray demi-sec Clos Naudin 2005 n’aura aucun effet négatif sur les rouges. Je demande en cuisine si l’on peut faire passer le plat des rouges avant le plat prévu, mais le service est lancé aussi je fais ouvrir une deuxième bouteille de Clos des Goisses 1996, que nous boirons après le vin de Loire et avant les rouges. Le vin de Loire fait assez simple au premier contact, mais il est comme une Bugatti qui a besoin de quelques minutes avant que le moteur aux innombrables cylindres ne chante sa symphonie. L’accord que m’avait suggéré Philippe Foreau, avec le ris de veau, est superbe. Le vin subtil est discret, d’un message d’amour courtois, et s’il est doux, il garde la bouche fraîche. Philippe avait raison, le palais n’est pas marqué et nous aurions pu passer aux vins rouges, mais il est plus prudent de ne pas tenter le diable.

La bouteille de Champagne Philipponnat Clos des Goisses 1996 dégorgé en 2010 est fondamentalement différente de la première alors qu’elles proviennent du même lot. Philippe Foreau suggère que la seconde bouteille serait plus dosée que la première et Charles Philipponnat est catégorique, il est impossible que le dosage soit différent. Le goût de ce champagne est plus riche, plus puissant, avec des fortes évocations d’amandes et de noisettes. Personnellement je préférais la première bouteille servie, mais les avis sont partagés.

Nos palais sont calibrés et arrive le carré d’agneau, choisi pour ne pas heurter les deux grands rouges. A l’ouverture à 17 heures, le Musigny Vieilles Vignes Domaine Georges de Vogüé 1970 m’avait conquis par son parfum d’une rare élégance, tout en suggestion. Or le vin que je bois maintenant fait un peu fatigué, plus évolué qu’il ne devrait. Mais il va faire une remontée fantastique, s’assembler, perdre ses voiles de maturité excessive pour redevenir galant. C’est un vin très charmant. Il est très fin, même dans cette année de petite renommée.

Le Richebourg Domaine de la Romanée Conti 1964 a un fruit très jeune. Il est solide et charpenté et ne découvre que progressivement les complexités propres au domaine. C’est un vin d’une grande palette de saveurs, qu’il décline élégamment. Aucun des deux vins ne nuit à l’autre et nous bénéficions de deux expressions bourguignonnes d’un grand talent. Comme nous buvons de large soif je demande qu’on ne serve pas de fromage car il n’y aura pas assez de vin. Fort opportunément aucun fromage n’était inscrit sur nos menus alors qu’il en était prévu. Malgré quelques souhaits exprimés, nous passons directement au dessert.

Le Riesling Vendanges Tardives Sélection Personnelle de Jean Hugel 1935 est annoncé par Marc Hugel comme étant très sec et bien qu’il soit de vendanges tardives, il est effectivement très sec. Ce vin est une merveille de subtilité. On pourrait faire un repas avec ce vin seul, pour explorer sa capacité enthousiasmante à épouser la gastronomie. Ce vin est un vin de recueillement. Il me procure une émotion très forte.

Le Vouvray Goutte d’Or moelleux Clos Naudin 1947 à la couleur extrêmement ambrée est tout l’inverse du précédent. Il est absolument fantastique dans des notes très fortes où Philippe Foreau trouve des évocations d’une imagination invraisemblable, comme le cheval qui revient à l’écurie, alors que je trouve sous son message très torréfié, presque de mélasse, des notes de thé. Ce vin est un tonitruant prodige de douceurs gourmandes. On peut passer d’un vin à l’autre, chacun offrant des sensations admirables.

J’avais raconté en début de repas que grâce à Etienne Hugel, frère de Marc Hugel, j’avais eu la chance de boire un Constantia d’Afrique du Sud de 1791 appartenant à Jean Hugel. La présence de Marc m’a donné envie d’ouvrir pour mes amis vignerons un Red Constantia J.P. Cloete Great Constantia Afrique du Sud vers 1860, le vins des rois, des empereurs et des tsars, le vin le plus mythique qui soit. A l’ouverture, j’avais été tétanisé par la perfection de son parfum. Ce vin, c’est mon Graal, ma recherche, mon amour. Il est riche, poivré, avec une acidité extrême et porteuse, et il a tenu les 158 ans de sa vie sans prendre une ride. Sa longueur est infinie et sa persistance aromatique l’est aussi. Il est gras/sec. Je jouis de ce vin parfait et je suis particulièrement heureux que mes amis l’aiment, car qui mieux qu’eux pourrait apprécier ces saveurs éternelles ?

Dans la jolie salle à manger du restaurant Laurent nous avons eu une belle table mais la forme a rendu très difficile d’avoir des conversations communes. Trois ou quatre petits groupes de discussion se sont formés sauf quand il fallait adresser un message général et les ailes opposées ne pouvaient se parler. Aussi, quand nous nous sommes levés, les conversations ont continué très tard, tant chacun était heureux de ce dîner d’amitié.

Le chef a fait une cuisine inspirée, d’une grande délicatesse et sans goûts parasites qui heurtent les vins. Le service des plats et des vins a été très attentif et intelligent. Nous nous sommes quittés heureux d’avoir partagé un grand moment d’amitié avec des vins qui sont les plus belles expressions de domaines prestigieux, représentés par ceux qui les incarnent. Chacun n’a qu’une envie, c’est de revenir dans un an.

Comment est-ce possible que ce vin blanc contienne du poisson ?

c’est assez amusant de voir un vin de 1935 avec un bouchon qui porte l’adresse du site web du domaine !

les bouteilles sauf les Vouvray dans ma cave

les bouteilles au complet dans le restaurant

quand on regarde la table, on voit que les viticulteurs boivent jusqu’à la dernière goutte !

Bipin Desai est un collectionneur américain avec lequel j’organise chaque année un dîner de vignerons. Ce sera dans une semaine le 18^ème dîner. La tradition veut que le jour de l’arrivée de Bipin en France, nous dînons ensemble. Ce soir, ce sera au restaurant Akrame. Le chef Akrame a la maîtrise de notre menu que nous ne connaîtrons pas à l’avance, aussi le choix des vins dans la carte très courte du restaurant est-il fait sans savoir.

Voici comment le chef Akrame intitule et décrit notre parcours : Picorer : ananas, féta – anguille fumée – cracker betterave framboise / Envol : céleri façon rémoulade / Surprise : raviole champignons / Marin : Skrei, œufs de truite, pomme de terre / Audace : tourteau, carotte, navet / Force : homard barbecue, menthe / Terre : pigeon, Kamut / Jouissance : riz au lait ; riz soufflé, glace au riz, mousse chocolat d’antan, coulis fumé.

L’ananas de mise en bouche est sur une couche de glace et se présente trop froid. Les deux autres amuse-bouches sont superbes. Tous les plats sont d’une grande inventivité. J’adore le céleri magnifiquement traité, cuit entier à la braise. Le tourteau exprime tout le talent du chef qui explore des voies nouvelles. Le homard est saisi à la perfection. La chair du pigeon est tellement goûteuse que l’on pourrait presque se contenter du produit pur. Il y a dans cette cuisine un bouillonnement d’idées.

Le Champagne Billecart-Salmon Le Clos Saint-Hilaire Brut 1998 est un blanc de noirs qui par beaucoup d’aspects me rappelle le Bollinger Vieilles Vignes Françaises qui est lui aussi un blanc de noirs. Il faut accepter une certaine rugosité, une sécheresse et un ascétisme prononcés, et si l’on entre dans le jeu de ce champagne, on est conquis. Il n’est pas toujours gastronomique car il est dur, mais sa personnalité me plait beaucoup. C’est un champagne que j’aime parce qu’il ose être ce qu’il est.

La Petite Sibérie Côtes de Roussillon Villages Hervé Bizeul 2008 est un vin riche et puissant, tout en affirmation. Ce qui me plait, c’est de constater qu’à dix ans, il est en pleine possession de ses moyens et trouve un équilibre élégant. Il est racé et montre une belle élégance sous ses dehors de combattant. Ce serait Porthos parmi les trois mousquetaires, mais un Porthos galant. Il accompagne élégamment le homard, et même avec le pesto (il faut le faire), à condition qu’on le prenne en trace. C’est avec le pigeon à la mâche divine qu’il se livre généreusement.

Il y avait des tables bruyantes, la salle était chaude, le ballet des serveurs était animé dans cette salle toute en longueur et comme Bipin parle doucement, j’ai eu un mal fou à le comprendre. Le service est toujours attentionné. La cuisine d’Akrame, généreuse et inventive est de grand talent et je suis ravi que le vin d’Hervé Bizeul ait tant brillé.

The 228th Wine-Dinners Dinner is held at the Akrame Restaurant. I had seen the chef a dozen days ago to develop the menu with him. The wines had been delivered a week ago and put standing up, in cabinets at a good temperature, the day before by Benjamin.

I almost never do dinners with theme on a region, a year or a domain because what interests me is to make « real » dinners, whose theme is the dinner itself. The 150th dinner featured twelve wines from 1947. It was the only time. The desire took me for this dinner to put only 1978 wines, thinking that if it is true that « when we love we are still 20 years old », why cannot we say that « when we love we always have 40 years  » ? As we are eleven instead of ten I added a wine to the program that had been given to the registration of each. By caprice, I added a 1979 instead of a 1978, to escape the constraint of an intangible rule.

When the day arrives, a Norwegian journalist who is attending the dinner is present at 5 pm so that Nina, the photographer who accompanies him, can photograph the opening operation of the wines. At this time when we are almost mid-October, it is 26 ° and a beautiful sun shines. Three of the corks tend to sink as soon as I prick the tirebouchon. I have a little uncertainty about the perfume of Ausone 1978. The three exceptional perfumes are those of Chambertin, Hermitage and Yquem.

In the very narrow room, the table reserved for us is all in length, according to a plan where the number of seats for each side of the rectangle is: 5 – 1 – 5 – 0. Such a plan in length will create three zones of discussion, one wing, the other and the center. As it is interesting that everyone speaks with everyone, why not use the tables that are in the yard to create a much more square table that will be according to a plan: 4 – 2 – 3 – 2. It looks like the construction of the game plan of a team of football but this is the number of seats per side of the rectangle of the table. Benjamin looks at the weather on his smartphone and there is a 30% chance of rain. Benjamin says, « if it is 30% you can take the risk ». So we set the table with four glasses for each place, and the first drops of rain fall. In the yard there is a large sunblind and two large umbrellas. These three shelters do not cover the table and the seats. Chief Akrame arrives and says « dinner inside ». But the shape of the inside table is frankly dissuasive. Benjamin looks again at the weather with Alissa and the waiter Marc who will do a high quality service of the dishes and also the wines and he says to us: «it is the last cloud seen from the sky, and after this cloud there will be an open sky.  » The temptation is great to have dinner outside. But to be sure that everyone is safe under the blinds of insufficient surfaces, it is necessary to rotate the table by 90 °, which will better protect our heads. So the staff has to clear the table and furbish it again. The involvement of the restaurant team is exceptional. While the whole team of the restaurant works I see another weather forecast opened by one of the guests arrived in advance which indicates: « from 20h to 23h, rain ». Change again is no longer possible. We will be in the yard.

Our table is particularly cosmopolitan. There is the Norwegian journalist, a Dutch friend who lived in London and settles in Paris, an American globetrotter who lives in Oregon, an American of Indian origin who lives in California with his American friend, a German of Israeli origin living in London and there are five French. It promises a nice atmosphere.

The aperitif was planned standing but the fine rain also prohibits this. The presentation of the dinner is done while we sit. I had opened an hour before the meal Champagne Dom Perignon 1978 and very curiously a black liquid dirty my hands when I took off the cloak, and the cap itself broke when I shot it to open it. It is with a tirebouchon that I extracted it, without appearance of pschitt. Such a presentation of the bottle should not exist for a champagne of this age. In the mouth, the champagne is pleasant, without being thundering. It has no defect but it does not have enough personality. I said to Akrame for the appetizers « you do what you want, no limit to your creativity ». That’s what he did because we have both eel and red fruit and grapefruit flavors. Everything is nice to nibble.

Chef Akrame Benallal’s menu is: lightly smoked scallop carpaccio fine foie gras leaf / lobster tail and riso’huitre ‘/ marinated eel sauce raspberry matelote / roasted pigeon leaf and fig / fillet and simmered prune prawn almond and pomegranate juice / raw Stilton / avocado grapefruit.

Champagne Mumm Cuvée Rene Lalou 1979 is the intruder of this dinner because of its vintage. It is accompanied on the dish of Saint-Jacques by a Verzellino Pino Zardetto Italy 1978. This wine is the ‘infantryman’ of this meal, Italian table wine that is unknown to me. At the opening his nose was delicately sweet while it is a dry wine. In the mouth it has a sweet discreet and what surprises me is the strong impression of coffee in the finale of the wine. Despite everything, it has little to tell. Champagne has a much more consistent and lively message. I really like this Mumm.

While we dine, the rain is doubling by force. When there is a cloth awning that has a slope, the water flows. And where does it flow? On the shoulder of one of the guests. His neighbor table sponge canvas as does the healer of a boxer between rounds, and I feel helpless since it is excluded that we rebuild the table elsewhere.

Akrame had then planned langoustines but those he received appeared to him of insufficient quality so he chose to make the dish with lobster, absolutely delicious. A particularly gourmet guest noticed that ‘riso’ was calibrated for langoustine more than for lobster, which did not prevent the dish from shining on two beautiful white wines.

The Côtes du Jura white Maison des Vignerons 1978 is slightly cloudy but it does not affect the taste is splendid. It is a sunny and lively Jura white which has many similarities, notably the acidity, with the other white, the Château Haut Brion Blanc 1978. This wine is magnificent of complexity and it plays with happiness. The difference in nobility, in favor of Bordeaux is mainly on the final, particularly affirmed. This Haut-Brion is big.

Now comes the dish and the agreement that has excited me the most. The eel is divine and the trace of raspberry canaille. The Château Bel-Air Canon Fronsac 1978 is happy and without complex. He asserts himself bravely in front of his neighbor. The Chateau Ausone 1978 made me a little scared because the attack has a slight nose cap. But the finale shows that the taste is not affected at all. At times, I had flashes of the nobility of Ausone, but overall the wine did not give the best of itself. It must be said that as we are in October, the 26 ° of the afternoon fade very quickly, and it is really cold now. And since the wines are served cold, their performances are restrained.

A friend has changed places to not be wet anymore. The Dutch friend conscientiously rinses the water flowing from the treacherous cloth, the rain is strong and all this starts to get on my nerves. So I take the floor to say that the whole table will be invited to another dinner in the spring, for which I will bring all the wines, because I cannot stand that my guests cannot drink the wines in the best conditions. A present guest who is from a group of champagne houses announces that he will welcome this future dinner. Promise is made that this dinner will take place.

Thereupon the rain stops, which does not cancel my promise, and we are now entering a second part of the meal where everything becomes miraculous. On the pigeon with the perfect taste to which the fig does not bring much, the Chambertin Clos de Bèze Armand Rousseau 1978 is at the peak of his grace. It is Burgundy brought to the gustatory firmament. What a treat.

The doe in two services accompanies two Rhone wines also at the top of their glory. The Chateau de Mont-Redon Châteauneuf du Pape 1978 that I know well, is generous, simple but flamboyant. It is the quiet force, serene.

L’Hermitage La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet Aîné 1978
is certainly the best of this wine and this year that I have drunk. It is now reaching an obvious fullness. It is much more complex than Mont-Redon, with accents very similar to those of the Burgundy wine in terms of complexity.

As often, I indicate the procedure that must be adopted to create a superb harmony between the stilton and the Château d’Yquem 1978. The stilton is first quality and the Yquem is a perfect achievement. It’s the Golden Boy of Wall Street.

The dessert is not quite suitable for Sauternes so it finds its way with Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 1978 which opens with a beautiful pschitt and is powerful and typed. It is a divine surprise for the Champagne men of our dinner.

The last five wines made it possible to finish this dinner with fanfare as the votes will show since eleven people voted for the four best wines out of a total of 44, of which 36 went to the last five wines, which is more than 80%.

In total, nine out of twelve wines had votes and among them only four had first votes. The Chambertin Clos de Bèze Armand Rousseau 1978 had five first votes, the 1978 Yquem had four first votes, Ausone and Mont-Redon had a first vote.

The vote of the consensus of these 1978 would be: 1 – Château d’Yquem, 2 – Chambertin Clos de Bèze Armand Rousseau, 3 – Hermitage La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet Aîné, 4 – Château de Mont-Redon Châteauneuf du Pape, 5 – Champagne Veuve Clicquot The Grande Dame, 6 – Château Ausone.

My vote is: 1 – Chambertin Clos de Bèze Armand Rousseau, 2 – Champagne Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, 3 – Hermitage La Chapelle Paul Jaboulet Aîné, 4 – Château de Montredon Châteauneuf du Pape.

What to say about this meal? First, the variety of origins and backgrounds of all guests contributed to the quality of the exchanges. Then braving the elements as on a frail tub gave the spice to the experience, putting us in danger permanently. Adrenaline was rising, especially for me because I was boiling to see that we did not taste the wines in the best conditions. It would have been necessary for the ambient temperature to be four or five degrees higher and the wines one or two degrees more for it to be ideal, and that made me sad. Then it is clear that the chef Akrame has a brilliant talent and that the culinary audacity he takes is justified. Then again that the service of wines and dishes can not be provided by one person even if Marc was efficient and clever. Then again, that if global warming is a reality, we must know not to brave the elements.

Finally, that the emails I received from everyone after dinner show that this crazy adventure was lived as a rare moment of friendship and that everyone wants to start again. There are only good memories.

So, if we have to give a title to this dinner, to paraphrase Gene Kelly, it will be: « drinking in the rain« . And the compensation dinner, I commit myself, will be held indoors, whatever the climate of the moment.

(the pictures are in the article in French, just below)