Super Sauvignons tasting & dinner@RSJ Restaurant, London

(15 September 2008)
Only the first three wines are still available, rest were drawn from the RSJ's reserve stock.

Aperitif:

1] 2006 Sauvignon de Bablut £7.85
Christophe Daviau, Domaine de Bablut, VDP du Val de Loire.
From Brissac-Quincé in Anjou. Some weight, easy-drinking Sauvignon. Softer acidity than generally found in the wines from further east.

Then:

2] 2007 Quincy, Domaine des Ballandors £9.75
Jean Tatin & Chantal Wilk

Racy, lemony typical of the clean, precise flavours of 2007. Jean and Wilk’s wines tend to take on weight after a few months in bottle. Well liked.

3] 2006 Menetou-Salon ‘Clos de la Cure’ £9.75
Roger Champault et Fils
Disappointing: quite fat but dumb – lacked zip.

4] 1999 Sancerre [in magnum] André Dezat
Opened up in the glass, citric and mineral, still youthful. Well liked by many of those present.

5] 2000 Pouilly Fumé ‘La Rambarde’
Domaine Landrat-Guyollot
Showing well – yellow plum on nose, some weight with racy acidity in the finish.

First course:
Warm goats' cheese
Roasted peppers & ciabatta crostini

Château de Tracy 1997: sadly oxidised

6] 1997 Pouilly-Fumé, Château de Tracy
Comte Henri d’Assay

Disappointing, both bottles badly oxidized. Served it anyway as an example of oxidation. Not clear whether corks were to blame or whether the fault lies elsewhere. Is this a similar problem to that suffered by some top end Burgundies from the same period?

7) 1996 Sancerre Dominique Midgeon
Last minute addition to replace oxidised Tracy. Still very youthful, quite lean.

8] 1997 Sancerre Les Culs de Beaujeu
François Cotat

Powerful, rich fruit matched by balancing acidity in the finish. Very good match with the fish.

9] 2004 Quincy, Cuvée Sucellus
Jean Tatin

Tasted on its own the oak was not yet fully integrated leading one to wonder whether there was enough concentration to carry the wood. However, much improved with the fish and a particularly good match with the salmon. Sucellus was the Gaullish god of agriculture, forests and alcoholic drinks.

Main course
Scallop, monkfish & salmon
Cress, crushed new potatoes
Peas & broad beans
White wine veloute

Cuvée Sucellus

10] 1989 Cuvée Pierre ‘Vendange tardive’
Joseph Balland Chapuis

Something of a curiosity. Not especially sweet with some honeyed and barley sugar flavours. Predictably overwhelmed by the dessert. Vin de table français as Sancerre appellation is only for dry wines.

Dessert: Spiced orange cake with plums & whipped yogurt

Full details of the RSJ Restaurant’s autumn tasting programme on: http://rsj.uk.com as well as on the new RSJ News: http://rsj-news.blogspot.com This site will soon become part of the RSJ Restaurant site.

RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street, London SE1 9NR
Tel: 020-7928 4554
Email: tom.king@rsj.uk.com