Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Thursday 25 March 2010

An evening with Modération

A modération of geese

 As is well known, Modération is now  the most popular name for pets in  France whether for cats, dogs, guineapigs or various tame birds including parrots. This ensures that the French people comply with the Loi Evin, consuming wine 'avec Modération'. It has also meant that few pets are now allowed out in the evening. 

Last Saturday night we had a group of friends over to dinner and we looked at a number of wines – not all the bottles were emptied.  

 Crémant de Loire, Domaine de la Grange

As we don't have a pet we have to use a moderation substitute – in this instance a modération of geese.We started with Bruno Curassier's Domaine de la Grange soft and creamy Crémant de Loire, which is a blend of Chenin & Chardonnay. Then moved onto one of our favourite fizzes – Triple Zéro from Jacky Blot, which did not disappoint.

Triple Zéro, La Taille aux Loups

1996 Vieilles Vignes, Chablis, Domaine Sainte Claire, Jean-Marc Brocard

Not from the Loire but not far away and a lovely bottle of wine – or rather a lovely magnum. Quite opulent evolved nose with some buttery honey with that typical aged character Chablis takes on – mousseron mushroom and still fresh in the finish. Went well with the warm salad of local goats' cheese, mushrooms – Paris and oyster – and lardons.

 Le Vilain P'tit Rouge, AC Touraine, Vincent Ricard

2004 is not a particularly easy vintage for red Loire – yields tended to be high after 2003 when there had been some frost and which was also the year of the heatwave. Le Vilain P'tit Rouge from Vincent Ricard and also in magnum was showing very well with soft, ripe black fruits and none of the unripe aromas – rooty and green pepper – that some 2004s have. Le Vilain worked well with a very good joint of beef – bought from a very good, new butcher near the Plough in East Dulwich, London SE22 – that we had brought over with us and served with individual Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes. 

2004 La Closerie, Touraine, Clos Roche Blanche

The onion gravy for the beef was made using a bottle of the 2004 Clos Roche Blanche La Closerie – probably better not to tell Catherine and Didier, although it was for a good cause. Like Le Vilain Le Closerie also tasted well – now softening out and properly ripe. 2004 is one of those years when the name of the producer is particularly important.     

Post to be completed

7 comments:

wcs said...

I've always wondered where to get this modération stuff I'm supposed to have with my wine... now I know.

Anonymous said...

Me too, I`m in.

Bob

Jim's Loire said...

Walt and Bob: ideally you want a talking bird called Modération, who invited you to have another glass at suitable intervals naturally.

See this post here on Les 5 du Vin:
http://www.les5duvin.com/article-le-retour-de-raymond-affreux-45735584.html

Jan-Tore Egge said...

Does it mean we have to get a pet in order to continue drinking wine? I keep telling my daughter she won't get a cat or dog or guinea pig or whatever. Though perhaps we can rename that robot cat?

Jim's Loire said...

JT: As you can imagine I don't keep all the clauses of Le Loi Evin (Evian?) in my head. However, I reasonably sure that a robotic cat would be within the spirit of the law.

Aynard said...

i WILL ADD ON MY BOTTLE A LABEL CALLED moderation AND WHGEN YOU DRINK WINE JUST KEEP WITH YOU THIS LABEL CALLED "MODERATION"? THAT COULD BE A SOLUTION;;;;

Jim's Loire said...

Aynard. Sounds like a good idea.