Rabo do Pêxe: another fine dinner

2016 Dory Lisbon Regional Wine 

Last Thursday we went back to Rabo do Pêxe. We did our usual thing of choosing a few starters and then having some Sashimi and Sushi. Fortunately we had booked as Rabo continuous to be very popular.

We started with a bottle of the 2016 Dory from AdegaMãe. This is a blend of Viosinho, Alvarinho, Arinto and Viognier making a quite rich and concentrated white, while at the same time with an attractive freshness probably provided by the Arinto. It is made by Anselmo Mendes and Diogo Lopes.  

Almond coated prawns – a signature dish

Ceviche of scallops with ginger

Duck ham with pear 

Selection of Sashimi

Selection of Sushi

Having dispatched the Dory we decided to take a look at the 2014 Riesling from the same wine-making team. The 2014 Riesling is quite lean and crisp, so I couldn't decide whether I had chosen our two wines in the right order. The Riesling would have worked with the prawns and scallops but not with the duck. while the Dory could have gone with the sashimi and the sushi, although the Riesling happily paired with the raw fish. Will have to go back!     

2014 Riesling

(above and below)

Forez/Roannaise: 5th day – Côtes de Forez

Le Prieurie Romain de Saint Romain le Puy

Saturday was my last day in the Forez/Roannaise with just one visit to Domaine Pic et Vin (Laurent and Christine Demeure plus Pierre Rolle, who has replaced the now retired Daniel Mondon). We started by visiting Le Prieurie Romain de Saint Romain le Puy, where we tasted the three Viogniers made by the domaine. Later I saw the plot where the first Chenin Blanc in the region will be planted before tasting some of the other wines made by the domaine. 

The crypt
 

Eggs laid by a white owl in an opening 
on the way down to the crypt 

 Jean-Paul Lyonnet, président of the Association Aldebertus

 Pierre Rolle (Domaine Pic et Vin)
tasting Viognier in the Prieurie

I forgot to change the light balance 
before I started taking pictures of Pierre 
but like the effect of the blue tinge 


Some of the Viognier planted on the steep slopes 
of a now extinct volcano leading up to the Prieurie  

In two weeks time the first Chenin to be planted 
in the Forez/Roannaise sector 
will be planted here

Ici commence Le Chenin Blanc de la Loire@Boisset Saint-Priest!
This is about 120 kms north of the Loire's source@Mont Gerbier de Jonc

Pierre Rolle imagining future delights from 
their Chenin – fingers crossed!

vin & pic
 

A restrained range of wines from 7.5 hectares!!

The Loire@Nevers on the return journey back to Saint-Pierre des Corps

  

My thanks to the Association Aldebertus for permission to use photos taken in the Le Prieurie Romain de Saint Romain le Puy.

#EWBC Dinner with Frankie: 7.11.12

 2011 Pinot Noir, Chamlija with design by Irem Chamlija

The #EWBC 2012 Welcome Dinner

This was held at Frankie's fashionable rooftop restaurant with some spectacular views over Istanbul. The survivors from the Pre-Conference Trip to Thrace were joined by a number of reinforcements including André Ribeirinho, Tim Lemke and Robyn Bancroft and our putative train companion - Andrew Barrow - see separate post on our adventurous journey to Izmir. 

Frankie is undoubtedly a buzzy and lively restaurant. The food was good, although perhaps we had one course too many.

 

We started with a glass of fizz - the Kayra/Cameo Doro, which appears to have quite a high dosage but it was good to have a fizz to celebrate Obama's re-election. The Cameo is a blend of Bornova Misketi, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.

Amuse bouche

Chardonnay vine leaves soup, rice dolma, yoghurt mousse

Served With

Chamlija Viognier 2011 from Strandja, Thrace.

Attractive Viognier, which although quite high in alc it does not show. Carole found this a little overoaked. 50% went into oak, 50% stainless. Chamlija is a new project with 90 hectares planted with a current production of just 18,000 bottles but that will increase very significantly once the 90 hectares are in full production.

Chamlija has wonderful labels designed by Irem Camlica, the daughter of Mustafa the owner of Chamlija. Mustafa has promised to launch a range of shirts based her marvellous designs. I have already placed a provisional order.

Cheese soufflé 

'Kes' (cd) Cheese soufflé, prosciutto, mixed greens, fig balsamic sauce

Served with

Kayra/Terra Kalecik Karasi Rose 2011. From Denizili, Aegean.

Easy drinking rosé with some freshness in finish.

2011 Kalecik Karasi Roze

Homemade cannelloni, spinach, mushrooms, cheese

Served with:
Vinkara/Mahzen Narince 2010

Quite rich and full some apricot - a little reminiscent of Viognier. Good freshness in the finish. From what little I have tasted Narince seems to be an interesting grape variety.   

2011 Pinot Noir, Chamlija

Duck breast, crispy 'yufka', pumpkin and ginger mille-feuilles, pear-orange sauce

Served with:

Chamlija/Pinot Noir 2011

Pleasant, mid weight but not typical Pinot Noir, lacks some zip in finish.

2010 Vinkara/Mahzen Kalecik Karasi 2010

Vinkara/Mahzen Kalecik Karasi 2010

Black fruits and spice, some concentration, well rounded tannins, well balanced. Has ageing potential?

The evening was rounded off by a taxi ride back to the Armada Hotel through streets awash with water from the very heavy storm. The return of Noah perhaps?

2010 Vinkara/Mahzen Kalecik Karasi 2010

More excitement in Roannaise and Forez

2011 Viognier la vigne d'Aldebertus vin de pays d'Urfe Ch & D Mondon et L. Demeure

Rather than starting with the reds from Forez and the Roannaise once again it is the quality of the whites that has really surprised me. Which is not to say that the reds are poor, it is just that the whites are particularly impressive and, for me, newsworthy.

Let's start with two Viogniers (IGP Urfé) from a couple of producers in Boisset Saint-Priest in the Forez and around 15k south of Montbrison 

2011 Viognier la vigne d'Aldebertus vin de pays d'Urfe Ch & D Mondon et L.Demeure

Mid-yellow in colour with luscious ripe fruit – delicate apricot. Very attractive Viognier. Well balanced and impressive – a lovely drink.

2011 Viognier Stéphane Real, Aldebertus, IGP Urfe

First vintage from these vines and a whopping 16% alc! Certainly rich, powerful - floral and apricot. Doesn't have hot flush but after a few sips you are aware that you are drinking something decidedly strong. Not sure what to do with this – a small apéro. Certainly the Viognier from Mondon-Demeure easier to drink and better balanced. However, impressive as a first attempt at Viognier from this small 5 hectare estate, which dates from 1998.  

2011 Pinot Gris, Hors Pistes, IGP Urfé, Domaine des Pothiers 

2011 Pinot Gris, Hors Pistes, Domaine des Pothiers

Good wine, if slightly two dimensional, with some rich weight and texture. Lightly spicy fruit but in the Pinot Gris style rather than Pinot Grigio. Makes an attractive apéro. Pothiers is a family domaine handed down over the centuries from generation to generation. It is now run by Georges, Denise and Romain Paire with some 10 hectares of vines.

The reds:      

2011 Domaine des Pothiers Côte Roannaise Clos de Puy, organic, Villemontais

Lovely spicy blackberry and blackcurrant. Good concentration. Deliciously easy-drinking mid-weight Gamay. Just shows how good this grape can be. Don't analyse - just drink!

2010 Boutheran Côte Roannaise Thierry Bonneton

Initially quite soft and attractive red fruits but quite marked acidity present when drunk by itself. However, this acidity is well hidden with food. 5.50€ TTC from the domaine.

2011 éponyme, Côte Roannaise, Vincent Giraudon

Mid plum, mid-depth, attractively soft spice and typical Gamay slightly sooty which can be typical of Gamay. Some acidity just enough to encourage you to take another mouthful. Certainly not as aggressive as a few of these 2011s have been. Black fruited. Domaine's website is unnecessarily complicated. 

2010 Côtes de Forez Cuvée des Vieux Ceps, Domaine duPoyet

Different vintage (2010) but more rustic and earthy in style, although some attractive fruit, mid-weight. Interesting to see the increasing number of individual domaines in Forez. This one has nine hectares of vines – the vast majority Gamay but with a tiny amount of Chardonnay bottled under IGP Urfé.

2011 Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Robert Sérol

Bright vibrant, red fruits with good refreshing acidity - not at all green. More delicious drinking from this fine domaine. Stood up well to food at the Lahore Kebab House – an excellent traditional Pakistani restaurant on Umberton Street/Commercial Road in East London. Not sure, however, that this is what Stéphane Sérol had in mind when he made this. Perhaps it's the acidity that helps it match the spice and pepper?  

2011 Les Loges, Côtes du Forez, Les Vignerons Foreziens

 

2011 Les Loges, Côtes du Forez, Les Vignerons Foreziens

From the Cave Coopérative with vibrant red fruits, light to mid-weight, some acidity but not as marked as some. Easy drinking from 45 hl/ha with a production of 13,300 bottles.

Les Loges is named after les loges de vignes that were built out of stone on the side of the steep hillsides. They had two floors – the upper level was living quarters, while the lower was used to store tools and carts, etc.

 

2009 Opera Fleur de Vigne, Stéphane Guillot

Impressively rich – of course 2009 was an exceptional vintage here just as it was in nearby Beaujolais. Lovely rich fruit, excellent concentration. Vivacious black fruits with enough acidity to encourage another sip or so. Excellent! Unfortunately Guillot was badly hit by hail in early August 2012.