Tags
corton, echezeaux, grands echezeaux, la tache, red wines, richebourg, romanee conti, romanee saint vivant, white wine, wine
One of my targets this new year is to learn more about red wines. I should go to more wine events if I want to do this as I can’t just read and understand what “layers of wood and fruity deep flavours” mean -___-“. I’ve got to taste it for myself and slowly figure out the differences between the different wines and pray I don’t get drunk in the process.
The menu and wine pairings at the DRC dinner organized by FICOFI.
I like how they lined up the wine glasses in order of consumption as the meal goes on into the night.
So firstly, the Vin de l’Abbaye Saint Vivant 2009, Hautes-Côtes de Nuits, bottled by Domaine de la Romanée-Conti.
I didn’t particularly like it. It seemed unfinished and smelled of gasoline to me. Perhaps its my infinitely amateur tastebuds.
The scallop and caviar that was paired with it however, was delicious. Perfectly cooked scallop on the outside, creamy insides and topped off with plump caviar.
The Corton, Grand Cru DRC 2009 (red wine on the left in the picture above) was good, and suitable for everyday drinking. I’m going to lift an opinion from Christer Byklum in “the tastingbook” on this wine. Hope this is ok?
“Pale ruby, pinkish rim. Floral, pure strawberries and a whiff of herbs. Ever so slightly spicy. Minerals and some vanilla. Fresh acidity, ripe tannins, pure and racy, lacks the Corton roughness. Elegant but a slightly biting texture far back that needs some polishing in the cellar. Long finish.”
It was paired with the foie gras and black truffle dish as pictured below.
Next, the Echezeaux, Grand Cru DRC 1989 and Grands Echezeaux, Grand Cru DRC 1989 from Burgundy. I found the basic taste of the two wines is similar with the Grands being more pronounced, deep and concentrated in comparison with the former.I should think that it goes really well with red meat or heavy flavors as it smells and tastes fruity. And a slight hint of spice while the texture is slippery if that makes any sense.
It was paired with an egg and black truffle dish. Pretty surprising and absolutely sublime, the egg yolk is a molten gold nestled in the frothy egg white, surrounded by a thick creamy wild mushroom-like soup, topped off with some croutons and a shaving of black truffle. 
Look at the baby run!
Next, another two red wines. I noticed just now that the wines got better and better as we followed the order of wines. There was a La Tache, Grand Cru, DRC 2000 and Romanee Saint Vivant, Grand Cru DRC 2006, both from Burgundy. The La Tache was one of the favorites of the table. I thought it was “spiky” in my mouth and had attitude to it, while the Romanee Saint Vivant was more fruity and mellow in comparison. Both to me were surprisingly good.
The wines were paired with scampi and a black truffle emulsion. Delicately fried thing at the side (I forgot what it was) and the tender scampi in the rich truffle sauce.
And finally came the crowning wines, the Richebourg, Grand Cru DRC 2000 from Burgundy and the Romanee Conti, Grand Cru DRC 2000. The Richebourg was deep, fruity, and rich. It felt firm and warm (yes by now I’m not making sense but it did feel warm, and I don’t mean that I was drunk). The Romanee Conti tasted pretty intense, and spicy with some hint of cherry. Also warming =D
Its a pity the servers spilled the Romanee Conti =(. You can see the wine staining the label. 
It was paired with what looked like boiled chicken and winter vegetables. I had anticipated the chicken to be bland, tasteless and tough but to my amazement, not only was it so tender, it was also creamy! Without addition of sauce whatsoever. And the generous shavings of truffle made it all the better.
We finished off dinner with Jeroboam of Chateau D’Yquem 1996, a sweet dessert white wine.
These are my favourites of the night!
myhumblefood 