A Burgundian Toast to Resignation!

If you’re going to resign your job without certain prospects for future employment, I highly recommend doing so and then skipping down the road to toast your freedom with tastes of Burgundian wines in a Napolean Cellar…

When I resigned on Monday morning of last week, I didn’t have ‘a plan’ per say for the future. However, I had at least sorted my initial hours of freedom. Thanks to yet another wonderful, and on this occasion exceptionally well timed, gift from my brother, Alex and I were headed to Berry Brother’s & Rudd for their Côte d’Or luncheon.

I go to BBR very occasionally when I’m looking for a particular or special bottle but sadly it is not my local or regular wine shop, yet,…, and I had never seen this Napoleon Cellar of theirs. Apparently it’s named as such because it is where the tyrant spent his time in exile in England from 1838 and 1848. I always pictured exile involving long lonely stretches of Siberia but good old Napoleon, poor thing, was huddled up, or I suppose in his case standing upright, amongst bottles of the finest wines from his homeland.

Alex and I scuttled down the narrow spiral staircase passing bottles of Bordeaux’s from the early years of the last century and eagerly accepted a glass of Berry’s Champagne: Berrys’ United Kingdom Cuvée, Grand Cru, Mailly. Dry, clean, crisp, but a surprising citrus note and not enough butter biscuit for me. That said, I certainly wasn’t opposed to having a second try of it – the importance of wetting one’s palette should not be underestimated.

We were about to taste five Côte d’Or wines. Cote d’Or is the acclaimed region of Burgundy which encompasses the Cote d’ Nuits in the north famous for its reds from Pinot Noir and the Côte de Beaune in the south most proud of its outstanding whites from Chardonnay. I was happily seated across from an enthusiastic mother/daughter in law pair from the North who had come down to London for the tasting which was a gift from their son/husband. They made me feel like I was ready to sit the Master’s exam and said I was much more informative than our host – hardly the case but I had just quit my job so who was I to argue?

The meal started with two whites: 2006 Puligny-Montrachet, Tête de Cuvée, Domaine François d’Allaines and the 2005 Chassagne-Montrachet, Caillerets, 1er Cru, Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard.

Puligny and Chassagne were the two villages that were allowed to hyphenate the name of its most famous vineyard, Montrachet, to it’s own. Meaning that we were about to taste two wines made of the same variety, from neighboring plots of land and vintages, which are remarkably different. The Domaine François d’Allaines had a floral and citrus nose and a matching palette which gave the steely characteristics that define this part of the world. It was an instant hit with Alex the lover of all wines remotely reminiscent of Chablis. The Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard had a slight petrol nose that surprisingly reminded me of a German Riesling and an oily viscosity to it which showed of it’s slightly more advanced maturity. At first I thought I greatly preferred the Domaine François d’Allaines but once the starter of Mackerel escabèche arrived I changed alliances and came to further appreciate how the oily fish was matched so perfectly with that petrol of Domaine Jean-Noël Gagnard which had now become more pronounced.

Three reds followed: the 2003 Chambolle-Musigny, Les Plantes, 1er Cru, Domaine Bertagna and the 2002 Volnay, Clos des Chênes, 1er Cru, Domaine J.M. Gaunoux were enjoyed with a delicious’ fall off the bone’ Navarin of lamb and the grand finale was the 1999 Gevrey-Chambertin, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Christian Serafin of which a gorgeous cheese board accompanied. Once again, all single varietal Pinot Noirs as all were from the Côte de Nuits but so enjoyable to taste side by side and appreciate their differences. However, by this point it was clear that this was a very generous ‘tasting’ indeed – thanks to BBR’s generous pour, glasses seemed to remain full throughout the afternoon’s heavy drinking. I do remember noting the soft tannins of the Gevrey-Chambertin which coupled with it’s acidity was the ideal match for the cheeseboard and I would recommend to anyone looking for a special bottle (would carry over well from a meaty main course into the cheese course) but it is selling now for £63 so I for one better find this new dream job of mine fast!

Happy afternoon ‘tasting’ to all,