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Research is all in my line of work so it was that I embarked on a famous “bring a bottle” lunch yesterday at Café Anglais with the founding partners and a good friend and customer of mine.
Ruinart 86 to begin which was toasty, biscuity, touch of sherry but lively and a great opening glass. On to my penultimate bottle of Riesling Clos St Hune, Trimbach 1983 which was off the chart. Still youthful with another 20 years life in it easy. Colour medium yellow with no hints of orange. Great purity, slight parafin but lovely delicacy and precision. A joy with quenelles of pike.
Then, decanted, a perfect bottle of Mouton Rothshild 1982. It was a dream. Really intense black fruit. Again tasting as though it needed more time but what a treat. Silky soft tannins, power and presence, very delicious. To contrast we moved on to Vieux Chateau Certan, Pomerol 1982, which was so pretty. Wonderful aromatics, colour more evolved and completely perfect for now. Both reds accompanied a superb Grouse.
A mouthful of Reblochon and a glass of 89 Auslese from Maximin Grunhaus and the world was definitely a much better place than the papers would have us believe.