- Location
- London
NEW OFFLINE VENUE RECCE DINNER @ BLACKLOCK CITY - (15/09/2021-16/09/2021)
A group of us went out to try a prospective offline venue, lured by reports of decent food and £10 corkage.
Wonderful evening, super company and great wines. At the start of the evening I found the loud background noise to be quite distracting, however as time went on I found it less so...
This is not, nor is it meant to be, a grand place - the tables are about as small as one can eat on comfortably, the glasses were perfectly decent but all of the same type. The service was good and attentive - our waiter was clearly excited by the wine-nerdery going on. Suspect we'll be back.
Posted from CellarTracker
A group of us went out to try a prospective offline venue, lured by reports of decent food and £10 corkage.
- 2008 Taittinger Champagne Brut Millésimé - France, Champagne (15/09/2021)
hmmm - delicious, precise, just as it should be. A lot of interest there but none of the unresolved spikiness some grander 08s are showing just now. Great to drink but no rush if you have some.
- 2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (15/09/2021)
That slightly ecclesiastical nose - like a church on a warm spring morning. Pale straw colour. On the palate it's long, has that CNDP richness and mouthfeel - hard to find useful descriptors but a very lovely wine. - 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (15/09/2021)
Deeper golden colour than the 07 Clos de Papes which preceded it. On the nose rich and honeyed, which continues onto the palate. A kind of pineapple, almost pina-colada quality to it, reminiscent of the most turbocharged Cali chardonnays. Really lovely wine - better balanced than the rest of this note makes it sound.
- 2005 Alain Voge Cornas Les Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (15/09/2021)
Delicious, well balanced, classic. On the nose - again, forest floor, blackcurrants perhaps. On the palate - focused, red fruits, just a hint of nosebleed. If the 06 Allemand were the Clash, this would be Squeeze, more rounded, more competent, but somehow lacking the spine-tingling excitement. Lovely wine and will only get better. - 2006 Thierry Allemand Cornas Chaillot - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Cornas (15/09/2021)
Woof. Starts to go on the nose - that prickly intensity, forest floor and pine needles, and the air before a storm. On the palate - precise but with that delicious zing, nosebleed, blood and iron, red fruits and it just keeps going.
CT shows me I last had one of these five years ago and this is every bit as good. Makes me look happily back on the days when I could afford Allemand. WOTN by some margin,.
- 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (15/09/2021)
Savoury, clearly well put together wine. Was keen to try this as, after years of staying away from red CNDP, had very much enjoyed a 95 VT at a tasting. A well put together wine, and I can imagine it being even better than the 95 in a few years - savoury and plush. Didn't convert me however. - 2013 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (16/09/2021)
Still clearly very young. One can tell it's a solid wine, but if I am waiting for my C9DP epiphany...this wasn't it.
- 2009 Château Suduiraut - France, Bordeaux, Sauternais, Sauternes (16/09/2021)
Apparently 2009 was considered a good vintage for Sauternes and based on this I totally get it. Ready to drink, great balance of sweetness and acidity. A bit of butterscotch, a bit of apricots. 1/6 of a 1/2 bottle was just the right way to end a lovely dinner.
Wonderful evening, super company and great wines. At the start of the evening I found the loud background noise to be quite distracting, however as time went on I found it less so...
This is not, nor is it meant to be, a grand place - the tables are about as small as one can eat on comfortably, the glasses were perfectly decent but all of the same type. The service was good and attentive - our waiter was clearly excited by the wine-nerdery going on. Suspect we'll be back.
Posted from CellarTracker