Wine Dinner at Harts Restaurant, Nottingham
4th December 2009
After a less successful visit almost 12 months previously, Harts were very much on form this time. The food was very good - well conceived dishes, well executed. Game terrine was beautifully constructed - a lovely mosaic on the plate, though the accompanying cubes of cumberland sauce jelly were a little over-set. I expected Duck breast with plums and bok choi, and duck consommé, would come with a separate shot glass of duck consommé, but it was in the bowl with the rest of the dish. So why, why, why don't they give diners spoons? What is it about restaurants and spoons? Why are they so reluctant to let diners have spoons to scoop up delicious sauces, preferring the sauce to go back to the kitchen? Tarte tatin was a very good example, served with an absolutely silky smooth ice-cream. Unfortunately the caramel sauce poured on the plate had set into hard toffee by the time the plate reached the table.
2001 Grand Cellier d'Or, Vilmart
Quite
sherbetty initially on the nose, with some citrus. Goes flat very
quickly. Lemony, sour apples. Good length. But you can get better still
white wines than flat champagne. Disappointing bottle. 84/100
2000 Coeur de Cuvée, Vilmart
Crisp
and biscuity on the nose with some pear fruit. Good attack. Round and
creamy, with persistent bubbles in the mouth. Finishes a bit short.
88/100
2007 Montesquiou Cuvée Précieuse
Jurançon Sec, 13%
A
blend of Petit Manseng, Gros Manseng, Courbu and Camaralet. A pale
lemon colour. Apples, pears and some apricot on the nose. Fairly ripe
fruit in the mouth, complemented by a massive acidity. Slightly briney
and quite savoury. 89/100
2005 Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Kabinett,
Dr Loosen
Quite
petrolly on the nose already, with some very crisp citrus notes. Fairly
sweet on the palate, but it has a really very good balance and the fine
acidity means it resolves very dry. Lovely proper Kab, though perhaps
feeling a bit more mature than it should - notably more mature than
Erdener Treppchen below. Both bottles bought at exactly the same time,
both stored in the same case in identical conditions, both screwcapped.
The difference must be terroir! Shame the terroir is so at risk from
that bloody bridge.90/100
2005 Erdener Treppchen Riesling Kabinett, Dr Loosen
Much
less petrolly on the nose, and much crisper and fresher and cleaner all
round. Lovely light, bright riesling fruit on the palate. Lovely
balance, though you don't quite notice it quite as much as on the
UrzWurz. 89/100
1991 Meursault-Blagny 1er Crue La Tennelotte,
Stéphan Maroslavac-Tremeau
With
an Japanese import label. Presumably the Japanese had tasted it, gone
whatever the Japanese for "bleurgh, flog it to England, they'll buy any
old crap"
It has a deep, orangey colour and a fino sherry nose. On the palate,
it's just oxidised and dead.
2004 Firesteed Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
A
light, youthful ruby appearance. There are bright raspberry fruit and
pigeon breast on the nose. Much fuller palate, than the appearance and
nose would suggest. Though it's quite muted overall. Lots of acidity.
Rather sour. Not impressing me. 83/100
I didn't like this when first
poured, but a smidge squeezed out of the bottle towards the end of the
evening, revealed we'd done it a disservice in not decanting well in
advance.
1995 Querciabella Chianti Classico
A fairly
even, not too young appearance. The nose has farmyardy red and black
fruit. And cherries, which start to dominate. Good palate. This feels
like it's starting to mature and has plenty of life ahead of it.
There's some acidity, plenty of tannins and great balance. Very nice.
92/100
2000 Gevrey Chambertin, Denis Mortet
A light,
bright colour. Lots of violet perfume on the nose and maybe a bit of
tobacco? (I think this might have been one of the points when the
smokers' exhausts outside the window sneaked in.) Lovely palate.
Direct, buy with plenty behind it. Very silky initially, but then the
tannins fill out across the mouth. Lovely stuff. 92/100
2001 Alfa Crux, Valle de Uco, O. Fournier
Unbelievably, this was 70% tempranillo (20% malbec, 10% merlot). I
would never in a 1000 years have guessed tempranillo.
Youthful,
glass coating, very dark colour. Big black fruits nose. Rich and in
your face on the palate with tight, almost leathery tannins. An
interesting drink, and I rather liked its big South American gobby
style. 90/100
1994 Pégaü Châteauneuf du Pape
Cuvée Réservée
The
nose has sweet black fruit and a real Chateauneuf meatiness. Very
gamey, funky, wild, meaty palate. Very nice Châteauneuf.
91/100
1994 Pégaü Châteauneuf du Pape
Cuvée Laurence
Quite
manurey on the nose, almost smelling of drains. Then there's some
licoricey black fruit. Seen more oak than the first, and I rather like
the classy feel that that has given to the palate, though perhaps it's
a bit tamed too. 94/100
The two Pegaus were an almost anti-terroir
demonstration, as the difference (very marked) was purely down to
winemaking, AIUI. The Laurence was my WOTN.
1999 Château Pradeaux, Bandol
Honeycomb
on the nose, then caramel. Actually, it smells a bit like I remember a
Curly Wurly smelling in about 1974. On the palate, there's sweet fruit
initially, then it becomes really rather savoury. Lovely soft texture.
Something a bit odd about it, maybe even wrong, but I quite like it.
91/100
1999 Hermitage, Marc Sorel
A slightly
confected, gently lifted nose. Lovely palate with nice sweet fruit.
Fairly direct and lacking any particular complexity, but very
enjoyable. 89/100
1996 Trevallon
The nose is slightly
rubbery, with some stale tea and greenish notes. Very interesting fruit
character on the palate. Some wine gums there. Good structure and good
length. Though it doesn't really go anywhere. 89/100
1997 Taurasi Radici Riserva, Mastroberardino
Gently
sweetish, uncomplicated fruit on the nose. Some smoke and cigarette ash
... no, I think that's coming from outside again. Lovely palate, with
fairly precise, sweetish fruit. Very nicely structured. 90/100
2000 Elise, Château La Dournie, Saint-Chinian,
13.5%
A
very deep colour. Very concentrated, sweet black fruit on the nose,
along with some orangey notes. Very ripe, sweet black fruit on the
palate. There's quite a floral life on the palate too. Very soft and
easy. 87/100
1997 Les Bruandières Grains Nobles, AC
Côteaux du Layon Saint Aubin, Domaine Cady
A
fresh, subtle nose with some sweet honeydew melon. Lovely fresh palate.
There's lots of lovely acidity to balance a gentle sweetness. Good
length. 90/100
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Last updated: 8 December 2009