Christmas Wine II

Managed to bag that Barolo the 2016
and coincidentally the Catena Chardonnay
which has to be a bargain at£9.99.
Having a Paul Mas pinot noir,again excellent
value despite Morrisons bumping the price.

 

any suggestions for wine pairing with fox, otter and hare, think there are a few on here who indulge

 

Hugh Johnson reckons a ‘flavourful red’ is good with hare - not-too-old burgundy, Bordeaux, Rhône or Rioja Reserva are just four of his recommends. ‘Australia’s Grange would be an experience’ he states. You bet it would, Hugh, and not just with hare.

He keeps schtum on the subjects of fox and otter, though. Have you tried one of the roadkill websites?

 

Here hare here.
'53 Margeaux.

 

I’ve only ever had hare cooked with cider and artichokes. Don’t think a Margaux would do itself justice with that mix, not enough fat. I’m tempted to say an orange wine would do it quite an interesting combination, or a blanc de noirs champagne...

 

I did a tutored tasting dinner once where squirrel was one of the courses. I baulked, and let someone else carry that one. Jugged hare in a small restaurant in the Langhe, with seriously fine Barolo was memorable. Fox is a hard one. Perhaps Bourbon or Islay Whisky. I don't think it would work though.

 

Otter, incidentally, is not in fashion.

 

There’s a London restaurant which specialises in squirrel, St John near Smithfield Market. I’ve never ordered it but I once squeamishly tried a little bit on a friend’s plate - not very interesting meat IMO.

I believe that in Champagne, to celebrate the end of the vendange, there’s a tradition of roasting a rat on a fire made of old barrels.

 

I worked for a Champagne house after I left school, but always regretted missing the vendange. No longer.

A friend and I used to go to a lunchtime wine tasting every year which was held at a Polish restaurant in Lambeth. Afterwards we would walk to Exmouth Market, taking in various favoured watering holes en-route, one of which was the bar at St.John. Not being an offal kind of person, I have never actually dined there. Our destination was always Moro, and the first dish a plate of Jamon Iberico from the town of Jabugo.

 

Been caning it a bit over the last few days, celebrations and all that
today was an unoaked chardonnay for lunch with savoury GF pancakes
this evening another Chardonnay an English one, with a lobster and salad, followed by a high welfare rib eye steak and salad with Ventoux, delish.
we are not in the habit of eating too much meat, but will indulge a few times pcm and rib eye is the new preferred choice

 

Yes I know all these places, except the polish in Lambeth. I used to adore the ox heart sandwiches in St John! And I discovered sweet smoked paprika through Moro.

Did you know the Quality Chop House in Exmouth Market?

 

I certainly do.

 

Farringdon Road.

 

Under 12 ducats excellent Chardonnay.

 

Wasn't going to have any wine today but then wife has suddenly produced a leg of lamb. Should be lovely with a Coudoulet.
Edit 2016 Coudoulet seems to be getting better by the fortnight but that is not possible. Must be the temperature, the food or just a good mood. Not that I'm moody of course.
CT: 'spherical red fruited, plush and broad palate which ends with excellent length'. Sounds ridiculous at first but then sort of OK apart from 'spherical'.

 

I said the same myself, but Otto Lenghi cauliflower cheese demands a Chilean sav. blanc

 

Another Oka.delicious PN.

 

Has any one here actually eaten fox? I would expect it to be so gamey as to be inedible.

 

Yes I had it.It was a twelve course menu in homage to Mitterrand.
The first course was fox carpaccio The
others consisted of mainly endangered species.The wine was Richebourg.
It was filmed

 

Marlon Brando. Got to love him.

Shooting overruns by a week. Marlon demands an extra $1m.
Producers refuse.
Marlon threatens to slag off the film publicly.
Producers still refuse.
Marlon slags the film off publicly.
Producers pay him $1m.
Marlon praises film to the skies.

Tonight I’ll play this in his honour, very loudly. Because the crunch when the guitars come in is wonderful. And of course, because a beating would do me a world of good.