The opening event for this year’s Sydney Burgundy Celebration event took the form of an exclusive lunch at the Fink family’s celebrated harborside restaurant Quay. It set the scene perfectly for the ensuing three days of tastings, lunches, dinners and masterclasses.
It happens so often that wine events overlook the actual end game of enjoying great wine, and this lunch squared the ledger in advance, placing great Burgundy wines alongside chef Peter Gilmour’s unique and elegant cuisine in one of the world’s great private dining rooms.
Marco Caschera (Vincent Girardin), Stéphane Follin-Arbelet (Chateau de Meursault) Erwan Faiveley (Domaine Faiveley) and Sylvain Pitiot (Clos de Tart) all spoke and presented wines, clearly impressed by the food and setting.
And the good old “sum is greater than the parts” theory proved true when Gilmour’s food, great wines and the location all combined to make a humble welcome lunch a highlight of the whole three-day celebration. I could think of no better way to welcome Burgundians to Sydney.
The Delamotte was on point, the wines neatly matched the food, and some pairs provided discreet counterpoints. The wine that really stole the show though was the 2011 La Forge de Tart. The concept of a second wine is one that really belongs first to Bordeaux, sometimes to Tuscany, but it’s not one readily associated with Burgundy. But then the extraordinary Clos de Tart is no ordinary piece of Burgundy!
Below are the wines Nick tried at the event, together with the food menu:
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NV Delamotte Champagne Brut
A bright, chalky and gently spicy nose with dried lemon pith, grapefruit and some grilled hazelnuts and cashew nuts. Smooth, fine and bright palate, soft and fine texture and gentle acidity. A rich yet fine, very satisfying glass of Champagne. 90 points. Drink now.
Canapés on arrival: Truffle and taleggio arancini & sea scallop pearls with lime, cucumber & fennel
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2011 Vincent Girardin Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes
Bright, fine white peaches with citrus flecks and a little lime. The oak is savory and adds contemplative complexity rather than showiness. The palate has a smooth, rich and focused style to it, peach and melon fruits run pure, and this finishes fresh, bright and rings off clean. 91 points. Drink now.
2010 Château de Meursault Meursault Charmes Premier Cru
A bold statement of ripe, rich and opulent stone fruits. This is almost tropical with some nougat and sweetly spiced nuts; it’s complex and fully ripe. The palate sweeps you up, fleshy and full of weight, ripe and rich, slippery from front to back and ends with a toasty oak finish. 90 points. Drink now.
Young Northern Australian bamboo shoots, blacklip abalone, eggplant & smoked eel
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2012 Bouchard Beaune Beaune de Chateau Premier Cru
A blend of four different parcels, this has quite a glossy vanillin oak edge to the nose and hints of marzipan and almonds – not to mention a lot of punchy peaches and citrus with layers. The palate is supple, rich and yet is underpinned by assertive acidity and raw power. 90 points. Drink now.
2008 Domaine Faiveley Nuits-Saint-Georges Aux Chaignots Premier Cru
Looks fresh and lively with early tertiary complexity. This has a bold, brash and floral edge with strong earthy, dried brown spice notes, too. The palate has compact, silky, seamless texture and structure, the flavors run into the bright pomegranate spectrum, while wild red cherries and attractive acidity hold throughout. There are blood orange flavors to close, and this provides great integration. Coming into the zone of drinking. 92 points. Drink now.
Smoked and confit pig jowl, roasted koji, shiitake, kombu, sesame, sea scallops & milk curd
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2011 La Forge de Tart Morey-Saint-Denis Premier Cru
Wow-factor fragrances and perfumes, swirling with spices and roses. This is musky and pristine, full of charm and bursting with blue and red fruits. The palate is super fine and has terrific poise: It’s fleshy and creamy, tightens just on point, then releases in an expansive, long and expressive finish with pristine red cherry flavors from start to finish. Brilliant! 93 points. A wine drinking well now that will cellar for a decade or more.
Comte cheese, raisin and walnut sourdough
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Contributing Editor Nick Stock is a renowned Australian wine writer, author, presenter and filmmaker who reports on his worldwide wine tasting experiences for JamesSuckling.com.
