A Lunch at Sojourn
Just came back from a great lunch at Sojourn — my new favourite restaurant. The calibre of food and wine was impressive.
We began with a delicious refreshing German aulese from Maximin Grunhauser Abtsberg number 219, 1998. This had a pure smell of linden on the nose at first. It got a little more honeyed with time. The palate was soft, long and delicious. The kind of wine you could drink all day long. Superb.
We really stepped up a notch with the next bottle, a Maison Drouhin Marquis de Laguiche Le Montrachet 1996. Wow. I drank this over 4 hours and was constantly surprised. At first, a distinct aroma of truffles. The palate was more classically Montrachet with honey and match stick. The nose became more classic with time. This wine had such poise and power, without being overwhelming. A beautiful wine, a classic. It was even more impressive with food. Drinking now but needs 10 more years in my opinion. Wow!
Then it was time for a red – a Jean Tardy Clos de Vougeot 1995 was sent around. Also classic. Lifted aromas of violets but with a hint of the mature they were growing in! Earthy, multi-faceted. Great with a rich pork loin! A great example of Vougeot at its best.
Next was a blind Guigal Cote-Rotie 1988. Very lifted on the nose, lots of violets, blackberries, earth and spice. Beautiful! The palate was a little more awkward and better with food. Holding together but at its best.
The final red was a Chateau Beychevelle 1986. This was less expressive than a bottle I had a few weeks ago. Impressively, Fred picked it blind.
To cap things off, we had a bottle of Chateau d’Yquem 1986. Beautiful wine with hints of pineapple, burnt sugar and grapefruit. The palate was beautifully poised, you barely noticed the sugar. Classic Yquem. The oak really shows on the finish and there’s even a bit of tannin, which suggests this wine wont peak for decades yet!
Sojourn was first class, as usual. Everything was executed perfectly. I recommend it unreservedly.
