Further down the aisle I saw Panos Kavaviatos, who I sat next to at a dinner at the second growth Chateau Brane-Cantanec during VinExpo ’09 in Bordeaux. He is a writer and Bon Vivant and as typical, he did not have his card. I had misplaced the scrap of paper he wrote it on during dinner, so this time offered him my notebook. Soon it was time for the the “Convival Lunch” for the press and representatives of viticulture and the Burgundy wine trade.
I was surprised to see it would be a formal, seated lunch — Cecile Mathiaud, energetic ambassador for the Bureau Interprofessional des Vins de Bourgogne (BIVB), was everywhere as she seated guests with a smile and made introductions. Seated next to be was Georges Waser, a Swiss arts correspondent, Nelly Blau-Picard, Marketing and Communication Manager for the BIVB, and other international journalists and BIVB officials.
The starter of crayfish salad was served with Chassagne Montrachet 1er Cru Maltroie 2007. It was pale lemon in color with lemon highlights, racy acidity, and a long finish of melted butter, apple, vanilla and cinnamon. “Le Clos des Mouches” 2007 from Fixin was paired with the duck in a berry sauce. The wine was garnet, with a nose of sweet violets, sweet bright berries, and a certain “grape-y” aroma. On the palate it had bright acidity, red and purple berries, and no obvious oak - a good pairing for the duck. The fromage was paired with Theulot Julliot Mercury 1er Cru “Le Cailloure” 07, with a long, finish of ripe fruit, blackberry, and black currants. It was quite concentrated and complex.
All in all, a very exciting and promising start to the auction weekend!
Article comments
1 - Mark Norman
I have never been to Burgundy yet from your article I could sense the energy that must abound this event(s)...I have started to write with a theme...that America has no real wine culture..there is nothing like this here...I have been to a number of tasting events in Napa & Sonoma, the locals barely take notice..it is far less a part of their souls...and maybe because this is hundreds of years old in the making but somehow I don't see that happening (like you has so beautifully described) anywhere in the States..thank you!
2 - marisa d'vari
Thank you Mark!