Sunday, March 27, 2016

Clem in Manila 2016, Part II: Burgs at Champêtre.


The next evening, Friday the 26th February 2016, was a more wine-centric dinner at an old favorite brasserie, Chef Marc Aubry's Champêtre. We were only 6 in all this time.

L-R: Alex, Clem, me, Catha, Richard & Aaron.
Alex starts opening the bottles...
...as does Richard. Some corks broke in half, but we managed.

I had earlier reserved a few orders of Moules de Bouchot, prepared à la Marinière; the relatively smaller, tender, succulent, delicately and distinctively flavored AOP mussels flown in live from France.


With the moules, we started with a bottle of 2001 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre - Alex's bottle. Properly dry and reserved; it presents its precisely minerally, slightly nutty fruit on a medium-plus body. Notable depth and firm structure. Patrician, yet decidedly masculine; like a gentleman farmer.


Richard had opened a 1983 Robert Sarrau Pouilly-Fuissé - Unfortunately, the wine was way past its time, showing disturbingly mushroomy, sherry-ish notes. While it did pull a slight Lazarus towards dinner's end, it was really just too far gone.


The '01 Lafon Meursault Clos de la Barre went very well with the afore mentioned moules, the immediately above depicted Escargots à la Bourguignonne...


...and, especially with Marc's signature Terrine of Foie Gras d'Oie with Brioche and Berry Compote. This, for me, is, without doubt, the best terrine of foie gras in the country. I've yet to try anything here that even comes close.


With the goose foie gras terrine, I also greatly enjoyed Clem's 2000 Champagne Krug - Broad, rich, impressively round and long, opulently creamy, nutty, with butter & baking spice lacing its dried fruit base. Lovely champagne.

For main courses, Clem had the salmon (of which I have no photo); while Catha went for her usual...

...Roasted Veal Tenderloin with Morel Sauce.

By then, we had begun on the night's reds; beginning with Alex's 2003 Domaine Prieuré Roch Grand Cru Clos de Vougeot - this precocious, muscular, youth already shows notes of iron, meat & slight Burgundy decay in its deep, concentrated, tannic, sweetlishly ripe (bordering on jammy) dark fruit. Big-boned and full bodied. Intense, heady stuff. Very long. Clos de Vougeot on steroids...


...which easily stood up to my hearty, perfectly cooked & juicy Grilled Lamb Chops.


With our main courses, we also enjoyed my bottle of 1997 Joseph Drouhin Beaune Premier Cru Clos des Mouches - Still notably fresh with good acidity, which cuts nicely through the hearty lamb. Notable grip. A notch or two over medium-bodied; sappy dark red berries over plum base, with good earthiness, focus, and definition. More than decent length; nicely rustic. I had my share of this before finishing off the other two reds, as, comparatively, this was the lightest in body.


Clem's 1988 Joseph Drouhin Grand Cru Charmes-Chambertin was ample, richer and more concentrated than any other Charmes-Chambertin that I can remember having had. Notably ripe, but not over-ripe or jammy, with precise intensity. Good balance and harmony in this relatively stylish Charmes-Chambertin. Lovely stuff.

We finished off the mentioned bottles...
...with a shared platter of assorted French cheeses...
...Marc joining us as the evening's service wound down.

We had started on dessert, the first of which was a Dark Chocolate Nelusko Cake (the remains of which are on the red platter immediately above), which got Marc and I in a discussion about desserts that were popular in Manila in the late '70s to early '80s. Marc then began sending us more desserts:

Melt-in-your-mouth Tarte Tatin
Superb Baba au Rum with Fresh Strawberries.
Excellent "Pithivier" of Pears with Frangipane Sauce.

Our conversation about de rigueur desserts of the past, Marc then sent us the new Champêtre Mystere, his take on Baked Alaska (which was the rage in '70s Manila) - dried figs & Cointreau ice cream, coated in meringue and roasted almonds...

...served flambée, naturellement.
Aaron then noted that none of the bottles he brought were yet opened. Though the rest of us were already quite full by then (and most of us had had a lot to drink the previous night), some suggested we open his wines next we meet. Richard, however, was still a bit thirsty, so...


...Aaron immediately offered up his bottle of 1994 Harlan Estate - Very impressive. Deep, intense, concentrated, full-bodied, distinctively Napa, but remarkably refined (more than other vintages I've had). Good restraint, though undeniably rich. Well-knit, streamlined, with notable acid balance that keeps things interesting. A class act of a Napa cult.


Seven wines for six persons - a very reasonable wine dinner. Alex clamored for more, stronger stuff, and invited everyone to his place for cognac, single malt & gin with Cuban cigars, but, as most of us already had a lot the previous night, we were constrained to decline his generous offer (but that certainly didn't stop him from having a few himself at home).


Thanks for setting aside time for us, Clem! Great seeing you as always! Until the next!

7 comments:

chenlina said...

chenlina20160513
hollister clothing
air max 90
coach factory outlet
ralph lauren uk
rolex submariner
louis vuitton outlet
abercrombie outlet
asics outlet
north face outlet
longchamp handbags
louis vuitton handbags
jordan retro 3
michael kors outlet
kobe 9
michael kors handbags
authentic louis vuitton handbags
michael kors handbags
rolex watches
oakley sunglasses
coach factory outlet
ray ban sunglasses
ray ban sunglasses outlet
michael kors handbags
nike air jordan
oakley sunglasses outlet
coach outlet
replica watches
oakley vault
louis vuitton bags
jordan 4 toro
oakley sunglasses
fitflops sale clearance
christian louboutin shoes
michael kors purses
air jordans
celine outlet
insanity workout
air jordans
asics shoes
michael kors outlet
as

Unknown said...

Hãy liên hệ với in kỷ yếu giá rẻ miễn phí thiết kế cho học sinh sinh viên
Hồng Đăng thiết kế in phong bì chuyên nghiệp giá rẻCông ty cổ phần in Hồng Đăng những mẫu thẻ nhân viên đẹp chuyên nghiệp
In thẻ VIP chất lượng tuyệt vời tại Hồng Đăng để được tư vấn, cung cấp thông tin về thiết kế, những mẫu kỷ yếu độc và lạ dành riêng cho sinh viên
nhưng mau phong bi dep in ấn, báo giá các sản phẩm, dịch vụ một cách nhanh nhất để báo giá in kẹp file nhanh và chính xác nhất
in giấy khen bằng khen chuyên nghiệp lấy ngay trong ngày Quý khách dễ tham khảo và chọn lựa. in bao lì xì với nhiều thiết kế chuyên nghiệp đẹp và lịch thiệp
mẫu thiệp chúc mừng năm mới 2017 đẹp tại Hà Nội
in catalogue giá rẻ chuyên nghiệp tại Hồng Đăng Chúng tôi luôn mong muốn xuong in tai Hong Đang trở thành những đối tác lâu dài,công ty in Ha Noi thân thiết góp phần đem lại thành công cho Quý khách hàng.

Unknown said...

With our main courses,mẫu lịch tết 2017 đẹp we also enjoyed my bottle of 1997 Joseph Drouhin Beaune xưởng in lịch
Premier Cru Clos des Mouches -
thiết kế lịch độc quyềnStill notably fresh with good acidity, which cuts nicely through the hearty lamb. Notable grip.
A notch or two over medium-bodied; sappy dark red berries over plum base, with good earthiness, focus,
and definition. More than decent length;in kẹp file tại Hà Nội
nicely rustic.báo giá lịch tết I had my share of this before finishing off the other two reds,
as mẫu in kẹp file đẹp, comparatively, this was the lightest in body
in lịch để bàn chữ M
3

Steve Berke said...

I enjoyed reading your work. I'll come back for more

Keep up the good work :) from TheStillery, a stuart bar in Florida

Athalia said...

You've enjoyed life so much with delicious food and good wine for pairing. Love your blog!

miki said...

0814jejePour le coeur air jordan 11 concord femme pas cher coronaire d'Athènes, les gens peuvent aujourd'hui découvrir beaucoup de grands sites nike air jordan 1 retro high la los angeles tels que la place Syntagma, la place Monastiraki, air jordan 2017 le temple Parthenon, le Parlement en développement, et ainsi asics gel lyte 3 bordeaux beige de suite. Bien que ces chaussures sont assez air jordan 11 femme volumineuses et ont également une méthode virile, les femmes nike air max pas cher homme peuvent exercer ces types de chaussures de chaussures tn nike femme sport en raison de sa couleur et de funk. asics gel lyte 3 homme asos Le sac semble incroyablement solide avec de larges poches asics gel cumulus femme pas cher pour contenir toutes les balles et t-shirts que je air max nike 2016 femme voudrais.

deraz said...

خدمات الشارقة – النجم
عزل وصيانة حمامات فى الشارقة
عزل اسطح فى الشارقة
وتر بروف فى الشارقة
شركات صبغ فى الشارقة