Michael Fridjhon WINE Experience 2004
Saturday, 28 August
Midday Lunch
This year's red wine focus - the wines of St Emilion - saw presentations by
Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, proprietor of Chateau Angelus.
At the Saturday lunch, De Boüard and his friend and colleague Christian
Dauriac, proprietor of Chateau Destieux and Chateau Montlisse, presented a range
of younger wines from their own properties, as well as from other St Emilion
Grand Cru Classé estates. (Of interest is that Dauriac recently acquired
a vineyard in Stellenbosch, a portion of land sold off by the Bürgins of
Mont Destin.) This tasting did an effective job of setting the context for the
keynote presentation to follow in the evening.
The white wines on show could not be derived from Bordeaux's Right Bank as this
area produces red wine almost exclusively. Instead, top German Riesling producer
Egon Müller presented two of his wines, including the Chateau Bela Riesling
Dry 2002, from a recently acquired property in Slovakia.
Wines tasted:
Egon Müller Chateau Bela Riesling Dry 2002
Chateau La Commanderie 2000
Chateau Montlisse 1999
Le Carillon de L'Angelus 1999
La Fleur de Boüard 1998
Chateau Destieux 1998
Chateau Grand Corbin
Despagne 1998
Chateau Clos des Jacobins 1995
Egon Müller Scharzhofberger Riesling Auslese 1993
Keynote tasting
The Saturday evening keynote tasting featured wines from the very best Bordeaux
Right Bank properties. De Boüard explained that the St Emilion producers
agreed on a system of classification only in 1955. Revised every 10 years, it
imposes quality controls by obliging producers to submit wines annually for
certification.
The St Emilion classification distinguishes between the 13 properties accorded
Premier Grand Cru Classé status, with two being "A" grade,
namely Ausone and Cheval Blanc, and the rest deemed "B" grade. In
addition, there are another 55 Grand Cru Classés, this from an appellation
that has 5 500ha under vine and includes 832 producers in total.
De Boüard commented that the classification system "might be complex
but ultimately it is magic". He conceded that it could possibly benefit
from some refinement, but over-simplifying it would do away with the truth of
a region that is very heterogeneous, encompassing many different soil types,
aspects and microclimates.
Although Chateau Angelus was classified Grand Cru Classé in 1955, De
Boüard has worked tirelessly to uplift the quality of the property's wines
and in 1996 it was reclassified St Emilion Premier Grand Cru Classé.
Wines presented at the keynote tasting:
Chateau Angelus 2000
Clos Fourtet 1996
Chateau Figeac 1995
Clos Fourtet 1989
Chateau Figeac 1986
Chateau Angelus 1990
Chateau Ausone 1995
Chateau Cheval Blanc 1986
Evening dinner
The dinner began and ended with wines from the Josephshofer vineyards of Reichsgraf
von Kesselstatt in the Mosel, presented by proprietor Annegret Reh-Gartner.
The 1998 Auslese ("Late Harvest") accompanied a foie gras dish to
perfection, while the 1989 Beerenauslese ("from botrytis-infected grapes")
went very well with a pear medley dressed with saffron syrup.
Reh-Gartner, a passionate ambassador for Riesling, suggested that the 1998 Auslese
had a "zingy acidity that dances on the tongue", while the 1989 Beerenauslese
had a "bigger aura", more difficult to describe because of the complexity
acquired through age.
1996 Chateau Clos des Jacobins complemented the sole paupiette and 1995 Chateau
Angelus the bajoue et queue de boeuf (beef oxtail and cheek).
Sunday, 29 August
Formal tasting of Champagne Billecart-Salmon and brunch
Sunday morning began with a formal tasting of Champagne Billecart-Salmon led
by Antoine Roland-Billecart, the seventh generation Billecart to direct the
house.
A memorable aspect of this session was a series of wines that revealed the impact
on the final cuvée of even slight variations in the composition of the
vin de dosage.
There were four separate wines, essentially put together in the fashion of the
Billecart-Salmon Non Vintage (65% of the blend from the 2000 vintage, 25% from
1999 and 10% from 1998), but differing in terms of dosage.
Sample A had no dosage, Sample B had 1,1% dosage (consisting of 100% tank fermented
Chardonnay with a residual sugar of 10g/l), Sample C had 1,2% dosage and Sample
D had 1,3% dosage.
The point was to demonstrate that while consumers might imagine that the dosage
(not permitted to exceed 3% of the end wine in any event) might have very little
impact on the final wine, its effect is, in fact, profound.
When Billecart asked tasters which wine they preferred, from samples B, C and
D, their votes were more or less split between all three samples, leaving him
rather bemused. Asked why Sample A, the one without any dosage, was not an option,
he replied that drinking a Champagne without dosage was akin to "driving
a car without wheels".
Billecart also presented the house's three prestige labels, namely Brut Blanc
de Blancs Cuvée 1996, Brut Cuvée Nicolas Francois Billecart 1996
and Brut Rosé Cuvée Elisabeth Salmon 1996.
Guests enjoyed Brut Reserve Cuvée NV, Brut Rosé Cuvée NV
and Demi-Sec NV, which partnered dishes like oysters from a number of sources
including Belon, Brittany and Normandy as well as perennial favourite, scrambled
eggs with truffles. Guests left sated, lighter in pocket perhaps, but immeasurably
richer in life experience.
THE FRENCH CONNECTION
Air France graciously flew out the French guests to the WINE Experience - Hubert
de Broüard de Laforest, owner and winemaker at Chateau Angelus, and Antoine
Billecart of Billecart-Salmon Champagne.
"It's a real pleasure to be associated with the Michael Fridjhon WINE Experience
for the third year, because it is such a fabulous wine tasting and fine dining
event," says Michel Maury, general manager of Air France in South Africa
(above).
"France is known the world over for its respect for food and wine, so Air
France, as the French national carrier, is delighted to be associated with an
event that honours fine food and wine."
He points out that with two daily flights between France and South Africa, "it's
very easy for South African wine enthusiasts to go to St Emilion to taste some
of these wonderful wines!"
He believes food and wine enjoyment is an important part of the experience of
flying to France. "We showcase the very best France can offer."
Air France served a staggering 50 tons of foie gras last year - along with three
tons of lobster, 21 million mini baguettes and 2,5 million bottles of Champagne!
"We're very lucky in France to have such a good variety of wines and producers.
It enables us to select the right wines for the right class. Obviously in First
Class the emphasis is placed on prestige cuvées and Grand Cru wines."
