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May 25, 2011

A Dinner with Edouard Moueix

Château MagdelaineDinner on Wednesday 20th April was one of those evenings for the then and now and one of those moments you look back upon with pleasure and fondness. We hosted a dinner alongside the ever-charismatic Edouard Moueix, at Home House on Portman Square, for our private customers. With fierce loyalty for the Moueix wines already surging through our customers, it was not difficult to sell out a tasting and dinner with Edouard Moueix. Once places were taken and people confirmed, thoughts turned to one frequent question – ‘what wines will there be?’

 The evening was to focus on the two communes Ets. Jean-Pierre Moueix is associated with – Pomerol and St-Emilion – with Château Magdelaine and Château Trotanoy being the highlights. The news of this excited me from the onset; Ch. Trotanoy is my personal favourite in Pomerol and Ch. Magdelaine, very much the insider’s choice of the 1er Grand Cru Classés.

Les Songes de Magdelaine 2006We started the evening with a tasting of 6 wines which Edouard had chosen to show from the so-called ‘lesser vintage’ of 2007 and 1 from 2006. The 1st 3 wines were Les Songes de Magdelaine 2006, Les Songes de Magdelaine 2007 and Château Magdelaine 2007. The second flight showed the neighbouring commune in the form of Château Lagrange 2007, Château La Grave à Pomerol 2007 and Château Trotanoy 2007.

Edouard guided us through the two sets of wine skilfully, using charming analogies to grip you and make you understand the properties, their locations, their soils and importantly the reflection within the wines. It seamlessly showed the power, structure and purity of St-Emilion to the depth, generosity and minerality of Pomerol.

Les Songes de Magdelaine 2006 showcased its approachable and fruit-laden style against the more structured (and pure?) 2007. The La Grave à Pomerol was my pick of the six for drinking now; supple and elegant with a silken palate and a touch of alluvial minerality. Magdelaine 2007 was heading in the right direction for me and will be in its prime in another 2-3 years. Red Merlot fruit bathes the mid-palate with spice and kirsch riding the finish. Tannins still a little firm. The Trotanoy 2007 was the final key to dispersing any negative preconceptions over 2007 as a vintage. It was dense and surprisingly rich with dark fruit integrated into a medley of spice, truffles and underbrush. A muscular build with an abundance of tannin supporting, will be superb in 6-8 years.

The tasting certainly generated a lot of conversation as we left the tables and headed towards a glass or two of Delamotte Brut NV. A refreshing interlude of a delicious and dangerously drinkable Champagne. Spirits were high, glasses were full and attention turned to dinner and most significantly, the wines to accompany. The menu was 3 courses starting with a ham hock & guinea fowl terrine with broad beans, peas & wasabi salad to be accompanied by Château Magdelaine 2000. The Magdelaine was wonderfully vibrant and expressive, sweet mixed fruits carried a wave of subtle spices, liquorice and mineral tones onto a delectably long finish. Drinking well now and undoubtedly for the next 8 years too.

The second course was roast saddle of welsh salt marsh lamb with pomme fondant and mange tout, to be served with Château Trotanoy 1998. For me, wow! Double decanted hours before, the Trotanoy ’98 was singing. As I savoured the glass it proved to be one of those exquisite wines that changes character throughout, revealing its many different sides. I had last tried it 3 years ago; it has now shed some of the muscle it displayed then and has hit a wonderful harmony of restrained power with refined edges. The fruit was pure with a dash of fig, an incredible savoury and tertiary character walked hand in hand with an alluvial, almost ferrous, mineral streak, encapsulated in a velvety mouth-feel. A stunning and elegant wine with more to offer in the next decade to come. My wine of the night.

The final course was a selection of English and Continental cheeses which came out with Château Trotanoy 1990 from magnum. It was a wine that split opinion and fell firmly into the ‘absolutely yes’ camp for me. I am a sucker for the evolved, tertiary, heavy wines and from mag. I think this still held some fruit nicely. Prune and dried berries jumped out of the ripe 1990’s fruit with savoury characters guiding. Saddle leather and herbaceous notes swept from the mid-palate onto the finish, framed with fine and soft tannins. The refined nature was reinforced with a balanced yet still present acidity that merged flawlessly. Very much a drink now for me, but this vote was not 100% unanimous.

The evening was only heightened by the precise, absorbing and charming insight given by Edouard Moueix, a key member of the very special family for whom Corney & Barrow have the ultimate respect.

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