We were delighted to welcome Ryan and Gabriella Opaz to Limehouse on a blustery evening, introducing them to The Grapes on Narrow Street. This pub is our local, as it was Charles Dickens’ who knew this pub well. As a child, he was made to stand on a table and sing to the customers. As an adult, he immortalised it as the Six Jolly Fellowship Porters pub in Our Mutual Friend.
Suitably refreshed we returned home and Ryan uncorked a blind tasting bottle, which made us think (in fact, all blind tastings makes me think!).
With a little nudging (Ryan’s a good chap) we nearly got Pinot Noir – which it was!
Les Masies de Poblet Pinot Noir 2008
Conca de Barbera, Spain. Red, with beetroot on the nose, meaty fruit and a certain astringency, but not too acidic.
A big wine at 14.5% it was mellower the following day when it had recovered from its journey from Spain with Ryan and Gabriella.
It was then time for apero (what, after a pint and red wine? Ed.), the Bloomsbury 2007 by Ridgeview, one of whose wines I took with me to the Fourth Plinth. A classic blend of grapes similar to those in Champagne, proving how good English sparkling wines can be. Dry, crisp with lots of lean fruit, this wine will benefit with more time.
In response to Ryan and Gabriella’s Spanish red we repaid the ‘compliment’ and served the white wine blind, to accompany the first course of pear, roquefort and walnut salad. The wine was a decent match, and both of our guests did well with their guesses, especially noticing hints of Viognier in Susanna Balbo’s Crios Torrontes 2009 from Cafayete, Argentina.
Dry, floral, blossom with refreshing acidity and loads of character.
I had delved into my cellar to find two reds to share with our good friends, and came up with a couple of clarets of a certain maturity as we were serving a venison and wild rabbit casserole that wasn’t too gamey.
The first wine was from Pomerol, Château Nenin 1983. Light red with browning rim. Dark red brambly fruits, cocoa? Dry, hints of the brambly fruit again, good grip, faint tannins. This wine was better when Wink and I tried at lunchtime the next day.
From the the ‘other side’ of the river, on the left bank, our second Bordeaux is actually the second wine of Château Léoville Las Cases 1985 St-Julien. Dark red, brown rim. Touch of blackcurrant &, yes, cigar box on nose. Dry, taut fruit, but still very expressive; faint tannins. A treat! 18 hours later it was starting to fade, but it was a delight to drink it in such good company.
The evening’s wines had peaked with the reds. The selected wine to go with the pud was well over the hill – it had been good in its time, but half bottles from 1984 can’t be expected to last in peak condition, even from Austria, the venue for EWBC 2010! Overcooking the plums wasn’t such a good idea either. But, hey, the company was so good I was easily distracted from my kitchen duties…
Brett, The Wine Maestro 
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