Tuesday 11th December 2007 review

[jdaw1]

Tuesday 11th December 2007, as arranged, we met in Bistro Citron on Manhattan’s Upper West Side.

Present were, (back row left-to-right) Jeff, Eric, Renée, and (front left-to-right) Julian and Jay.


The photograph of the placemat shows the colours reasonably well, except that the different angle on the V95 makes it look paler than it was. With links to tasting notes, top row was Vesuvio 1990, Vesuvio 1991, Vesuvio 1995; middle row Vesuvio 1994 and Churchill 1994; bottom row Croft 1994, Duff Gordon 1994, and Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 1994.



The deluxe burger was enjoyed by Jeff and Eric, all others having rare steak and chips.

The no-show was Bob Heckart, apparently drowning in work in an office somewhere.

[jdaw1]

In a discussion about turducken I couldn’t remember the recipe for my friend’s Yorkshire Christmas Pie. He writes to me that

It is basically a partridge in a pigeon in a pheasant (or grouse) in a goose in a turkey, all boned, with hare and woodcock on top. The whole thing needs to be covered in hot water-crust pastry, which is quite involved.

[Conky]

Thanks for that. Looks like a fun evening. You can now talk with a lot more authority on Vesuvio than I ever could. Thats on the grounds I've never had one. If AHB covers his ears at this point, would it be fair to say it was interesting and pleasant, but didn't sparkle?
The photograph makes it so much more easy to visualise your good time. Thanks.
Has the Duff stuff got a decent reputation elsewhere? Thats a new one on me.

Regarding your reciepe, make sure that pigeon is a Wood Pigeon, or similar, the ordinary pigeon is a flying rat and tastes like it.

Julian, you seem to be getting the hang of this 'drinking more than one bottle' lark! We'll make a drunkard out of you yet.

Alan

[jdaw1]

Vesuvio … If AHB covers his ears at this point, would it be fair to say it was interesting and pleasant, but didn't sparkle?

One was simple quaffing port. One was horrible. Two were immature fruit bombs needing much more time in the cellar. My overall impression is that there isn’t a single Vesuvio concept as there is for Taylor or Cockburn: Vesuvios are a mixed bag.

[Alex Bridgeman]

I don't disagree with the concept that Vesuvios are a mixed bag. I think that this is a natural consequence of a single Quinta, limited blending opportunity and vintage variation (plus the relative youth of the ports).

I shall browse through the tasting notes with interest and comment accordingly.

And I don't take offrence at others not liking Vesuvio as much as I do. Each to their own.

Alex

[Conky]

And I don't take offrence at others not liking Vesuvio as much as I do. Each to their own. Alex

well said. Alan. (ps. This is my 1st post, using my mobile phone via the internet facility!)

[g-man]

Jay made a comment about trying to find an underlying that would tie together tie together all the Vesuvios and I agree with Julian and Alex that it felt like the wines were a mixed bag. In a blind line up I would be very very hard pressed to know that all 4 vintages we had were from the same winery.

A fun fact about the turducken, it's over 1200 calories per slice.

And I cover mine in bacon. Pastry doesn't cut it for me =)

[Simon Lisle]

I'm no expert on single quinta's but can only imagine they will vary greatly if they are putting them out year after year no matter what growing conditions are.Do the prices reflect this.

[Alex Bridgeman]

Release prices of Vesuvio do vary from vintage to vintage. As is the way of fine wine, the variation is mostly upwards or static and rarely downwards.

Alex

[jdaw1]

In a discussion about turducken I couldn’t remember the recipe for my friend’s Yorkshire Christmas Pie. He writes to me that

It is basically a partridge in a pigeon in a pheasant (or grouse) in a goose in a turkey, all boned, with hare and woodcock on top. The whole thing needs to be covered in hot water-crust pastry, which is quite involved.

A Devon farm has concocted a 12-bird roast that takes 10 hours to cook and can feed up to 125 people.

The roast weighs 25kg (55lb) and is believed to be one of the biggest multibird meals in the country.

Anne Petch, of Heal Farm in Kings Nympton, said they wanted to make a dish with a "wow factor".

The £665 creation consists of turkey on the outside, goose, chicken, pheasant, three ducks, poussin, guinea fowl, partridge, pigeon squab and quail.

Ms Petch said the True Love Roast had a bird for each of the 12 days of Christmas.

It takes two people to lift.

"We've been making smaller multibird roasts for a while, but I wanted something with a real wow factor.

"It was only when I was halfway through the first prototype that I realised what a crazy idea it was."

She said they were aiming for a 21-bird roast for next year.

Multibird roasts are a centuries-old style of cooking that is becoming increasingly popular.

The supermarket Waitrose said demand for their £200 four-bird roast was up 50% this year.