Pichon Lalande w/dinner (menu)

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
Nicolas Glumineau was in town to host for us a dinner featuring Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. The wines were shipped in well in advance of the dinner date to ensure there was no travel shock; as a result, the wines showed exceedingly well




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The Pichon Baron and Pichon Lalande have always been among my favorite Bordeaux, so this event featuring Pichon Lalande was a special treat.

On this occasion, the 1985 was my clear favorite, followed closely by 2010 and 1995. This is not a knock on the others which were simply edged out on my card.

Interest sidelight is that Nicolas was in town a few years ago when he was representing Ch Montrose. On that occasion he serenaded us with an aria using his opera-quality voice. He was amused when I reminded him of that, but he said he doesn't do that anymore, at least not this trip.

The Ch Suiduiraut '89 was superb, almost stunningly so.

. . . . . Pete
 
“I don’t drink much sweet wine but, when I do, it’s the ‘89 Suiduirat.”
Unfortunately,I can’t say that - ‘wish I could.

Again some unusual pairings but very nice wines.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:some unusual pairings
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The pairings worked -- perhaps these 2 photos will show how/why...



The sauce on the sea bass was a much darker color of brown (brown sauce).

. . . . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:

Again some unusual pairings but very nice wines.
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I do enjoy sea bass with reds actually, depending on preparation. That said, I've yet to attempt this with a cabernet based blend from the Aquitaine. Usually it's a crunchy lower alcohol variety of some sort. Then again, this may be a way of pairing very young Bordeaux with food, since I hate young Bordeaux with just about anything that I'd want to pair an old Bordeaux with. May give it a try and report back through known channels.
 
Pavel, I share your preference for aged Bordeaux. The key factor in this sea bass preparation working with a Claret was the brown sauce.

One of the best dishes I have ever had was a large scallop which had been sliced along the equator then with a black truffle inserted then put back together and served with guttural brown sauce. With this treatment you see this scallop with a black equator resting in a rich brown sauce. Besides being very visually impressive, it worked famously with a 1976 Jordan Cebernet Sauvignon. Memorable.

. . . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:
Pavel, I share your preference for aged Bordeaux.
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actually, while my preference for aged Bordeaux has been documented in most known publications that have been translated into countless languages including Klingon, I said no such thing in the post above.
 
originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov: I hate young Bordeaux with just about anything that I'd want to pair an old Bordeaux with.
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Apologies if my misinterpreting your comment caused any agitation.

. . . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

originally posted by Pavel Tchichikov: I hate young Bordeaux with just about anything that I'd want to pair an old Bordeaux with.
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Apologies if my misinterpreting your comment caused any agitation.

. . . . . . Pete
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None at all! This was all about pairings. Cheers
 
2010 was tremendous at a recent PLL vertical. I went out and ordered some, having skipped the vintage entirely on release. (Wine Library has a low price and they told me it's coming ex chateau. Everyone else should get some too.)

And 1985 was a gorgeous surprise at a prior PLL vertical - not far off the famous '82.
 
Keith, all of the decently priced PLL 2010 I've been able to find is being offered pre-arrival -- which is prohibitively problematic to shipping to my location due to the heat about to arrive here.

. . . . . Pete
 
Cole, so "guttural" caught your attention, and I can see why. I work very fast when I write here and sometimes things come out in not the best way. Somehow that adjective just flew into place as I was thinking "deep, low, thick".

I actually don't think it was a terrible misuse of the word but it was subpar.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Cole, so "guttural" caught your attention, and I can see why. I work very fast when I write here and sometimes things come out in not the best way. Somehow that adjective just flew into place as I was thinking "deep, low, thick".

I actually don't think it was a terrible misuse of the word but it was subpar.

. . . . . Pete
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Thanks; my sauces don't always talk to me but now that you mention it some of them do.
 
The panna cotta was served ultra-cold; in fact, close scrutiny of the expanded photo reveals for this serving it was in a glass container resting on dry ice which was emitting a hazy mist from around the panna cotta container. A dazzling dish visually: too bad the photo can't show the whole effect.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Cole Kendall:
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Cole, so "guttural" caught your attention, and I can see why. I work very fast when I write here and sometimes things come out in not the best way. Somehow that adjective just flew into place as I was thinking "deep, low, thick".

I actually don't think it was a terrible misuse of the word but it was subpar.

. . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks; my sauces don't always talk to me but now that you mention it some of them do.
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Mine only speak when spoken to - decorum, you see.
 
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