TN: Wines chez Troisgros - Selosse, Roulot, Leflaive, Jamet...

Just back from a weekend at Troisgros… The food is out of this world. Simply stunning… Anyway, on top of incredible food, the wine list is just as crazy and we could enjoy a few very nice bottles. From memory:

Champagne Rosé - Jacques Selosse
Disg. 2007 (did not check the exact date), this particular rosé was sublime. A cuvée that has mixed results, imho, but when it hits on all cylinders it is truly magical. The colour is much closer to orange/salmon than rose which makes it interesting from the start. The texture is very creamy… and beyond the fizz, I’d say that what you feel is a … red burgundy. It has a little oak but this does indeed “support” the structure of the wine. I could feel clear red fruits, apricot and peach and by the time I thought I really wanted more… the botte was gone. A brilliant start.

1996 - Meursault 1er Cru Perrières - Jean-Marc Roulot
And here you go: the first bottle the sommelier brought was oxidised. I mentioned it to him, he was unsure… because it was not completely dead (!!!). Finally admitted it was flawed and brought another bottle. The second bottle was just unbelievable. Night and day. Great and clean fruit on the nose, the minerality feels like stony fireworks on the palate and carries on and on till and through the incredibly long finish. This is powerful but so elegant… It is graceful. Very nice acidity that also gives a cool feel to the strong minerals… Got a big “wow” from me.

2000 - Chevalier-Montrachet - Domaine Leflaive
After the 96 Perrieres, I was not sure how any wine would do but this surely did well. Even better, I’d say. If not powerful, the nose gives superb citrus, honey and light toast. It does not outclass the Perrieres, though. But on the palate, there is no doubt: liquid rocks are delivered with so much power, linearity and purity, it’s like “rail tracks” made of stones… The finish lasts forever. There is no doubt left: this is in a class of its own. Knockout wine.

1991 - Cote-Rotie “Cote Brune” - Jamet
WOW. Incredible nose of unbelievable complexity. There’s red fruits, meat, bacon, flowers… I fail to see where this ends. The palate is nothing but silk, in superb balance, with great flavour authority. Leather, earth, more red fruits and animal notes develop on the palate and get more intense through the finish which carries them even further. This is powerful but very elegant at the same time. A truly great wine. Truly great. Ready to drink. Did I say WOW?

1997 - Vin Jaune - Jacques Puffeney
After the previous wines, I was not going to be picky about anything… this is certainly a great wine. I love Vin Jaune. It’s extremely powerful and mineral with the distinctive oxidative notes that show fresh walnuts and certainly has good acidity in a vintage that was maybe not the easiest. This was a very fine wine and did superbly with the cheeses.

2001 - Sauternes - Cru Barréjats
Balance. Everything is perfectly in place. Fruits: apricots, peach, orange zest, exotic fruits. Acidity: just enough to hold the wine. Sweetness: not too much as to not “hide” the flavours. A truly long finish that was appreciated by everyone at the table. My problem is the nose: the nail polish was too much for me. The VA is just too strong for my taste. A shame because everything else was really quite refined…

Michael,

Thanks for the notes. I hear Troisgros is at the top of its game these days. Lots of notes on Jamet this weekend, for some reason!
Époisses with the Vin Jaune?

Yes, Mike… Michel Troisgros is definitely on top of his game
Epoisses indeed… and Comte (did really great with the Vin Jaune)… and Livarot and Reblochon and … and… until …

Thanks for the note on Troisgros and the TNs of the wines.

We were in France for the first two week of this month on a gastro-tour which took in dinner and overnight stays at Troisgros, Roanne; Les Crayeres, Reims [new chef Phillipe Mille and a rejuvenated staff]; Cote St. Jacques, Joigny; and Lameloise, Chagny [Eric Pras has fully taken over from Jacques Lameloise] followed by 9 days at the Domaine des Hauts de Loire.

The food at all was, as usual first rate although we thought we noticed an additional gloss to the service this year. At Troisgros, Michel was much in evidence in the kitchen and later when he did his customary tour of the tables.

Our table was close to a window which allowed a full view of the brigade at work. Michel is tocque-less at the back

We drank a fair amount of white burgundy at all these top hotel/restaurants without, I am delighted to say, a sign of premox but then again the oldest was the 02 Coche-Dury Enseignieres at Troisgros - absolutely singing and, though expensive by most standards, when compared even to In Bond prices home in the UK it was a complete bargain at less than half the IB price. The Bruno Paillard Blanc de Blancs was a great starter and the sommelier found me a large glass of red for a particular course [my wife doesn’t drink red] – 2001 Lo Molin, La Grange de Quatre Sous, Pays d’Oc. A modest wine and not one I had heard of but his choice against the spec I had given him – which he fulfilled expertly.

Similarly the 04 Raveneau Montee de Tonnerre at Cote St. Jacques. Not, like the Coche, half the UK IB price but, at 75$, much less than the UK retail price although exactly the same wine at Troisgros was 100$ - still less than UK retail. My extra large glass of red was an 2004 Denis Mortet Gevrey-Chambertin VV. Absolutely good enough but not as ready to drink as the Languedoc red at Troisgros.

Interestingly the Cote St. Jacques sommelier said that Raveneau and Dauvissat is less expensive for them than Fevre and his wine list certainly reflected that although the reverse is very much the case in the UK. In fact the only time we drink Raveneau these days is in France and the Montee de Tonnerre though young was a joy.

Other particularly memorable white burgundies were a 2004 Vincent Dancer Meursault Perrieres and a 2007 Rapet Corton Charlemagne.

Thanks again for reviving the Troisgros memory since I have been on the equivalent of rations since our return – until today when we had a very good 02 Louis Michel Vaudesir with a simple roast chicken.

best meal of my life there . . .
alan

Ditto. And it was the Leflaive and Rousseau that I drank there on my honeymoon that really propelled me down this road to obsession…

A really magical place.

Michael, thanks for sharing a great wine notes. Sounds like it was a memorable meal.

I reckon Troisgros is the best restaurant on the Planet. The food is excellent, beautifully balanced and vibrant using plenty of acidity to heighten flavours. The service is understated, well drilled and not over-bearing and the wine list is superb and they don’t ream you with excessive mark-ups.

Some lovely wines there Michael, thanks for the notes.

Best Regards
Jeremy

Sounds like a great meal, and the 91 Jamet can be a great Cote-Rotie. As you say, powerful yet elegant. The 88 Jamet also can be fantastic, if perhaps just a notch below the 91…

Bruce

So…1 - did you give the sommelier a taste of the second bottle? and 2 - What did he have to say?

Michael,

You need to make the trek to Troisgros when you are in Beaune.
Probably 2 hours.
Well worth it.

I was there about 20 years ago so the som has changed.
The place is major first rate though.

One of the culinary experiences of my lifetime.

Very jealous about the '91 Jamet as I have only one left.

He did try the second bottle before serving it to me… he then poured the wine in my glass. Smiled and said “You will like this”. I did like it indeed.

And for the record, I had the most memorable meal of my life at Troisgros too. Though that was the previous time. Last weekend was brilliant but not totally mind blowing. Still… hard to be critical about anything. Superb in every aspect. Food, wine, service, place…

Alan, do you have another choice but to go back?

Sounds like a very special meal!
I’m going to Troisgros in a little less than 2 weeks, for my birthday. The excitement is mounting.
I might have to order some of the 91 Jamet, if they have some left. The Roulot I still have some of in the cellar, so will look for an alternative white.

What a wonderful thing a meal at Troisgros can be!

it’s on my list . . .
Jeremy–the pigeon/foie gras à la Kiev dish is amazing, but I’ll bet you know that.

alan

Jeremy, I hesitated with the '96 Perrieres from Coche-Dury… and there were plenty other alternatives. The wine list is really beautiful when you’re looking for Burgs. Mind you, the rest is very interesting too. Definitely lighter on the Champagne/Alsace/Jura side, though…
If you have the opportunity, visit the cellar.

Alan, Troisgros is permanently on my “to do” list. Hasn’t it been too long since you’ve visited the motherland? (just teasing, sorry…)

I also had the best meal of my life there. Michel Troisgros was very gracious and visited our table afterwards. We chatted about his cooking philosophy. I remember having the 89 La Chapelle there. Another lovely Northern Rhone bottle.

I hope you left some good wines in the cellar - I am returning to Troisgros in November for I’m sure what will be another incredible dining experience.

Nice notes - love the 96 Roulot Perrieres!!

according to Tanzer, Roulot considers 96 his best vintage.
alan