Eat & Drink
Originally published on Monday, 20th April 2009
Act Natural & La Trouvaille
ShelfTalk: Act Natural
Let’s save WineChap’s anecdotes about unimpressive biodynamic wine tastings with hemp-wearing hippies for the next late night session at Duke’s. Instead, let’s just say that, increasingly, one’s scepticism is being challenged by the number of excellent ‘natural’ wines appearing from dedicated artisanal producers – most of whom are often represented by similarly dedicated independent merchants. Here are a few wines sampled recently from two such biodynamic sources that I highly recommend:
• The ever excellent Larmandier-Bernier 1er Cru NV Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne – sophisticated, elegant and poised, yet sinewy and rich, like the pilates-honed divorcée of a now ‘resting’ banker;
• Anjou AC 2006 Le Clos des Rouliers, Richard Leroy – a minerally Chenin Blanc from the Loire. More restrained than its South African counterpart, but no less exciting and a pleasantly off-piste alternative to the neighbouring Sauvignons;
• Another Sancerre replacement to consider is South Africa’s Reyneke 2007 Organic Sauvignon Blanc with all the gooseberry and fresh mown hay you need, but some old vine complexity thrown in.
• Sticking in the Cape, we finish with The Ladybird 2006 – not a new electric citycar, but an impressive Merlot-dominated Bordeaux blend which, rather than using pesticides, employs squadrons of the eponymous insects to fight off mealy bugs in the vineyard.
Larmandier-Bernier and Anjou plus regional French gems available from Vinetrail.com
Reyneke and Ladybird plus noticeably strong New World selection at Wine-360.com
DrinkOut: La Trouvaille
A Classic Gallic restaurant/wine bar combo just off Carnaby Street, specialising in rare organic and biodynamic wines from Southern France and accomplished bistro classics. Hosting regular wine and cheese evenings and dinners, four courses paired to a cracking selection from the boutique Domaine Marèle in the Languedoc (including two wines retailing at £40+ a bottle) was £60 a head. If this sort of quality and value can’t convince punters to treat themselves to a night off baked beans and E4 repeats then we really are in trouble.
Not a dud among the wines. Mas Nicot 07 (£23/£5 glass) was a great little aperitif – fresh but fruity nose, with good acidity, white pepper, grapefruit and white stone fruits. Fleur Blanche ’07 (£32) was lushly tropical – all coconut, toffee and hints of strawberry balanced by a succulent acidity. The deliciously haggisy rostace of cured ham and snails almost overpowered Mas des Agrunelles’ sinewy, slightly nervous L’Indigene 05, meanwhile, which is indeed more suggestive of the Northern Rhone than the Languedoc.
Highlight of the evening: unquestionably the top Syrah/Cab blend cuvees from Domaine La Marelle – sensual wines which could challenge the best of Barossa or the Hunter Valley for chewy density and rich mocha/cassis hedonism, but combined with a chalky freshness that maintains their old world credentials.
Restaurant La Trouvaille
12a Newburgh St, W1F 7RR
020 7287 8488
