Wines with Style, Centrepoint

Like any self respecting foodie, I am reasonably comfortable with my knowledge of wine. I am not a snob or an expert but more of an educated lay person with an exceedingly keen interest in the subject. When at a restaurant, the collective unconscious generally sends the wine list my way and I have been introduced to people with ‘This is the man who introduced me to spätlaser Rieslings! He changed my life!’ I can hold my own when it comes to discussing soil types, viniculture and the new exciting world of Uruguayan wine.

And yet I am a mere peon compared to one man named Douglas Blyde. A connoisseur of wine, food and viticulture, I was very privileged to be invited by him a food and wine pairings masterclass. The wines on show were from France and were an intriguing collection from a variety of producers.

The first up was the Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu 2013. It was quite a young wine, yet to fully develop, betrayed by its green colour. The wine that followed this was, for me, the highlight of the evening. The Alsace Morrisons’ Signature Gewurztraminer 2013. It was an excellent example of the genre, with elements of sweetness, and with more floral notes than an adulterer’s apology offering. The Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh 2011 was a little drier but still made a fantastic accompaniment to the ceviche.

The next coupling was with Thai crab cakes and was matched with a brace of wines, a 2006 Savennières from Domaine des Baumard, and a 2013 Côtes de Provence from Château Miraval. The Savennières was dry but had an abundance of character. The wine from Château Miraval had a connection with Hollywood royalty, it being the vineyard owned by Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. But their charisma failed to carry over into their wine, which was rather pallid. But given that this is a young wine, it needs a little to develop and open up.

A mushroom risotto formed the basis for the next pairing, a charming Côte Roannaise from Domaine Sérol, with pulsating raspberry notes, and an offering from Domaine l’Agapé, all the way in Alsace. The second wine was much more to my liking with a subtle complexity.

There is nothing more fascinating to me than a miniaturized version of something that should be huge. This came in the form of a tiny, tiny Yorkshire pudding with beef and horseradish sauce. I found it simultaneously beguiling and bewildering. But the wines chosen made for an excellent selection, the Saint-Julien from Domaine Henry Martin and the vin de France from Domaine Comte Abbatucci, both of which were elegant, well-rounded and with a myriad of competing flavours.

The fascinating evening was rounded off with Rivesaltes from Domaine Cazes, a dazzling wine which was complex and flexible enough to go with the selection of cheeses. Douglas was a consummate host, knowledgeable and charming, someone who combines erudition with a sincere passion for his subject.

Wines with Style
Centrepoint
New Oxford Street
Soho
WC1A

Image by Faisal Akram courtesy of Flickr