When our first son Bertie was born it became very clear from day one that he had no interest in dinner – his own yes, but ours, absolutely not. In fact, he was so hell bent on not affording us the luxury of dining in peace that we would mostly eat in shifts.
That is of course until the fateful night of the 2000 Larue La Garenne Puligny-Montrachet. The evening in question has become the stuff of legend in our household.
After three months of interrupted dinners, we ambitiously decided to go all out on a Saturday night and, not only cook the most decadent of fish but also break out the ultimate of white Burgundies.
We had roasted halibut, butter steamed potatoes and asparagus. We drove Bertie through the streets of north London wrapped in blankets and as cosy as can be. We waited patiently until we were sure he was asleep. We carried him into the house and waited with bated breath to see if he would stir the minute we picked up our forks. On this particular occasion the boy decided to finally rest. We were granted a grace period of several hours during which time we celebrated with this perfect meal.
This is one of those meals that feels like it was yesterday – the texture and taste of both the food and the wine resound perfectly all these years later.
There is something about perfectly aged white burgundy that gets me every time. It’s rich, buttery, oaky flavour enhanced spectacularly by the smooth, velvety texture is nothing short of heavenly to me. The small amount of acidity that is left softens when combined with the perfect dish (soft, flaky halibut is highly recommended here). It is the most heavenly of wines and one that I return to often just to feel enveloped in its silkiness. As wine lovers we all have these moments, these perfect bottles that can either be a moment of discovery or the beauty of everything coming together. It can be that perfect date where the conversation never runs out and the wine makes everything seem rose tinted; that holiday where the bottle randomly chosen happens to be an amazing local wine never before tried but, with the setting sun and sea in the background, seems beyond incredible; or just simply that moment you decide to try something new and discover something that becomes a lifetime’s love affair.
For me, it’s white burgundy.
Burgundy Recommendations
After such a perfect sell we regret to say that that particular bottle of divine white Burgundy is not available. It shall remain ours to cherish.
Luckily though there are any number of amazing producers making some incredible wines in the Cote de Beaune.
Our current favourite white burgundies are:
2008 Domaine Louis Carillon Puligny Montrachet £66 per bottle
A consistent producer in the region this particular vintage offers up a fair amount of fruit whilst still being rich and smooth. A good age but will need drinking soon.
2010 Albert Bichot Domaine Long-Depaquit La Moutonne £63 per bottle
A wine that needed a little age to show it’s full potential this is now drinking superbly and should last another few years. Soft, creamy and long lasting on the palate.