2004 Laurent-Perrier Brut Millesime 2000 Latour-a-Pomerol

These are notes from a very lovely (and decadent) lunch thrown by David at Au Jardin, 14 April 2013, to celebrate his big round number. I don’t think I have ever drunk more on a single afternoon but one musn’t waste all these good stuff flowing freely. Because of some difficulty in locating the restaurant, I was almost drenched in sweat by the time I arrived, but the  2004 Laurent-Perrier Brut Millesime was the perfect aperitif to quench my thirst. After gulping down the first couple of flutes, I began taking serious note of this champagne. It was absolutely beautiful, generous on the nose with notes of delicate citrus and white flowers, displaying excellent density and weight with a lovely deftness and lightness of being, a case in point where the gentle bubbles add to the wine’s complexity rather than detract from it. Very lovely. I could just continue sipping this on and on, which was exactly what happened.

Unfortunately, I felt that the 2010 Chateau Fuisse Pouilly-Fuisse Les Clos, served alongside the Laurent-Perrier, couldn’t quite rise above the bar set by the champagne, the softer tone of Pouilly-Fuisse and its classic leafy notes lacked conviction and complexity, the backwardness of its fruit not matching up to the crystalline minerality. It would, perhaps, have been quite pleasant on its own to accompany a light meal but, on this occasion, it was completely left in the shade.

Only one red was served, but as it was a free flow of the 2000 Ch Latour-a-Pomerol, I have no complaints whatsoever. Dark impenetrable red, saturated with notes of dark currants, wild berries and a tinge of raspberries poking through, the superbly ripe fruit exuding sweet enticing aromatics while its silky rich texture proved to be simply luxuriant on the palate, matched by excellent depth and concentration. It opened up further, displaying excellent definition, quite unfazed by the traces of vanilla that still remained, becoming even more aromatic over time but barely developing secondary nuances even after all these years, a wine clearly set for the long haul. I must have had almost a full bottle to myself by 3.00 PM, yet it remained absolutely fascinating without ever a hint of palatal fatigue. Outstanding. Thanks, David.