T2 - The second Annual All Terrine Event

[bills]

The Second Annual International Terrine Tasting of the Western All Terrine and Paté Eaters Society took place in the garden yesterday. This is an event that I created to explore the different combinations of wines with this sort of food. It has the added advantage that while the cooking can be rather intense, the major effort is normally completed before the event, which leaves the combatants in garden stadium at ease and relaxed and able to chat rather than slaving away in last minute preparation.

2000 Wegeler Winkeler Hasensprung Riesling Spatlese Trocken – this was an aperitif wine, but one that segued into the first course very well. Expected varietal nose, very clean on palate and then it snuck up on you with a hit of acid right at the end.

First up were a couple we had added to last year’s crew, because they are very interested in food and wine, because I couldn’t take the pleading any longer and because he kept whispering the magic word in my ear – foie gras (he is another founding member of the Foie Fools, who do the same sort of thing with wine and various foie gras matches.

Tourchon of Foie Gras

with ‘Stained Glass Onions’

Wanting to get out of the (albeit pleasant) rut of serving this with sweet French wines, my friend opted for German wines, of which we had 3 to taste and compare.

1978 Schloss Reinharthausen Hattenheimer Heiligenberger Traminer Spatlese Trocken – we wondered how well a trocken wine this old would have held up as these wines carry along on both sugar and acidity, and this one started out short on the former. A slightly funky nose turned to a quite pleasant nose with, I swear, a touch of mint, something you almost never see in this sort of wine. Balanced and clean.

1975 Winzergenossenschaft Kobnert Herxheimer Berg Siegerrebe Beerenauslese – the colour on this was now brown with a sweet caramel nose and good acidity. Bastard son of Gewurz and Madeleine Angevine.

1992 Sichel Kirchheimer Kreuz Beerenauslese – beautiful golden colour, with the typical Riesling petrol nose that I had been subconsciously looking for in the two previous non-Riesling wines. Fruit much better, then just a tad hollow in the middle and then the acid kicked in at the end. Decent.

Conclusion? We thought that the Trocken was too dry and the BA a bit too sweet – next time, probably an Auslese.

The next course was prepared by someone that had done a final course meat dish last time, so this was a complete switch for him.

Scallop and Sockeye Salmon Terrine with Asparagus

2002 Drouhin Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru ‘Folatieres’ – this presented like an oversized Chablis – stones and mineral in the nose, but rich and textured on palate. Good match with the food.

Next up was yours truly. I’d done a pork based traditional pâté last year and also wanted to mix it up a bit, so I chose to do a lighter chicken based dish this time.

Ballotine de Volaille aux Pistaches

with confit of red onions and currants

2004 Martin Codax Albarino – I was all set to serve a different wine when I saw that this had come into the stores. I thought that a wine that so few people knew would be interesting. Interesting nose of a wet cedar forest with a hint of peach, very clean in the mouth, and quite crisp. These wines are best on release and should be drunk when young like this.

1998 Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc – alright, I can’t resist challenging accepted wisdom, which in this case seems to dictate that this well known wine be drunk up within the year of release. My rule with CB is to cellar for 1-2 years to allow the acidity to integrate a bit – the wines soften and become more interesting. I put away a couple of bottles of the 1998 for a longer term experiment. Gone was the gooseberry in the nose, replaced with more complex herbal fruit. It was clean in the mouth, the acidity moderated and it exhibited an interesting red currant element on palate (I swear it wasn’t the confit talking). Voted best match with the food.

Vegetable Terrine with Heritage Tomatoes

2001 Willi Haag Brauenberger Juffer Riesling Kabinett – I don’t think I can recall another meal where we made such good use of German wines! Good oily petrol nose, crisp and smooth on palate with a lingering sweetness that would have had me guessing Spatlese in a blind tasting.

2004 Dom. Lafond Roc Epine Tavel Rosé – bright pink colour, dry and with lots of stuffing and a strawberry nose. Voted best match with the veggies.

Terrine de Canard aux pistaches et apricots

2003 Duboeuf ‘La TrinQée’ Julienas – this is a heavyweight Beaujolais, if that isn’t a contradiction in terms. Quiet dark, with a nice dark cherry nose and lots of stuffing – the tannins here dictate a couple of years ion the cellar. This is not your typical lightweight Bojo!

1979 Ch. Pichon Lalande – oh my! Showing a bit of browning at thedges, this has lost nothing on the nose, which shows a delightful tobacco and cedar nose, medium body, the fruit probably a bit less than a few years ago, but made up in complexity and elegance. Drinking as well now as it ever will, though it will continue to hold without too much change for some years. For an old Bordeaux hound like me it was an easy choice – trying to beat a mature Pauillac like this armed only with a Bojo is like entering a one legged man in a butt kicking contest.

Truffled Pork Terrine with foie gras

1993 Alain Hudelot-Noellat Clos de Vougeot – interesting beetroot and manure nose with good fruit lurking beneath. Excellent weight , smooth and long on palate, and this was my best wine of night vote!

1985 Ch. Gruaud Larose – great nose, once it settled down out of bottle. I swear there was a hint of truffle, but it could have been the terrine. This wine is now mellow and smooth in the mouth (like quite a few 1985s in fact) and drinks exceptionally well now. It took a heck of a Burgundy to steal my vote from this and the Pichon as wines of the night.

This course, prepared by the ‘Cat Lady’, was also my favourite course of the night. The little stack of potato cubes dressed with mustard oil was a touch of genius. It was meant to be made from wild boar, but as hunting was poor last week, domestic porker had to stand in.

The final course, served without wine, was a three chocolate terrine with peaches made in honour of the birthday of my dear wife, SheWhoMustBeObeyed.

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1979 Heinrich Lorch Bergzaberner Wonneberg Auslese – I brought this out for those who weren’t into desserts (I had it in the fridge as back-up for the other 79, had it been hors de combat) Dark amber, much of the sweetness it no doubt had when young now gone, leaving a nice wine with good length and interesting flavours. These mature Rieslings can be great fun.

As we broke up, gathering our glasses and accoutrements by torchlight, I could hear the plans for a third annual event being discussed…….

[JohnL]

I must admit-this was one of the most enjoyable posts I have encountered out here.

The wine and food pairings were interesting varied and the notes were informative.

I actually look forward (though not as much as you and pur partici[ants) to the next event!!!

thanks

ps

(I am familiar with many of the wines you tasted and the assessments were dead on mirroring my impressions.)

I am going to try some similar pairings myself!

what a great idea.

[bills]

I actually look forward (though not as much as you and pur partici[ants) to the next event!!!

We are already starting to think of recipes for T3.......!