'Les Deux Barriques' Northern Debut
- Details
- Published on Thursday, 13 December 2012 11:29
- Written by David Brooks
'Les Deux Barriques' Cairanne 2005 from recently made its North of England debut at Damson restaurant, Manchester.
Celebrating the debut were winmaker Eric Monnin and Kim Tidy of Boutinot Rhȏne, restaurateur and owner of Damson , Steve Pilling and Manchester wine and restaurant critics Andy Cronshaw (Manchester Evening News) and Mark Garner (Manchester Confidential). On tasting Les Deux Barriques Mark Garner immediately tweeted that the wine was "utterly remarkable".
The two barrels from which the wine was made were discovered by Eric while pre-tasting and racking barrels destined for Boutinot Rhȏne's 'La Cȏte Sauvage', Cairanne, Cȏtes du Rhȏne Village 2005. Already from the celebrated 2005 Southern Rhȏne vintage - described by Decanter as 'a vintage of a lifetime' - the exceptional quality and added potential of these two particular barrels stood apart.
A blend of Grenache Noir, Syrah and Carignan Noir 'Les Deux Barriques' has "faintly wild aromas and sheer class expressed in total harmony. The opposite of overpowering 'Les Deux Barrique is sublime and subtle".
For the dinner Les Deux Barriques was matched to a slow cooked rump of English lamb, cooked a perfectly pink, with crushed peas, smoked bacon, salsa verde and potato fondant. Under chef Simon Stanley these robust flavours had a delicay that didn't over power the subtlety of 'Les Deux Barriques'
Part of Boutinot Rhȏne's Fide et Arte range 'Les Deux Barriques' is a limited release wine, with just 100 bottles and 100 magnums laid down for Boutinot's 25th Anniversary. It is available at Damson both in 75cl bottles and by the glass.