Private Client team Christmas dinner

Here at armit, we love that the festive period gives us the opportunity to enjoy a lovely meal together with wine chosen by us. This year, the armit private client team, including two new recruits, enjoyed a delicious dinner at Kitchen W8, Philip Howard’s excellent neighbourhood restaurant just off Kensington High Street. The restaurant has become a firm wine-trade favourite since opening last year thanks to its great food and generous corkage rates. Both the food and the service were first rate, and the sommelier was exceptionally accommodating as we dropped off our ‘mixed case’ around an hour before dinner with wines chilled or decanted as required.

The evening commenced with a bottle of JJ Prum Wehlener Spatlese 2004 which showed a surprising amount of development given its age. Oil, petrol and ripe orchard fruit on the nose and palate, keen minerality, a plump texture and wonderfully energetic acidity. This was followed by a magnum of Domaine Vincent Girardin 2002 Corton Charlemagne Grand Cru, originally from the cellar of Lord Lloyd-Webber. This wine has many years ahead of it but is a ripe, rich, assured style with beautifully judged oak.

We normally attempt an even spread of reds to whites during our dinners, however the cold weather had clearly turned people’s heads to hearty, warming styles and thus we jumped straight into an extensive range of reds. More shocking than anything, there was not one red Burgundy to be seen! Our Pinot Noir fix instead came from 100 miles north of Los Angeles in the form of the Au Bon Climat Knox Alexander Pinot Noir 2007. Knox Alexander is the estate’s top wine from their Bien Nacido vineyard (Santa Maria Valley) and, hailing from the excellent 2007 vintage, was ripe and full with berry fruit, a herbal, spicy element and developing savoury notes. Big and rich but also balanced.

Next up, a red from one of the masters of the Northern Rhone - René Rostaing Côte Rôtie Côte Blonde 1995. There was concern that this might show badly after a plush, soft Californian but fears were quickly put to one side as its complex, rounded nose of violets, black pepper, cassis and deep, intense palate of dark berry fruit shone through. A brilliant balance between ripe, concentrated fruit and spice and fresh acidity and pepper.

We then moved to a triumvirate of clarets from the mid 1990s. Pensées de Lafleur 1996 is a wine few of us have had a chance to taste before but it was showing its Cabernet Franc character beautifully. Inky & dense with plenty of substance and tannin yet also crisp with crunchy red and purple berry fruit. We then swapped sides to the left bank of the Gironde with Lynch Bages 1996 – a masculine, confident Pauillac with smoke, cedar and rich dark fruit. With 14 years behind it the tannins are almost fully intregrated and this is now an absolute joy. Staying in the Medoc, we ended with Cos d’Estournel 1995. This is an amazingly intense, aromatic claret and shows that, while the 1996s still have a little way to go, the less introverted 1995s are drinking absolutely beautifully now. A real treat and clear example of just what this Château is capable of.

Our final Cabernet of the evening was from back over the pond in the shape of Shafer Hillside Select 1997. This bottle had been a personal gift to Steve from Mr Schafer himself and it certainly did not disappoint. This is an immense wine - powerful, concentrated and loaded with fruit – yet there’s a lovely freshness about the palate and finish giving it great poise and balance.

Next, two mighty 1990 Barolos from Paolo Scavino. The Barolo Bric del Fiasc 1990 was a wonderful pale brick colour with an aromatic nose of tar, red fruits, meat and dried herbs with a luscious mouthfeel and mushroom, savoury notes. Nicely matured, this shows no sign of slowing down over the next 5-8 years. The Barolo Cannubi 1990 served alongside was a totally different animal. Much blacker in colour, the nose was loaded with tar, soy sauce, chocolate and truffle. The palate was rich with morello cherry, gamey notes and real density on the mouthfeel. This has many years ahead of it but, like the Bric del Fiasc, is mighty impressive now.

For pudding, a rarity from Italy in the form of Pieropan Recioto di Soave Le Colombare 1990. With 20 years of maturity this had moved away from being a purely floral, honeyed style & into the realm of something dry, nutty and semi-oxidised. Not everyone’s favourite wine of the night, but an interesting curiosity. We rounded off the evening in classic festive style with a good bottle of port - Croft 1977, a wonderfully indulgent end to a great evening.

Whether by accident or design, the various courses seemed to complement the wines superbly. The minced cod based amuse bouches worked a treat with the Spatlese, and the Corton in harmony with popular crispy duck egg as the gentle acidity cut through the rich yolk excellently. The wintery main courses, leaning somewhat towards red meats, were tailor made for the line-up of clarets, Napa Cabernets, Chiantis and Côte Rôtie, and the vintage Croft Port warmed the spirits ahead of the chilly walk to the taxi rank. All-in-all, a first rate outing to a first rate restaurant.

A very Happy Christmas & all best for the New Year from all at armit.