A tiny French winery and a top Amsterdam restaurant combined their skills during the opening day of the recent Wine Professional 2012. The presentation was organised by Vinites:one of the major wine importers in The Netherlands. The wines selected from their portfolio came from the family run Domaine Georges Vernay in the Rhône Valley, made by the charming Christine Vernay - daughter and current winemaker. The opening wine was a velvety, very vinous pink saignée made from syrah and a glass of a winning viognier from the recent Dutch National Wine Competition, both from 2010. This was followed by magnificent Condrieus; ; chef Luc Kusters from restaurant Bolenius combined a 2010 Terrasses de l'Empire with three preparations of celeriac (see attached photo) in a sauce of crushed tomatoes with grapefruit and grated black olive – not the most obvious choice for a wine tasting - but one of the most refreshing and purest vegetarian dishes I've ever tasted and a superb combination with the Condrieu. The other wine on offer was an extra glass of Vieux Vernon Condrieu 2009 with even more depth, produced from grapes grown on a plot planted before 1940 by Christine’s grandfather.
If you think that the summit had been reached, think again! The Côte du Rhône St. Agathe 2009 caught everyones attention; a thoroughbred cousin of the following Côte Rôtie 2009 Blonde du Seigneur but of course with a more customer friendly price. The Côte Rôtie was the ideal wine to complete this superb wine and food experience as Luc Kusters presented a lighter, contemporary version of Lièvre à la Royale – hare with a sauce made from the offal, carcass and blood - a classic of French haute cuisine and later a signature dish of the Dutch super chef Robert Kranenborg, with whom Luc worked for years. A combination made in heaven.
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