A magnificent dinner celebrating the wines of Ch. Malartic-Lagravière, presented by Jean-Jacques Bonnie
Thursday 16 May 2024 has already passed into legend in the Commanderie à Manchester, with those absent from the Bordeaux trip counting themselves accursed. For they missed the dinner atCh.Malartic-Lagravièreand the hospitality of Jean-Jacques Bonnie. It was, therefore, with eager anticipation that many more Commanders and their guests assembled, six months later, at the Midland Hotel for the Gala Dinner with Jean-Jacques as the Guest of Honour.
Tension was building through the reception, at which we drank the second white wine of the property - Le Comte de Malartic - from 2020, with rather more Sémillon in the blend (30%) than perhaps usual. You could cut the atmosphere with a knife as we sat down and the Maître welcomed everyone, particularly two new Commanders – Mark Redman and Jonathan Seely. We had butterflies but were rooting for the Maître. As if watching a jumper composing himself at the start of his run, we could not take our eyes away from him. Then he was off … and the tension dissipated as he cleared the bar. “… Château Malartic-Lagravière.” He could say it - with no more than a hint of elongation of his trademark pause in anticipation. The weeks of training had paid off. Soon it was tripping easily from his lips, again and again. Indeed, we all started saying it, quietly to ourselves, just because we could.
Jean-Jacques rose to respond. He stood taller than Jean-Pierre Rives - Commanders would not want to run into him around the scrum. In equal measure, he charmed us and educated us about his wines; about his terroir; how the vines for the white wine stand on clay; how the deep gravel sends the roots of the red vines down into the limestone where water can be found even in the hottest summers. His well-placed enthusiasm for his wines was obvious but he stopped with impeccable timing: we were all getting rather hungry.
The first course was a Tortelloni of Prawn served with a Shetland mussel broth, cherry tomato, chervil oil and foraged sea greens. It was well presented and delicious.
Jean-Jacques served his Ch. Malartic-Lagravière Blanc 2016. The assemblage varies in each vintage and preponderance of Sauvignon (85%) gave the wine a different characteristic to that of the 2020. There was a zip to it on entry; indeed, Jean-Jacques joked that the wine, although already 8 years old, would be less fierce as it matures.
Beef Wellington followed, with a caramelised Roscoff onion, potato purée, tender stem broccoli and red wine jus. The beef was pink and the dish very enjoyable.
We were treated, with the main course, to two contrasting vintages of the first wine, Ch. Malartic-Lagravière 2007 and 1998 both en magnum.
2007 was a difficult year and one generally for early drinking. Not a bit of it here. The colour was deep and the wine exhibited a sappiness even at 17 years of age. It took some time to open in the glass.
What can one say about the 1998? It was very much a Right Bank / Graves year and that certainly showed. It was the year after the Bonnie family took over the vineyards and made many technical improvements to the wine making. 26 years after the vintage, it was simply delicious with just the right notes of cedar – perfectly mature claret.
Jean-Jacques set us a challenge with our cheese course – Snowdonia Black Bomber and Tunworth with various accompaniments. Would we prefer drinking red or white with it? He gave us both. We enjoyed the La Réserve de Malartic Rouge 2014 (raspberries) but it was always going to be outclassed by the Ch. Malartic-Lagravière Blanc 2012, again en magnum. With 25% Sémillon this time and 12 years already under its belt, the aging potential of Jean-Jacques’ white wine was evident, peaches and the maturation in oak proving delightful.
Pudding involved an ingenious and tasty presentation of a Raspberry “Trifle”: fresh raspberries, white chocolate cremeux, raspberry jelly, vanilla sponge, raspberry snap and marigold leaves artistically arranged over the plate. Ch. de Rayne-Vigneau 2011, a 1er Cru Sauternes, was served with it. Sauternes was the success story of the 2011 vintage and it certainly showed in this wine: very sweet but balanced and long.
Of course, the evening had to come to an end. The Maître gave our thanks to the chefs and front of house staff who always look after us so well at the Midland Hotel, where banqueting is turned into fine dining.
Above all, our thanks were to Jean-Jacques. The legend will live on and we will be on the lookout for Ch. Malartic-Lagravière. What is more, we will all know how to say it when we ask for it.
Bordeaux, toujours Bordeaux