Wake up early – getting back into the rhythm, have a quick breakfast, then head down to the train station and off to Ay. Get to Bollinger just in time, after being temporarily redirected by a blonde frenchie.
“excusez-moi madame, je cherche pour la maison Bollinger. Vous connaisez?”
“ah oui, viens avec moi, c’est pas loin”
Then she takes me into the town and proudly shows me the….boulanger.
Bollinger. Boulanger. Bollinger…must be my fucking accent.
Anyway, get there and am introduced to Mr Christian Dennis, a charming old fellow (speaks 4 languages, worked with champagne for 34 years, dressed immaculately, I think he is like senior PR dude for Bolli or something) who gives me a sweet tour including –
The fabled ‘Vielles Vignes’ (pre-phylloxera 100% pinot)
Madame Lily Bollinger’s House
A portion of the 3 miles of cellars that Bollinger owns, including the remuage station for the large format bottles.
The group tasting room with a 3d interactive map of Champagne, highlighting the Grand and Premier Cru villages
The private tasting room, where we sample the Special Cuvee, Grand Annee 2000 and the Rose.
There I get ridiculously lost trying to find my hotel (3*** this time, remarkably not much better however).
Once found I cruise the streets, sniffing out champagne. I find it in the form of a 96 Blanc de Blancs by Doyard, a small grower from Vertus. This is cuvee “Collection de l’An 1”, his best apparently. Can’t wait…
Do some shopping and some sightseeing, the town is fairly nondescript apart from various Champagne interests.
Dinner at ** Les Crayeres…
I don’t know how to say this politely, so FUCK ME…
AMAZING
From even before I arrive I am excited. My toes are tingling as the cab pulls up the drive. I peer through the windows into the enourmous kitchen and get goosebumps. As soon as I walk in the door, I am glad I dressed up. An old chateau, C18thc, 4**** hotel, mad old gilt and paintings and silver and everything. Plush carpets, tableclothes to the ground, everyone in suits, candles anfd silver and flowers everywhere. I mean the works. There is nothing like in oz.
2 degos and a la carte to choose from. I’d done my research and had pre-decided on the mega-dega (copyright BHP) ahead of time – it involves 10 courses and highlights a different champagne house each week. With each course, they select a different cuvee or vintage and give you a glass. In my research I had seen examples of Billecart and Heidesieck, both using special cuvees and old vintages. Of course, my luck being what it is, tonight they are offering a selection of Deutz wines. Balls. I don’t know much about them, but their NV is crap, so no way I’m going for that. Instead I opt for the Menu Tradition – 9 courses.
2 layer pissaladiere, with ham on one, basil cream and olive the other, cut at table with Japanese sushi knife
cod with black truffle – I finally understand truffles and their appeal – soft and fragrant and awesome, not crunchy and lifeless (like so many of the crap WA ones I’ve had over the years, with crouts and a white bean with coconut and choc paste
onion ring with egg, smoked ham, meat, apple, white onion sweet and very tasty. The smear of paste down the plate is lame tho. Smoked ham is unnecessary – regular jambon please! The smokiness ends up dominating Vy Good tho
foie (too little) with some sort of fish en brochette, poor texture, with fig and fennel, soupy, avg – weakest of the night, but still interesting
I wait a while for my next course – deliberate or not, I am not complaining. I need a little break. I read for a while and gaze around. I feel so relaxed, so fucking happy…I must admit I nearly fall asleep. Never felt like this at a dining table in my life.
Next is veal with truffles, shallots, carrot, onglet and loin, rich n textural and delicious
05 comte w carrot julienne, carrot juice mixed into honey, mustard seeds, crisp flatbread. Amazingly good, best cheese dish I’ve ever eaten!
passionfruit soufflé with sweet almond paste, tropical fruit minestrone in shot glass w foam, coco and lime sorbet on a stick
champagne trolley – 95 bruno paillard cuvee nbu (non brut ultra) – also offering roederer nv, dom 00 and deutz rose.
p4 trolley – omg, absolutely amazing – pate de fruits, meringue w pistache, fig jam and cream in jar, apple tart, macaroon (rose de reims flavour w pamplemousse rose), raspberry and vanilla marshmallow, salted butter caramels, choc sable biscuits, choc truffle christamas trees.
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I drink - 1990 De Castellan ‘cuvee commodore’ (their top bottling), a small house from epernay. Banging. takes about 20 mins to open, and only lasts about 2 hrs, but amazing – grilled brioche with butter and cream, burnt almonds, honeyed loaves, honeysuckle. SWEEEET.
Sauterne glass – 99 sudiraut. Intense, evolved, complex, a little hot, burnt honey, confit orange, dried fig.
Other cool things –
Wine list – 80 pages, like a fucking book/encyclopaedia
English and French spoken by most of the staff, very clever
Tea service – infusion, teas, silver tray, strainer, pot, extra water, MORE P4 (nougat, almonds in choc, all wrapped in clear plastic like bon bons)
price??? – a la carte would’ve been about 170 euro, my dego is 185, the champagne dego is 225 without wine, 305 with…serious money, but I mean look around…this is a fucking restaurant. Carpet, gilt, paintings, magic auto-flushing toilets
Service – to observe the a la carte dishes eg duck being cut at table after being cut from pastry shell with hammer, then sliced and served onto plate kept hot on a silver covered burner….amazing.
Bill is quite a lot. Service is good, but not overly personable. However – this I feel has been the greatest dining experience of my life.
Am starting to feel like a whale. Lie on my bed for about an hour with out going to sleep…soooo much food….
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