Vinoculation

London Street restaurant is situated in the picturesque port of Lyttelton on the outskirts of Christchurch. The head chef - Adrian Lowery - used to work at The George (Christchurch’s only five star hotel) and he also happens to be a good friend of mine; we head out for a game of squash every week. He’d been telling me about some of the tastings that occur at the restaurant under the expert tutelage and guidance of restaurant owner Duncan Wilcox - an American expat who possesses a cellar of countless treasures. A softly spoken, humble and supremely generous host, Duncan holds an amazing “Creme de la Creme” tasting every couple of months that I was lucky enough to sneak into on short notice.

Firstly, let me state a couple of important facts about these tastings. The number in attendance is always - intentionally - small. On this occassion, there were eight of us, including Duncan. So you’re not struggling to sniff a 30ml shot of wine here - the pours are generous. Secondly, all wines have been stored in temperature and humidity control since purchase on release. Thirdly, the price Duncan charges for these events is frighteningly meagre; I intend to dine at the restaurant very regularly just to appease my guilty conscience. Speaking of which, the evening dining is expectedly awesome, but don’t write-off the weekends either; brunch on Saturdays is fast becoming the norm for me (eggs benedict with two, maybe three espressos) and the lunch on Sundays is superb.

Anyway, enough about the restaurant, more about the wines. There were six wines, all under cork, all showing well. They were decanted and allowed to breathe for 90mim before the tasting commenced, with the wines shown later in the tasting afforded more time to open.

1990 Von Strasser Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California)
My exposure to Napa Cab is limited at best, let alone old Napa Cab, so I was very interested to try these two opening reds. They were both interesting and different to one another too. The nose on this Von Strasser has some sweet rhubarb, tomato leaf and ash notes, yet still with some primary black and red fruits lurking in there somewhere. In the mouth it’s incredibly muscular and tastes a great deal younger than its 18 years. The fruit on the palate is quite sweet, with a dusty kind of texture, hinting at peat spirit notes with dried citrus on the finish (but no sense of alcohol or warmth). There is interplay here between fruit and more leafier aromas, particularly on the nose. Very interesting wine and food is an absolute must; suggest a half kg slab of rump served blue.

1984 Dunn Vineyard Howell Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley, California)
A great wine to sniff; raisin fruit, sweet cedar, dried herbs, leather, graphite and more. Very complex and the living proof of the beauty of aged wine. Like its regional predecessor in the flight, the nose may hint at the wine’s age, but the palate certainly does not. This is a pup. Very much the iron fist in the velvet glove, though I would argue that the velvet glove now has some holes in it, making some of those blows pretty forceful. This is a brute, the tannin huge, coarse and chunky, with lots happening on the palate and exaggerated cigar box notes on the finish. Structure, and more structure. So much that I wonder if it won’t outlast the fruit. A beast.

1985 Chateau Cos D’Estournel
Now this was a chameleon. Initially quite reticent, tight and unforgiving on the nose, but it began to blossom considerably with some extended time in the glass. Black cherry and spice were particularly evident. The moderate body is less loud than the Napa Cabs and has more presence because of it. Lots of spice on the palate, with considerable energy and flavour concentration. There are layers and layers of complexity; it’s a dense wine, yet there is somehow a feeling of elegance and poise. Great combinations of primary and secondary (no tertiary yet for mine), with superb acid (still!) and the soft tannins making this very approachable, though they show no signs of fading. As a drink now prospect, without substantial food, I thought this was quite special.

1982 Chateau Gruaud Larose
A brooding nose; lashings of black berries, asphalt and mineral. Such an amazing structure and mouthfeel; polished texture, gorgeous undercurrent of acidity, a palate with intense cores of flavour and tannins that are initially barely perceptible, but grow and grow, building to a blockbuster finish where they slip away ever so quietly and slowly. Whilst not as complex as some of the other Bordeaux, this was testament to the wine’s inherent youth. A wine that is hard to fault, supremely drinkable and sure to unfold into an even more amazing piece of work, though I suspect another decade will be required.

1983 Chateau Pichon Lalande
Bring on the birth year wines. I reckon, if served blind, I may have gone somewhere New World with this wine; probably Australia. The nose has aromas of vanillin oak, intensely concentrated berries, briar, potpourri and a hint of menthol. There are yet more lashings of berries on the palate - now with spice - supporting an underlay of judicious acid and a fleshy, juicy mouthfeel and texture. The fine, savoury and sweet tannins are just starting to resolve and the aftertaste is scarily long; stunning length. A wine that, for mine, represents exceptional value for money on the secondary market, even if it is a little removed from the classic Bordeaux mould.

1983 Chateau Margaux
Now this is classic Bordeaux. The nose encapsulates a mix of everything in just the right amounts; earthy, fragrant and fruity - wonderful pain grille and graphite characters with just so much squeezed in there. It’s almost indescribable, as is the experience in the mouth; a wine where (truly, honestly), one taste is enough. High extract, slightly grainy texture (not dry grainy; stay-on-your-tongue grainy), amazing flavour profile. My tongue was flabbergasted. The wine’s story was etched inside my mouth, but in a language I’ll never understand. Nor should I. A wine that will be hard to forget. 

I stayed on for dinner afterwards, enjoying calamari with pork belly and then finishing with a creme brulee. Thank you Duncan - for sharing such a wonderful collection of wines from your private cellar.

Duncan Wilcox, London Street Restaurant, Christchurch, New Zealand.