Big Burgundy Brunch

Civilisation: there’s not enough of it in the UK these days.  We’re all far too busy watching Masterchef and worrying about our credit card bills.

So, WineChap's Big Burgundy Brunch at Quo Vadis presents the possibility of at least a civilised start to the weekend.  Brunch is US rather than EU civilisation: in New York, and some parts of Notting Hill, it’s what you do late Saturday morning.  The extra here is that, on top of some cracking food, WineChap, aka Tom Harrow, will talk you through eight wines in total; four whites, four reds, all Burgundies, ranging from relatively lowly Bourgogne to majestic grand crus.

I was last in Quo Vadis about ten years ago, long before the takeover by Sam and Eddie Hart.  My recollections of the evening aren’t pin-sharp: the place was all very cool and there seemed to be a permanent queue for the restrooms.  I think things have changed.  There is still some Damien Hirst on the wall, for example, but I think that’s it.  What immediately impressed was the service, which was attentive, honest and friendly.

To table. We started with a couple of very impressive whites: the Collovray-Terrier 2007 Bourgogne Blanc, a very serious, chunky wine, with the underpinning “zip” of the vintage and the 2006 St Veran from the Bret Brothers that was altogether more serious: a real foodie wine, with nutty, blowsy richesse balanced by some minerality that came through with a bit of air.  Mr WineChap is a man who clearly knows his kit and comfortably talked us through despite the challenge of a mixed audience of novice and expert.

Then the food.  First off some truly excellent Forman’s London cure smoked salmon with traditional chopped garnish.  This was lovely, and beautifully presented, the only problem being that the lemon juice that both dish and diners were crying out for would interfere with the wine.  By this time we were on to a very, very special premier cru Meursault – all edginess and class, indeed more Puligny than Meursault to my palate, followed by the white wine of the day: a hugely flashy, ripe, rich and simply hedonistic 2006 Corton-Charlemagne from the young (he looks like he ought to be at school) and gifted Sylvain Loichet.

Brunch’s “main” course was inspired, and timed well with the crossover from white to red.  Eggs Bledisloe, named for Viscount Bledisloe.  This poshly-named variation on Eggs Benedict sounds like it might not work –  rosti, pancetta, wilted spinach and Roquefort underneath your poached egg – but it was supremely executed and an ultimate brunch dish, pairing well with the remainders of my Corton-Charlemagne and the first glass of a fresh, crunchy and peppery 2007 Bourgogne Rouge from the iconic Meo-Camuzet.

We moved on. A 2006 Monthelie-Duresses from the genius that is Dominique Lafon punched well above its weight, all purity and sweet fruit, and quite, quite seductive.  Mr Lafon is the exception to the rule when it comes to colour: he’s as good at his reds as he is at his whites, and this was the value pick of the day.  Jacques-Frederic Mugnier’s 2004 Nuits St Georges, Clos de la Maréchale followed, exuding earthiness and class.  “Exciting” to one guest, “initially quite horrible” to another.  I was in the former camp - this was grown up wine or, rather, wine for grown-ups.
 

We were now on to the cheese, all British, all superb, and perfect for the vinous finale, the grand cru, nothing less than 2004 Charmes-Chambertin from another iconic domaine: Armand Rousseau.  Like the Nuits-St Georges that preceded it this did have the earthiness of the vintage, though the lifted white pepperiness of the nose was followed by the beautiful silkiness, velvet class that only top-end Burgundy can achieve.  Easily the wine of the day, this went on and on as my neighbours stole first my cheese then the garnish.  Lovely.

WineChap’s Big Burgundy Brunch at Quo Vadis will set you back £49 per head.  Eight very good wines, a knowledgeable and friendly host and the inspired Eggs Bledisloe make this a good deal in my opinion.  Criticisms?  The restaurant really should be fuller at noon (one lonely American bemused at the lack of brunchers as we started, a couple of young lovers and some more Americans as we left) and the lemon thing: yes, it would have interfered with the wine, but smoked salmon needs lemon juice like chips need salt.  It’s just the way it is.

Note: The next Big Burgundy Brunch will take place at Quo Vadis on May 8th at 12pm. To book call
+44 (0) 20 7405 3371 or email UKevents@winechap.com.

Read more from Joss Fowler at http://www.vinolent.net/.