One of the best numbers for a mixed lunch in some time over 40 turning up for our Winemaster, Paul Ferman, in the kitchen assisted on canapés by Gary Linnane. The atmosphere in the room during aperitifs made it obvious that we were in for an enjoyable lunch.

Canapés. If there is one thing that is a certainty with Paul is that will have soup. So, Paul served us a vegetable soup made up of far too many ingredients to list but showing in the taste of potato and cream, apparently Dutch cream. It looked a treat as you can see from the photograph above. Next, we also had one of Paul’s favourite dishes, a terrine made from pork, chicken, chicken liver and a range of herbs. Paul had made this two weeks ago so the flavour had integrated beautifully. It was served on Burke Street Bakery baguette with a base of tomato with herb influence.

Aperitif wine. For mixed lunches, our Winemaster likes to start off with some rose Champagne and we did that today with the Aubert et Fils NV Rose. An entry-level Champagne with a touch of sweetness but still, the genuine article.

Main Course. Paul served us braised chicken which was mainly the tastier part of the bird, the leg. Paul’s dishes are nothing but complex. So, there was a host of vegetables making up the plate, including roast potatoes and three types and colours of carrot. The presentation was excellent as was the combination of textures and tastes.

The Wines.

• Yves Cuilleron Sybel Rose 2013 (cork, 12.5%)
• Fontodi Chianti Classico 2011 (cork, 14.5%)
• Metrat et Fils Chiroubles “Cote Rotie” 2012 (cork, 12.5%)
• Leflaive Macon Verze 2015 (cork, 14%)

Beginning at the beginning we enjoyed the Cuilleron Northern Rhône Syrah Rose, a maker of great prominence for his Condrieu wines amongst others. It was dry, flavoursome, and a very workable 12.5% but better still a good match for the chicken. For many, the Fontodi was the wine of the lunch with flavoursome and mouth filling Sangiovese fruit and at 7 years of age, drinking wonderfully at its peak.

With cheese we again enjoyed a red and a white wine. The Beaujolais we have had on previous occasions and it is a very pretty Chiroubles from 2012. Those who scowl at drinking Beaujolais should have a hard look at the individual Crus which are now readily available. They are nothing like the rubbish of Beaujolais Nouveau that we had to deal with 20 or more years ago. The Chardonnay from Macon was up there in terms of favouritism at the lunch. There is Macon and there is Macon and this one had beautiful burgundy overtones with a light touch of oak and importantly, restraint. I could drink buckets of it.

Cheese and coffee.  Gary Linnane was presenting the cheese this week and it was a cracker. It was a truffle D’Affinois from Guilloteau from Rhone-Alpes. The truffle flavour was noticeable but not so noticeable that it adversely affected the beautiful silky and creamy flavour of this wonderful cheese. Our cheese guys always make sure that the cheese is removed from refrigeration hours before serving so that we get it at the correct room temperature.

Spencer in absentia, was playing with blends this week and gave us a blend of 80% Colombian with 20% New Guinea Pearl. The intent was to bulk up the flavour of the elegant Colombian with the more flavoursome New Guinea Pearl. Whilst I’m a fan of Colombian as a relatively neutral coffee, the addition of the Pearl was something that we should try again in the future.

An excellent mixed lunch with a spirit that underlies the values of the Society.