La Table d'Olivier Leflaive

Burgundy is a thrilling destination for wine lovers. Unlike Bordeaux's Médoc, there are no glitzy châteaux vying for your attention. The region is dominated by a limestone ridge running in an approximately northeast–southwest direction, with vineyards cascading down its southeastern side – the Côte d'Or (golden slope) which is punctuated by quaint farm buildings, and occasional old walls enclosing notable vineyards (clos). The region carries its status and remarkable heritage lightly and, for me, this has always been part of its charm. Furthermore, the word Burgundy evokes the concept of good living, making the region even more tantalising.

Unlike other wine producing nations, the French have been slow to open their doors and actively welcome wine lovers. This has been a big mistake and may be a reason why it has failed to attract new consumers. Consider, for example, outgoing Californians and Australians who expertly court customers with cellar and vineyard tours and on-site restaurants. It's all part of marketing which, to date, French wine producers have overlooked (apart from Champenois, of course, who excel at it). Needs must and things are gradually changing in France.

In the village of Puligny-Montrachet, holy grail for Chardonnay lovers, La Maison Olivier Leflaive demonstrates how the tide is turning in France regarding wine tourism. The Leflaive family, owners of celebrated Domaine Leflaive have been making wine since the 17th century; Anne-Claude has been running the Domaine since 1994 when cousin Olivier left to concentrate on his own business producing wines from the Côte de Beaune and Côte Chalonnaise which now includes a hotel and restaurant. 

During my recent visit to the region as a guest of the BIVB, after a scenic and appetising stroll around the vineyards of Puligny-Montrachet, we went to the town square for lunch at La Table Oliver Leflaive. The restaurant offers visitors the chance to taste a selection of the 82 wines produced by the company. The 25 Euro set lunch can be accompanied by one of three wine tasting options: Formule Initiation (15 Euros) comprises five wines, Formule Découverte (25 Euros) has 10 wines, as does the Formule Prestige (35 Euros) which includes more Premier Cru wines and a Grand Cru. More Grand Cru wines are available, but supplements are charged. This struck me as an affordable way of tasting a broad range of wines and experiencing the subtle differences between them. However, wines are also available by the bottle at reasonable prices. 

Our meal started with light cheesy gougères (choux pastry puffs) and a glass of Bourgogne Sétilles 2009 (a 50/50 blend of Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet): fresh, creamy and easy to drink, with a slight savoury quality. This was followed by a mini-flight of village wines from 2008: Chassagne-Montrachet, Meursault and Puligny-Montrachet with persillé de thon au Chardonnay et saumon fumé served with a fromage blanc sauce. The Chassagne was mineral and lively, whereas the Puligny was fragrant and delicate; the Meursault was more overt with a creamy, buttery nose, good minerality and fresh acidity on the palate. I'd like to taste the Puligny in a few years' time as it was a little dumb, but, nevertheless, focused and complex. The flavoursome Meursault worked well with the tuna, although not as well with the salmon which was better complimented by the other wines. All the wines were delicious with the slightly tangy, creamy sauce.

We moved on to main course poulet farci à la tapenade et sa sauce coco flan de légumes and Premier Cru wines from 2007. This dish worked brilliantly with such fine examples of Chardonnay – the coconut sauce highlighting and gently complimenting the vanilla oak aromas (Chassagne-Montrachet Abbey de Morgeot, Meursault Charmes and Puligny-Montrachet Champ-Gain). An inspired choice. Again, the Meursault was a little more advanced than the other wines, although I loved the restraint and balance of the Puligny which had delicate peacock's tail finish.

Cheeses followed perfectly complimented by a magnificently mineral, complex and savoury Corton-Charlemagne 2006 and a couple of impressive reds Pommard 2007 (supple and pure) and Volnay 1er Cru Mitans 2007 (supple lush red fruit, mineral and savoury – another excellent choice for the cheese). 

We finished our lunch with chocolate mousse and coffee before returning to Beaune for our next appointment. Next time I'd be tempted to go for an evening meal and enjoy a relaxing stay overnight to prolong the pilgrimage.

La Table d'Olivier Leflaive and La Maison Olivier Leflaive

Place du Monument

21190 Puligny-Montrachet

France

Tel +33 (0)3 80 21 37 65

www.olivier-leflaive.com

Blackberry jelly: preserving the taste of late summer

The summer holidays have flown by and our daughter is now settling back into her school routine. The holidays were strangely punctuated by the riots and a deep sense of fear and unease. As it turned out, that particular week I had arranged to take Alice camping for a few days in Epping Forest, and it was with great relieve we drove out of London into the ancient woodlands. We were blessed with good weather and one of the activities we enjoyed was foraging for blackberries. It reminded me of my childhood in the north London suburbs when I used to go blackberrying in Epping Forest with my mother and grandmother on sunny September afternoons, my grandmother expertly hooking the upper branches with a walking stick to reach the ripest berries. Jars of jam and a freezer full of fruit pies helped preserve these harvests.

Our recent foray yielded such delicious fruit that I was determined to do it as much justice as possible and, having never made fruit jelly, I was keen to give it a go. Here is the recipe I used from Basic Basics: Jams, Preserves and Chutneys by Marguerite Patten.

Blackberry (bramble) jelly
900g blackberries
150ml water
lemon juice
caster sugar
You will also need a jelly bag or muslin and sterilised jam jars.

Wash the blackberries, put into a large pan with the water and simmer gently until very soft. Press the fruit from time to time to release the juice.

Strain through a jelly bag or muslin. For clear, pristine juice, it is important to allow it to strain as gently as possible. I left mine overnight.

Measure the juice and allow 450g sugar and 2 tablespoons lemon juice for each 600ml juice. Heat the juice, add the sugar and lemon juice and stir over a low heat until the sugar has dissolved. Then boil rapidly until setting point is reached, checking frequently.

Pour the jelly into hot jars and seal down. You can see from the picture below that mine has quite a firm set. Next time I'll reduce the boiling time to try to get a softer result. However, it does taste wonderful – pure, vibrant flavour and jewel-like appearance. (Go the whole hog and serve it with farmhouse butter seasoned with crunchy sea salt.)

A mouthwatering stroll around Beaune

At the end of June I had the good fortune of visiting Burgundy – the first time for nearly 20 years – and was reminded how this region is a mecca for foodies, as well as wine lovers. (We were there as guests of the BIVB, the official body promoting Burgundy wines.) This time I travelled by train which made me realise what a good destination it is for a luxurious weekend away. We stayed in Beaune and late one afternoon I took some time out for a stroll, not only admiring its atmospheric beauty, but enjoying some mouthwatering window shopping (or, as it appropriately translates into French, lèche vitrines – 'window licking').

Foie de morue fumé

Among the goodies we brought home from our holiday in France last year was a tin of foie de morue fumé. This delicacy may not be for everyone – it is smoked cod's liver and often described as foie gras of the sea or poor man's foie gras. However, it is really worth seeking out in its own right: it has a rich, complex, slightly fishy flavour and a luxuriously creamy texture. Spread on some crackers for instant, distinctive canapés. We enjoyed it with some chilled Fino sherry, but other well structured, refreshing whites would be just as appetising, as long as they aren't too aromatic or oaky (Chablis, Savennières, Pinot Blanc, Graves, Albariño would be delicious). We'll certainly be replenishing stocks this summer, along with confit de canard and other favourites.

The friendly face of French wine

Having always dominated the international wine market, France has had a rocky time in recent years. Fierce competition has emerged from all corners of the globe, notably Australasia and the Americas, as well as from European neighbours such as Spain; and the domestic market is in decline.

Rather than risk becoming the preserve of devoted connoisseurs or holidaymakers snapping up bargains to take home, a growing number of French producers are freshening up the presentation and labelling of their wines to entice new consumers. Appellation Contrôlée labelling is about guaranteeing the geographical source of the product, with production methods enshrined in this and very little consumer-friendly information is presented. In most cases, only the name of the producer, vintage date (if there is one), alcohol content and volume; it generally doesn't tell you which grape varieties are used (if you're lucky this information will appear on the back label). You might find you like wines from a particular region or commune, such as Côtes du Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe, Bordeaux and St Emilion. However, as the French wine industry is so fragmented, involving thousands of producers, you need to make a note of the producer of the wines you prefer. Otherwise, it can be a bit of a gamble and an expensive one at that.

With this in mind, I've been taking an interest in entry level French wines appearing on the shelves. Some contemporary French wines can be a bit gimmicky, but here are three examples I've particularly enjoyed this summer (all from Waitrose). All are sealed with screwcaps (perfect for picnics) and are blends from southern France. No mention of the grape varieties (unless you turn around the bottle), but distinctive labels to encourage repeat sales.

The punningly named Chat-en-Oeuf Blanc 2010 (see above), made by Boutinot from Grenache Blanc, Marsanne and Roussanne from the Pays d'Oc, has a citrussy freshness with subtle hints of apricot. It's quite light, but tasty enough as an aperitif or sipped with light summery food, such as simply grilled fish.
Waitrose Wine Direct £5.21 or £62.52 for a case of 12.

Another wine from the Pays d'Oc, Au Bord de la Mer 2010 is a blend of 75 percent Vermentino and 25 percent Chardonnay, with fresh, stylish results. I love the chic presentation of this wine as it conveys itself beautifully and remains respectfully French (particularly nice work by importer and co-producer Richard Speirs). Great for fish and seafood or sipping on its own while watching the sun descend over the horizon.
Waitrose Wine Direct £5.69 or £68.28 for a case of 12.

La Vieille Ferme Blanc 2010 costs about a pound more than the others and tastes more substantial, with some interesting complexity – toothsome citrus and white peach fruit, nutty and gently creamy. You're still getting a lot of a wine for the price. Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc, Ugni Blanc and Roussanne from the Luberon go into this wine produced by the Perrin family, owners of Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe. La Vieille Ferme Rouge is also well worth looking out for.
Waitrose Wine Direct £6.64 or £79.68 for a case of 12.

Glazed sticky ribs

Weather-wise we're currently on a roller-coaster this summer and this week we've had the barbecue out again – although our Weber kettle barbie works well no matter what the heavens grace us with. This recipe from Hugh Fearnely-Whittingstall's River Cottage Meat Bible for sticky ribs is our current barbecue favourite, but you can also cook them in the oven. We use packs of spare ribs and allow plenty – as many as half a dozen per person. For four servings, we use a triple quantity of the marinade. You could also use a whole rack of ribs, divided up. We just focus on the ribs as they are so tasty (and messy) and serve them simply with a mixed salad, crusty bread or new potatoes and big, gutsy fruity red such as Californian Zinfandel (which often has a suitably sweet/sour character). Reds from all round the Mediterranean are also likely to work well – plenty of ripe fruit, some warm alcohol and an easy-going personality is what you're after. Nothing too sleek or formal – those sticky fingers can make a mess of your glass!

Barbecued glazed spare ribs
(for the marinade)
2–3 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 level teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon English mustard
2 tablespoons soft brown sugar
2 tablespoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
freshly ground black pepper (about 2 teaspoons)
2–3 tablespoons vinegar (Hugh F-W recommends brown rice vinegar, but red wine vinegar is fine)

Firstly crush the garlic and salt together to make a paste. You can use a fork, but my heavy pestle and mortar makes easy work of this (particularly for larger quantities). Add all the other ingredients, mixing together well, adding the vinegar at the end to make a thick emulsion.

Thoroughly coat the ribs with the marinade and leave in a non-metallic dish for several hours (eg mid afternoon for an evening barbecue).

To barbecue: allow the coals to become white hot and either place the ribs directly on the bars or cook them in a roasting tray. Cook, turning occasionally for about 20 minutes. We keep the lid on our Weber during cooking to boost the smoky aromas.