Match of the week

Côte de Boeuf and Ridge Monte Bello 1999

Posted by Fiona Beckett (Google+) on May 17 2010 at 12:44

Last week was a particularly indulgent one for dining out so it was a tough call coming up with my match of the week but I think it has to be the Côte du Boeuf I had at Racine with a stellar bottle of Ridge’s 1999 Monte Bello

Cabernet and beef, is of course a classic match but this combination really took it to another level. The meat, which came from O'Shea's Butchers of Knightsbridge, was grass-fed Black Angus which had been slaughtered at 36 months and hung for 34 days. It wasn’t overcharred which allowed its flavour to shine through.

The wine, which had been decanted 3 hours ahead, was just perfection - exotically scented and slightly smoky - an absolute treat. Interestingly its depth and complexity was set off slightly better by the meat on its own than with the accompanying barnaise sauce, delicious though that was.

Other stellar combinations from the lunch were asparagus with soft boiled eggs which had been rolled in breadcrumbs and deep-fried (perfect with a glass of Deutz Champagne) and an unctuously creamy créme caramel with a glass of 1994 Trimbach Gewurztraminer Selection des Grains Nobles.(Pure decadence!)

You can see why I had a problem picking my favourite pairing ;-)

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