The arrival of 2010 was celebrated in our usual style - old friends; good
food and fine wine.



Thank you for everyone who contributed to my plea for help in respect to a
food match for Clos Ste Hune - in the end, as a tribute to the world-wide
response, I decided to produce a seafood "medley", combining several of the
suggestions.



As New Years Eve was a gorgeous sunny day (temperature 25°C at 6pm) - a cold
dish was certainly the only option I could consider - ruling out the more
"classic" accompaniments to Alsatian riesling.



Bi!! Suggested ceviche - I am a great fan of the South Pacific version;
poisson cru; while Mark Lipton thought caviar, crème fraiche on blini.



Ian Hoare displayed his first hand knowledge of NZ by submitting a couple of
recipes for mussels.



I combined these suggestions with my own preference for freshly cooked (and
cooled) prawns.



Ian, I also took to heart your suggestion that I avoid should vinegar -
putting my own spin on things.



Live green-lipped mussels are readily available in virtually every
supermarket here - I steamed them in a couple cups of Marlborough sauvignon
blanc, with some crushed garlic and grated ginger (thanks DaleW) - for no
longer than it took for the shells to open.



Instead of wine, I heated some verjuice (to reduce a little and semi-cook
some shallots) and added to the shelled mussels, and put them in the
refrigerator to cool (dinner was still 12 hours and 200 km away!)



I marinated fresh fish in lemon and lime juice - but only for a half hour -
and after draining off the juice, combined the fish with coconut cream (with
a ½ teaspoon of Thai red curry paste) and finely chopped onion and tomato.



The third component was the cooked, peeled and chilled prawns, upon which I
placed a teaspoon of avocado mousse (actually fresh avocado, a little crème
fraiche with just a smidgeon of wasabi paste.)



A search for true caviar as fruitless, but a local Salmon "caviar!" was
available - I served this on some mini "pikelets" with crème fraiche.



The wine was the 2001 Clos Ste Hune - and despite observations that serving
this would be akin to infanticide (DaleW "had to say it!) I preferred the
advice from others which stated that the wine was just entering its drinking
window.



It proved not nearly as backward as I anticipated - in fact, imho, while it
is youthful, it is more than approachable now.



I found that the wine was neither "bone dry" nor too highly acidic. The
colour was a pale gold (beautiful!) - ethereal "petrol" notes on the nose;
there was a just hint of exotic sweetness, wonderful combination of citrus
and nectarine and stony minerality. Very long finish - harmonious - and by
no means austere.



The food match(es) were excellent. The poisson cru and prawns were very
good; Mark the "caviar" treat - albeit salmon - was excellent - but the
star and best match was the mussels - thank you Ian.



To everyone - thank you for your input - wishing the entire afw family the
very best for 2010.



--



st.helier

On Jan 2, 5:18�pm, "st.helier" > wrote:
> The arrival of 2010 was celebrated in our usual style - old friends; good
> food and fine wine.
>
> Thank you for everyone who contributed to my plea for help in respect to a
> food match for Clos Ste Hune - in the end, as a tribute to the world-wide
> response, I decided to produce a seafood "medley", combining several of the
> suggestions.
>
> As New Years Eve was a gorgeous sunny day (temperature 25�C at 6pm) - a cold
> dish was certainly the only option I could consider - ruling out the more
> "classic" accompaniments to Alsatian riesling.
>
> Bi!! Suggested ceviche - I am a great fan of the South Pacific version;
> poisson cru; while Mark Lipton thought caviar, cr�me fraiche on blini.
>
> Ian Hoare displayed his first hand knowledge of NZ by submitting a couple of
> recipes for mussels.
>
> I combined these suggestions with my own preference for freshly cooked (and
> cooled) prawns.
>
> Ian, I also took to heart your suggestion that I avoid should vinegar -
> putting my own spin on things.
>
> Live green-lipped mussels are readily available in virtually every
> supermarket here - I steamed them in a couple cups of Marlborough sauvignon
> blanc, with some crushed garlic and grated ginger (thanks DaleW) - for no
> longer than it took for the shells to open.
>
> Instead of wine, I heated some verjuice (to reduce a little and semi-cook
> some shallots) and added to the shelled mussels, and put them in the
> refrigerator to cool (dinner was still 12 hours and 200 km away!)
>
> I marinated fresh fish in lemon and lime juice - but only for a half hour -
> and after draining off the juice, combined the fish with coconut cream (with
> a � teaspoon of Thai red curry paste) and finely chopped onion and tomato.
>
> The third component was the cooked, peeled and chilled prawns, upon which I
> placed a teaspoon of avocado mousse (actually fresh avocado, a little cr�me
> fraiche with just a smidgeon of wasabi paste.)
>
> A search for true caviar as fruitless, but a local Salmon "caviar!" was
> available - I served this on some mini "pikelets" with cr�me fraiche.
>
> The wine was the 2001 Clos Ste Hune - and despite observations that serving
> this would be akin to infanticide (DaleW "had to say it!) I preferred the
> advice from others which stated that the wine was just entering its drinking
> window.
>
> It proved not nearly as backward as I anticipated - in fact, imho, while it
> is youthful, it is more than approachable now.
>
> I found that the wine was neither "bone dry" nor too highly acidic. The
> colour was a pale gold (beautiful!) - ethereal "petrol" notes on the nose;
> there was a just hint of exotic sweetness, wonderful combination of citrus
> and nectarine and stony minerality. Very long finish - harmonious - and by
> no means austere.
>
> The food match(es) were excellent. The poisson cru and prawns were very
> good; Mark the "caviar" treat - albeit salmon - �was excellent - but the
> star and best match was the mussels - thank you Ian.
>
> To everyone - thank you for your input - wishing the entire afw family the
> very best for 2010.
>
> --
>
> st.helier

Your impression of the wine is much like mine. I still have a few
bottles left and will probably drinkn them over the next ten years.

On Jan 2, 5:18*pm, "st.helier" > wrote:
> The arrival of 2010 was celebrated in our usual style - old friends; good
> food and fine wine.
>
> Thank you for everyone who contributed to my plea for help in respect to a
> food match for Clos Ste Hune - in the end, as a tribute to the world-wide
> response, I decided to produce a seafood "medley", combining several of the
> suggestions.
>
> As New Years Eve was a gorgeous sunny day (temperature 25°C at 6pm) - a cold
> dish was certainly the only option I could consider - ruling out the more
> "classic" accompaniments to Alsatian riesling.
>
> Bi!! Suggested ceviche - I am a great fan of the South Pacific version;
> poisson cru; while Mark Lipton thought caviar, crème fraiche on blini.
>
> Ian Hoare displayed his first hand knowledge of NZ by submitting a couple of
> recipes for mussels.
>
> I combined these suggestions with my own preference for freshly cooked (and
> cooled) prawns.
>
> Ian, I also took to heart your suggestion that I avoid should vinegar -
> putting my own spin on things.
>
> Live green-lipped mussels are readily available in virtually every
> supermarket here - I steamed them in a couple cups of Marlborough sauvignon
> blanc, with some crushed garlic and grated ginger (thanks DaleW) - for no
> longer than it took for the shells to open.
>
> Instead of wine, I heated some verjuice (to reduce a little and semi-cook
> some shallots) and added to the shelled mussels, and put them in the
> refrigerator to cool (dinner was still 12 hours and 200 km away!)
>
> I marinated fresh fish in lemon and lime juice - but only for a half hour -
> and after draining off the juice, combined the fish with coconut cream (with
> a ½ teaspoon of Thai red curry paste) and finely chopped onion and tomato.
>
> The third component was the cooked, peeled and chilled prawns, upon which I
> placed a teaspoon of avocado mousse (actually fresh avocado, a little crème
> fraiche with just a smidgeon of wasabi paste.)
>
> A search for true caviar as fruitless, but a local Salmon "caviar!" was
> available - I served this on some mini "pikelets" with crème fraiche.
>
> The wine was the 2001 Clos Ste Hune - and despite observations that serving
> this would be akin to infanticide (DaleW "had to say it!) I preferred the
> advice from others which stated that the wine was just entering its drinking
> window.
>
> It proved not nearly as backward as I anticipated - in fact, imho, while it
> is youthful, it is more than approachable now.
>
> I found that the wine was neither "bone dry" nor too highly acidic. The
> colour was a pale gold (beautiful!) - ethereal "petrol" notes on the nose;
> there was a just hint of exotic sweetness, wonderful combination of citrus
> and nectarine and stony minerality. Very long finish - harmonious - and by
> no means austere.
>
> The food match(es) were excellent. The poisson cru and prawns were very
> good; Mark the "caviar" treat - albeit salmon - *was excellent - but the
> star and best match was the mussels - thank you Ian.
>
> To everyone - thank you for your input - wishing the entire afw family the
> very best for 2010.
>
> --
>
> st.helier

Food sounds amazing.
Glad you enjoyed the CSH. My concerns weren't that it would be austere
now, merely that CSH is so magnificent with age (the 73 tasted within
last few years is probably my fave dry Riesling of all time). If you
and Bill think now's the time to drink, I'll take your word (my only
taste of the 01 was a warm sip late one dinner).

On Jan 4, 3:08�pm, DaleW > wrote:
> On Jan 2, 5:18�pm, "st.helier" > wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> > The arrival of 2010 was celebrated in our usual style - old friends; good
> > food and fine wine.
>
> > Thank you for everyone who contributed to my plea for help in respect to a
> > food match for Clos Ste Hune - in the end, as a tribute to the world-wide
> > response, I decided to produce a seafood "medley", combining several of the
> > suggestions.
>
> > As New Years Eve was a gorgeous sunny day (temperature 25�C at 6pm) - a cold
> > dish was certainly the only option I could consider - ruling out the more
> > "classic" accompaniments to Alsatian riesling.
>
> > Bi!! Suggested ceviche - I am a great fan of the South Pacific version;
> > poisson cru; while Mark Lipton thought caviar, cr�me fraiche on blini.
>
> > Ian Hoare displayed his first hand knowledge of NZ by submitting a couple of
> > recipes for mussels.
>
> > I combined these suggestions with my own preference for freshly cooked (and
> > cooled) prawns.
>
> > Ian, I also took to heart your suggestion that I avoid should vinegar -
> > putting my own spin on things.
>
> > Live green-lipped mussels are readily available in virtually every
> > supermarket here - I steamed them in a couple cups of Marlborough sauvignon
> > blanc, with some crushed garlic and grated ginger (thanks DaleW) - for no
> > longer than it took for the shells to open.
>
> > Instead of wine, I heated some verjuice (to reduce a little and semi-cook
> > some shallots) and added to the shelled mussels, and put them in the
> > refrigerator to cool (dinner was still 12 hours and 200 km away!)
>
> > I marinated fresh fish in lemon and lime juice - but only for a half hour -
> > and after draining off the juice, combined the fish with coconut cream (with
> > a � teaspoon of Thai red curry paste) and finely chopped onion and tomato.
>
> > The third component was the cooked, peeled and chilled prawns, upon which I
> > placed a teaspoon of avocado mousse (actually fresh avocado, a little cr�me
> > fraiche with just a smidgeon of wasabi paste.)
>
> > A search for true caviar as fruitless, but a local Salmon "caviar!" was
> > available - I served this on some mini "pikelets" with cr�me fraiche.
>
> > The wine was the 2001 Clos Ste Hune - and despite observations that serving
> > this would be akin to infanticide (DaleW "had to say it!) I preferred the
> > advice from others which stated that the wine was just entering its drinking
> > window.
>
> > It proved not nearly as backward as I anticipated - in fact, imho, while it
> > is youthful, it is more than approachable now.
>
> > I found that the wine was neither "bone dry" nor too highly acidic. The
> > colour was a pale gold (beautiful!) - ethereal "petrol" notes on the nose;
> > there was a just hint of exotic sweetness, wonderful combination of citrus
> > and nectarine and stony minerality. Very long finish - harmonious - and by
> > no means austere.
>
> > The food match(es) were excellent. The poisson cru and prawns were very
> > good; Mark the "caviar" treat - albeit salmon - �was excellent - but the
> > star and best match was the mussels - thank you Ian.
>
> > To everyone - thank you for your input - wishing the entire afw family the
> > very best for 2010.
>
> > --
>
> > st.helier
>
> Food sounds amazing.
> Glad you enjoyed the CSH. My concerns weren't that it would be austere
> now, merely that CSH is so magnificent with age (the 73 tasted within
> last few years is probably my fave dry Riesling of all time). If you
> and Bill think now's the time to drink, I'll take your word (my only
> taste of the 01 was a warm sip late one dinner).- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Well, it certainly will improve with age (my favorite was a 1983 CSH
that I've had twice in the past few years...stunning) but it has lost
the tightness of youth and is drinking well.

On Jan 2, 4:18*pm, "st.helier" > wrote:

> The wine was the 2001 Clos Ste Hune - and despite observations that serving
> this would be akin to infanticide (DaleW "had to say it!) I preferred the
> advice from others which stated that the wine was just entering its drinking
> window.
>
> It proved not nearly as backward as I anticipated - in fact, imho, while it
> is youthful, it is more than approachable now.
>
> I found that the wine was neither "bone dry" nor too highly acidic. The
> colour was a pale gold (beautiful!) - ethereal "petrol" notes on the nose;
> there was a just hint of exotic sweetness, wonderful combination of citrus
> and nectarine and stony minerality. Very long finish - harmonious - and by
> no means austere.

I have had several bottles of Clos Sainte Hune Riesling over the years
from the 1970s and still have a few bottles from 1971, 1973, and 1976.
All of these still are drinking well, but of course are fully mature.
If you don't mind having your tonsils seared and have a very healthy
digestive system, I can see that some might find merit in this wine
when it is young and from a top vintage. I do not even want to taste
them, even if I am not paying, until they are over 10 years old, and
even then they often give only hints of what they can become. I also
have had the 1974, which in general is a rather weak year in Alsace.
From about 10 to 20 years old it was quite drinkable, but did not
compare very well with the better 1970s. It was still drinkable 10
years ago although well linto decline. I suspect it may now be past
the point where I would drink it.