You're never bored with Bordeaux

Five exceptional Bordeaux Grand Cru wines found ideal dining mates at Tables Grill at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel last week.
France’s Bordeaux region has been producing remarkable wines since the Middle Ages, but it has an incontestable rating system denoting the “best” of all – the Bordeaux Wine Official Classification – instituted at the behest of the French emperor himself.
Attending the 1855 Exposition Universelle de Paris, Napoleon III called for a means of classifying the best Bordeaux wines that were being offered to visitors from around the world. Industry brokers ranked the wines according to each chateau’s reputation and to the wine’s trading price, which at the time was directly related to quality.
The rankings ranged from first to fifth growths, known as crus. All of the reds listed came from the Medoc region, except for Chateau Haut-Brion from Graves. The whites (then considered much less important than reds) were limited to the sweet varieties of Sauternes and Barsac and were ranked simply superior first growth or second growth.
Many of the leading estates from the Medoc appellation not included are listed as Cru Bourgeois, a classification system that’s been updated on a regular basis since 1932.
Some of this must have been in the back of Kevin Kristensen’s mind when he prepared the menu for the banquet at Tables Grill. The head chef has since last year being pursuing “sustainable cuisine”, but despite the ecological constraints he can still create dazzling “modern French” fare.
The opening salvo was a platter of US bay scallop cooked sous-vide, Dutch razor clams and flat oysters, paired with Francois Paquet Les Armanys Chablis 2013.
Light, appetising and not at all pungent, the perfectly cooked seafood went well with the delectable fruity and mineral white, whose oak-ish aroma somehow rendered the shellfish “less meaty”. And the citrus notes cleansed the palate ahead of the next course.
This was UK beef tartar served with Chateau Lynch Moussas Grand Cru Classe Pauillac 2005 – a Bordeaux red blend of predominantly Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot ranked in the fifth growth in the prestigious classification.
The light and minimally seasoned tartar needed a wine that was strong enough for the beef and light enough to complement rather than overwhelm the food. The Pauillac succeeded. Though produced in 2005, the wine tasted young and fresh, with faint cassis and red berries on the palate lending weight to the light dish and opening up a more herbaceous tone in the seasoning.
Another Bordeaux red blend, Chateau Batailley Grand Cru Classe Pauillac 2006, was poured next to be enjoyed with savoury Antarctic tooth fish with rich brandade.
A real sleeper of the vintage, the sensational red was a full-bodied, classic Pauillac with hints of blackcurrant, chocolate, plum and cinnamon that intensified the sauce and created a pleasing contrast with the slightly sweet and creamy fish.
French quail and Jerusalem artichoke were paired with Chateau Trotevieille Premiere Grand Cru Classe Saint-Emilion 2006 – a Bordeaux blend red ranked in the first growth.
The wine opened with earthiness, red berry and complex perfume, making it an excellent choice to accompany the earthy artichoke and seared game bird with savoury-sour sauce.
The feast ended with the simple sweetness of dark chocolate with organic gooseberries. What better wine to accompany this than Chateau Suduiraut, Premier Grand Cru Classe, Sauternes 1996? The balanced, sweet wine sported hints of tropical fruit, honey and orange peel, making it a highly enjoyable with the creamy, sweet chocolate |ice cream.

Find out more about wines in Bordeaux and the Official Classification at www.Crus-Classes.com.
Tables Grill is at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok Hotel. Call (02) 254 6250.