Libby takes her favourite Naked Wines on the road. This week: Hide
Rarely do I decline an invitation to Hide, the Michelin-starred restaurant overlooking Piccadilly and Green Park, but especially not when at the behest of David Baker, Founder of Hermitage Cognac, to “try something special”. In truth it seems unfair to call him merely a “Founder” of a brand, as Cognac is clearly his calling, his passion and his purpose in life. He was, through no fault of his own, rather late to our meeting, rushing to the table while hefting an unassumingly battered wheelie suitcase. Could this really be where treasures are kept?
To the puzzlement of the waiting staff, David then pulled from its depths some small amber bottles, his own glasses and a stunning Cumbria Crystal decanter, engraved with gold leaf and filled with the most expensive liquid I have ever had the fortune of tasting.
This is the Hermitage Siècle d’Or 100-Year-Old Cognac, of which only 68 litres exist for sale, each 1 litre decanter (which each take two weeks to craft) costing a staggering £24,900.
We warm up to it by tasting some others first and thank goodness we did. I swirl my glass of Paradis 1884 Grande Champagne Cognac before taking a big sniff and slurp, marking me out as a wine drinker, and am politely but firmly instructed by David that Cognac should never be swirled. It releases the alcohol, “smothering the complex scents in a blanket of booze”.
Nor should it be slurped, but rather chewed around the mouth. Given I have just marred my first taste of something that sells for around £8000, he’s remarkably charming about it. We pour the Siècle d’Or and he shows me how to gently roll the glass at an angle, so the Cognac coats the sides, and a wave of truffle, mushroom, crystallised ginger, dark chocolate and caramel hits me. It is unlike anything I have ever smelled or tasted. A hefty 40% abv but buttery smooth. David sits back, his eyes twinkling and a broad smile of deep satisfaction at my reaction.
However, one good turn deserves another and as I am not one to turn up empty handed I produce my own treat for the table, Naked’s Christophe et Fils Chablis 2022 (£19.99, Angel Price £18.99). Hide has kindly kept it chilled for me and pour the wine out to a clearly sceptical David. He sips, thinks and says “actually, it’s quite pleasant, I wasn’t expecting that” and it is, clean, crisp and delicious. “It’s too young” he remarks and admittedly it doesn’t have quite the same age as a drink stored in barrels through both World
Wars. We agree it has the quality to be kept developing for some years yet, but it seems it has hit the spot even so because as I leave, he calls a waiter over “I’m having lunch here with a guest in a bit, we’ll keep this bottle”. Cognac is superb, but lunch clearly calls for a charming Chablis.
Perfect Pairings
Rioja Tempranillo with Steak and Salad
Given it is now October, I am not sure how long I can eek out the Indian Summer vibes, but I am doing my very best. I recently insisted upon lighting the fire pit and enjoying an alfresco dinner on a dry crisp evening, for example.
We barbequed a steak and served it up with fresh green salad and I hunted through my bottles to select the best wine to pair it with. I chose Naked’s Carlos Rodriguez Morum Rioja Tempranillo 2022 (£12.99: Angel Price £10.99). When faced with a meal of two parts there is a conundrum as to which bit to pair, and I am sure many would choose the meat – thankfully this young Rioja worked with both.
Red wines tend to go better with red meats because the tannins in red wine bind to the meat’s protein and cut through its fat. Think of them as cleansing the palate after each bite, therefore enhancing the steak’s flavour. We had grilled the steak on the barbeque and served it simply, with seasoning but no sauce (had there been a sauce that would have come into the equation) and the plummy fruited richess and spice of a Rioja complimented the charred smoky flavour of the meat.
These same fruity notes contrasted well with the leafy salad and Tempranillo has enough acid to hold its own against the slightly crisp bitterness of the greens.
As Rioja’s go this is a light, fruity, young one and Rodriguez even suggests you can serve it lightly chilled – unusual for a Rioja but I adore a lightly chilled red so I went with it and I’m glad I did.
In essence Rioja Tempranillo has the tannin structure, enough acidity and a fruity, lightly spiced complexity to match the smoky richness of a lightly grilled steak as well as the fresh bite of a simple salad.
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