the UK Restaurant and Hotel Zine
the UK Restaurant and Hotel Zine
Correction. A lot of very talented people, including Sir Peter have worked bloody hard to make it all happen. I'll mention only three: David Sharland, one of London's most talented chefs who was until recently head chef of the Savoy Grill, has had the enjoyable but highly responsible task of designing and assembling a £1.5m dream kitchen. Edoardo Amadi, who came from L'Escargot to help Sir Peter create the Vineyard's unique cellar, is a leading member of that new breed of enthusiastic sommeliers who want to communicate their love and knowledge of wine. Thirdly there is hotelier Ian Leslie, whose experience and eye for detail ensures that the highest standards will be set and then maintained.
At the heart of The Vineyard is the restaurant, a very beautiful room
on two levels. Amongst the many decorative details, I particularly admired
the wrought iron balustrade with its profusion of hand crafted art nouveau
leaves. A tiny poppy motif can be found everywhere, from fine
glassware to carpets and curtains.
We were extremely tempted by the special Fusion of Food and Wine Menu consisting of five courses - seven if you count the amuse bouche and a between course gin and tonic sorbet! This menu changes daily and is teamed with four wines. When we visited, there was a brand new 1997 Sauvignon from Deakin Estate, then the 1994 Peter Michael Vineyard Chardonnay, a 1986 Chateau de Canteranne to go with the canon of lamb, and one of Edoardo's favourites, Malvasia di Castelnuovo Don Bosco to accompany the pudding.
However, the temptations of the a la carte menu were too voluptuous to
be ignored so we mixed and matched between the two. Our amuse bouche was in fact one of the hors d'oeuvres from
the fusion menu, creviche of mackerel. Apparently Sharland and his
brigade, pictured right had spent the previous day out fishing and they caught a lot of
mackerel. Knowing for certain they were daisy fresh, they were home cured
and served them with a salad of tiny avocado balls, quite superb!
My starter of saffron risotto had the deepest primary colours and flavours. It came in the shape of a circular timbale, topped with fine slivers of baby squid and a herb and chili dressing. Edoardo partnered this with a glass of L'Apres Midi 1995, the Sauvignon Blanc from Sir Peter's Napa Valley vineyard. It has a very distinctive character of its own; delicate gooseberry fruit coupled with a smoky mineral flavour and the subtle use of oak. Later on I tried the Peter Michael Chardonnay from the Knight's Valley vineyard. Again, I noticed similar distinctive flinty, smoky mineral overtones and concluded that this must derive from the particular terroir.
For her main hors d'oeuvre, Rowan had the
sautéed foie gras - a perfectly seared lobe of liver set on a bed of
caramelised apple and rhubarb and topped with beetroot done like tobacco
onions, but almost as fine as steel wool. She was mesmerised by the extreme
tenderness of the liver and refused point blank to let me anywhere near it!
She did let me sneak a sip of her late harvest Semillon from the Phelps
Vineyard in the Napa Valley. Rich honeyed fruit, truffle like botrytis and
brisk acidity made this a worthy accompaniment to such melting foie gras.
Next we were each offered a miniature version of a course from the fusion menu. A small tasse of red pepper soup was sheer essence of capsicum, a veritable taste explosion. Equally exciting was spiced lamb with very rich roasted aubergine, puy lentils and bacon. Slow cooking had allowed the flavours to mingle. At this point Edoardo put down a glass of 1995 Steele, a Pinot Noir from Durrell Vineyard in Carneros. The intensity of this wine is stunning, not many Burgundies can touch it.
For my main course, I had breast of duck with girolles, foie gras in a veal jus with the squeakiest French beans. It was now my turn to sample the fabulous foie gras, but the duck, which should have been the star of the show, did not quite have the flavour to compete with such a splendid supporting cast. But I had more than enough consolation in the Peter Michael Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Les Pavots also from Knights Valley. The 1994 vintage is superbly powerful and the quality (and quantity) of the fruit is such that it can be greatly enjoyed now. But it is wicked vinfanticide given the small amount produced. Sir Peter, I beg you to keep it a little longer so that there will be some left to try in a few years time!
For her main course Rowan had tail fillet of monkfish that had been wrapped in Parma ham and stuffed with goat's cheese. She was ecstatic about this and begged me to use the word daring. She had felt it was a potentially risky combination, but in the event it really came off. She was also very enthusiastic about the fresh pea broth sauce.
I was saving a small corner for dessert because I had heard that the
famous Patissier-Chocolatier Michelle Maguire had been lured away
from an important post in Switzerland. She has a team of five chefs who
make all the bread, cakes and pastries for breakfast and tea as well as
the lunch and dinner desserts. We can never resist the assiette:
a collection of several meticulously crafted miniature desserts. I think my favourite
was the sponge cornet of milk chocolate mousse.. no, on second thoughts perhaps
it was the tiny summer fruits pudding, or was it the banana
mousse...impossible to say!
Once more Edoardo sidled up seductively with his libations of ambrosia: this time it was Malvasia di Castelnuovo - light and refreshing for Rowan, and another Italian for me - Colli Orientali di Friuli Picolit from Ronico del Gnemiz. This was new to me and I revelled in its heady aroma and fruity but uncloying sweetness.
This was a memorable meal. I greatly admired Sharland's cooking at the Savoy, but now he has been given his head and the kitchen of his dreams. He is mature and experienced enough not to go over the top. There's a classical restraint noticeable in the attractive presentation which is controlled, and the careful juxtaposition of luxurious ingredients and excellent local fresh produce. The cellar is absolutely first class and Signor Amadi knows how to orchestrate his wines to match the cuisine to advantage. It's obvious that there is a great rapport twixt kitchen and cellar. Top Californian wines are hard to encounter outside the USA where they are snapped up by aficionados. This collection of "grands crus" Californians at the Vineyard is unique outside America. If can afford it, go forth and try. On the other hand if you are a true connoisseur, you can't afford not too!
You can read the menu and get more details by visiting the Vineyard's excellent website.
The cost of your meal:
Fusion menu, seven courses with four wines: £70.00
Main course dishes £22.00 - £28.00; desserts: £7.50
- £9.75
Three course luncheon including coffee £33.00
Special vegetarian dishes are offered daily from about £9.00 to £19.50
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, Berkshire RG20 8JU
Tel: +44(0)1635 528 770 Fax: +44(0)1635 528 398
email: 101317.506@compuserve.com Website:
http://www.the-vineyard.co.uk
freephone: dial 100 and ask for "freephone the vineyard"
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