Thierry Tomasin treats us to a special opening of his wine cellar at Angelus Restaurant in London
As the autumn approaches sunglasses and swimsuits are swopped for cosy wood fires and just as importantly our wine palette starts to change with the cold weather in favour of something a little richer and deeper.
September is a special time here at Angelus restaurant, we will be celebrating our 8th Birthday Anniversary since opening in 2007 and as the former Chairman of British Sommeliers, my team and I have been meticulously planning our wine list and special autumnal birthday ‘Menu decouverte offerings for this season. This September the Front of House and Kitchen team have come together to bring you some inspired French classics with a creative Angelus style to celebrate our eighth birthday.
Chef Pierre Needham, has created a Decouverte five-course menu, to take your palate on a culinary journey around France. This special menu will be available for the whole of September, to showcase Angelus’ classically inspired, contemporary and fresh French cuisine with perfectly matched fine wines.
The menu is priced at £78 per head (excluding wine) and £108.00 including matched wines with each course. Thierry, has selected some exquisite fine wines to be served with the birthday menu, and he will open a selection of different wines everyday to compliment the dishes, such as a Nuit St Georges 1976 or Clos de Tart 1973. You will only know which wines you will be able to enjoy as the bottles are opened on the day, but you certainly won’t be disappointed.
We have a brilliantly packed seasonal menu with some very special wines to accompany you at the dining table this month. As the sun slowly dissipates we start to have different ingredients available, things like Mushrooms, Game, butternut Squash and root vegetables. We have paired the ‘Menu decouverte’ with wines that have richer and earthy ingredients, and flavours such as Mushrooms, Game, butternut squash and root vegetables. The richness will perform excellently, especially with the mature wines we have to accompany the menu. The special wines will be selected by myself each day and will have a wonderful balance between the fruit and the savoury flavours associated with older wines. At Angelus we have the privilege of having a cellar that includes gems from all over the world, stretching back to 1919, and I have five treats now that are great for autumn and represent excellent value.
How else to start but with a glass of rich vintage Champagne and I am loving Billecart Salmon’s toasty 2004 offering (£150) which is drinking beautifully now especially with some cool water scallops. It has golden glints and very fine bubbles but still has a long, fresh finish so it’s perfect as an aperitif or to cut through and create a good balance with creamy dishes or soups. Clos de Forêts Saint George 1976 (£110) from Burgundy is an excellent wine from an outstanding year that combines all the aspects of a great wine; Elegance, finesse, complexity but most of all it is an absolute pleasure to drink with food thanks to its earthy, spicy characteristics. The wine produced in Bordeaux in 1975 was quite tannic but now those tannins have settled down to become silky rather than harsh, this is especially the case with the Château La Croix de St-Georges (£120) from Saint Emilion a beautiful find that shouts classic Bordeaux. Muntada, Domaine Gauby 2001 (£252) from the Roussillon Languedoc region is a great example of what this region can achieve when you have a good vineyard and a great winemaker. Made from a typical blend of old vines, it is deep and powerful yet seductive and now has a lovely earthiness on the nose.
And last but not least where else to round things off but with a Grand Cru Burgundy; Clos de Tart 1973 (£260). Clos de Tart is a Monopole vineyard in the Burgundy appellation, Morey-St-Denis which produces well balanced silky wines with great complexity, charm and length. I would definitely pair this with Game as it is concentrated enough to hold its own. Feel free to drop into Angelus Restaurant for some great modern French dining or just for a Glass of one of our great wines that is waiting patiently in our cellar for you.
We will reveal the ‘Menu decouverte’ and wines on our Facebook and twitter channels throughout August so stay tuned for further excitement of the culinary journey we’ll be taking your palate on, in September. We promise it will be delicious, light and memorable. Ou la la.. have a Grape time.
Thierry Tomasin M.C.A
Angelus restaurant Owner & Sommelier
Angelus is the first restaurant to sign the NFU’s Back British Farming Charter, and sources as many ingredients as possible from British farmers and producers.
