THE ART OF LIVING

It was a perfect sunny morning. I was awoken by the sound of song birds and the fragrance of perfume and herbs wafting from the beautiful gardens. I had spent a luxurious night at Le Manoir aux Quat’ Saisons, deep in the Oxfordshire countryside, after enjoying one of the best food and wine experiences of my life in its renowned Michelin starred restaurant. Now I was to meet up with M. Raymond Blanc to taste a range of wines to go with the summer menu. Easy, I thought.

Raymond Blanc is a man who lives life at one hundred miles an hour, exuding the intense passion for his philosophy of life, food, taste and, above all, his constant striving for excellence. Nothing is straightforward as we get side tracked into all elements of food and wine from the soil to the table.

We started with wines to compliment the Fougasse (a type of Provençal tomato tart): perhaps a light rosé or a Champagne? Tomatoes are quite challenging for wine, but M. Blanc explained that for perfect balance of flavour the variety is crucial together with perfect ripeness. A waiter was dispatched to the kitchens to bring a box of large gnarled red and yellow tomatoes, the likes of which you only see in French markets. M. Blanc quickly sliced them urging all in the room to smell and taste and savour. Like wine grapes, as they ripen, acidity drops and sweetness increases, but when you heat tomatoes, he explained, all the acids and sugars are bigger, stronger, so you need wines with less acidity and a touch of sweetness to achieve a balance.

We decided on a Tavel Rosé 2007, Château d’Aqueria, Jean Olivier, from the wine list of Le Manoir. Its concentrated, rich, strawberry fruit with balanced tannins and black pepper spice complimented the dish well.

And so it went on, with M. Blanc describing how he has urged his chefs to reconnect gastronomy with the soil, the seasons, and the purity of the produce. In order for food and wine to work together, the chefs and sommeliers at Le Manoir have to work as a team. Not only are taste and texture key, but also the origin of food and wine is paramount. To that extent Le Manoir has a wide range of organic and biodynamic wines grown without pesticides or chemicals, reflecting each “terroir”, that unique blend of soil, climate and true origin.

Then we came to a match for ‘best end of lamb with summer vegetables and lamb jus’. As Arnaud, the sommelier, poured the Château Léoville-Barton 1990 (a 2nd growth Bordeaux from Saint Julien) we swirled our glasses and for a moment M. Blanc was silent. As the aromas of leather, cedar and cigar box rose from the glass, I thought perhaps he didn’t approve. “Now that is a real wine,” he announced and excitedly encouraged all the sommeliers, and anyone else who passed by, to taste and discover its soft, elegant tannins and delicate berry fruit. We had found a perfect match for the lamb. M. Blanc was so impressed he took what was left away with him to savour with his supper later.

As chef and patron, M. Blanc is responsible for the whole environment and experience of his beloved guests and as such, he and his staff take their guests on an exciting voyage of discovery where elegance, craft, science and agriculture come together.