I overheard many conversations that started like this when I was working with Paul. I would thank the lord I wasn’t the person trying to move a case of Champagne to a client in Barcelona the next morning. It’s not easy.
And when complications happened, as they always do, he was there to agitate, push along, and make sure the customer got what they wanted, when they wanted it.
Now I don’t know who’s going to deliver that uncompromising service because Paul has left Roberson Wine for new horizons.
We duly battled our way through the freezing London cold to Noble Rot restaurant, so we could drink some wine and toast his departure.
It was an eclectic mix:
1996 Pouilly-Fume ‘Baron de L’ Ladoucette
One of mine. Strangely, it seems 1996 Pouilly-Fume is not as popular in the general marketplace as I thought. I just remembered a 1981 bottle of Baron de L I had a few years back that was super. The wines stay so fresh and age incredibly. This was lovely.
2012 Bourgogne Blanc Pierre Morey
Very nice, clearly outperforming village wine. Super stuff.
1995 Madiran Montus Prestige
Montus is always lovely, and always seems to be about 2 years from it’s peak, whatever vintage you’re drinking.
1983 Hermitage La Chapelle Jaboulet
I’ve a big soft spot for early 80s La Chapelle, and loved the 1980 and 1982, but this was a little too open-knit for me. Very soft, very nice, but a bit more stuffing would have improved things.
1999 Matriarch Bond
Didn’t try as at the other end of the table. Smelled oaky though..
2007 Nuits-St-George 1er Clos de la Marechale JF Mugnier
This is a much superior wine to the 2005 and 2006, in my opinion. Really soft and elegant. Think he must be turning the vineyard around. A long way away from the sturdy, rustic wines of Francois Faiverley.
2014 Sancerre Mont-Damnee Francoise Cotat
Effortlessly good, you could drink this all night.
1991 Crozes-Hermitage La Guiraude Graillot
The open-knit nature of the La Chapelle as really put into focus by the superiority of this excellent wine. Roasted, smokey flavour. Perfect now.
1988 Suduiraut
I’ve a soft-spot for this vintage, I think the wines are really easy-going, very good value and appealing. This was great. Not one for the ages, but enjoyed.
With those duly dispatched, we bid Paul good luck and watched him tap-dance into the night.