Fine and rare wine dinner

So in the end we decided to stick with the original Saturday night plan. As well as mourning the loss of Oscar we also wanted to remember all the joy he had brought us, to celebrate his past and our future.

We take it in turns to organise surprise weekends away for our wedding anniversary. This year it had been my turn but Mary had spotted a Berry Bros and Rudd fine and rare wine dinner that happened to fall on the actual anniversary which also happened to be a Saturday. Held at their ancient premises in St James Street the menu was as follows:

1983 Champagne Le Mesnil (en magnum)

Welcome from Simon Berry, Deupty Chairman

1998 Criots-Batard-Montrachet, Grand Cru, Domaine Roger Belland

Skewer of swordfish, monkfish and tuna with a creamy mushroom sauce

1978 Chateau Palmer / 1971 Chateau Mouton-Rothschild (en magnum)

Fillet of venison with wild mushroom sauce on garlic mash, selection of fresh seasonal vegetables

1996 Chateau Climens

Hot rhubarb souffle with homemade vanilla ice-cream

1958 Quinta do Noval Nacional

Selection of cheese and biscuits, Berrys' selected coffee and dinner mints

An extravagance but what heck.