Babette's Feast

C Van Aeken
Oct 5, 2016
2 min read

A wonderful recreation by Mr Ice of the famous dinner in the 1987 movie by Gabriel Axel and the novel by Isak Dinesen (aka Karen Blixen).

Lobster soup is served with an Amontillado 1905 from Perez Barquero. In the book General Loewenwiehl exclaims "Amontillado! And the finest Amontillado that I have ever tasted.” The colour is dark amber. He nose is intense with dried figs, apricots, seaweed, sea breeze, leather and almonds. There is also a savoury, salty tang. The wine is focused and concentrated on the palate. It is very rich but balanced by the pronounced acidity. It is very pure and complex with roasted nuts, orange peel and sweet spice. A very long aftertaste.

The champagne with caviar and blinis is Veuve Cliquot Grande Dame 1990 from magnum. The colour is pale gold with some green highlights and very small bubbles. The nose is intensely nutty, mainly almonds and hazelnuts, floral and mineral. There is citrus fruit, candy and spice. On the palate there is perfect balance of medium + acidity and pure citrus and yellow fruit and herbs. The finish is long and smooth. A complex delicious wine.

One of the ladies in the movie picks up a bottle and asks in a low voice “What is there in this bottle, Babette? Not wine? Wine, Madame, Babette answers. No Madame, it is a Clos Vougeot 1846!” With quail a Domaine Leroy Clos de Vougeot 1996 is served. It is medium ruby and has very intense aromas of red and black fruit, cherries, raspberries, herbs and roses. It is full bodied with a high acidity, mouth coating but ripe tannins. The fruit is composed of black and red fruit and spice. The wine is well delineated. The finish is very long with some sweet notes. A very elegant and complex wine.

In the movie script the cheese platter is accompanied by “Sauterne” without an ‘S’ at the end. We drank Chateau d’Yquem 2008. The colour is medium gold. On the nose there are intense aromas of honey, lemon zest, vanilla, coconut and tropical fruits. On the palate the wine is medium bodied, very sweet and viscous, with pronounced acidity and notes of pineapple, citrus, honey, raisins and dried apricots. The finish is very long and has layers of sweet, bright and pure fruit. Infanticide but still delicious.

The dinner in the movie finishes with a “Vieux Marc de Fine de Champagne.” We taste Cognac Remy Martin Louis XIII. Its colour is a very dark gold with a red tint and mahogany hue. The initial nose is of jasmine, very old tawny port, cigar box scent, curry, saffron, nutmeg and passion fruit. This is followed by violet, pineapple, eucalyptus and sandalwood. The palate evokes notes of honey, plum, honeysuckle, leather and passion fruits. It is very concentrated and wonderfully rich in aromas, warm and harmonious. A long finish follows.