‘There are some superb pairings between the Grands Crus of Bordeaux and Japanese cuisine’.
Head Sommelier at Morimoto, a brand new Japanese restaurant in Bordeaux, Charlotte Tissoire imagines pairings that celebrate the union of Japanese cuisine and Bordeaux wines. For this native of Bordeaux, the Grands Crus can even be agreeably paired with sushi! A delegation of UGCB's members are in Tokyo to start their Asian tour.
Hello Charlotte, what was your background before joining Morimoto?
I first worked in Pierre Gagnaire's two-star restaurant in London. Then I returned to Bordeaux, where I'm originally from, for the reopening of the Pressoir d'Argent by Gordon Ramsay. We were soon awarded two stars in the Michelin Guide. I had other experiences after that, notably as manager of the Univerre restaurant. Finally, I became head sommelier at Morimoto about 1 year ago.
Can you tell us more about Morimoto?
Morimoto is Japanese chef Masaharu Morimoto's first European restaurant. It opened a year ago in the Mondrian Bordeaux Les Carmes hotel. Morimoto is a modern Japanese restaurant, but it is not exclusively Japanese, as we also offer dishes from other Asian influences.
Which are your main dishes?
One of our flagship dishes is the angry chicken, which is a reinterpretation of tandoori chicken, emblematic of Indian cuisine. That said, Japanese specialities are at the heart of our menu. We have, for instance, a fantastic sushi bar.
So it was only natural to reflect this history and these roots in our wine list.
As far as your job as sommelier is concerned, it must be very different working in a Japanese restaurant than in a traditional French one ?
Absolutely, the food and wine pairings are often more complex to put together, but that's the challenge. There are some great bridges to be built between Japanese cuisine and Bordeaux wines, even if it's not always easy to imagine pairings with red wines. We make it a point of honour to defend Bordeaux and its magnificent vineyards on our menu. I'm from Bordeaux, we're located in the Cours du Médoc where many wine merchants have their offices, we have the same owner as Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion. So it was only natural to reflect this history and these roots in our wine list.
What pairings do you suggest with sushi?
It depends on the sushi. A classic nigiri with a fillet of white fish and rice will naturally go well with a Bordeaux fresh and lively white wine such as Château Lynch-Bages. A more aromatic sushi may work well with a fuller, fleshier white wine. As far as red wines are concerned, it's possible to find some very interesting matches with sushi by playing on the spices. For example, we have a spicy tuna sushi that goes superbly with a young vintage that has plenty of fruit. We also offer a roll of octopus in tempura with dried bonito, which works very well with a Château Les Carmes Haut-Brion 2019, for example
Leaving the world of sushi behind, and moving on to another classic of Japanese cuisine, wagyu beef, what pairing would you recommend?
At the moment, we offer a A5 wagyu fillet with ‘Darphin’ potatoes shitakés and a full-bodied gravy. This superb dish is magnificent served with a wine that is mature enough to respect the finesse of the wagyu. I think of a Château Brane-Cantenac 2005, for example. Or a Château Canon La Gaffellière 2004. These two wines have the perfect delicacy, length and elegance to accompany wagyu.
And what about the Indian-inspired "angry chicken" you were telling us about?
Angry chicken goes very well with a wine that's a little edgier and juicer, which go well with the fragance of the curry and the spiciness of the chilli. I'd go for a Château Carmes Haut-Bailly 2014 or a Château Langoa Barton 2016. There are so many options ! (laughs)
