La Grand'Vigne - Les Sources de Caudalie

33650 MARTILLAC

17.5/20
Prestige Restaurant

BOOK

6 PHOTOS

Chef Nicolas Masse

Cooking Cuisine d'auteur | French | Gastronomic

Price Indicative price per person (excl. drinks)

165€ à 205€

Gault&Millau's review

17.5/20

Prestige Restaurant The little road winds its way through the vineyards in a chiselled environment. The silhouette of Château Smith Haut Lafitte acts as a landmark. Here, slightly below, lies the Caudalie estate, where the orangery houses the restaurant. The trap of opulence has been perfectly avoided. The codes of luxury are naturally respected, but with a soothing elegance. Numerous decorative elements recall, here and there, the world of wine with tact and happiness. Like the joy of dining at Nicolas Masse's table, which strikes hard from the very first course! In this case, a superb little tartlet filled with garden peas just marinated in pea oil. Half-crisp, half-melting, they're absolutely delicious. A local goat's milk cheese is used for the creamy texture. The bottom of the tart is covered with caviar primeur, which is revealed by cutting the tartlet in half. Aesthetically and tastefully dazzling! And let's not forget the competition asparagus, coiled in a gangue of salt and flavored with nasturtium, orange zest and pomelo. The trimmings give life to a well-marked sorbet, resting on a citrus jelly to which a nasturtium and pomelo virgin responds. Everything works perfectly, and the flavors follow one another brilliantly. Deceptively simple, the beautiful artichoke poivrade - which makes you want to become a vegetarian - is stuffed with a fondue of chard and gustatively propelled by a butter sauce infused with tarragon and artichoke trimmings. The tribute to the Basque country that Nicolas loves so much, comes in the form of a beautiful slab of Saint-Jean-de-Luz hake wrapped in a zucchini flower (here again, the visual is remarkable). This is followed by a tian and creamy zucchini. The white wine and basil oil sauce is lively and delicious, to the very last drop! Last but not least, beautiful cherries from the Lot-et-Garonne region are featured - roasted and creamed - with chest-roasted pigeon, whose thighs are smoked with vine shoots, then colored with a cherry sauce. A few brocoletti round off this top-notch dish. The "transitional" dessert is beautifully designed around rhubarb in "water, just cooked and stewed". The acidity blends well with the aniseed and lemon notes of a caraway cream and the spicy notes of a pink berry sorbet. A gavotte adds a subtle crunchy dimension. The final dessert is salvagingly fresh! Full-bodied, red strawberries marinated in their own juices. They are enhanced by the contrast of the pea sorbet, with its hints of menthol and creamy fromage blanc. We'd also have to mention the pleasure aroused by the mignardises, which have nothing to envy from the initial appetizers. Let's also salute the fluidity of the service provided, and the affable, vigilant and discreet wait staff, who know so well how to highlight the work of the kitchen. As it should be, the cellar gives pride of place to wines from the region and the estate, including older vintages. For other vineyards, the selection is "classic" but obviously relevant.

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