Oswaldo Costa
Oswaldo Costa
Spent the first week of this month there, family in tow, under the pretext of visiting schools (we might conceivably move there). This time we elected to stay in the 11éme, a less charming neighborhood, closer to what it would be like to live in Paris without spending so much of a fortune. Even so, the riotous palette of palate palaces was dazzling, even for the jaded warrior. In no other city are there so many establishments per square kilometer dedicated to liquid and solid modes of artisanal pleasure.
After leaving our luggage at our Airbnb, we set off for a stroll in the nearby Rue de la Folie-Méricourt, where the legendary Michel Mouilherat used to have his La Cave de L'Insolite. It was there, in 2006, that he gave us an epiphanic bottle of Overnoy 99 Ploussard to take back to Brazil, refusing to be paid because he was not sure it would survive the trip (it never had to).
La Cave de L'Insolite still exists, transformed by its new owners into a simpatico wine bar. Bottles of the usual suspects continue to grace its shelves, but the former grungy thrill is gone, replaced by a brisk nation-of-shopkeeper competence that, nevertheless, remains attractive to those who live outside the epicenters of epicurean épiceries. Speaking of which, a few more steps towards the trendy Oberkampf Boulevard brought us to the recently opened Verre Volé épicerie, where we merrily filled our shopping bags to provision our first evening (we stayed in a lot, to simulate domesticity).
At the Airbnb on October 3, with pork rillette, onion jam, a pair of decidedly delicious raw milk cheeses and baguettes, we sipped:
NV Jacques Lassaigne Les Vignes de Montgueux Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs 12%
Lovely aroma, mineral-driven, white flowers and brioche. Good acidity, but finishes a little bitter. Could use a touch more body, but killer nose.
2013 Clos des Vignes du Maynes (Julien Guillot) Macon-Cruzille Cuvée 910 11.8%
Carbonically fragrant. Good acidity, pleasant bitterness, could also use a touch more body. Not great, but very glou glou.
Sigh, no matter how well one may eat and drink in the new world, and even most of the old, it seems like a simulacrum of a die that was cast here. Even less talented chefs can make supremely edible fare when the quality of ingredients attends the needs of a nation of exacting eaters.
At the Airbnb on October 4, with leftovers from the previous evening and some new cheeses:
2014 Catherine & Dominique Derain Saint-Aubin Le Ban 12.5%
Very aromatic, smells semi-carbonic. Excellent mouthfeel, body & balance. Not particularly noteworthy, but tasty.
At the Airbnb on October 5, with more cheese, charcuterie and bread:
2014 Domaine de la Banjoulière Aramon La Prairie 10.5%
From a winery between Montpelier and Narbonne, our first Aramon varietal. Lightly colored, like a cloudy rosé. Strawberry aroma. Quite acidic, but not too much. Light, but decent body. Refreshing like a tart fruit juice, reminiscent of some racy Poulsards. Went great with a baked raw milk Mont d’Or.
On October 6, we decided to give the new incarnation of Cave de l’Insolite a try. Food was good, but uninspired. Wine choices turned out equally uninspired:
NV (2014) Jean-Pierre Robinot l'Opera des Vins Les Années (pet nat) 12%
Slight funkiness in the aroma, otherwise surprisingly unaromatic (or closed), with a bit of hay and yeasts. Pleasant mouthfeel, but abrupt finish. Uninteresting, especially from someone so wacky.
2011 Les Chais du Vieux Bourg (Ludwig Bindernagel) Côtes du Jura Poulsard 11.2%
Eek, H2S alert, rotten eggs up the wazoo. Last bottle, so could not try another. Since bottles to take home are half price at Insolite, I asked our enterprising waiter to rebottle the contents @50% off for doggy consumption, praying it might be OK a day later. To fill the voioid, we tried a bottle of:
2012 Sébastien Bobinet Saumur-Champigny Ruben 12.5%
Leather enough to make a crew of Hell’s Angels blush. Attractive mouthfeel, decent acidity and weight. Did the job.
On October 7, lunch at Jeanne A (recommended by Aaron @Not Drinking Poison)
2014 Domaine Ott Am Berg Grüner Veltliner (by the glass)
Attractive mineral/floral aroma. Slightly more sweet than acid, a bit opulent, but nice enough.
2014 Pierre Marie Chermette Brouilly Pierreux 13% (by the bottle)
Aroma shows lactic and confectionary notes, not promising. However, excellent mouthfeel, with plenty of acidity, attractive fruit, and just the right sweetness. Leafy without being sappy.
At the Airbnb on October 7:
2005 Chateau Yvonne Saumur Blanc 13%
Lovely and complex aroma, flint, hay, citrus, white flowers, chamomile. Light CO2 fizz. Good balance and weight. A mini-Brézé, quite beautiful.
2011 Les Chais du Vieux Bourg (Ludwig Bindernagel) Côtes du Jura Poulsard 11.2%
Brought home from the previous evening, the H2S had completely disappeared, but the liquid seemed a little lifeless, as if the critters had sapped its élan.
On October 8, lunch at 116, an anomalous natural wine restaurant near the Champs Elysées:
2013 Ganevat Plein Sud (Trousseau) Côtes du Jura 10.5%
Cranberry/pomegranate, bramble. More tart than sweet, lightish body. Nice, but does not justify 53 price tag. Went ok with wagyu hamburgers.
On October 9, dinner at Repaire du Cartouche. Food was good, not great, our waiter was extremely nice, but not wine savvy. The wine list had an impressive selection of attractive wines in the 30/35 area.
LC09 Jacques Prévost La Closerie Les Beguines extra brut 12.5%
Aroma more serious, but less attractive, than the Lassaigne. Yeast and almonds.
2009 Clos de Tue Boeuf (Puzelat) La Guerrerie
Côt/Gamay blend. Leather and herbs, would have guessed cab franc. Good body and acidity.
At the end of the week, looking back, the experience had not been as good as the shop windows promised. The mixture of high expectations and embarras du choix is decidedly a bitch.
After leaving our luggage at our Airbnb, we set off for a stroll in the nearby Rue de la Folie-Méricourt, where the legendary Michel Mouilherat used to have his La Cave de L'Insolite. It was there, in 2006, that he gave us an epiphanic bottle of Overnoy 99 Ploussard to take back to Brazil, refusing to be paid because he was not sure it would survive the trip (it never had to).
La Cave de L'Insolite still exists, transformed by its new owners into a simpatico wine bar. Bottles of the usual suspects continue to grace its shelves, but the former grungy thrill is gone, replaced by a brisk nation-of-shopkeeper competence that, nevertheless, remains attractive to those who live outside the epicenters of epicurean épiceries. Speaking of which, a few more steps towards the trendy Oberkampf Boulevard brought us to the recently opened Verre Volé épicerie, where we merrily filled our shopping bags to provision our first evening (we stayed in a lot, to simulate domesticity).
At the Airbnb on October 3, with pork rillette, onion jam, a pair of decidedly delicious raw milk cheeses and baguettes, we sipped:
NV Jacques Lassaigne Les Vignes de Montgueux Extra Brut Blanc de Blancs 12%
Lovely aroma, mineral-driven, white flowers and brioche. Good acidity, but finishes a little bitter. Could use a touch more body, but killer nose.
2013 Clos des Vignes du Maynes (Julien Guillot) Macon-Cruzille Cuvée 910 11.8%
Carbonically fragrant. Good acidity, pleasant bitterness, could also use a touch more body. Not great, but very glou glou.
Sigh, no matter how well one may eat and drink in the new world, and even most of the old, it seems like a simulacrum of a die that was cast here. Even less talented chefs can make supremely edible fare when the quality of ingredients attends the needs of a nation of exacting eaters.
At the Airbnb on October 4, with leftovers from the previous evening and some new cheeses:
2014 Catherine & Dominique Derain Saint-Aubin Le Ban 12.5%
Very aromatic, smells semi-carbonic. Excellent mouthfeel, body & balance. Not particularly noteworthy, but tasty.
At the Airbnb on October 5, with more cheese, charcuterie and bread:
2014 Domaine de la Banjoulière Aramon La Prairie 10.5%
From a winery between Montpelier and Narbonne, our first Aramon varietal. Lightly colored, like a cloudy rosé. Strawberry aroma. Quite acidic, but not too much. Light, but decent body. Refreshing like a tart fruit juice, reminiscent of some racy Poulsards. Went great with a baked raw milk Mont d’Or.
On October 6, we decided to give the new incarnation of Cave de l’Insolite a try. Food was good, but uninspired. Wine choices turned out equally uninspired:
NV (2014) Jean-Pierre Robinot l'Opera des Vins Les Années (pet nat) 12%
Slight funkiness in the aroma, otherwise surprisingly unaromatic (or closed), with a bit of hay and yeasts. Pleasant mouthfeel, but abrupt finish. Uninteresting, especially from someone so wacky.
2011 Les Chais du Vieux Bourg (Ludwig Bindernagel) Côtes du Jura Poulsard 11.2%
Eek, H2S alert, rotten eggs up the wazoo. Last bottle, so could not try another. Since bottles to take home are half price at Insolite, I asked our enterprising waiter to rebottle the contents @50% off for doggy consumption, praying it might be OK a day later. To fill the voioid, we tried a bottle of:
2012 Sébastien Bobinet Saumur-Champigny Ruben 12.5%
Leather enough to make a crew of Hell’s Angels blush. Attractive mouthfeel, decent acidity and weight. Did the job.
On October 7, lunch at Jeanne A (recommended by Aaron @Not Drinking Poison)
2014 Domaine Ott Am Berg Grüner Veltliner (by the glass)
Attractive mineral/floral aroma. Slightly more sweet than acid, a bit opulent, but nice enough.
2014 Pierre Marie Chermette Brouilly Pierreux 13% (by the bottle)
Aroma shows lactic and confectionary notes, not promising. However, excellent mouthfeel, with plenty of acidity, attractive fruit, and just the right sweetness. Leafy without being sappy.
At the Airbnb on October 7:
2005 Chateau Yvonne Saumur Blanc 13%
Lovely and complex aroma, flint, hay, citrus, white flowers, chamomile. Light CO2 fizz. Good balance and weight. A mini-Brézé, quite beautiful.
2011 Les Chais du Vieux Bourg (Ludwig Bindernagel) Côtes du Jura Poulsard 11.2%
Brought home from the previous evening, the H2S had completely disappeared, but the liquid seemed a little lifeless, as if the critters had sapped its élan.
On October 8, lunch at 116, an anomalous natural wine restaurant near the Champs Elysées:
2013 Ganevat Plein Sud (Trousseau) Côtes du Jura 10.5%
Cranberry/pomegranate, bramble. More tart than sweet, lightish body. Nice, but does not justify 53 price tag. Went ok with wagyu hamburgers.
On October 9, dinner at Repaire du Cartouche. Food was good, not great, our waiter was extremely nice, but not wine savvy. The wine list had an impressive selection of attractive wines in the 30/35 area.
LC09 Jacques Prévost La Closerie Les Beguines extra brut 12.5%
Aroma more serious, but less attractive, than the Lassaigne. Yeast and almonds.
2009 Clos de Tue Boeuf (Puzelat) La Guerrerie
Côt/Gamay blend. Leather and herbs, would have guessed cab franc. Good body and acidity.
At the end of the week, looking back, the experience had not been as good as the shop windows promised. The mixture of high expectations and embarras du choix is decidedly a bitch.
