Varied Wines w/multicourse dinner (menu)

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
MENU:

sevkimnu.jpg
. . . . Pete
 
Pete, of all the menus that you've posted here, this one might be my favorite. What can you tell us about the wines?

Mark Lipton
 
Mark, Interesting comment on the menu. Someone elsewhere, judging from my report, thought it seemed a bit pedestrian. But it was altogether a splendid culinary experience. The lobster bisque and duck confit are as good as it gets.

Kiran Verma is an amazing lady...and so likable. Her upscale Indian cuisine is superb. Her restaurant was packed on a Tuesday evening with a very happy crowd.

The Magis, while not inexpensive, is a terrific wine. I've served it blind a few times and knowledgeable people have been about 50-50 whether it is a Burgundy or not. So it might not rate highly on typicity. Nevertheless, it is well-endowed and glorious.

The Faiveley NSG en Magnum was marvelous, nicely set in its drinking window. So smooth and integrated, really lovely.

The Old Sparky, while not my cup of tea, was everything it was expected to be. Quite complex with all the right Cabernet Sauvignon components, while youthful it still drank well. And with its full, dense fruit, it was a perfect pairing with the lamb T-bone that had some Indian spice...



The Banyuls is always a favorite of mine. There is not a better accompaniment for chocolate.

I don't drink Champagne (or fizzy drinks) so can't comment on that, but everyone else liked it.

. . . . . Pete
 
Mark, believe me, the hurricane figured prominently in our minds all evening. The escapism was a nice respite.

. . . . Pete
 
Well I'm glad someone's finally making some "upscale" Indian. Traditional Indian food always tasted so poor and third world to me. I mean -- that's a cuisine that really needed a boost in the form of truffles and caviar.
 
How was the Faivelely 2006 en magnum, anyway?

I have some 2006 Rollinin Ile de Vergelesses in the same format I've been wanting to open, but talked myself out of, so far, based on monitoring the evolution Bizize's '06 Aux Vergelesses.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
How was the Faivelely 2006 en magnum, anyway?

I have some 2006 Rollinin Ile de Vergelesses in the same format I've been wanting to open, but talked myself out of, so far, based on monitoring the evolution Bizize's '06 Aux Vergelesses.

I've got Rollin's Ile in 750. I'll take a bullet for you some time, Ian, but not quite yet.

Mark Lipton
 
Ian, As I said above, "the Faiveley NSG en Magnum was marvelous, nicely set in its drinking window. So smooth and integrated, really lovely."

I would label it drink or hold, and might prefer "drink" since it was so pleasing.

. . . . . Pete
 
Doh! Apologies.

The 2010 Rollin Ile was so delicious and supple, it makes sense to risk a magnum of the 06 at Thanksgiving this year. Either that or an 09 Vissoux Trois Roches.
 
Ian, I'm not sure that traditional Thanksgiving fare merits a fine Burgundy. Yes, it will do fine, but probably not be fully appreciated.

I usually lean toward a lesser grade selection e.g. domestic Pinot Noir. Or maybe a Southern Rhone wine. Or maybe a Zin. Or...

. . . . Pete
 
Beaujolais is a popular favorite for TG in these parts, hence the fallback to Vissoux. But it's appealing to do things out of order every so often. And I have an abundance of the Rollin. So, who knows?

On the other hand, maybe Christmas dinner would be more judicious.
 
This is really the subject of another thread, but I have found that nothing really goes well with a Thanksgiving day dinner. The flavors are just too various and they don't really go well with each other. If the wines you choose don't go well, they are just that much more like the rest of the dinner, where nothing goes well with anything else.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
...nothing really goes well with a Thanksgiving day dinner..

The real issue is what you call 'Thanksgiving day dinner'.

Lots of ways to do that (and lots of traditions), so there no reason for it to be any more chaotic than any other meal.

Of course if you want a chaotic dinner, more power to you. I'm the last person to get too anal about food-wine pairings.
 
Please. Thanksgiving is Turkey (American and so with only a little more flavor than a chicken) with a heavily flavored stuffing (regardless almost of whatever recipe you use) and of course impossibly sweet dishes like sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. I won't even mentionl the kinds of vegetables that get cooked. Of course, you could follow Calvin Trillin, who used regularly to militate for Pasta Carbonara on Thanksgiving. But that's like being in favor of the designated hitter rule.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Please. Thanksgiving is Turkey (American and so with only a little more flavor than a chicken)

Turkey can be flavored any number of ways depending on your personal preferences. Or in the case of the millions of Americans (like myself) who don't eat meat - it doesn't even have to appear.

...impossibly sweet dishes like sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce.

Cranberries are the furthest thing from sweet. Your fault if you add too much sugar. Nothing about 'Thanksgiving tradition' requires that.

Sweet potatoes can also be cooked any number of ways.

I think you may be confusing Thanksgiving circa 1950s and 60s (a very specific time culinarily-speaking) with the broader Thanksgiving tradition.
 
Turkey can indeed be flavored and some of us make great efforts in cooking to keep the breasts tender. But it is what it is.

I don't eat the sweet stuff, but it's there.

I suppose one could also call the designated hitter rule a bypassed tradition. But, of course, if your Thanksgiving tradition is duck magret, lamb confit, or even lentil dal, what I say won't make sense. But then neither will the discussion that it followed.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
Doh! Apologies.

The 2010 Rollin Ile was so delicious and supple, it makes sense to risk a magnum of the 06 at Thanksgiving this year. Either that or an 09 Vissoux Trois Roches.

The last time I opened a 2006 Rollin IdV it was pretty shut down. About 2 years ago?
 
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