A fellow lover (wait, that was Garr's page), I mean a fellow inmate (no, that was Asylum), make that a fellow patient (this isn't Therapy, is it?)... what do we call ourselves? Anyway, someone here recommended that I copy a G-rated version of this from behind a paywall.
12/17-12/28 spent in Cleveland, enjoying amazing home-made meals, catching up on hopelessly long reading lists, visiting the rock&roll hall of fame, and not taking notes, so this from memory:
Clams in sherry and garlic from the Moro book. (Still have fond memories of dining at the corresponding restaurant in London.) Served with 2015 La Melonera, La Incida del Ingles Blanco, Ronda. Blend of Doradilla, Pedro Ximinez, and Moscatel Morisco. I adore this little wine that's just getting better and better every few months, having moved on from its amusingly schizophrenic period in which one variety at a time would dominate randomly, to a harmonious complexity derived from its diverse contributors. Superb interplay of oxidative and fresh notes, and a perfect pairing. Chased with 2017 Domaine du Manor Muscadet Sevre et Maine Sur Lie. Not bad; a little rough around the edges. And we are spoiled with great Muscadet back in NYC.
Thinly flour-ed salmon fillet sauteed in butter, leeks cooked-down and creamed with butter, roasted brussel sprouts. Served with 2013 AT Roca Brut Reserva Rosat, Penedes. Blend of Macabeu and Garnatxa Negra. This fizz is always great with salmon, and even better so with some cellar age. Old vine intensity, deep flavors, some old White Burgundy-like nuttiness in the works. Chased with 2016 Klingenfus Signature Pinot Gris which has caused the cooked-down leeks to claim the anti-cultural appropriation award as it promoted itself from a side dish to center stage (plate?) when paired with the Pinot Gris.
Lemon & Herb roasted Poussin according to d'Artagnan, french green beans with sauteed white mushrooms (simple: butter, salt, pepper). Served with 2017 Domaine Rollin Pere & Fils Corton-Charlemagne. Bought the bottle at the Domaine in November after being blown away by the sample. Blown away again. Best 17 whites are so elegant. A good pairing, but I think I'd lean towards heavier seafood rather than fowl although preparation is always key, and given hints of Riesling-like flavors here it's a tossup. Chased with 2008 Domaine Robert-Denogent Pouilly-Fuisse La Croix Vieilles Vignes. This from 80-yr vines on blue schist. I was trying to identify aromas/flavors particular to this kind of dirt, but I think I'll need to do their hole lineup for it to stand out. Incidentally, they would have seen us in November, but were out of town, so we went to Tripoz instead - not exactly complaining. Anyway, this had some oxidative notes but a powerful fresh finish, and got fresher overall with air. Excellent with food. Made me wonder if this should be younger at its age; I guess we'll find out later.
Rainbow trout breaded with Mediterranean panko, salad of cooked carrots, sunflower seeds, avocado, radicchio, green lettuce. Served with 2013 Reuilly Les Pierres Plates, Denis Jamain, Domaine de Reuilly. Woah! Never had this before. Can someone explain the dirt? This is probably in part due to low yields/old vines, but there is a Sancerre-like intensity but without the kind of transparency or mineral delineation (which isn't to say that the mineral isn't there) one finds in Chavignol. But all the Kimmeridgian fairy tales are there on Kermit's website. Clearly, a great value. I was in a minority of one in thinking it overpowered the trout; others thought it a great match. Chase with 2016 Chateau Perron Graves Blanc. Sauvignon Blanc 50/Semillon 40/Muscadelle 10. A delightful little Graves, better balanced than a slightly heavy/ripe 2015, and textbook integration of the lift of Muscadelle without any annoying hyperfloral nonsense you find in the likes of Clos Floridene from the 1990s. Great with the fish IMO.
Sauteed monster shrimp with herbed potato cakes. Served with 2015 Pranzegg Tonsur, Alto-Adige. Blend of Muller-Thurgau, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc, and Sylvaner. It is a rare occasion when I take a stand against "natural wine." The good ones are great and important. But not at the cost of disintegrating varietal characteristics into a generic form, as is the case here. Chased with leftovers of Perron - lovely again.
Pan seared duck breasts; wild rice with dried cranberries, mushrooms, walnuts, shallots; green salad with apples and brie. Served with 2011 Faury St Joseph VV. Younger than I expected from that vintage, pretty much a classic St Joe, still a little spicy, predictably excellent match with the duck. Chased with 2011 Domaine le Sang Des Cailloux Vacqueyras Cuvee Doucinello (aka Vacqueyras rouge). My second bottle in two years, consistently beautiful and nicely resolved if not fully secondary. Great to chase Syrah with Grenache here, even if the latter could use a heavier (port?) sauce for the duck, but that wasn't the point.
Chicken in Champagne sauce with prosciutto, porcini, green beans, caramelized onions. Served with NV Veuve Fourny BdB Vertus (disgorged 2014). Classic Vertus and fantastic pairing given the benefits of some age. Cellaring good NV Cote des Blancs has been a highly rewarding random thing for rich earthy chicken dishes, but it needs to become a consistent thing. Chased with 2013 Pearl-Morissette Chardonnay cuvée dix-neuvième. Usually one of the softer vintages, this was a great showing with cut, freshness, and... where is that chalk coming from again, cause we don't think there is any in the ground? Bravo, Francois. And, for good measure, another bottle of 2008 Domaine Robert-Denogent Pouilly-Fuisse La Croix Vieilles Vignes. So now we know: the bottle earlier in the week was a little advanced. This is expressive, but tight, super fresh, persistent. But I've never heard of bottle variation with white Burgundy.
Strip steak with flambe brandy sauce, potato gratin, crustless spinach quiche, garlic confit. Served with 2008 Domaine de Fontsainte Corbieres rouge La Demoiselle. What a great pull. A modest wine that is perfectly balanced, developing plenty of earthiness over a decade to go along with crunchy black fruit. The simplest of sauces that I will use frequently from now on when serving skinny bottles with steak. Chased with 2012 Fondreche Il Etait une Fois. Usually one of my favorite bottles of (predominantly) Grenache around, this was perhaps slightly misplaced as it showed a little too big and sweet. Followed by 2011 Dom Tempier Bandol. Impressively young (as with Faury, a little surprised by lack of development) and layered. IMO looking for a more rustic dish - both in flavors and in composition/presentation, if we are to expand the range of senses that a wine needs to account for.
Duck legs confit, classic stuffed mushroom, endive salad, roasted eggplant with herbs. Served with 2014 La Melonera Encina de Ingles Tinto. This will get better and more interesting when enough of local varieties is grown and matures to replace a local/international blend (where I count Tempranillo among the latter), but it's in a nice place and received a very favorable pairing where it's degree of leathery sappiness was just right. Chased with 2015 Domaine Fondrèche IGP de Vaucluse Nature that continues to astonish for the price, and manages to display its sans soufre purity while maintaining the general disposition of a traditionally made wine. Finished with a serviceable 2011 Chateau Coustolle, Alain Roux, Canon Fronsac, Merlot 70%/Cab Franc 28%/ Malbec 2%.
Marcella Hazan's "My father's fish soup." Served with 2014 Mestracci Corse Calvi Blanc E Prove. Cool juice, wonderful pairing. Some oily Mediterranean richness to the texture, but no heaviness; bright, herbal, floral, a little stony. And grounded. Chased with 2016 Dasche Cellars Les Enfants Terribles Grenache Blanc. Way to go Mike. Darker, warmer fruits than found in its French counterparts, deep floral notes, herbs. The soup did not require cool-climate acidity, so this was great. Finished with 2014 Donna Rosa La Visciola Passerina, Lazio. Good news, I won't bring up the same complaints I filed with respect to Pranzegg, nor am I familiar enough with Passerina to claim varietal injustice. Bad news, at $29 you have got to be kidding me.
Leftovers. Served with 2015 Chateau Pesquie Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee des Terrasses. Billed as Fondreche's main rival in Ventoux, this couldn't be more different in that, while the quality is there, no attempt to feign cooler-climate drinkability is made. A bigger, riper style that ultimately does not lead to anything special. Chased with 2011 Chateau d'Or et de Gueules La Bolida, Costieres des Nimes. Funny how modern their other "top" cuvees are, and yet how traditional this is. Dominated by Mourvedre in a very Bandol-ish way, and I mean that gastronomically. Very handy to have around the house when your Tempier takes decades to mature. Finished with 2016 Pettirosso Frizzante, Punta Crena. Crovino/Rossese blend. To be consumed in body-weight quantities.
