Meursault with Sole Meunière Almondine

Meursault with Sole Meunière Almondine 

Linda prepared once again Sole Almondine with muniere sauce, rice and grilled peppers. I pulled from the wine cooler a vintage Burundian Chardonnay for an appropriate wine pairing. 

Afterwards we had cheesecake for dessert and we both thought the wine paired better with that than with the Sole entree. 

Bachey-Legros Meursault Les Grands Charrons 2016 

This is from the renowned Meursault wine-producing region in Burgundy, France. Notably, in the ‘old world’ (ala France, Italy), wines are labeled for the region and appellation from which they are produced, versus the ‘new world’ (ie US), where wines are labeled based on the varietal grape, and then the point of origin. So, it’s up to the consumer to know what grapes are associated with a region. Of course, Burgundy means Chardonnay for white wines, and Pinot Noir for red wines. 

This is 100% Chardonnay grapes cultivated in the Les Grands Charrons vineyard in the Meursault sub-region of Burgundy.

Wine reseller notes - “With its vibrant golden hue, the wine captivates the senses from the first glance. On the nose, it reveals enticing aromas of ripe orchard fruits like apple and pear, intertwined with delicate floral notes and hints of toasted almonds. The palate is beautifully structured, offering a harmonious balance between richness and freshness. Flavors of citrus fruits, white peaches, and a subtle touch of vanilla unfold gracefully, enhanced by a gentle minerality.”

This was aged in 35% new oak barrels as well as in barrels of one or two years. After 12 –15 months the barrels are blended together just before the bottling.

Jeb Dunnuck gave this 94 points and described it “Classic spiced orchard fruits, brioche, toasted bread, and white flower notes … richer, textured, layered,  good acidity, terrific balance, and a great finish.”

Brilliant and intense yellow golden color, full bodied, well balanced, complex, round, notes of floral, mineral, stone fruit with hints of apple and peach with bracing acidity on the finish. 

RM 91 points. 

For the ultra-premium price, I much prefer a California style Chardonnay with a slight amount of oak and buttery profile to offset the bright acidity and minerality. 

Jeb Dunnuck gave this 94 Points and described it “Classic spiced orchard fruits, brioche, toasted bread, and white flower notes … richer, textured, layered,  good acidity, terrific balance, and a great finish.”

https://www.cellartracker.com/w?3598873

Guy Amiot Chassagne Montrachet At Suzette's Creperie Wheaton

Guy Amiot Chassagne Montrachet At Suzette's Creperie Wheaton 

We dined at Suzette's Creperie in nearby Wheaton (IL) our favorite suburban French Bistro.

Being early diners on a weeknight, we were able to secure the desirable and preferred table adjacent the front window, next to the festive Christmas tree. 

 

 

We had our usual favorite dishes,the Pâté plate - a slice of smooth Chicken Liver Mousse and a slice of Country Style Pâté served with Dijon mustard, Cornichons and delicious Red Onion Marmalade  with Toasted Brioche on the side, and for entrees, the delectable Sole Meunière, Delicate Sole Filet in a Butter-lemon Sauce, served with Potatoes du Jour & Seasonal Vegetables.

 

Tonight we tried the Three Cheese Soufflé - Goat, Blue and Gruyere Cheese in a fabulous bubbly Soufflé, which was delicious and will certainly be part of our regular faire going forward. I don't know how we have overlooked this in the past! 

Three Cheese Soufflé - Goat, Blue and Gruyere

Chicken Liver Mousse and a slice of
Country Style Pâté

Sole Meunière in a Butter-lemon Sauce
with Potatoes du Jour & Seasonal Vegetables

Tonight, the sole was doctored with Thyme and Rosemary spices which severely detracted from the crisp butter and lemon authenticity of the dish that I would much prefer.

From the winelist we ordered this French Burgundy Chardonnay - Guy Amiot Et Fils Chassagne Montrachet Vielles Vigne 2016

Domaine Amiot was founded in the commune of Chassagne-Montrachet in 1920 by Arsene Amiot when he acquired select parcels of vines or “climats” in Chassagne including Vergers, Caillerets, Clos St. Jean and in what is today Le Montrachet. 

Under Aresene, Domaine Amiot became one of the first domaines in Burgundy to bottle their own production. In the 1930’s the domaine estates passed to Aresene’s son, Pierre, who continued to add vineyards in nearby sites Champsgains, Macherelles, Maltroie and a tiny parcel in Puligny, Les Demoiselles. 

Pierre’s son, Guy, took control in 1985 and further established the reputation of the domaine for producing exceptional quality wines from the collection of top vineyard sites. Guy’s son Thierry took over as  winemaker in 2003 and continues crafting wines that express the distinctive terroir or character of each vineyard site while striving to achieve the highest quality of the wines.

The Chassagne-Montrachet appellation is located south of Côte de Beaune and covers 865 acre of clayish limestone. Most of the wine produced in the village is white wine from the Chardonnay grape, with a small amount of red wine made from the Pinot Noir grape.

The village includes the Grand Cru vineyard of Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet within its boundaries and shares two Grand Cru vineyards - Montrachet and Bâtard-Montrachet - with the neighbouring village of Puligny-Montrachet. These three vineyards produce some of the most expensive and long-lived white wines in the world.

Guy Amiot Et Fils Chassagne Montrachet Vielles Vigne 2016

Of course French wines are labeled for the site of origin of the grapes as opposed to American wines which are labeled for the type of grape in the bottle. Its up the consumer to understand which grapes are grown in the region or the specific 'appellation'.

This is 100% Chardonnay from 45 year 'old vines', (Vielles Vigne) in the the 2 1/2 acre Thierry and Fabrice producers' (Guy) Amiot vineyard in the Burgundy Appellation of Chassagne-Montrachet. 

There were 6,500 bottles, 540 cases produced. 

This is designated a Grand Vin De Bourgogne (Burgundy).

Suzette's winelist is predominantly French and a California Chardonnay would've likely provided a better wine value. Never-the-less, we love the authentic French cuisine and accompaniments - all part of the experience.

Winemaker Notes: "Brilliant yellow gold and straw with green reflections in a bright and clear. This wine has an expressive nose of yellow fruits with a touch of vanilla. The aromatic richness of the nose is reinforced by a creamy palate with fresh flavors of apples, pear, peaches, honey and almond. The vineyard site receives full morning sun, giving a freshness and a stony, mineral foundation to the wine."

Light golden straw colored, medium bodied, complex crisp, slightly tart pear, apple, grapefruit fruits with hints of peach accented by creamy butter, vanilla and almond notes with a stony, mineral finish.   

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3039258

http://suzettescreperie.com/index.html

Sole Meunière Santenay Suzette's Creperie Wheaton

Sole Meunière and Santenay at Suzette's Creperie Wheaton

After the wonderful Chicken Liver Mousse that I enjoyed so much at Queensyard, Hudson Yard, NYC last week, I had a taste for more, and am always up for french faire, so, we dined at Suzette's Creperie in Wheaton for Friday night dinner. 

Fortuitously, the dinner special was their delectable Sole Meunière, one of our favorite entrees. 

Served in the classic French style, Filets of Sole were dredged in flour, pan fried in butter and served with the resulting brown butter herb sauce, parsley and lemon, alongside spring vegetables and mashed potatoes. Wonderful, delicious, (if only served hotter/warmer).

For a starter course we ordered the slice of smooth Chicken Liver Mousse and a slice of Country Style Pâté served with Dijon mustard, Cornichons and delicious Red Onion Marmalade with toasted Brioche on the side. Not quite as delectable as that served at Queensyard, but it met the call at least. 

For a wine accompaniment we ordered from the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winelist, this classic authentic French Burgundian Chardonnay - a fun wine with a remarkable tradition and history.

This is from Guy Amiot et Fils, self proclaimed "winegrowers" since 1910, the family-owned and operated winery and vineyards produce 25 wine labels in the Burgundy appellations of Beaune, Chassagne & Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault, St-Aubin and this one from the village of Santenay.

The Amiot family has been producing premium wines in the legendary Chassagne-Montrachet terroir for generations. Founders, Flavie and Arsène established a winegrowing tradition passed down to their son Pierre, then to their grandson Guy, and today to the 4th generation great grandsons, Thierry (1969), Fabrice (1973), and the 5th generation embodied by Thierry’s daughter, Héloïse (1995).

The broad portfolio of family produced wines are a tribute to Flavie and her husband, Arsène, originally from Paris, who founded a wine estate in Burgundy.

The quaint family history dates back to the 1900s, Flavie Amiot was a businesswoman, owner of a fine linen laundry in Boulogne, just outside Paris. Looking for a nanny to look after her unborn children, she asked the postwoman who told her that “my sister is a nanny in Chassagne-Montrachet”! 

Flavie and Arsène moved to Burgundy and (1887-1969) founded the estate, purchasing the vines, house, raising a family and educating the children. Simone (1922-2009) devoted her life to working in the vineyards, the wine cellar and the kitchen to welcome customers and wine aficionados.

Marcel, Pierre, Lucienne and Robert, born in 1909, 1910, 1912 and 1914, were therefore brought up in Burgundy where their parents acquired houses, outbuildings and vineyards in preparation for their retirement in the 1950s.

Through the 1920's they acquired plots in Chassagne-Montrachet - Les Caillerets, Les Vergers, Clos Saint Jean and Dents de Chien (Dogteeth, which became Le Montrachet grand cru in 1937.

Arsène’s son, Pierre, took on his father’s domaine in 1935. Second generation Pierre Amiot, born in 1910, studied at the Beaune viticultural college and became a winegrower in 1935-36. Thanks to the wealthy Parisian clientele of his parents’ laundry, direct sales to consumers developed. A wine shop was opened in the 17th arrondissement of Paris that sold bottles of Domaine Arsène Amiot until 1941. 

 

The vineyard expanded with the acquisition of plots from Chassagne-Montrachet La Maltroie, Les Champgains, Les Macherelles (1er cru) and Les Chaumes (Village).

When Pierre died in 1985, Pierre’s son, Guy, carried on the tradition, a trained oenologist, he gained experience in winemaking outside Burgundy (Jura, Provence), and produced remarkable vintages with a new style from 1985 to 1995. 

 

Today: the tradition continues with the 4^th and 5^th generations: Thierry and his daughter Héloïse for the vineyard and the cellar, Fabrice for the sales.

Guy Amiot' two fourth generation sons manage the estate: Thierry the vineyard and wine-making while Fabrice manages the business.  Passing on wine production to the next generation, Thierry’s daughter, Héloise, born in 1995, also studied viticulture at the Beaune wine school, worked in a winery in Australia and graduated in oenology at the University of Dijon… Says the winery of their rich tradition and legacy, "After Flavie and Simone, the final words of the Amiot women have not yet been spoken!"

Today, the family of Guy Amiot family owns two seventeen different plots of Montrachet Grand Cru in Chassagne-Montrachet and others in the surrounding communes, most a fraction of an acre each. They produce 26 different labels, eighteen white including a grand cru and 8 premier crus in white on 200 ha, as well as 2 premier crus in red on 100 ha of  Chassagne-Montrachet vines. 

Domaine Guy Amiot et Fils Santenay Vieilles Vignes 2017

This label is produced from grapes from the best plots of  .8 acres of vineyards in the commune of Santenay, Sous la Roche, and Comme Dessu.  Guy Amiot ... et Fils means, 'and sons' while Vielles Vigne translates to 'old vines' in English.

This is from the 2017 vintage. a very good wine year thanks to constant sunshine which delivered healthy, ripe grapes full of aroma. The water stress forced the old vines to draw nutrients from the subsoil resulting in rich concentrated fruit. 

 

This was straw colored, medium bodied with sharp flavors of green apple, pear, hints of citrus, peach white stone and almond. 

 

RM 90 points. 

 

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3351940

https://www.domaine-amiotguyetfils.com/

https://twitter.com/AmiotGuy

Calera Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

Calera Vineyards Mt Harlan Ryan Vineyard Pinot Noir 2011

For a midweek dinner, Linda served baked ham and scalloped potatoes. I pulled from the cellar this Calera Pinot Noir from Mt Harlan near Hollister in North Central California.

This is a single vineyard designated wine from the Ryan Vineyard. Readers of these pages know we primarily collect, drink and enjoy Bordeaux varietals and to a lesser degree Rhones. This is one of the very few Pinot Noirs we hold in our cellar. The reason for holding this label is part due to the classic history and legacy of this producer, and, the whimsical fun that this vineyard designated label shares the name of Ryan our oldest son. 

We don't do a lot of Pinots, opting instead for bigger, bolder, fuller bodied, darker more fruit forward wines. There are occasions when a lighter, more delicate subtle wine is more suitable and Pinot Noir, the wine of Burgundy is ideal. Such wines are not simpler however and can often be equally complex and even elegant.

Ten year old Pinot
vs Cabernet

As I have often written in these pages, our cellar is full of labels selected as signature labels for a family member or friend due to Vineyard names, special bottlings, or logos on the bottle as remembrances or tributes to someone special. These selections are in addition to our penchant for collecting wines from birth year and anniversary and special occasion year vintages as well.

.
Add to all this exuberance the selection of the producer Calera Vineyards and its founder winemaker Josh Jenson who is the epitome of Pinot Noir in California, or perhaps America.

I have written that I initially learned about Josh Jenson and his legendary Calera Vineyards were featured in Marq Devillier's wonderful 1994 book - "The Heartbreak Grape: A California Winemaker's Search for the Perfect Pinot Noir". The story tells the tale of Josh's quest to grow the very finnicky Pinot Noir grape in California in the early days before Pinot was cultivated here. In pursuit of his dream to create authentic Burgundian style wines, he sought to find the place in California suitable to achieve that goal. 

Devillers tells of Jenson's quest and research to find the right terrior - all the attributes of the right location, soil, climate, drainage, and other nuances of 'place' that make up the character and personality of a wine from grapes of a particular site. Josh chose Mt. Harlan, an area not then know for grapes or winemaking. 

The rest, as they say, is history. While it is a human interest tale, it also provides a rich insight into the challenges and travails of setting up a winery, and a business, and achieving one's dream to make noteworthy wines. 

Calera’s Mt. Harlan Vineyards are located in Hollister, California, in the Gavilan Mountains, 25 miles east of the Monterey Bay. After much research and searching, Jenson found and selected this site for its limestone soils and ideal climate. At an average elevation of 2,200 feet it is among the highest and coolest vineyard sites in California.

Calera Pinot Noirs are single vineyard designated meaning they are each named for and produced from fruit sourced from one vineyard each. Their five vineyards planted in Pinot Noir are named for Josh's father (Jenson), Mills, a neighbor who mentored Josh in his early years, Reed, for one of Josh's dear friends and early investors, and in this case Selleck, for a family friend whom Josh attributes to introducing him to wine.

In 2002, the Ryan label appeared, named for Calera's vineyard manager since 1979. We've had fun with this wine collecting it for our #1 Ryan, serving it in celebration of his wedding a few years ago, and holding it in our cellar for special Ryan oriented occasions, or just fun occasions shared together such as tonight!

The Calera vineyards are enumerated and featured on the rear bottle label of the bottles as shown here. They are perhaps the most comprehensive and informative labels one will find anywhere on a bottle of wine. They spell out the information on the vineyard, geography, altitude, plantings, vines, the vintage and the bottling. The rear label itself makes for interesting reading, and insightful comparisons across the vineyards or vintages if one happens to have such bottles.

The Calera branding features the historic massive 30 foot tall limestone kiln that sits on the property from earlier days quarrying and processing limestone. Noting limestone in the soils of the legendary French Burgundy region, Jenson scoured the US seeking similar terroir to site his vineyards to produce Pinot Noir. He found such terroir and thoughtfully chose the property in the Central Coast region of California. The name Calera translates to 'limekiln' in in Spanish.

The Calera organically farmed Mt. Harlan vineyards are in the Gavilan Mountains, 25 miles east of Monterey Bay. The Ryan Vineyard, like Calera's others, has limestone soils, which are prized above any other soil type for growing Pinot Noir. Combined with the vineyard's average elevation of 2,200 feet--among the highest and coolest in California--the result is structured, intense Pinot.

Interesting that the latest wave of development in vineyard plantings for Burgundian varietals, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, is in the western reaches of Sonoma County along the Sonoma Coast. Producers are calling these cool climate wines for the coastal breezes and fog encroaching and enveloping the vineyards from the Pacific Ocean. 

We toured the region and stayed in the remote town of Botega Bay during our Napa/Sonoma County Wine Experience in 2017. 

Winemaker notes for this release: "Graceful aromas of rose petal, tea, cassis, and clay accent a beautiful strawberry brick hue. This 2011 Ryan is firmly structured and intense with classic Mt. Harlan mineral purity. Mouthwatering flavor of cranberry, sour cherry and calcium offer fascinating tension with the taut, well integrated tannins offering a bright and very complex wine, and definitely a candidate for cellaring."

Calera Ryan Vineyard Mt Harlan Pinot Noir 2011

We hold a half dozen vintages of this label in our cellar as one of our 'signature' wines we hold in fun tribute to son Ryan.  

I still hold several bottles dating back to the 2010 and 2011 vintages. Normally I would select the older vintage but I chose the 2011, believing it might be the 'lesser' vintage, from a less ageworthy vintage. This is based on the lackluster vintage up further north in the Napa region. Alas, what a pleasant surprise that was very enjoyable, showing well, and holding up well showing no diminution of age whatsoever at ten years of age, exceeding my expectations on both counts. I raised my personal rating score of this label from earlier tasting (s).

Winemaker notes for this release suggest it is a 'candidate for cellaring': "Graceful aromas of rose petal, tea, cassis, and clay accent a beautiful strawberry brick hue. This 2011 Ryan is firmly structured and intense with classic Mt. Harlan mineral purity. Mouthwatering flavor of cranberry, sour cherry and calcium offer fascinating tension with the taut, well integrated tannins offering a bright and very complex wine, and definitely a candidate for cellaring." 

Pundit Allen Meadows of Burghound suggests 'drinking this on the younger side with an appropriate dish,' and Vinous said 2014 it 'should drink well for many year's. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate Jeb Dunnuck in 2014 wrote, 'Overall, it’s a structured effort that should be given another handful of years in the cellar, and consumed over the following decade.

I suspect at ten years, we're drinking this wine at the apex of its drinking window. The label from the bottle was in perfect condition (shown above).

This release was awarded 93 points by Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 92 points by Vinous

Consistent with our last tasting of this wine, ironically a year ago this week, and our previous tasting for this label which we served for the family Thanksgiving diner back in 2015, this was translucent ruby red colored, medium light bodied, scent of dusty rose, cherry and raspberry fruit flavors with a hint of cola, clove spice, leather and earthy mushroom turning to fine grained delicate tannins on the moderate lingering finish.

RM 90 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1774888

https://unwindwine.blogspot.com/2015/11/thanksgiving-feast-features-diverse.html

https://www.calerawine.com/

https://twitter.com/calerawine  @CaleraWine

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes Grand Vin de Bourgogne 2005

Linda prepared pork chops and I pulled from the cellar this authentic Grand Vin de Bourgogne,  Burgundy Pinot Noir as an ideal accompaniment. 

This is from Côte de Nuits in the northern part of the Côte d’Or, home to some of the most famous vineyards and wine communes in the world. There are more Grand Cru appellations in the Côte de Nuits than anywhere else in Burgundy. Of the fourteen communes, or villages in the Côte de Nuits, six produce Grand Cru wines. They include Gevrey-Chambertin, as well as Morey-St.-Denis, Chambolle-Musigny, Vougeot, Flagey-Échezeaux and Vosne-Romanee. 

Some of the vineyards within the Côte de Nuits are tiny, which adds to their prestige. The fabled Grand Cru vineyard La Romanee is barely two square acres. Altogether there are twenty-four Grand Cru vineyards. The region takes its name from the village of Nuits-Saint-Georges. Côtes de Nuits produces mostly reds from Pinot Noir, and the wines have been in demand for centuries. During the 18th century King Louis XIV’s physician recommended that for his health the king only drink wines from Nuits-Saint-Georges. Like most of Burgundy, the soils of the Côte de Nuit can vary greatly from one vineyard to another, though most are a base soil of limestone mixed with clay, gravel and sand.

Domaine Tortochot consists of four appellations sites totaling 27 acres. The Tortochot family have managed the property as vine growers in Gevrey for four generations. In the 19th century Paul Tortochot was a modest “vigneron” on the “Place des Marroniers”. His son Félix married Louise Liébaut from Morey Saint Denis, the neighbouring village. Liébaut's Family was well-known in Morey, there was even a variety of Pinot Noir named after the ancestor Eugène. Gabriel, the son of Félix ran the estate for many years before moving aside to let his two daughters, Brigitte & Chantal, take over. Today, Chantal runs the estate’s day-to-day activities.

After graduating from business school, Chantal spent 15 years working for an American petrochemical company in finance. At the urging of her father, Gabriel, she set out in industry and gained experience before eventually joining and taking over the family estate. Both Chantal's children are studying medicine and her husband is a doctor.

After years in America in industry, Chantal returned to the family wine estate. At 35, she passed key certification exams at the Dijon wine university, before taking control of the estate. Chantal is one of a growing breed of “viticulteurs” in Burgundy, bi-lingual and with valuable international business experience. Chantal is knowledgable and passionate about her vineyards and their distinctive terroir. “We are blessed with having some of the best terroir in Burgundy. When the hills first formed hundreds of millions of years ago, the tectonic plates were displaced in such a way as to produce a unique sub-soil made up of different types of limestone and a perfect mixture of clay & marne.”

When talking about her style of Pinot Noirs, Chantal explains: “Here we make a more traditional Gevrey Chambertin, with lots of fruit, strong tannins and good acidity. These are not really Pinots that can be drunk early…you have to be a little patient.”

Gevrey Chambertin has a rare and unique “Terroir”, with its “alluvial fan” in a valley situated to the west of Gevrey called “La Combe de Lavaux”. Its is notable that 9 of the 33 Grand Crus come from this village including the famous Chambertin as well as 26 Premier Crus!

Producer supplied map of Gevrey Chambertin and
Domaine Tortochot parcels

 

Domaine Tortochot is in the village of Gevrey Chambertin, also the name of the wine appellation. The town boasts over 100 wine estates with Tortochot one of the more famous estates. Tortochot have parcels dispersed in 4 village appellation sites, Morey Saint Denis and those in Gevrey Chambertin, each with distinctive terroir that produces wine with its own style. The appellation formed on the lower slopes of Côte St. Jacques and Brochon. The wines produced here include Au Vellé, En Champs, Jeune Roisare and this Champerrier - powerful and fleshy, rich and aromatic wines with great ageing potential. 

The Champerrier parcel has old vines and is their oldest in all of Gevrey. The vines were planted by Félix Tortochot in 1920. They produce a wine with marvelous density and texture. Like so much of Burgundy, the vineyards are incredibly fragmented with many diverse small parcels, Champerrier is just slightly under two acres. Tortochot is noted as a "charming and impressive estate with professional ownership, a premier producer of Gevrey"!

That characteristic of Burgundy, the Bourgogne, being so fragmented into so many small distinct parcels, is one of the primary reasons that Burgundy wines are so maddeningly complex and confusing there being so many different labels and brands. 

Pictured at left is tonight's bottle. Pictured below is bottle from earlier tasting a decade ago, both from our cellar. 

Domaine Tortochot Gevrey-Chambertin Champerrier Vieilles Vignes Champerrier 2005

This label is made from 40+ year old vines and as such is a very different wine than some of the others in the portfolio with a more forward concentrated style.

Its hard to believe but its been almost ten years since I last tasted this label from our cellar. Back then, on 12/26/2011 - I wrote: "Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish."

Consistent with my tasting ten years ago, this had the same tasting profile and I blindly gave it the same rating. It showed no diminution of aging whatsoever and it likely still at its apex of its drinking profile.

This was garnet colored, medium bodied, bright, concentrated ripe red and blue berry fruits with earthy minerality and violet notes, smooth silky texture with firm forward tannins.

Both times I gave this RM 89 points.  

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162

http://www.tortochot.com/

Pouilly-Fuisse, Chiles Valley Cabernet Duo

Jean-Paul Paquet Domaine les Vieux Murs Pouilly-Fuisse, Chiles Valley RustRidge Cabernet Duo Offer High QPR Complement to Business Dinner

Visiting our nation's capital on the eve of important client meetings, we dined with dear friend and alliance partner Jim K at his favorite neighborhood eatery and our regular meeting point, Idylwood Grill and Wine Bar in Falls Church (VA), where we dined regularly together for years.

Tucked away off the sidestreet in a strip mall behind a shopping plaza, Idylwood touts itself as French, Italian and Modern American Cuisine. Not overextended, they do all these very well with attentive service in an comfortable and intimate setting.

Idylwood Grill offers a modest but excellent, imaginative and well selected winelist to accompany the range of menu offerings, with many high QPR, great value selections. The wine list includes 44 white wines and nearly 70 red wines, with selections from California, Oregon and Washington among the U.S. wines, as well as international wines from Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, Italy and Spain.

I ordered one of my favorite dishes and it was outstanding, truly delightful in the style that I prefer, Flounder Francaise, Flour-Egg Dipped with Lemon Butter Sautéed. Vegetables and Potatoes. What a treat to have one of my favorite entrees twice in a week, both served my way. Tonight's selection was as good as last week's dinner at Rosebud Steakhouse in Chicago at almost half the price!

Prior to dinner we enjoyed grilled calimari and the avocado salad, both were excellent. 

Idylwood Sautéed Flounder Francaise

From the winelist we ordered this Burgundian Pouilly-Fuisse Chardonnay, a good value high QPR selection.


Jean-Paul Paquet Domaine les Vieux Murs Pouilly-Fuisse 2018


From the Fuissé region in the south of Burgundy is 250-300 metres above sea level, this appellation is often overlooked. This is 100% Chardonnay grown in the limestone and clay soils of the Mâconnais vineyards. The Domaine Les Vieux Murs vines are 30 to 50 year old.

Producer Jean-Paul Paquet is joined by his son Yannick in the family business. Yannick has travelled widely to broaden his knowledge and has earned a great reputation. 

Straw colored, medium bodied, a predominant mineral and citrus character, complex with notes of fruity lemon, apple, tropical fruit, nut, grass, and wet stone, hints of vanilla and smoke, nicely balanced with crisp acidity and good texture.

RM 91 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=3491106


RustRidge Estate Chiles Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2007

For a red selection, as a regular VIP diner, Jim was offered this special vintage selection that was not on the winelist.


This Cabernet Sauvignon is from the reputable but lesser known Chiles Valley,  just over the hill and to the east of Napa Valley, that as a result of its lower profile, offers good value over its high priced neighbors.

The estate winery sits about 1000 feet above the Napa Valley floor on the eastern side of the divide between Napa and Chiles Valleys. The day time climate is similar to the Oakville and Rutherford areas but the temperature are several degrees cooler at night. The cooler nights and the higher elevation delay bud-break which occurs two to three weeks later than the rest of Napa Valley. As a result, the grapes are harvested later in Napa Valley which, in part, lends distinctive flavor and character to the wines.

The secluded property was once a large thoroughbred horse ranch. Grape vines were planted in the mid 70's to Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel.

The property was purchased by the Meyer family in 1972 and the winery was founded by Stan and Grant Meyer in 1985. Their daughter Susan Meyer, Winemaker and her husband, Jim Fresquez, took over the operation in 1990. Helping Susan handcraft the estate-bottled wines produced by RustRidge is distinguished consultant winemaker Kent Rosenblum. The winery is housed in a renovated cattle barn.

Today, Susan and Jim follow their two passions: wine and horses. They produce about 2000 cases of craft wines annually, as well as breed and race thoroughbreds. Each spring; about the time new buds form on the grape vines, new foals are born. 

At thirteen years of age, this vintage release showed deep dark garnet scarlet colored, medium full bodied, concentrated rich blackberry and black cherry fruits. seductive dark chocolate and cola notes, hints of dried sage and black olive tapenade with gripping but ripe tannins are followed by a long and complex lingering finish.

RM 91 points.

This was aged 32 months in 25% New American and French Oak, 474 cases were produced.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=889610

https://www.rustridge.com/index.php

http://idylwoodgrill.com/

@IdylwoodGrill

Piedlong CDP foie gras Il Fiore Langham NY

Piedlong CDP and Auxey-Duresses with Foie Gras small plates at Il Fiore Langham Hotel NYC

Langham Hotel Lobby Desk

During our NYC getaway weekend, before dinner, we stopped in the Michelin star Il Fiore restaurant bar in the tony Langham Hotel in NYC.

We were seeking small plates and some wine from their extraordinary selection for a casual setting. Not often does one have the choice of Phelps Insignia, Tignanello, Sea Smoke, Quilceda Creek, Cos d' Estournal and Vieux Telegraph BTG (By-The-Glass)!

I selected the Torchon Foie Gras with tart cherries and winter squash (shown below) which was perfect for the occasion and was spectacular with Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Piedlong.

Linda had the crispy grilled artichokes with parmesan and lemon aoli, with a Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses Burgundy Pinot Noir which was not on the winelist and was substituted for our initial selection.

Il Fiore offers a elegant but casual comfortable setting for a delightful food and wine experience, albeit rather expensive, but in-line with New York prices and such quality premium offerings. We look forward to returning for dinner there during a future trip.



Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Piedlong 2013 

The BTG winelist (shown below) specifically said 'La Crau', which refers to the flagship CDP offering from this Domaine, but this label was served instead.

Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe has been run by the Brunier family for six generations, since 1891. The estate’s vineyards sit on the Plateau of La Crau, the highest point, in the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Back in the 1800's , Claude Chappe, inventor of the optical telegraph, built a signal tower on the property due to its high elevation in the region, hence the property was given the name “Vieux Télégraphe”.

This Piedlong label was first released in 2011. It comes from a 29 acre vineyard site from the stony soils on the Piedlong plateau in the heart of the appellation, north of the village, the highest point in the region. The Mourvèdre, comes from the Pignan lieu-dit, just to the east of Piedlong. We visited the Vieux Télégraphe estate during our CDP appellation tour back in 1998 and then again this year during our 2019 visit with owner/producer Alain Brunier at the Estate.

This label is a blend of 90% Genache Noir and 10% Mourvèdre. Comprised of but two varietals, its a simpler less complex wine than the flagship label which under appellation rules can contain up to thirteen different varietals.

This was dark garnet colored, medium bodied, bright vibrant black currant and black raspberry fruits, notes of spicy cinnamon, hints of dust, tangy cherry, tapenade and mushroom with a smooth soft peppery lingering finish.

RM 89 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2880773

http://www.vieux-telegraphe.fr/en


Benjamin Leroux Auxey-Duresses Pinot Noir 2015

Il Fiore restaurant bar

Another substitution on the winelist, this label has a rouge and a blanc variant. We were looking for the blanc Chardonnay, but they served the rouge Pinot Noir instead.

Auxey-Duresses (pronounced “Oh-see”) is an appellation is in the famous Côte de Beaune area in the region of Burgundy, surrounded by two famous neighbors, Volnay and Meursault.

Readers of these pages know we don't do many Burgundies, mostly because we favor the Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot) over the Burgundy Pinot Noir.

Also, I'm not knowledgeable in all the myriad of appellations and producers from the region and find it a bit confusing and mystifying. This is much the case for many folks, for many regions, but its especially challenging for Burgundy with all the mini and micro producers and labels that typifies what this regions is known for.

My advice to folks is to focus on one region, gather knowledge and experiences as a baseline and for comparisons, especially if one is going to start collecting wines.

We selected this Benjamin Leroux Pinot Noir from the Auxey-Duresses appellation, an area noted for high QPR and excellent value.

This is the label of Benjamin Leroux, manager/winemaker of Domaine Comte Armand who launched this label with the 2007 vintage. Leroux's Auxey-Duresses are from fruit sourced from vineyards that he manages, vineyards he owns, and he also buys fruit (never juice or wine) from growers with whom he works closely so to meet his standards.

The vineyards lie below the village of Beaune, adjacent to the Meursault Villages Les Vireuils Dessus and Les Meix Chavaux. The land is north-facing so it is affected by the cold air rolling down from the Hautes-Côtes.

The wines here come from three terroirs in this cool, mineral (rocky) place - Les Hautés, La Macabrée and Les Boutonniers. The oldest vines date back to 1946, planted just after the war. The vineyards span 2 hectares, large for this area where many of the properties are tiny in comparison. Hence Auxey-Duresses is a primary wine for Leroux.

Leroux's Auxey-Duresses is produced in a new winery in the center of the village of Beaune (just off the Boulevard) that is also used by Dominique Lafon and two other wine growers. The operation is very small and specializes in Puligny and Volnay, but there are over twenty different labels produced, in this ‘micro negociant’ operation.

Like so many Burgundy operations that are small, even tiny, only two to five barrels are produced from many of the offerings, resulting in extraordinary fragmentation and granularity in the plethora of small production labels.

This Pinot Noir was somewhat opaque, light in color and body, with blackberry and black cherry fruits accented by tones of leather, dusty rose and spice with smooth soft tannins on the finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=2911060

Chez Joel Bistro - Marsannay Burgundy with Authentic French Faire

Chez Joel Bistro - Marsannay Burgundy with Authentic French Faire

For the second time this summer, after a day in the city, we dined at our favorite French Bistro Chez Joël (that happens to be in the heart of Chicago's Little Italy Taylor street dining district), a family  restaurant operated by brothers, Joël and Ahmed Kazouini.

While we love the atmosphere of their elegantly quaint authentic bistro francais dining room, in the summer when weather permits we opt for their outdoor courtyard patio, a perfect setting since we had with us two of our grandkids, Lucy and Richie.

Courtyard dining at Chez Joel

For the wine selection we took advantage of their wine special offer, Domaine Silvaine Pataille Marsannay Bourgnone 2008 which proved to be a proper accompaniment to the Pâté starter and our Duck and Ahi Tuna entrees. I've already tried every Bordeaux on their thoughtfully selected wine list. For summer, and the lighter tuna and duck faire, the more delicate and approachable Pinot Noir based Burgundy is the way to go.


The Duck & Chicken Liver Pâté is always enjoyable. I had the pan seared Duck Breast & Duck Leg Confit, served with Wild Mushrooms Fricassée, Potato Galette and Cranberry Orange Sauce. It very tasty and creatively prepared. The potato galette is a signature dish however I especially like their mashed potatoes. Linda and Erin loved the Ahi tuna daily special entree served in a delicious berry sauce with pomme puree.

Sylvain Pataille makes wines exclusively from the terroirs of Marsannay-la-Côte. He runs the family owned domaine in Marsannay after studying in Bordeaux and working as a consulting oenologist since 1997. He  has been developing his own label since the 2001 vintage, dependent on rented parcels of vineyard around Marsannay, then started with one hectare and today has 10, producing 12 cuvées. His wines are found mainly in France and in the US particularly in restaurants.

Duck Breast and Leg Confit

Sylvain Pataille owns and runs the small domaine in the little known commune of Marsannay just south of Gevrey Chambertin in the Cotes de Nuits. He practices biodynamic farming, so popular in Burgundy like many of his illustrious neighbors – Domaine Leflaive, Domaine Leroy, Domaine de la Romanée Conti. This method of viticulture is thought to bring more minerality, vitality, intensity and most importantly, a sense of the individual terroir which is the essence of Burgundy wines.

Shared portion of the Ahi tuna

The property is on the road from Beaune, past Gevrey-Chambertin on the outskirts of Dijon. The region only received it’s Village AOC in 1987 – before this the wines were ‘regional’ and simply called Bourgogne or Bourgogne de Marsannay. There are no 1er Crus. Marsannay is also well known for its white and Rosé wines. While the AOC belongs to the Côte de Nuits it is not officially within the Côte de Nuits.

I regularly write in this blog about how difficult it is to find high QPR (quality to price ratio) value priced Pinot Noirs. This naturally also applies to French Burgundy wines, which of course are named for the region, whereas in the US, wines are named for the grape varietal. Chez Joël does a nice job offering a selection of moderately priced French based wines to pair with their menu.

This 2008 had a bright ruby red color, light to medium body, it presents cherry, ripe cranberry, hints of strawberry, dusty rose and leather and a whisper of vanilla, it is well balanced with soft acidity and has a nice mouth feel with a smooth lingering fine tannin finish.

RM 88 points.

https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=1009374

http://chezjoelbistro.com/

Wine Bottle Sizes...Bigger is Better

Right Bottle Sizes...Bigger (or Smaller) is Better
 

Rick with Salmanazar served
at daughter Erin's wedding

There is great novelty and fun in opening and serving wine or Champagne from a large bottle. For parties, business dinners, special occasions, private dining, any gathering of a group, there is a bottle size to fit the occasion. 

As mentioned in my last post, "Large format bottles serve festive celebration dinner", we're big fans of serving large format bottles for special occasions. As noted, our collection of large format bottles commemorating the birth years of each of our kids was the basis for our large bottle feature in Wine Spectator Magazine. Those bottles were a big hit and great fun as well as a tribute at our kid's weddings.  

For a large gathering, besides the utility of not having to open so many bottles, a large bottle also affords another unique opportunity - its also fun to have all the quests sign the label of a large bottle as the labels are proportionately larger with the large bottles.

Michelle & Sean - 6L Napa Cab
for their rehearsal dinner

From my blog posting from a recent wine tasting (see Half Bottle Mania offers twice the tasting options), I chose half bottles that allowed for a more extensive tasting. While the fun of big bottles is evident, its not as widely known or practiced that opening half size bottles offers twice the number of tasting experience options in the same setting.

Opening small format bottles that evening allowed us to taste seven different wines instead of perhaps three had we opened regular or standard size bottles. You've no doubt see such small format bottles where they are used for single servings such as for individual consumption on airplanes or in hotel mini-bars. 

Just this week, there was a news feature about  Moët & Chandon unveiling a vending machine offering single serving wine bottles for swank shoppers at tony upscale department stores in London.

Bottle Shapes 

For starters, there are different shape bottles for different wine types. The most common shape bottles are those associated with red wines from Bordeaux or California. These 'Bordeaux' bottles have straight sides and tall shoulders (shown left). 

Notably, many of the popular California wines from Napa and Sonoma are of the Bordeaux varietals, that being, made from grapes generally grown in Bordeaux and comprising Bordeaux wines - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot.  White wines using the same bottle shape are Sauvignon Blanc or Semillon. 

Wines grown from grapes most common and popular in the Burgundy wine region of France are Pinot Noir  and Chardonnay. Those wines are associated with bottles with gently sloping shoulders (shown right), often sturdy, heavy bottles, with a slightly fatter girth than the Bordeaux style wine bottles. 

For the most popular wine bottle shape, that associated with Bordeaux and Napa/Sonoma varietals, there are 13 different bottle sizes. The larger sized bottles are produced in less quantity than the standard size bottle, and are always worth more than just double or proportionately the price of the regular size bottle. 

Many California Cabernet Sauvignons, Red Bordeaux, and Red Burgundies are produced and subsequently collected in these larger formats. It is generally accepted that wine will age better - longer, more gracefully and uniformly in a large format bottle - hence another reason for their popularity with collectors. 

I recall seeing several Nebuchadnezzars (12 to 16 liter bottles) and a couple Sovereigns (50 liter bottles) in one California wine producer's cellar for his personal collection as well as to serve their library (shown left).

Horizontal Selection of 1981 Bordeaux and California large format bottles from Rick's Cellar that were served at daugher Erin's wedding.
Not shown: 1981 Chateau Palmer, Lynch Bages, Ducru Beaucaillou, Cos' d_Estournel, Chateau Beaucatel and Silver Oak large format bottles.

 

The 13 Standard Bordeaux/California Bottle Sizes
SPLIT Made only for Sparkling Wine.	187 ml.	1/4 of a standard bottle
HALF-BOTTLE	375 ml.	1/2 of a standard bottle
BOTTLE	750 ml.	1 standard bottle
MAGNUM	1.5 liters	Equal to 2 standard bottles.
DOUBLE MAGNUM	3 liters	Equal to 4 standard bottles.
JEROBOAM - This is what Champagne and Burgundy call their 3 liter bottles. Equal to 4 standard bottles.
REHOBOAM	About 4.5 liters.	Equal to 6 standard bottles.
JEROBOAM	5 liters	Equal to about 6 3/4 standard bottles.
IMPERIAL	6 liters	Equal to 8 standard bottles.
METHUSALEM - This is what they call an "Imperial" in Champagne and Burgundy.
SALMANAZER This one is a case of wine in one bottle.	9 liters	12 standard bottles.
BALTHAZAR	12 liters.	Equal to 16 standard bottles.
NEBUCHADNEZZAR	12 to 16 liters	Depending on the country of origin this will be from 16 to 20 standard bottles.
SOVERIGN	50 liters	67 standard bottles.

Champagne has its own distinctive popular shape and also comes in its own range of sizes. The design of the Champagne bottle also has gently sloping shoulders. Because of the pressure inside a sparkling (bubbly) wine bottle (as much as 90 psi or three times the pressure in a car tire), they have thicker glass and have a deep 'punt'  or indentation on the underside. Champagne is the most popular and most common in using small and larger bottles. The magnum is a double sized bottle (1.5 liters) and is one of the best selling sized bottles for Champagne. We've all seen the winner of a Formula One race spraying the crowd from a large format, Jeroboam (4 liter bottle) of Champagne. Or more likely, one has see the locker room scene of the World Series or NBA champions, spraying the room from magnums of Champagne. 

Display of range of bottles offered at Moet Chandon Champagne House in
Epernay, Champagne, France

Standard Champagne Bottle Sizes

Bottle Name	Bottle Equivalency	Capacity
Split	1/4 bottle	18.7 cl
Half	1/2 bottle	37.5 cl
Bottle	1 bottle	750 ml
Magnum	2 bottles	1.5 l
Jeroboam	4 bottles	3 l
Rehoboam	6 bottles	4.5 l
Methuselah	8 bottles	6 l
Salmanazar	12 bottles	9 l
Balthazar	16 bottles	12 l
Nabuchadnezzar	20 bottles	15 l

So, for your next special occasion where you'll be serving wine, that being a gathering of one, or four or more,  think to right-size the bottle to the occasion, seek out a large (or small) bottle for the utility, novelty and for fun.