Over the weekend, I had the honor to be the sommelier for a private dinner to celebrate the birthdays of dear friends and fellow members. From Champagne to Burgundy, Bordeaux and Rivesaltes, it was a fantastic French faire for the Frenzels. For this special night, I had the pleasure to pair wines for five amazing dishes that were intricately prepared by one of our favorite local, celebrity chefs, Chef Tre Wilcox.
As guests arrived, the evening started with 2004 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut Champagne. This tete de cuvee is terrific to have on its own; but add little bites of Big Eye Tuna tartar; chicken avocado nachos with mango pico; BBQ shrimp satays with a touch of harissa and chives, and together the food and the Champagne were wonderfully elevated to another level. I love the white peach, golden apple, caramelized pear and soft bread dough in the Champagne and the pearls on the ’04 La Grande Dame were mouth-coating, elegant and absolutely sublime.
The first course was the favorite of the night and the pairing was spot on!-
Japanese Hamachi Crudo with spicy avocado sauce, black radish and panko was paired with 2009 Benoit Ente Puligny Montrachet Premier Cru ‘Champ Gain’. This was the first wine that came to mind when I read the menu. I chose this wine for its purity of fruit, vibrant minerality and touch of flint to parallel the crudo while the lightly creamy weight, hints of tropical fruit and lemon yogurt cooled down the spice. This was the pairing of the night!
Second Course- Grilled Wild King Salmon, asparagus risotto, citrus and brown butter
Paired with 1996 Louis Jadot Grand Cru Romanee St.Vivant. This was a harder pair because of the asparagus’ distinctive green and somewhat bitter flavor. I could have gone Grand Cru Gruner Veltliner, but I love Pinot Noir with salmon, especially from Burgundy or Oregon. So for this course, I went to Louis Jadot’s excellent performance of Grand Cru Vosne Romanee from a vintage with longevity. The wine was gorgeous- ripe yet elegant red fruit to match the sweet touch of the brown butter and the weight of the risotto while the vibrant minerals, brilliant acidity, earth and red tea were great for the grilled salmon and the hint of grapefruit citrus in the dish.
Third Course- Grilled New York Strip Steak with blue cheese-port wine sauce and baby veggies
Paired with 2000 Ducru Beaucaillou personally selected by Bob and a fantastic complement it was for the dish! The 2000 Ducru stood up to the steak, but more importantly the blue cheese-port wine sauce. The densely packed black and red fruit, the leather, black tea and fully loaded spice matched the dish beautifully while the rounded tannins just wrapped around the protein of the steak and blue cheese in the sauce.
Fourth Course- Chocolate cardamom panna cotta with pumpkin seeds, coffee infused honey and black berries.
The last course was paired with a birthyear wine: 1970 Riveyrac Rivesaltes. A vin du natural, this wine comes from an appellation named Rivesaltes that encompasses the majority of Roussillon in the south of France. This ancient art mimics the style of vintage Port as the Grenache berries are fortified before fermentation, so the natural sugar levels stay present in the wine. The flavors of the wine were impeccably parallel to the dish: toffee, caramel, warm vanilla, dark chocolate, figs, purple plums and spice was a beautiful compliment to the flavors of the dessert.
After the meal was finished and the plates all cleared, more bottles were opened and more wines were shared. Cellar fully stocked with aged Bordeaux, we dove into the 90’s and older from banks left and right. Bob’s wines of the night were from two vintages of Graileys’ ‘House Bordeaux’- Pichon Lalande: 1996 and 1976. The ’76 was unreal- incredible structure and grip, very reminiscent of its big brother’s style. We have had the opportunity to open many Pichon Lalandes with great age, but this bottle went out stronger than the rest. As one of the best from the vintage, and until the last sip, it showed power on the palate, deep dark fruit with wild complex layers and massive tannins. This bottle could have lived another 10 years, but I’m very glad (and fortunate) it did not. The ’96 was amazing as always- crushed, ripe red and black cherry and cassis, leather, toasted cedar and cigar all in a sexy, silky texture that lead to a truly extended finish.
The night continued with more ridiculous bottles from the Right Bank. The 1998 Cheval Blanc was massive! Chewy, velvety tannins, deep dark fruit, insanely rich spice with a killer finish as almost as powerful as its mid-palate. The ’95 Vieux Chateau Certan blew me away at its opening with intense flavors of juicy dark plums, ripe mulberries, dense purple flowers, anise, sweet vanilla, cedar and tar all compacted in a seductive texture.
Wines From the Party…
2004 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame Brut Champagne
2009 Benoit Ente Puligny Montrachet 1er Cru Champ Gain
1996 Louis Jadot Romanee St Vivant
2000 Ducru Beaucaillou
1970 Riveyrac Rivesaltes
1996 Pichon Lalande
1995 Canon
1996 Cos d’Estournel
1996 Pichon Lalande
2005 Louis Jadot Echezeaux
1995 Pichon Baron
1995 Vieux Chateau Certan
1976 Pichon Lalande
1998 Cheval Blanc
And much more…