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Drago Centro Champagne

Sep26

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: January 21, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Sauvages Champagne lunch. Historically this series has been located at Chinois, but this year it has been relocated east.

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

The reception was held around our large square table — big group this time including a separate ladies table.

Multiple buckets were needed to ice all the champagne.

2012 Christophe et Fils Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Medium yellow. Quite ripe fruit but a whiff of seashell behind this. Pretty plush feel-you definitely sense the wood influence. More pear and yellow apple than citrus fruit character, some spice (unusual for Chablis), late iodine and limestone, lowish acidity. The wood plus ripe fruit plus low acidity make it veer in the direction of more southerly climats, but there is just enough Chablis character to identify it as such. To be drunk over the short term, that’s for sure.

2014 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Vaudésir. JG 94+. Out of the blocks, the 2014 Domaine Fèvre Vaudésir seems just a touch more accessible than the top couple of structured premier crus and the Bougros. The beautiful, zesty bouquet delivers scents of pear, fresh pineapple, lemon, beeswax, chalky soil tones, a touch of licorice and a topnote of spring flowers. On the palate the wine is pure, full-bodied and a bit more tensile than the wide open nose suggest, with fine mid-palate depth, bright acids and really superb cut and grip on the long, vibrant finish. Another superb wine, which I may be underrating a tad, but I had to leave room for what was to follow! (Drink between 2017-2050)

2008 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros. VM 93. Good pale yellow. Restrained aromas of fresh apricot, pineapple and spices; showed riper stone fruit notes as it opened in the glass. Sweet, tactile and elegantly styled, with strong acids framing and lifting the intense peach flavor. Already boasts a lovely fat texture and considerable pliancy but this wine really needs three or four years to express itself.

2014 La Chablisienne Chablis 1er Cru Mont de Milieu. 92 points. Pale yellow in color. Very precise aromas of sea-spray, yellow florals, , green apples, herbs, green citrus leaf on the nose. Palate shows sweet, tart lemon curd, good mid palate sap, savory sea shell broth and a long saliva inducing mineral finish. Lovely.

2017 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. 95 points. Superb.

Beef and truffle.

Crab Toast, Lemon and chives.

Seafood Arancini al Nero, saffron aioli. I’ve never had a squid ink risotto arancini before.

Celestino Drago in the house!

Our special menu.

2006 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. VM 93. Piper-Hiedsieck’s 2006 Cuvée Rare is racy and polished to the core. Baked apple tart, apricot, lemon confit, vanillin and brioche infuse the 2006 with striking aromatic intensity and creaminess that builds with time in the glass. Sumptuous and forward, the 2006 offers tons of near and medium-term appeal. (Drink between 2019-2028)

2006 Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Millésime. VM 93. The 2006 Brut Grand Millésime offers more near term appeal than many Gosset Champagnes as the flavors show a good amount of complexity, while the contours are nicely mellowed. Hazelnut, savory herbs, anise, mint and dried pear meld into the generous, inviting finish. The typical Gosset energy is nicely balanced by the weight and soft, relaxed contours of a wine that is now nearly ten years old. Lightly honeyed and toasty notes round out the close. In 2006 the blend is 56% Pinot Noir and 44% Chardonnay from vineyards in Avize, Cramant, Le Mesnil-sur-Oger, Trépail, Vertus, Ambonnay, Avenay, Aÿ, Chigny-les-Roses and Louvois. (Drink between 2015-2021)

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne Legacy Edition Label. 95 points. This wine was served to celebrate the legacy of my in-laws 50th anniversary while in St. John’s. I think time, place, people, and meaning can deeply impact how wine is remembered or appreciated. This was the best bottle of 2008 Dom that I’ve had to-date. There was a deep and complex nose that shifted each time the glass was lifted for a sip or a sniff. The wine was bright and focused, with a mid-palate that seemed to shift like the tides. While we served this with food, this wine, tonight was spectacular with the food and without. I don’t think the bottle lasted us more than 2 hours, but it was a pleasure to drink this from start to finish.

2008 Doyard Champagne Grand Cru Les Lumières Grand Cru Extra Brut. VM 93. The 2008 Extra Brut Les Lumières Grand Cru is a blend of 65% Chardonnay (from Avize and Mesnil) and 35% Pinot Noir (from Aÿ) that spent ten years on its lees before being disgorged and given just the smallest touch of dosage. Creamy, resonant and expressive, the 2008 has so much to offer. Even so, it clearly needs at least a bit of time in bottle to be at its best. Tropical accents provide a hint as to where the 2008 will go over the next handful of years. (Drink between 2020-2030)

Onion Panna Cotta, Scallops Tartar, Caviar. Lovely.

2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. JG 95+. The 2005 Comtes de Champagne is a stunning young wine. The bouquet is deep, pure and youthfully complex, as it offers up a very classy blend of pear, delicious apple, fresh almond, incipient notes of crème patissière, chalky minerality, brioche and just a whisper of vanillin oak in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, focused and rock solid at the core, with exquisite balance, refined mousse, crisp acids and simply superb length and grip on the seamless, youthful and oh, so promising finish. The style of the 2005 vintage gives this some early accessibility that was not evident with the more tightly-knit 2004 out of the blocks, but this wine has the structure to also age long and very, very gracefully. It has been a year since I last tasted this wine and it has started to show more precision to go along with its early generosity and is a classic in the making. My gut feeling today is that it will be superior to the 1989 version, to which I compared it to a year ago. Brilliant wine. (Drink between 2015-2045)

2006 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 96. Powerful, dense and tightly wound, the 2006 Dom Pérignon is fabulous today. To be sure, the 2006 is a broad, virile Champagne, but I find it compelling because of its phenolic depth and overall intensity. Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy adds that August was quite cold and wet, and that ripening only happened at the very end of the growing season. Although numbers alone can never explain a wine, I find it interesting that the 2006 has more phenolics than the 2003. Readers will have to be patient, as the 2006 is easily the most reticent Dom Pérignon in the years spanning 2002 and 2009. I am confident the 2006 will have its day, but in its youth, it is not especially charming or easy to drink. (Drink between 2026-2056)

2005 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 94. The 2005 Clos des Goisses is easily one of the wines of what turned out to be a complicated vintage. Just beginning to show the early signs of aromatic complexity, the 2005 graces the palate with the essence of candied lemon, almonds, chamomile, apricot and wild herbs. The 2005 is not the most complex or pedigreed Goisses, but it drinks beautifully today and should continue to deliver pleasure for another 15-20 years, perhaps more. (Drink between 2016-2031)

2006 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2006 Clos des Goisses is stellar, but it is also going to need quite a bit of time to come into its own. Powerful and ample in the best of the Goisses style, the 2006 hits the palate with serious intensity. Orchard fruits, lemon oil, white flowers and almonds are some of the many notes that open up in the glass, but, as is often the case with young Goisses, it is the wine’s gravitas that is front and center. Even with all of its overtness, though, the 2006 retains striking, crystalline purity. I imagine the 2006 will reward Champagne lovers with many decades of truly exceptional drinking. The only thing the 2006 needs is time. The question is: How much? (Drink between 2020-2046)

Seafood Panzanella, Sea Urchin, Salmon. Quite deconstructed with chunks of the seafood and fluffs of bread on the plate.

2002 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. The 2002 Brut Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill is wonderfully open, expressive and resonant. The richness of the vintage comes through nicely, yet the more overt elements are very nicely balanced by a good deal of freshness. Baked apple, pastry, candied lemon, dried flowers and warm, toasty notes shape the generous, resonant finish. With time in the glass, the 2002 takes a on a striking, vinous character. Readers might want to consider opening the 2002 a few hours in advance, as it really blossoms with air. (Drink between 2016-2032)

2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. VM 96. The 2002 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is outrageously beautiful. The ripeness of the Chardonnay is front and center in a Champagne that delivers the goods, big-time. An infusion of apricot, orange peel, crème brûlée, chamomile, hazelnut and honey give the 2002 its racy, exotic personality. I enjoy it most with bottle age, but the 2002 is undeniably beautiful right now. The 2002 is a stunning NFB. The blend is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, done partially in oak (20%). Dosage is 4 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2030)

2005 Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Aÿ Vauzelle Terme. 94 points. The 2005 Aÿ-Vauzelle Terme is the most polished of Jacquesson’s 2005 single-vineyard Champagnes. Silky and nuanced on the palate, the Vauzelle Terme highlights the more understated side of the vintage. Hints of chalk, red cherry, plum, mint and wild flowers are laced into the highly expressive finish. Today, the Vauzelle Terme comes across as a bit weightless to the point of being a bit on the ethereal side. It will be interesting to see if the wine acquires a bit more depth in bottle. Disgorged October 2014. Dosage was 2.5 grams/liter. (Drink between 2015-2022)

2002 Piper-Heidsieck Champagne Cuvée Rare. JG 95. It is funny that I have to “pull teeth” to get current releases from Piper-Heidsieck’s importer here in New York, but out in the real world of wine, I keep having people serve me the maison’s beautiful 2002 “Rare” Brut Millesime and thank me for alerting them to its excellent quality by writing it up in the newsletter several years ago! Such is the state of the world in 2021. In any case, this wine continues to evolve splendidly in bottle and is drinking with great style and breed at the present time, offering up a fine bouquet of apple, pear, warm bread, a fine base of chalky soil tones, caraway seed, a touch of citrus peel and a gently smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied, crisp and shows off excellent mid-palate depth, with refined mousse, lovely focus and a long, complex and impeccably balanced finish. Fine, fine juice. (Drink between 2021-2050)

Black and White Tagliolini, Langoustine, Lemon Zest. Great pasta dish. I always love a lobster/langoustine reduction.

1999 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93. These four vintages of Dom Pérignon provide a fascinating snapshot of how the house has performed in recent years. The 1999 Dom Pérignon is a little flabbier than the 2000. Smoke, toastiness, tar and ripe fruit emerge from the glass in a generous, expansive style. The 1999 offers more body than the 2000 but the aromas and flavors are less well-articulated. This is a relatively simple Dom Pérignon, yet the wine possesses outstanding balance and plenty of harmony. According to Chef de Caves Richard Geoffroy the warm vintage also resulted in relatively high yields, and the low-acid style is most reminiscent of the 1976. (Drink between 2013-2024)

2002 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 94. This is perhaps the best bottle of Krug’s 2002 Vintage I have tasted. Expansive and creamy on the palate, with lovely finesse and brightness, the 2002 is quite expressive today. I don’t see the depth or pedigree that might place this wine among the best examples of the year. Instead, the 2002 Vintage continues to be an underwhelming wine by Krug standards. (Drink between 2017-2037)

2002 Salon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 97. Another highlight in this vertical, the 2002 Salon is also fascinating to taste after the 2004. Rich, opulent and intense, yet also very classic in the Salon house style, the 2002 possesses superb persistence and depth. The radiant vintage has softened the contours and given the wine fabulous depth to match its decidedly powerful personality. At the same time, the 2002 remains quite youthful. Next to the brighter and more finessed 2004, the 2002 offers more of a baritone-inflected expression of Chardonnay. (Drink between 2016-2036)

2000 Philipponnat Champagne Brut L.V. Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The 2000 L.V. Long Vieillissement, a recent re-release, is a fabulous choice for readers who enjoy Champagnes with a bit of bottle age complexity. Hazelnut, dried flowers, orchard fruit, herbs, mirabelle and lightly honeyed notes are all beautifully delineated throughout. The 2000 offers the weight and slightly more mature notes of a mature Champagne, but with the freshness that comes from impeccable provenance and a relatively recent disgorgement. If that sounds appealing, well, it is. The Brut L.V. Long Vieillissement offers a quintessential Goisses experience from the first taste until the last. This is an absolutely pristine bottle. Dosage is 4.5 grams/liter. Disgorged: May 2015. (Drink between 2016-2036)

Truffle Crust Breast of Chicken, Truffle Cream Sauce.

1990 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon. VM 93+. Pale color. Youthful aromas of lemon, quince, pear, toast, spice, chalk and red berries. Big, sweet and seamless, if a bit clenched in the early going. A powerful, very young wine whose fruit builds slowly in the mouth and explodes on the finish. A charry note contributes to its complexity. Possesses amazing depth of fruit, but the high quality of this wine can most easily be seen today on the extraordinary finish. May ultimately merit a 95+ rating.

1996 Pol Roger Champagne Cuvée Sir Winston Churchill. VM 95. Pol Roger’s 1996 Winston Churchill is fabulous. One of the most expressive, complete 1996s today, the Winston Churchill is in a great spot. Butter, spice, almond and lemon oil notes meld together effortlessly in the glass. In 1996, the Winston Churchill is a clear overachiever. Best of all, it remains reasonably priced vis-à-vis its peers. (Drink between 2014-2024)

1990 Krug Champagne Vintage Brut. VM 97+. Full copper-gold color. Initially restrained, brooding nose exploded with aeration, showing apple, orange, apricot, honey, iodine, smoke, hazelnut, macadamia and a suggestion of dry oloroso sherry. Dense, full, chewy and rich; an extraordinarily solid Champagne with an intriguing suggestion of Calvados. Broadens toward the back and goes on and on on the echoing aftertaste, with rich, mellow notes of toffee, brown butter and marrow. Like the ’92 Clos du Mesnil, this displays its powerful underlying acidity with aeration (Krug’s wines never go through malolactic fermentation) and should be long-lived.

1995 Krug Champagne Clos d’Ambonnay. VM 98. Thrown in as a ringer, the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay is a real treat to taste next to the 1996. In particular, tasting both vintages together shows that that 1995 is the more complete of these two first releases of Krug’s single-vineyard Champagne from Ambonnay. Finely-cut fruit, expressive aromatics and exceptional textural finesse are the signatures. This is another fabulous showing from the 1995 Clos d’Ambonnay. (Drink between 2014-2024)

Breast of Duck, Kumquat Sauce.

Chef’s Selection of Assorted Cheeses.

Château Tirecul La Gravière Monbazillac Cuvée Madame.

Cherry Gelato – a blend of Morello Cherry and intense Amarena Cherry fruit make this dairy gelato really pop — topped with Candied Amarena Cherries — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #amarena #morello #cherry

Dulce Vanilla Gelato — a very simple and elegant Tahitian Vanilla Bean White Base (no egg) ribboned with house-made Dulce de Leche and Valrhona Dulce Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — sugar time! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #vanilla #dulce #DulceDeLeche #leche #caramel

Birch Beer Gelato — Birch Beer flavored gelato base topped with Valrhona White Chocolate Pearls — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #RootBeer #RootBeerFlaot #Sarsaparilla #whitechocolate #Varlrhona

All the champs.

The main table.

And the ladies table.

Overall another great lunch. Drago did an incredible job handling the challenging logistics of this lunch. First of all, the custom menu was carefully paired to all that Champagne. Then they managed to actually serve so much bubbly to so many people. And the square table, despite being large, did enable us to all talk to each other.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Celestino Drago, Champagne, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Sauvages

Drago Centro Baroli

Mar16

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: August 20, 2021

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Sauvages Barolo lunch. Theme today was “Barolo from any vintage between 1995-2006 (except for 2002 or 2003).”

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

We had a little reception outside on the patio before the lunch proper.

Hot shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, asparagus spears.

Blinis with creme fraiche and caviar.

2006 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Cuvée Nicolas-François Billecart. AG 97. The 2006 Cuvée Nicolas François Billecart is shaping up to be a jewel of a wine, but it needs time to be at its best. I am surprised by how tightly wound it is. But that only makes me think what it might develop into with time in the cellar. Lemon confit, white flowers, mint, crushed rocks and sage meld together in a bright, crystalline Champagne endowed with terrific purity. The 2006 is 60% Pinot Noir from the Montagne de Reims and the Vallée de la Marne and 40% Chardonnay from the Côte des Blancs, mostly done in steel, with just a touch of oak, around 5%. Dosage is 6 grams per liter. (Drink between 2020-2032)

2008 Dom Pérignon Champagne. VM 98. The 2008 Dom Pérignon is a huge, powerful Champagne and also clearly one of the wines of the vintage. This is one of the most reticent bottles I have tasted. So much so that I am thinking about holding off opening any more bottles! The 2008 has always offered a striking interplay of fruit and structure. Today, the richness of the fruit is especially evident. Readers who own the 2008 should be thrilled, but patience is a must. (Drink between 2028-2058)

NV J.P. Chenet Blanc de Blancs Brut. 87 points.

2005 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 94. Bright yellow. Vibrant pear and melon aromas are complicated by suggestions of ginger, brioche and smoky minerals. Dry, smoky and precise, offering intense orchard and pit fruit flavors that gain weight with aeration. A dusty mineral quality adds focus and lift to the long, penetrating, floral finish. There’s a Burgundian thing going on here that’s quite intriguing.

Today’s menu.

2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Cerequio. AG 95. The 2001 Barolo Cerequio comes across as rich, round, seamless and pretty. Here, too, the aromas and flavors are just a bit forwad, but there is more than enough density to support another decade of aging. The wine comes together beautifully with time in the glass. Sweet rose petals, spices and licorice wrap around the big, seamless finish. (Drink between 2013-2021)

2004 Bartolo Mascarello Barolo. VM 97. Sensual, silky and totally alluring, the 2004 Barolo is another wine that is a picture-perfect example of its vintage. The aromatics alone are captivating, but it is the wine’s total balance that places it in the upper echelon. After some of the ups and downs of the 1980s and 1990s’ wines, the 2004 really shows where the estate is today in terms of quality. (Drink between 2016-2034)

2004 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 95. The Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a bit monolithic. To be sure, Bric del Fiasc is always a powerhouse, but at this age, I expected to see a little more finesse. There is no shortage of intensity, structure or explosive energy, but the 2004 still needs time to come together. I think there is a reasonable chance that will happen given the track record here, but readers will have to be patient. There are plenty of 2004 Barolos that are quite showy today; this is not one of them. (Drink between 2019-2034)

2007 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. VM 94+. Medium red. Subtle, reticent, very pure nose offers perfumed scents of wild red cherry, rose petal and wild herbs; the most refined of Mascarello’s 2007 Barolos. Wonderfully silky and fine-grained on the palate, but with terrific calcaire precision and lift. The wine’s highly aromatic red cherry and floral flavors saturate the palate without leaving any impression of weight. This vintage of Monprivato includes about 4% each lampia and rose; the rest is michet, including the juice that normally goes into Mascarello’s limited Ca d’Morrisio bottling. The very long finish features harmonious acidity and firm but suave tannins that reach the front teeth. A beauty.

2007 Massolino Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda. VM 90. Good bright red. Expressive smoky aromas of red berries, plum, menthol and mocha, with a hint of medicinal austerity. Fat, sweet and liqueur-like, but with harmonious acidity giving the middle palate a surprisingly light touch. Still, this is rather subdued today and does not show the lift or stuffing of the 2009 Parussi that preceded it in my tasting. Finishes with dusty tannins and a faint tart edge. Will this benefit from further aging or will it dry out? I’d opt for drinking it over the next few years.

Carne Cruda Alla Piemontese (aka Beef Tartar with truffles).

1999 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste. VM 94. Rinaldi’s 1999 Barolo Brunate-Le Coste (magnum) is fabulous. Firm, powerful tannins give the 1999 much of its spine, power and pure drive. Lavender, black cherries, plums, dark spice and iron emerge from the glass, but only with considerable reluctance. From magnum, the 1999 Brunate-Le Coste is a powerhouse, not to mention a terrific example of the year. With air, the 1999 can be enjoyed today, but its best drinking probably lies ahead. (Drink between 2014-2029)

2000 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Conteisa. VM 95. The 2000 Conteisa is one of the most positive surprises in this tasting. The wine is positively explosive, with marvelous balance and richness in its generous, radiant fruit. The 2000 is a terrific Conteisa. (Drink between 2015-2025)

2000 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 90. The 2000 Barolo Percristina has held up well. It shows considerable freshness in its dark red fruit, leather, licorice and sweet spices. The French oak remains very much present. It’s hard to see the fruit lasting long enough for the oak to every truly integrate. (Drink between 2013-2018)

2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 93. The 2001 Barolo Percristina, from magnum, has aged well, but it needs to be enjoyed over the next few years. Today the balance of fruit and oak is still good, but over time the oak tannins will dominate. Sweet red cherries, flowers, licorice, spices and mint wrap around the deep finish. The astringency of the oak is impossible to miss. It is tolerable while the fruit retains some depth, but once the fruit fades, all bets are off. (Drink between 2013-2016)

2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata. VM 97. The 2001 Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is huge and seamless from start to finish. The wine totally envelops the palate with masses of dark red fruit, roses, spices, and mint, all supported by nearly imperceptible tannins. The volume and shape of the 2001 is simply breathtaking. This is Scavino’s most vibrant 2001. It is also his most polished, refined Barolo. (Drink between 2016-2031)

Tagliatelle, Wild Mushrooms, Summer Truffles. Lovely.

Yarom got a salad because he was avoiding the carbs as usual.

1997 Renato Ratti Barolo Rocche. VM 91+. Deep saturated red-ruby. Less exotic but complex nose melds roasted plum, maple syrup, minerals, meat and smoky oak. Lush and velvety in the middle palate, already showing lovely perfume. Chewier and deeper than the Marcenasco, and more powerfully structured. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and a youthfully austere suggestion of camphor.

1997 Michele Chiarlo Barolo Triumviratum Riserva.

1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Percristina. VM 92. Dark ruby. The 1998 Percristina appears to have entered the early part of its maturity and is an excellent choice for drinking today. It is an opulent Barolo with plenty of fruit and much persistence on the palate, made in a rich, seamless style, with superbly well-integrated oak and softening tannins. 1998 is the last vintage this wine was aged in 150 liter Taransaud cigarillos, subsequent vintages have been aged in standard-size barriques. (Drink between 2013-2014)

1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 93+. Full, saturated red-ruby. Sappy, high-pitched aromas of cherry, nuts and oak spices. Superconcentrated, spicy and sweet, but nearly as backward as a top ’96, with superb extract and powerful underlying structure. Finishes with substantial mouthdusting tannins and a late note of dark chocolate.

Osso Buco, Risotto Milanese. This was one of the best versions of this classic dish I’ve ever had. The risotto was incredibly “creamy” (it doesn’t actually have any cream in it) and the meat was rich, fatty, and succulent.

The proof is (not) on the plate.

1976 Château Suduiraut. VM 88. The 1976 Suduiraut was served from apparently one of the last remaining bottles at the property. It has 90gm/L of residual sugar. It has a deep amber core with greenish tinge on the rim. The bouquet is clearly from another era with scents of orange pith, mandarin, a slight adhesive scent that turns more chlorine/swimming pool with time. The palate is well balanced with a crisp line of acidity, very Barsac in style like many Sauternes of this vintage. It remains fresh and vital with that tang of bitter orange and marmalade on the finish. 13.7% alcohol. Tasted at the Suduiraut vertical at the château. (Drink between 2019-2024)

Chef’s Assorted Cheese & Condiments.

Bread for the cheese.

Almond Chocolate Cloud Gelato – The base is made with Valrhona 62% Satilla Chocolate and then layered with Toasted Sicilian Almond Cream and Dark Chocolate Rocas! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Valrhona #chocolate #creamcheese #ganache #icing #almond

Pinoli Gelato — Siberian Pinenut Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pinoli #pinenut

The wine lineup.

My notes.

The gang.

The ladies table outside.

Ladies wines.

Overall another great lunch. Food was as on point than ever, particularly that osso bucco. Wines were great and the pairing was perfect. Great way to “kill” a Friday afternoon.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, BYOG, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Italian cuisine, Italian wine, Nebbiolo, Sauvages

Fiorita Centro

Dec06

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: October 29, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “another” Brunnello dinner, featuring the wines of La Fiorita. Liz Lee of Sage Society kinda co-hosted, but this wasn’t a full on Sage dinner (hey, only 4 courses — Liz would have had 10!). But any trip to Drago is good anyway, as Celestino and I have been friends for 20 years!

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

La Fiorita is a new and up and coming Brunello producer — more on it in a sec.

But first a bunch of us including Erick and Liz snacked on the patio with:

Arrancini “rice balls”.

Fried zucchini. About the only good zucchini is a fried zucchini!

Crab toasts.

Then we moved inside to this large central table.

A bit about the winemaker.

On the left is Natalie Oliveros, owner of La Fiorita. She’s a NY native with a love of wine and all things Italian. In the back is Chef Celestino Drago.

Photos are a bit rough tonight as I was evacuated from my home because of the California wildfires and had to use the cel phone camera!

2015 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino.

2014 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. VM 89. Medium red. Clean, fresh aromas of cranberry cocktail and spicy herbs. Then spicy in the mouth too, with savory herbs and red cherry flavors offering good intensity. Starts very savory and broad, then nicely integrated acidity gives the wine a more buoyant and linear mouthfeel while providing good grip. Finishes long and clean. A much less fleshy, tactile and musky Brunello from La Fiorita than the wines typically made here over the past decade, and I have to say I like this style better. (Drink between 2020-2027)

agavin: drinking great right now

Tonight’s menu — short by my standards.

Australian A5 wagyu steak tartare, shallots, chives, parmesan cream, truffle tuile. Nice dish, but if it’s Australian, it’s not “really” A5 — at least not the way the Japanese do it. No way are the Aussies — as wonderful as they are — going to massage the cows like the obsessive Japanese.

2011 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. 90 points. A bit more sour.

2008 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino. VM 88. Bright red-ruby. Subdued but precise aromas of strawberry, cassis and licorice. Nicely layered and rich, displaying an enticing sweetness to its red berry and red cherry flavors. Finishes a bit simple and only moderately persistent, but with fine-grained, pliant tannins and a strong note of violet. This attractive Brunello is ideal for early drinking.
Fresh fettucuni, shaved black truffle. Very nice simple pasta emphasizing the truffles.

2012 La Fiorita Brunello di Montalcino Riserva. VM 88. Good bright ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry and violet, plus a whiff of smoked meat. Big, deep and rich on entry, with black pepper and spice notes complicating savory dark berry and licorice flavors, but turns mountingly astringent in the middle and on the long, mouth-puckering finish. This broad, structured but ultimately only moderately complex wine could use a touch more grace and charm. (Drink between 2024-2029)

Braised ossobuco, broccolini, cipollini, creamy poleanta, salsa verde. Modern form factor on the ossobuco, and I actually prefer the classic messier one — particularly with a great risotto! Still this was good and one could scoop out the marrow!

NV Vigna Dorata Franciacorta Brut Saten. Nice inexpensive bubbly.

Chef’s selection of assorted cheeses.

The wine lineup.

Overall another fine evening at Drago Centro. The wines were great, Natalie Oliveros a lot of fun, and the food and company fabulous as well.

Still, as it was only 3 savory courses (plus our warm up) it was off to Korea Town for second dinner for us — Korean Army Stew!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brunello, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, DTLA, Italian cuisine, Wine

Montrachet Central

Apr10

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: March 14, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

This dinner is the second part of the annual White Burgundy Premox test series, hosted by Burg-meister Don Cornwell. This dinner covers 2011 Bienvenues-Bâtard, Criots-Bâtard,Bâtard-Montrachet, and Chevalier-Montrachet.

This particular dinner is at Drago Centro, which is the new home for these big dinners after the closing of Valentino. I’ve been a Drago fan (and friend) for years. Celistino Drago has even cooked at our house a bunch of times.

2011 White Burgundy is a vintage for those who prefer elegance and purity over power and concentration. It is the size of the wine that worried some white wine producers – many whites were willowy and gentle with low alcohol and modest acidity levels. This contrasts with the past several vintages – 2010, 2009 and the 2008 – where the overall frame and size of the wine was bigger. With the 2011s now either in bottle or about to be bottled, the wines have gained stature and flesh, though they will remain slim. What the best 2011 whites offer are seductive delicate flavours, purity of expression and delightful aromatics.

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

Drago!

There was a private party outside and the place was packed.

Fortunately, this time, we were in the vault room which is separate and quiet.

Our special menu.

Flight 0: Champagne

2004 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Coeur de Cuvée. VM 95. The 2004 Coeur de Cuvée has gained considerable weight, richness and resonance over the last few years. Brioche, almonds, marzipan, anise and dried flowers are some of the notes that flesh out in a radiant, super-expressive Champagne built on texture and class. The 2004 is every bit as impressive as it has always been. At eleven years of age, the Coeur de Cuvée is just entering an early plateau of maturity that is likely to last for at least a handful of years. Disgorged May 2012.

Mini crab cakes.

Sweet breads with caviar. Not my favorite as I don’t love offal.

Hamachi cones with roe and gold. A little mild in flavor. Could use a bit of spice or something.

Don imported (former) Valentino Wine Director Paul Sherman to mastermind the wine service for who-knows-how-many-years-in-a-row.

My friend, chef Celestino Drago checks to make sure everything is in order.

Grisini.

Fresh baked bread (Drago has its own bakery for the restaurant group).

Flight 1: BBM & Criots

2011 Domaine Leflaive Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 93+. ale, bright green-yellow. Precise, high-pitched aromas of lime, white flowers and crushed stone. Then juicy and supple on the palate, with enticing sweetness to its pure, sharply delineated flavors of lime and orange. Impeccably balanced Bienvenue with nothing fat or warm about it. Really sparkles on the powerful, mounting finish.

From my cellar: 2011 Etienne Sauzet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95. Mint, lime, lychee, jasmine and white pear notes abound in the 2011 Batard-Montrachet. This is an especially tense, vibrant Batard that stands out for its energy, distinction and pure class. Super-finessed throughout, the 2011 impresses on the finish, where its crystalline brilliance dazzles. The style is very much built on precision, energy and minerality, rather than opulence. Today the 2011 is understandably a bit tight, but it should be superb in another few years. What a beautiful wine.

2011 Domaine Jacques Carillon Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95+. arillon’s 2011 Bienvenues-Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru is total silk on the palate. Subtle, layered and exceptionally polished, the 2011 is all about texture. Exotic white truffle, mint, smoke and Chamomile notes are just starting to develop in the glass, but the 2011 has a long time to go before being ready. Riesling-inflected petrol notes add nuance on the finish. This is a seriously beautiful wine from Jacques Carillon.

2011 Henri Boillot Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 92-95. Bright yellow. Vibrant nose combines smoke, honey and sexy minerality. More concentrated and sweet than the Criots but with the verve–not to mention the saline density–of Boillot’s Pucelles. Lovely creamy old-viney texture and length. The minerally finish leaves the taste buds quivering.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. Light color, smells young and reductive but the palate is smooth doesn’t taste as young as it smells. Interesting wine that’s in a good spot and should remain here for at least a couple of years.

2011 Hubert Lamy Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 97. There is little doubt Olivier Lamy’s 2011 Criots-Batard-Montrachet is one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Utterly vivid and constantly changing in the glass, the 2011 captivates all of the sense – both hedonistic and intellectual – with a captivating mélange of exotic white flowers, crushed rocks and pears. The bright, crystalline flavors blossom beautifully in the glass in that sweet, perfumed, ethereal style that is the signature of Criots. What an utterly moving, delicious wine this is.

2011 Louis Jadot Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94. The 2011 Bienvenues Batard-Montrachet is huge. Rich, voluptuous and layered, the 2011 flows across the palate with stunning depth and richness. With time in the glass more subtle hints of almonds, hazelnuts, baking spices and mint emerge, albeit with great reluctance. There is plenty of energy in the glass. It will be interesting to see if the 2011 acquires more polish in bottle. Regardless, there is plenty to admire in a succulent, generous Bienvenues that is likely to offer a broad window of drinkability.

2011 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 92+. Pale yellow. Youthfully imploded nose hints at peach and smoky lees. Closed in the mouth as well, showing a slight bitter edge to the flavors of herbs, flowers and crushed stone. Best today on the juicy, echoing finish, which shows a subtle saline character.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Criots-Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94-96. Exotic white flowers, ginger, white pepper and lychee are some of the many notes that emerge from the 2011 Criots-Batard-Montrachet, a wine that dazzles from start to finish. The 2011 is pure seduction. Captivating aromatics, beautifully layered fruit and fabulous persistence are the hallmarks. Colin-Morey thought the 2011 needed a little more time in cask, and planned to bottle the wine later in the summer.

Jumbo scallops crudo, potato cream, onion jello and truffles. Very light dish and attractive plating. I was glad the scallops were raw — as I prefer them that way.

Flight 2: Bâtard-Montrachet

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 97. The 2011 Batard-Montrachet boasts serious richness, depth and structure. A wine of pure brawn and intensity, the 2011 impresses for its exceptional balance and harmony, but it is also very reticent and nowhere near ready to show the full breadth of its personality. The finish alone is simply sensational. Readers should give the 2011 at least a few years in bottle to settle down. The Batard is imposing, sensational and regal in every way.

2011 Domaine Bachelet-Ramonet Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet.

2011 Domaine Henri Boillot Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 95. Boillot’s 2011 Bâtard-Montrachet is striking. Pear, almond and spice notes open up in the glass, leading to bright fruit and expressive floral notes. In 2011 the Bâtard is linear, powerful and intense. This statuesque Burgundy is best left alone for at least several years.

2011 Domaine Leflaive Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94+. Pale bright yellow. Sexy perfume of lemon, lime, clove and white flowers. A step up in weight and power from the Bienvenue, but still with lovely lift to the generous flavors of ripe peach and spices. Wonderfully energetic, tactile wine with terrific rising length and grip, and a late mineral character that contributes finesse. But this big, rich, backward Batard will need time to express itself.

2011 Domaine Jean-Marc Pillot Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Vergers. VM 92. Pale, bright yellow. Subtle, pure nose offers pear and white flowers. Suave on entry, then juicy and sweet in the middle, with a minty lift contributing to the impression of inner-mouth perfume. Sappy, minerally, sharply delineated Chassagne with a positive iodiney character. This lively wine really coats the palate and lingers, without leavening any impression of undue weight.

2011 Etienne Sauzet Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 96. Gently spiced notes open into lemon oil and subtle yellow stone fruits in the 2011 Batard-Montrachet. The style is surprisingly weightless for Batard, in fact, this is one of the more refined, introspective 2011 Batards I tasted. The long, persistent finish along is striking. There is no shortage of nuance or finesse in this exceptional wine from Sauzet.

2011 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 93+. Good full medium yellow. Musky aromas of yellow peach, apricot and minerals lifted by a floral topnote. Boasts impressive volume and palate-saturating breadth but comes across as more closed than the Bienvenue in spite of its richness of texture. Finishes very long, though, with lingering notes of spices and smoke. Pernot recommends waiting three years before opening this.

2011 Pierre Morey Bâtard-Montrachet. VM 94. The 2011 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru blossoms in the glass with light, floral-infused honey. Chamomile, tangerine and hazelnut notes. Rich and voluptuous all the way through to the finish, yet never heavy, the 2011 is a model of finesse. This is another superb showing from Pierre Morey.

Rigatoni Kamut, swordfish and eggplant ragu. An unusual pasta dish. The texture (al dente) on the pasta was incredible. Really these seemed closer to a picci (but not exactly). Very nice soft mildly rich flavor.

Flight 3: Chevalier-Montrachet part 1

2011 Domaine Bernard Moreau et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 96. A wine of pure texture the 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet captivates all the senses. Mint, lime, white flowers and Chamomile all vow for attention in a pliant, expressive wine of the highest level. The 2011 has a level of inner richness that is simply waiting in reserve. Another few years in bottle should unlock all of that potential.

2011 Louis Jadot Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles Domaine des Héritiers Louis Jadot. VM 97. Honey, almonds, white flowers and nectarines all take shape in Jadot’s 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles. Exotic white truffle, orange peel and spice notes appear later, adding dimensions of complexity and nuance to this pedigreed Burgundy. The flavors continue to blossom in all directions as the wine opens up in the glass. Simply put, the 2011 Demoiselles is a stunner.

2011 Domaine de Montille Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Le Cailleret. VM 92+. Lemon, lime, crushed stone and some noble herbal high notes on the nose. Citrussy and penetrating, with a hint of youthful bitterness to the lime leaf and chalky mineral flavors. Very pure, juicy, mineral-driven wine with sneaky depth and a persistent, vibrating finish. This is 12.7% alcohol following about 0.3% of chaptalization, notes Alix de Montille.

2011 Francois Carillon Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95+. The 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet is drop-dead gorgeous. Hints of light floral honey, almonds and lemon oil are just beginning to develop, but the Chevalier-Montrachet is mostly a wine of texture and shape. Not a huge wine, the 2011 impresses for its incredible class and nuance. With air, slightly more exotic and tropical notes emerge, providing a hint of what waits for those lucky few who will be able to source this jewel of a wine.

2011 Bouchard Père et Fils Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 93+. Good bright, pale yellow-straw. Perfumed aromas of peach pit and vanillin oak, lifted by spicy high notes. Rich and concentrated but light on its feet. Shows sweet stone fruit flavors and very good breadth on the front half, then turns firmer and more saline on the back end, finishing dry and brisk, with lingering notes of citrus peel and white peach. Boasts a lovely core of sweet fruit but this will need patience.

2011 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95+. Subdued but pure aromas of pineapple, crushed rock and white flowers; less fruity today than the Bienvenue or Batard. Then fat and ripe but with terrific verve to the mineral and spice flavors. With a few minutes in the glass, this highly concentrated, electric wine came across as more tightly coiled, with its energy and cut becoming more apparent. Most impressive today on the extremely long, perfumed back end, which leaves the palate vibrating under a layer of mineral dust. Winemaker Remy says he wouldn’t start drinking this wine for 12 years.

Cioppino, assorted seafood, lobster broth. Fabulous seafood soup. Really a lobster bisque with various extremely fresh seafood.

Flight 4: Chevalier-Montrachet part 2

2011 Domaine Marc Morey & Fils Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Domaine Michel Niellon Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 95. Exotic white flowers, lychee, mint and lime blossom in the glass as the 2011 Chevalier-Montrachet shows off its compelling personality. Impeccably pure and layered throughout, the 2011 impresses for its exceptional balance and class. There is plenty of Chevalier richness and honey, but no excess weight or sense of heaviness at all.

2011 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 94+. Pale yellow. Slightly sullen, medicinal aromas of pineapple, menthol and crushed stone. Then taut and powerful in the mouth, with little early pliancy to the penetrating flavors of fresh pineapple and crushed rock. All in reserve today and in need of at least several years of cellaring. Classically dry on the high-pitched, echoing finish, which leaves behind piquant notes of dusty pepper, ginger, wild herbs and crushed stone. In the same bracing, mineral-driven style as Colin’s superb Meursault Perrieres and Corton-Charlemagne.

2011 Domaine Ramonet Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Vincent Dancer Chevalier-Montrachet.

2011 Etienne Sauzet Chevalier-Montrachet. VM 94+. Good pale yellow. Ripe, highly perfumed nose combines pineapple, flowers, mint and humid fern. Less obviously powerful than the Batard but offers insidious intensity and a more pliant texture to its yellow fruit and mineral flavors. Tightens up considerably on the back end, finishing subtle and long, with fresh minerality and a strong chalky character.

Pan roasted breast of duck, kumquat sauce. Great duck. Perfectly cooked and I loved the kumquat sauce (which was an interesting take on the orange duck thing). The forbidden rice was just there.

Appendix Flight: dessert

2002 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Eiswein. VM 93. This drinks like a pure and incredibly fragrant Normandy cider laced with lemon, vanilla and fresh strawberry. Weightless in feel, effortless gliding down, yet with incredible tenacity of grip.

Dark chocolate cremeux, cocoa almond, milk chocolate chantilly. The cake and its cream top was amazing. Really nice contrast of textures and strong chocolate flavors. The ice cream is gelato made by me (Celestino had it plated with the dessert):

After my advanced gelato class, trying a slightly new pistachio formulation — Pistachio Madeline Gelato — base uses my same awesome Pistachios from Bronte Sicily but also a small amount of egg yolk for extra body. I baked the Madelines from scratch and soaked them in hand made Grand Mariner syrup — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — oh my! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #Pistachio #lemon #orange #Sicily #GrandMariner #Madeline #cookie #baking

This one is also by me:

Getting whacky — Thai Peanut Coconut Lime Chili Gelato — Salty peanuts, Thai coconut cream, lime zest, and serrano chillies — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — almost too spicy! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #chili #spicy #thai #peanut #coconut #lime #SavorySweet #Serrano

Have a few glasses!

The reveal sheet.

And the full lineup.

Don’s notes on the wines:

It was interesting to “watch the race” for the top wine as I compiled the votes. The group’s top overall wine was the Bernard Moreau Chevalier Montrachet, which won despite getting fewer first place votes than the number two finisher, the Colin-Morey Chevalier (which was my favorite wine). Both were spectacular and easily the equal of the best 2010s (and I thought the PYCM Chevalier was clearly superior to his 2010 Chevalier.) Finishing third was the Jadot Demoisselles, which was easily the best version of that wine we’ve had since at least the 1996.
The huge difference in the number of oxidized and advanced wines between night one and night two was disconcerting. It demonstrates the risk of judging a vintage based on wines from a limited number of appellations. We had a large percentage of premox on night two, but with almost no premox on night one, at this point the cumulative statistics are right about even with 2010. (Hard to figure….)
The flight of Criots/BBM was maybe the best overall flight of those wines ever. Carillon was again the favorite of the flight as it usually is.
PYCM – Solid performance again, and the Chevy was spectacular, and probably the best he’s ever made. The Criots, Bienvenues and Batard, while all very good, were not as exciting.
Jadot — Three wines out of the four included finished in the top three over the first two nights. Jadot will go back on my “buy” list for their top wines starting with 2011. DIAM will probably restore their reputation, but the Bienvenues proved that you can still make bad wine despite DIAM.
The ringers – the Montille Puligny Caillerets (tied for No. 5 overall) was spectacular in context and nobody identified it as an obvious ringer in a flight of Chevaliers, which is what I had hoped. The Pillot Clos St. Marc (tied for 11^th), which comes from 100 year old vines in the best part of Vergers, also seemed to compete with the Batards, although it didn’t quite have the weight of the top ones. Maybe matching it with Bienvenues and Criots flight would have been a fairer fight. Finding really good ringers to include is one of the fun elements of this.
Leflaive – amazingly, all three wines were very good to excellent and not advanced or oxidized, though the style isn’t remotely the same as it used to be.
Ramonet – Obviously the least impressive showing for Ramonet since the premox disaster vintages in 1996 and 1999. I’m hoping that the Chevalier was an off bottle, but clearly that was the worst example of a Ramonet Chevy I’ve ever tasted.
Pernot – Both wines were again advanced. These wines seem to have notably declined since the 2007 vintage and are too often advanced.
Dancer – An enigma. Capable at time of producing spectacular wines (e.g. 2010 MP, the overall night one winner), yet also capable of producing horribly flawed, or in the past oxidized wines. Two disasters in 2011.
Boillot – On the second pass I concluded the Batard with the “blood orange” aroma was indeed advanced. Pretty underwhelming showing. Really hard to justify the insane pricing for the Boillot grand crus given the consistently poor premox performance.

Overall another highly education and fun evening. The wines were incredible and it is always amazing to taste so many great White Burgs side by side.

The food was a big step up from Valentino. Much better plating and more modern, sophisticated style. It’s still a touch plain by design as Don likes to keep it understated compared to the wines (while I, myself, am a bit more forgiving in the name of flavor). Service was excellent.

There is a lot to say about this tasting. The wine service was impeccable, and this is a difficult task (pouring lots of big blind flights). Overall service is absolutely first rate. It’s a large quiet room, and the staff was highly attentive. Celistino is a great host and his menu paired spectacularly.

Don has so many wines that the flights were too large. The first was 9 wines! And several were 8. Really this dinner could use 6 flights, no bigger than 5 wines each and about 6 savory dishes. But it’s a long evening as is, so I can understand why that might be pushing it. We debated going to Killer Noodle or KTown after but we were just a little too tired and full.

A great evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: 2011 White Burgundy, Bâtard-Montrachet, BYOG, Celestino Drago, Chevalier-Montrachet, Don Cornwell, Drago Centro, DTLA, Gelato, Paul Sherman, White Burgundy, Wine

Vietti Centro

Jan27

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2, 3]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: January 22, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

Back to Drago Centro for “yet another” Barolo dinner, this time hosted by Liz Lee of Sage Society and featuring Luca Vietti and the impeccable wines of Vietti, one of the most prestigious Barolo producers!

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

We had the private room and a LOT of stems!

The special menu.

2002 Billecart-Salmon Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut Millésimé. A super impressive bright young Champ.

Smoked salmon on fried toast.

Lobster potato croquettes.

Chef Celistino Drago in white, and our hostess Liz Lee of Sage Society in black on the right.

2015 Vietti Roero Arneis. 91 points. A very nice bright food wine.

Scallop crudo, EVO, yuzu dressing, parmesan crisp. Super bright and delicious with a bit of a Japanese vibe. Perfect wine pairing too.

Non shellfish version with yellowtail instead of scallop.

2011 Vietti Barbera d’Asti Superiore Nizza La Crena. VM 92. The 2011 Barbera d’Asti La Crena is deeply marked by the heat of the vintage and the inherent richness that emerges from these old vines. Black plum, dark cherries, licorice, melted road tar and smoke race across the palate in a deep, super-ripe Barbera that needs considerable bottle age to shed its baby fat.

agavin: our co-host Luca Vietti planted this vineyard 25 years ago!

2013 Vietti Barbera d’Alba Vigna Vecchia Scarrone. 90 points. Ripe, intense black fruit. Long, complex, rich and tasty. This is one I wish I could have spent more time with. It is very young and there is a lot going on. Should age beautifully.

agavin: Luca’s great grandfather planted these 100 year old vines right at the end of WWI!

Bread.

Quail and foie porchetta. Fig jam. This was the oddest dish of the night, cold quail (with the bone) stuffed with foie and pressed into a lump. Tasted pretty good, but the cold thing was a touch “unusual.”

For the vegetarian, a lovely Sicilian pasta with almond pesto.

2012 Vietti Barolo Castiglione. VM 93. The 2012 Barolo Castiglione is a gorgeous, radiant wine. Sweet red cherry, pomegranate, wild flowers and spices all meld together in a sensual, radiant wine endowed with striking presence and intensity. In 2012, the Castiglione is especially lifted, radiant and expressive, with striking purity and nuance. With time in the glass, the wine freshens up considerably, so aeration is a good idea for readers who want to open the 2012 early. This is a striking, seriously delicious Barolo from Vietti.

agavin: I really liked this elegant blended Barolo, made up of a number of grand cru vineyards.

2012 Vietti Barolo Brunate. VM 94+. A dark, powerful wine, the 2012 Barolo Brunate is the most brooding and inward of these wines. With time and a good bit of air, the Brunate becomes a bit more precise and nuanced, yet it remains a bit monolithic next to the other wines in the range. A host of savory herbs, licorice, tobacco and dark fruits meld into the huge, explosive finish. There is no shortage of depth or character, but increasingly the Brunate is being outclassed by some of its siblings. The competition is pretty tough at Vietti these days.

2012 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito. VM 96. The 2012 Barolo Lazzarito impresses for its precision and class, two qualities that aren’t easy to find in wines from this Serralunga site. Iron, smoke and white pepper lift from the glass in a vertical, structured Barolo endowed with real pedigree. A rush of pomegranate, red cherry jam, wild flowers and blood orange meld into the huge, bright finish. In 2012, the Lazzarito reconciles power and finesse like few vintages in the past. For the last few years, the Lazzarito has been knocking on the door of the big boys in this lineup, the Rocche and Ravera. Today, the Lazzarito makes a strong statement that it has arrived.

Spaghetti chitarra, venison and mushroom ragu. Celistino always knocks this kind of “traditional” pasta out of the park. Just a gorgeous meaty winter ragu. It might be almost a “simple” Bolognese, but this was a deathly good dish. The texture of the delicate pasta was delicious and the rich meaty/mushroomy ragu. Bellissimo!

The vegetarian pile O veggies.

2013 Vietti Barolo Rocche di Castiglione. A lineup of three giant monster Barolos!

2013 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito.

2013 Vietti Barolo Ravera.

Prime NY steak, chives sabayon, potato puree. Delicious!

The branzino version for the meat adverse.

Glasses anyone?

1999 Vietti Barolo Castiglione. VM 90. Medium ruby. Vietti’s Castiglione is a pretty, accessible Barolo. It offers a perfumed, floral nose and soft red fruit on a medium-bodied frame with fine but firm tannins and excellent length. My experience with this Barolo suggests it will reach full maturity around age 15. In 1999 Vietti did not bottle its Riserva Villero and that fruit ended up in the Castiglione, which no doubt contributes to this wine’s sense of overall balance.

2001 Vietti Barolo Rocche. VM 94. The mid to late 1990s were a period of considerable change in Piedmont, as the differences between traditional and more modern-leaning producers were especially marked during this time. Initially quite awkward, the 2001 Barolo Rocche takes a good few hours to come together. Now, fifteen years after the vintage, the track record for the 2001s is not as consistently brilliant as I had hoped. As a group, the wines are maturing faster and more unevenly than some of the surrounding top vintages, such as 1999 and 2004. Vietti’s 2001 Barolo Rocche is a good example of that. I very much like the wine’s demi-glace-like richness, but the bouquet only comes into focus after the wine has been opened for a number of hours. Even so, the 2001 gives the impression it will age faster than the 1999 tasted alongside it. These are pretty small quibbles, though, as all the wines in this flight are truly superb.

agavin: drinking superbly right now.

2001 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito. VM 92. The 2001 Barolo Lazzarito has aged quite well. Smoke, tar, incense and iron are some of the many notes that emerge from this powerful, intense wine. The Lazzarito shows considerable density and muscle, both of which will allow it to age gracefully. During this period Lazzarito was the wine that saw the greatest amount of French oak, and those notes, while present, are also nicely integrated.

Braised short ribs, risotto truffles. Amazing dish. Simple class truffle risotto perfectly executed with a nice fatty bit of meat on top!

And a version without the meat — still great.

1996 Vietti Barolo Brunate. VM 92+. Moderately saturated medium red. Complex, aromatic nose of redcurrant, camphor, mint, tobacco and brown spices. Lush, fat and chewy; denser and richer than the Castiglione Falletto bottling. Shows the powerful backbone and toothcoating tannins of the vintage. Late suggestion of mint.

agavin: powerful and racy.

1998 Vietti Barolo Lazzarito. VM 93. Saturated deep red. Highly perfumed nose combines raspberry, lead pencil, spices, dried flowers and truffle. Juicy, tight and high-pitched; sturdy, powerful and very firm. Finishes with serious but fine tannins and outstanding length. Very vigorous, youthfully unevolved Barolo with considerable aging potential.

agavin: drinking amazingly right now

1989 Vietti Barolo Rocche. VM 94. The 1989 Barolo Rocche is a bit reticent on this night. Although the 1989 is pretty, our bottles aren’t quite as explosive or intensely perfumed as the best examples can be. At its best, the Rocche is one of the finest 1989s. On this night though, the 1989 is merely outstanding. Much the same is true of the 1990 Barolo Rocche, which is very good, but also not quite as memorable as it has been in the recent past.

Assorted Italian Cheeses. Moleterno black truffle sheep pecorino. Roccaprina creamy goat cheese. Cassatica creme buffalo cheese.

Celistino drago in white and Luca Vietti in front of him in the blue sweater.

The full lineup.

Overall another stunning evening from Sage Society. The wines were incredible and it was amazing to taste such a variety and lineup (including 3 grapes and many grand cru Baroli) from such a storied producer — and even more amazing (and storied) to here Luca Vietti’s entertaining tales about the wines.

Plus, the food and service were amazing. Celistino is a great host and his menu, created by him and Liz Lee paired spectacularly. A great evening.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, Italian Cusine, Liz Lee, Sage Society, Vietti, Wine

Sauvages at Drago

Sep28

Restaurant: Drago Centro [1, 2]

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: September 25, 2015

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

For the second time this month its off to Drago Centro, this time for an epic Sauvages lunch of 2001 and older Barolo!

Located on busy Flower in DTLA.

We were situated in the “Vault” room, an awesome, huge private room over to the side of the restaurant (past the patio). It featured its own bar and kitchen and a huge table.

It’s worth noting that we had 23 people and 23 wines, so it was impossible to pour around. Therefore, we split the table into 2 sub tables, and each constructed four 3 wine flights based on the wines of those sitting on that side of the table. I matched the table 1 flights with the food, and grouped the table 2 flights all together at the end. I just didn’t know what else to do. It was just an excess of great Baroli.

Our special menu.

To begin with, a couple of us brought some nice Italian whites.

From my cellar: 2013 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis Vigne Sparse. 89 points. The 2013 Roero Arneis Vigne Sparse comes across as green and grassy in this vintage, with distinct Sauvignon-like inflections. Lemon peel, grapefruit, lemongrass and flowers are all expressive in the glass, but the overall impression is of an overly vegetal, aggressive wine that is best enjoyed sooner rather than later. The Vigne Sparse is always on the leaner side of Arneis. In 2013, that aspect of its personality is especially prominent.

2013 Luigi Boveri Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Derthona. Nice and acidic.

2012 Bruno Giacosa Roero Arneis. VM 89. Bright, pale yellow. Aromas of apple and flowers complicated by a musky leesy note (this wine spent just one month on its lees). Sappy, concentrated apple and honeysuckle flavors show noteworthy extract. Finishes with a refreshing bitter edge and lovely length and grip. A very good vintage for this wine. In comparison, noted Bruna Giacosa, the 2011 was less aromatic.

House selection of charcuterie. Various pig. Tasty, of course, although not one of the crazy good charcuterie plates like we had the previous week at Bestia.

1989 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 97. One of Domenico Clerico’s early masterpieces, 1989 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra opens with a gorgeous, captivating bouquet of soy sauce, smoke, tobacco and cedar. The wine possesses sumptuous richness and beguiling inner perfume in an intensely powerful, mineral-driven style that coasts the palate in stunning style. I am not sure the tannins will fully soften here, but readers lucky enough to own this wine are in for a thrilling ride. This is stunning juice!

agavin: amazing nose! Very nice mature Barolo.

1990 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 97. The 1990 vintage may have given Scavino a little more to work with as his 1990 Barolo Bric del Fiasc (3-liter) is utterly profound. Rich, dark and sensual, the wine flows onto the palate with marvelous concentration and depth. Layers of menthol, spices, sweet roses and dark fruit swirl around in the glass as this magnificent, regal Barolo struts its stuff. A veritable fountain of youth, this towering Barolo promises to drink spectacularly well for anoter two decades. From a standard bottle the 1990 is approachable, but readers lucky enough to own large formats will want to find a way to wait a few more years.

From my cellar: 1990 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Vigna Cicala. 94 points. Great typicity. Tar and pot purri, some dried roses but also a hint of rotten vegetable in a positive, interesting sense. Good sweetness in the middle and also solid acidity structure. Food wine with a lot of life ahead.

Veal agnolotti dal pin, brown butter, sage. One of those classic Italian pasta sauces with a rich veal feeling.

1997 Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini. VM 92. Good full red. Fresh, spicy aromas of cherry, camphor, licorice and dried flowers. Fat, sweet and pliant; a step up in complexity and concentration from the Arborina. Finishes very long, with lush, fine tannins. A very successful, thoroughly ripe ’97 Barolo.

1997 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 92. The 1997 is a flashy, opulent Bric del Fiasc, with layers of super-ripe dark fruit, chocolate, tar and alcohol that burst onto the palate in a display of awesome concentration and length. It is a big, weighty Barolo that promises to drink well for at least another decade.

1999 Paolo Scavino Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata. VM 96. In 1999 the Barolo Riserva Rocche dell’Annunziata is surprisingly virile and potent, with fabulous richness and enough pure intensity to continue to drink well for a number of years. The red-toned, floral flavors are remarkably fresh and vibrant. I find a little more finesse in the Carobric and Bric del Fiasc, but the Rocche dell’Annunziata is undoubtedly terrific. Some of the silkiness and pure sensuality typical of this La Morra site is missing, so readers should expect a powerhouse Barolo here.

Garganelli, pork sausage, fennel pollen, parmesan. Nice and al dente, with that rich sausage, the kind that they use on New York sausage pizza.

Making the risotto for the next course.

And some rack of lamb!

2000 Massolino Barolo Riserva dieci X anni Vigna Rionda. VM 95. The 2000 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda Dieci Anni represents the essence of refinement and elegance. Dried roses, tar, licorice, cherries and leather are some of the notes that spin out effortlessly from this sublime, pedigreed Barolo. Today the 2000 Dieci Anni is in an in between state where the earliest signs of tertiary aromatics suggest the wine might be close to being ready to drink, while the foreboding tannins tell another story entirely. This powerful, sensual Rionda needs at least another few years in bottle, but it is already shaping to be a beauty. This is one of the best Riondas Massolino has ever made. The Dieci Anni is a re-release of the 2000 Barolo Riserva Vigna Rionda from the estate’s library.

2000 Tenuta Pianpolvere Barolo Riserva Pianpolvere Soprano Bussia. VM 93. Pianpolvere Soprano’s 2000 Barolo Bussia Riserva is a terrific wine. It possesses gorgeous inner perfume to its ripe fruit, spices and sweet toasted oak. It is still primary and could use another few years to develop more nuance. While it doesn’t have the structure of the 1999, it is a beautiful, approachable Barolo to enjoy now and over the next decade or so.

2000 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano. VM 90+. The estate’s 2000 Barolo Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano displays a penetrating nose of spices, macerated cherries, and mint. The most complete of the three Barolos, it is at once brooding and closed, but at the same time intense, displaying generous amounts of sweet dark fruit with excellent persistence.

Roasted lamb rack, wild mushroom risotto, shaved truffles. Uh, this didn’t suck! Yummy mild risotto and perfectly cooked rare lamb — plus truffle.

2001 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 94. The 2001 Barolo Falletto impresses for its layered, silky personality. Sweet roses, tar, licorice and menthol are all woven together in this deceptively medium-bodied Barolo. There is plenty of muscle to back things up. Today the Falletto is quite a bit more delicate than it has been in the past.

2001 Massolino Barolo. VM 89+. The 2001 Barolo opens with aromas of roses, licorice and underbrush. Medium in body, it shows very pretty flavors of bright red cherry fruit and minerals with good persistence and a balsamic note on the finish. It is terrific normale that conveys the terroir of Serralunga.

Chef’s assorted cheeses. Always good with so much wine! Truffle cheese, and a few other medium hard ones.

mini chocolate bon bons. With a cherry center.

After all that Barolo, totally needed the expresso.

The whole gang (minus me taking the picture).

Overall another fabulous lunch. Drago really did a bang up job here. Not only was the food great, but they handled all the wine service in this crazy 2 table 23 person lunch. 4 flights, 3 glasses a flight, with two completely parallel sets of flights! That’s a lot to process.

For more LA dining reviews click here,

The “table 2” wines are below, as you can see they are just as good.

1989 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Vigna Cicala. VM 95+. After tasting the 1989 Bussia earlier this year, I was curious to check in on the Cicala. The Cicala is Aldo Conterno’s most masculine Barolo, as the soils here are extremely poor, and thus yield wines of great structure. The wine is dark ruby in color, with no signs whatsoever of age. The wine is rich and decadent, with generous flavors of dark cherries, spices, tar, and plenty of tannins. The Cicala appears to still very young and in need of further cellaring.

1990 Gaja Barolo Sperss. VM 96. Gaja’s 1990 Barolo Sperss is a sweet, seamless beauty endowed with gorgeous fruit. The wine possesses superb inner perfume and purity even if it doesn’t quite reach the level of Gaja’s most successful wines in this vintage. Still, this is pure 1990 and pure Serralunga.

agavin: fabulous

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 94+. Medium red. Musky, complex aromas of black raspberry, licorice and lead pencil. Large-scaled but penetrating; tangy raspberry flavors are given great precision by the wine firm spine of acidity. Almost painfully young today. Finishes with explosive, very persistent flavors and firm but thoroughly buffered tannins. A bit dominated by its powerful structure today, but this wine really blossomed with aeration.

1998 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 95+. Very good medium-deep red. Knockout Barolo nose in all its rustic splendor, showing everything from exotic fruits to smoke, game, tobacco, camphor and white truffle. Urgent, penetrating and supersweet, with nearly candied red fruit flavors saturating the palate. A youthfully aggressive wine that really needs a few years to calm down. Finishes with strong but fine tannins and great ripeness.

1997 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 93+. Full, saturated red-ruby. Sappy, high-pitched aromas of cherry, nuts and oak spices. Superconcentrated, spicy and sweet, but nearly as backward as a top ’96, with superb extract and powerful underlying structure. Finishes with substantial mouthdusting tannins and a late note of dark chocolate.

1997 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 92. The 1997 is a flashy, opulent Bric del Fiasc, with layers of super-ripe dark fruit, chocolate, tar and alcohol that burst onto the palate in a display of awesome concentration and length. It is a big, weighty Barolo that promises to drink well for at least another decade.

2000 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Riserva Monfortino. VM 98. I also very much like the 2000 in this flight. A model of total finesse and delicacy, the 2000 doesn’t have the volume or power of the 1997, but it is perhaps just a bit more finessed. Today, the 2000 is a bit shy. What might it blossom into in a few years’ time? I can’t wait to find out. From magnum, the 2000 Monfortino is pure seduction. Tasted from magnum.

2000 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala. VM 92. The 2000 Barolo Cicala opens with gorgeous notes of crushed berries. It is a relatively small-scaled, lithe Cicala that shows excellent freshness all the way through to the long finish. The wine gains freshness and focus in the glass, with suggestions of menthol and pine that add lift.

2000 Azelia Barolo Bricco Fiasco. VM 91. Full red. Nose dominated by flowers and brown spices. Rich, dense, fat and sweet, with a lovely pliant texture. Complicating note of tobacco. Finishes long and lush, with building, sweet tannins. Very true to the vintage.

2000 Giuseppe Rinaldi Barolo Brunate Le Coste. VM 96. The 2000 Barolo Brunate/Le Coste, tasted from magnum, is one of the wines of the vintage. Still imposing and massively structured, it is also one of the most imposing 2000s. It possesses marvelous richness and depth, with just enough radiance to make it approachable today. Almost. Readers who can still find magnums of the 2000 should not hesitate. This is a magnificent wine.

agavin: the table #2 people thought this was the WOTD.

2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Pajana. VM 90. The 2001 Barolo Pajana offers up freshly cut flowers, espresso, mint, leather, exotic spices and plums. The fruit still shows plenty of intensity and the tannins have softened, yet the Pajana remains a bit of a brute. There is enough fruit for the 2001 to drink well for another decade or so, but I don’t see this ever being a truly elegant Barolo.

2004 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra. VM 96. Conterno-Fantino’s 2004 Barolo Sorì Ginestra captures the essence of this great vintage. Exotic orange peel, spices, cedar, dark plum and menthol meld together in a big, structured Barolo endowed with considerable depth, power and enough structure to drink well for another decade or perhaps more.

By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, Celestino Drago, Drago Centro, Sauvages, Wine

Drago Centro

Sep11

Restaurant: Drago Centro

Location: 525 S Flower St, Los Angeles, CA 90071. (213) 228-8998

Date: September 3, 2015

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great high end Italian

I’ve been a Drago fan for years. Celistino Drago has even cooked at our house half a dozen times. Hedonist regular Larry has been wanting to setup a formal dinner her at the Downtown location for some some.

We were situated in the “Vault” room, an awesome, huge private room over to the side of the restaurant (past the patio). It featured its own bar and kitchen and a huge table.

Drago went full out with the wine glasses and the like, which is always nice even if I am used to bringing my own.

Our special menu.

The first amuse. Goat cheese and tomato tarts. Even I liked them — and I’m not a tomato fan.

Tuna tartar “sandwiches”. The roe gave this a nice briny flavor.

Pizza Margarita. Gooey cheese!

Special Sicilian olive oil.

On the left the Chef de Cuisine and on the right the Wine Director.

I brought a collection of “interesting” Italian white food wines because this is contrary to the usual surplus of “hearty reds.” And besides, they go with the food.

From my cellar: 2008 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. 91 points. Oxidative nose with some lemon zest and dairy notes as werll as yeast, macadamia, white meat and plaster. With time tropical fruit starts to emerge. Dry and a tad oily palate with deep acidic core and classy round tropical fruit of good concentration. Meadow flowers and wet earth. Some spritz upon opening and this wine needed quite a bit of time to find balance otherwise as well. Very good stuff, but will only get better with further cellaring.

From my cellar: 2010 Paolo Bea Arboreus. 90 points. Normally an intense amber hue, in the 2010 vintage the Arboreus in fact has quite a light color and initial presentation of aromas. The aromas build quickly once the wine is given a few swirls in the glass, revealing a truly magnificent bouquet of honey, white flowers, spices, reduced stone fruits, sweet petrol (a contradiction?), and, yes, cat urine. Mild tannins give the wine excellent body and structure. Great persistence of flavor.

From my cellar: 2011 Paolo Bea Santa Chiara. 95 points. Apple juice to dark amber colour. It showed pre-oxidized white wine characters. Interesting taste of apple, apricot, citrus, white flowers with aroma of smoke, tar, salted fish in between. Full body. Good acidity and rich mineral support. It’s so stylish and unique. Complicated aromatic profile. It kept changing at different temperature. An interesting and enjoyable orange wine.

King crab legs, lemon, basil aioli. Very fresh and simple. Went perfectly with the oxidative Italian whites.

Baby kale and barlett pear salad, pinenuts, shaved ricotta salata, champagne vinaigrette.

1996 Domaine Jean Grivot Richebourg. Burghound 92. A bottle opened in Burggundy showed quite differently than that opened at the big Richebourg tasting held in late 2001 with still reserved but elegant and spicy aromas that offer exceptional purity of expression followed by young, tight and powerful flavors that are racy, fresh and very long. This seems more refined than the bottle at the Richebourg tasting that was very much in a rough and tumble style with big, robust, almost aggressively tannic flavors supported by powerful black fruit and good if not exceptional extract.

agavin: unfortunately our bottle was a bit corked.

2005 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Riserva Granbussia. 95 points. What a glorious wine. One of the best wines of the 2005 vintage I have tasted. The wine displayed great balance, complexity, finesse and focus and finished with considerable length and elegance. The wine is drinking beautifully now and will provide great drinking for the next decade.

From my cellar: 1996 Gaja Langhe Nebbiolo Sperss. 94 points. evolved very nicely. Dark deep fruits with lovely aromatics; funk and brett not a problem with decanting. Amazing complexity, a lot happening in the mid palate and in the finish. Tannins and acidity will carry this forward but certainly enjoyable now.

2001 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Riserva Vecchie Viti dei Capalot e delle Brunate. 94 points. A delicious monster.

Pappardelle, roasted pheasant, morel mushrooms.

With cheese. This has always been one of my favorite pastas at Drago. The al dente bite on the pappardelle and the rich mushroom / pheasant sauce are fabulous. Off season, as this is ideally a winter pasta, but good anytime.

Roasted corn and ricotta agnolotti, parmesan, chile foam.

Truffle!

Prepping the next pasta.

And another.

1996 Tenuta San Guido Bolgheri Sassicaia Sassicaia. 93 points. Fresh, moderately deep ruby-red. Spicy, lively aromas of cinnamon and vanilla. Round in flavor and rather elegantly styled, but doesn’t offer the weight or impact of a major wine.

2003 Pichon-Longueville Comtesse de Lalande. Parker 95. Made from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 31% Merlot and 4% Petit Verdot, this spectacular 2003 hits all the sweet spots on the palate. A glorious bouquet of cedarwood, jammy black currants, cherries, licorice and truffle is followed by a dense, opulently textured, full-bodied wine with terrific purity and freshness as well as deep, velvety textured tannins. Enjoy this beauty over the next 10-12 years.

2003 Tua Rita Redigaffi Vino da Tavola. Parker 90. Tua Rita’s 2003 Redigaffi, 100% Merlot, opens with notes of over-ripeness on the nose. An initial suggestion of reduction blows of with air. It presents plenty of fruit, chocolate and toasted oak along with a richly concentrated, opulent personality, yet a note of gaminess and hard, unripe tannins ultimately convey the impression of a less polished version of this wine than is normally the case. My preference is to drink Redigaffi on the young side.

2005 De Suduiraut. Parker 93. Tasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château Suduiraut seemed a little out of sorts at first, although it comes together with honey, barley sugar, orange blossom and mineral scents that become more delineated as its aerates. The palate is very intense on the entry. There is a beautiful line of acidity that cuts through the viscous fruit, though the finish does not quite exude the precision of a top vintage, but still delivers that sense of class one expects from this address.

Seared foie gras, porcini mushroom cavatelli. I’m not sure I’ve ever had full on seared foie AND pasta in the same dish. It certainly didn’t suck. I loved the chewy bite from the cavatelli too.

Summer truffle fettuccini.

2006 Ridge Monte Bello. Parker 94+. While it is eclipsed by the brilliance of the 2005, the 2006 Monte Bello (68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, and 2% Cabernet Franc) is a very strong effort. Its dense purple color is followed by copious aromas of creme de cassis, licorice, spice box, and a touch of oak. Well-balanced, dense, pure, layered, and rich, its big, rich style is similar to the 2003. This cuvee should keep for 25-30 years in a cool cellar.

2002 Joseph Phelps Insignia Proprietary Red Wine. Parker 100! The 2002 boasts an inky/purple color along with notes of graphite, violets, blackberries, creme de cassis and hints of charcoal and barbecue in addition to a full-bodied, multilayered mouthfeel that builds incrementally with great purity, staggering fruit concentration, and a long, velvety, 50+-second finish. This prodigious effort should continue to drink well for 20+ years.

2001 Lokoya Cabernet Sauvignon Mount Veeder. Parker 100! An utterly perfect wine that exemplifies this extraordinary vintage for North Coast Bordeaux varietals is the 2001 Cabernet Sauvignon Mt. Veeder, which comes from the Jackson family’s Veeder Peak Vineyard. Unfortunately, slightly less than 300 cases were produced, so availability is limited. A dense opaque blue/purple color is followed by notes of lead pencil shavings, ink, blueberry liqueur, raspberries and black currants. The wine is super intense as well as extremely full-bodied and opulent with great structure, purity and density. (I know this sounds weird, but when I smelled and tasted it, it reminded me of the 2010 La Mission Haut Brion that I had tasted a month earlier, no doubt because of its volcanic/hot rock-like character.) This phenomenal wine is a modern day legend from Napa. Still a youngster in terms of its development, it should hit its peak in another 5-6 years and keep for 30+.

Squab, eggplant, and roasted garlic “risotto alla norma.” Nice gamey chunks of foul. Yarom was hoping for more “meat on the bone action.” Although truth is, I like it like this. These are basically tiny squab versions of duck breast.

Branzino, potato gnocchi, zucchini.

2005 Chateau de Fargues. Parker 95. Tasted blind at the 10-Year On Tasting in Sauternes. The 2005 Château de Fargues has a rich and intense bouquet with layers of honey, dried peach, beeswax and acacia that soar from the glass. The palate is powerful and authoritative: intense botrytis-rich honeyed fruit with compelling mineralité underneath. It fans out in glorious fashion – a stunning de Fargues that is now beginning to show its talents. As I remarked a couple of years ago, just afford it a couple more years so that it can fully absorb the vestiges of oak.

Mascarpone cheesecake.

Chocolate brownie, black mission figs, hazelnuts.

Market mixed fresh berries.

Overall a great evening, although not without its differing opinions in our highly opinionated group.

Service, particularly wine service, was first rate. We had our own dedicated servers and they were on it. For a change, I barely had to pour any wine. They had tons of glasses and worked the wine around in a perfectly timely fashion (extremely rare at big dinners). We did have a bit of a snafu in that we had 2 no-shows and we were very late giving the restaurant notice. Sort of a gray area and we should have sorted it out earlier and let them know.

The room and setting were amazing.

Food was for the most part great. The pastas were all fabulous. I was disappointed though in the desserts. Instead of those minis I would have preferred normal sized desserts that were striped around. I never find that minis like that are the best. The cheesecake was pretty good, but it was just one little morsel. Fruit never does it for me :-).

Wines were pretty good. I loved the whites, although they are perhaps too sophisticated for everyone’s palette. Was bummed the Richebourg was corked. We could have used some Brunello. I loved all the Nebbiolos. The super Tuscans were good too, but not as good as the Piedmontese wines. I didn’t think the big Americans really belonged, even though they were very good wines. They just don’t pair well with Italian. Too extracted. But of course the “hearty red” crew adored them — which is their prerogative.

This dinner was similar in many ways to the recent Michael’s dinner. Michaels was a slightly better deal, as we had more courses for less money. Maybe the DTLA markup, haha. Both have great food and which was better varied on a course by course basis. Michael’s had a more Italian wine lineup (which is our doing, not the restaurant’s), but we had a few off wines that night. Tonight only the Riche (cry) was corked.

Great evening!

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or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!