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Sunny Sauvages

Nov27

Restaurant: Chef James Lambrinos

Location: Pasadena

Date: May 13, 2022

Cuisine: Italian

Today’s Sauvages lunch was graciously hosted by Tim at at his beautiful home in Pasadena. This event is held outdoors and features Cru Baroli, 2007 & Older. We enjoyed a Northern Italian inspired menu prepared by Chef James Lambrinos, of Bistro 45 in Pasadena.

It was a toasty 100+ day in this gorgeous ridge-top setting.

So we hid under the shade and cracked some champagne!

And a white burg.

Jose brought in some caviar.

Pizza margarita.

Pesto pizza.

Then we moved back to this shady table for the main event.

Today’s menu.

2020 La Spinetta (Rivetti) Timorasso Colli Tortonesi Piccolo Derthona. VM 91. The 2020 Timorasso Derthona is a phenolic, savory wine. Orchard fruit, almond, citrus peel and white pepper all open in the glass. Racy floral and tropical accents add an exotic element that is quite appealing, (Drink between 2021-2025)

2020 Enrico Serafino Gavi di Gavi. 87 points. Tightly wound aromas of comice pear, Fuji apple . White stone river rocks, and a touch of almond butter. Mouth is quite acidic, With tart green apples coming your way. Very round with a nice mouth feel.

From my cellar: 2013 Giovanni Almondo Roero Arneis Vigne Sparse. VM 86. 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. (Drink between 2015-2016)

2018 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Langhe Chardonnay. VM 89. The 2018 Chardonnay Grésy is an attractive, soft wine to drink now and over the next few years. Lemon confit, almond, dried flowers and tropical accents all open in the glass. The 2018 is starting to show the first signs of flavor development. I would prefer to drink it over the next 2-3 years. (Drink between 2021-2024)

Halibut Crudo. Lemon infused olive oil & Maldon salt.

Jeff R brought: 1990 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. VM 96. Still young, it is simply magnificent on this night. Luciano Sandrone’s 1990 Barolo Cannubi Boschis is the wine that made him a super-star, and rightly so, as it is tremendous. Still, this is one wine where I am starting to see limited potential from further cellaring.

Jose brought: 1990 Parusso Barolo Bussia. VM 94. Similarly, the 1990 Barolo Bussia (magnum) is a touch more forward than the 1989 but it nevertheless impresses for a richly-textured palate of plums, spices, prunes and flowers. This is a very typical Bussia as seen through the lens of a warm vintage that has given the wine a gorgeous level of richness and roundness. Expressive aromatics are woven throughout, adding further shades of complexity and dimension. Here, too, the higher percentage of French oak detracts a touch from the finesse of the tannins and the sheer elegance of the wine, especially when compared with the 1989. (Drink between 2013-2020)

Tim O brought: 1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 95. The 1996 Barolo Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba is one of the many overachieving White Labels Bruno Giacosa made when he was at the peak of his powers. Dark, brooding and structured, the 1996 will reward readers with at least two more decades of exceptional drinking. The White Label is a bit less dense and explosive than the epic Red Label Riserva, but it nevertheless captures all the personality and character of the year. This is a superb showing. (Drink between 2016-2046)

Emil brought: 1996 Conterno Fantino Barolo Sorì Ginestra. 93 points. Rich, intriguing, earthy, pepper and roasted meat nose; gorgeous roasted meat and sage palate with good acidity; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

John brought: 1997 Prunotto Barolo Bussia. VM 92. Deep red. Spicy, lively aromas of dark berries and dark chocolate. Chewy and dense; the enticingly sweet red berry flavors are kept fresh by harmonious, ripe acidity. Finishes firmly tannic and long, with hints of cocoa powder and mocha.

Wild Mushroom Raviolo. Porcini sauce. The world’s largest single ravioli! Delicious with that reduction.

From my cellar: 1999 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 94. Giacosa’s 1999 Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto is a true classic. Laced with rose petals, tar and camphor, the 1999 is textbook Barolo from one of Serralunga’s very finest sites. What a wine!

Kirk brought: 2000 Roberto Voerzio Barolo Brunate. VM 96. The 2000 Barolo Brunate is a fabulous, explosive wine. Still impossibly young and vigorous, it shows remarkable intensity and power. Sweet, balsamic notes develop in the glass, lending further notes of darkness and seductiveness. This is a beautiful, centered Brunate that is sure to provide fabulous drinking for another two decades. (Drink between 2015-2030)

Tim C brought: 2001 Elio Grasso Barolo Ginestra Casa Maté. VM 94. Time to move on to the reds. The 2001 Barolo Ginestra Vigna Casa Matè from Elio Grasso is outstanding. There are plenty of Ginestra signatures in the glass. At the same time, I can’t help noting that this small, family-run estate has since gone on to far greater heights. Still, the 2001 is an early gem from Gianluca Grasso.

Wade brought: 2004 Roberto Voerzio Barolo La Serra. VM 94. The 2004 Barolo La Serra is just starting to show the first signs of tertiary evolution. The typically firm La Serra tannins have now softened, making the 2004 an excellent choice for drinking over the next decade or so. Today, the 2004 shows a darker profile than is often the case, with leather, spice and cedar notes that add shades of nuance throughout. La Serra can at times be a bit angular in style, but that is not at all the case in 2004. (Drink between 2015-2024)

Larry brought: 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. (Drink between 2015-2026)

Petaluma Duck Confit Fettuccine. Pecorino. Fresh pasta.

Jeff K brought: 2004 Podere Rocche dei Manzoni Barolo Vigna Cappella di Santo Stefano. VM 96. The 2004 Barolo Cappella di Santo Stefano is drop-dead gorgeous. The wine reveals notable clarity in its translucent, violet-hued color. Vibrant dark cherries, tar, smoke, sweet herbs and toasted oak sweep across the palate in a stunning expression of Nebbiolo and the high-altitude Perno vineyard in Monforte. This wine is all about precision, delineation and striking balance. The oak is beautifully integrated and the tannins convey an impression of vitality and poise. This is an emotional, breathtaking Barolo of the highest level. (Drink between 2014-2029).

Albert brought: 2007 Prunotto Barolo Bussia. VM 93+. Good deep red. Wild, aromatic nose offers black fruits, sour cherry, licorice, marzipan and spices. Velvety, deep and utterly seamless, but with superb freshness for the year. Impressively primary too. Finishes with firm tannic spine and terrific length. “Give this three to five years for the tannins to resolve,” suggests Torrengo.

Gino brought: 2007 Pio Cesare Barolo Ornato. VM 94. Quite closed on the nose, with the oak element in the foreground. Then hugely rich and opulent in the mouth, with an utterly smooth texture that goes beyond the other 2007s here. The concentration of plummy red fruit is accentuated by the wine’s energy. Explosively long finish saturates the entire mouth with rich tannins.

Eric brought: 2007 Giacomo Conterno Barolo Cascina Francia. VM 94. Good medium red. Superripe aromas and flavors of cherry, raspberry, smoke, mocha and underbrush. Plush, large-scaled and harmonious from the outset; utterly seamless. This classically dry Barolo, which includes the Monfortino juice, is as chewy as a solid. Saturates the entire palate with broad, ripe tannins. If I had to quibble, it lacks the energy and force of the very best vintages, but it’s a mouthful of pleasure.

2006 Parusso Barolo Bussia. VM 95. The 2006 Barolo Bussia reveals a multitude of balsamic, mineral-infused aromas and flavors. Large-scaled and dramatic, the Bussia sweeps across the palate, showing off tons of pedigree and sheer class. The Bussia is quite a bit more backward than the Le Coste-Mosconi, and it will require considerable cellaring, but it is a beauty. Flowers, spices and minerals waft out of the glass on the sensual, ethereal finish. I also tasted the Riserva version of this wine, which won’t be released for a few years. For now, let me just say the 2006 Riserva is shaping up to be an important wine in this vintage. (Drink between 2018-2031)

Free Range Veal “Scallopini.” Tuscan white beans & rainbow carrots, Italian herb demi.

2013 Capezzana Vin Santo di Carmignano Riserva. 94 points. 100% Trebbiano, 7 years of aging. Nougat, Hazelnut cream to the palate. wonderful wine.

Cheeses and condiments.

Coconut Cream Pie Gelato — Coconut dairy custard base, house-made Graham Crackers, and house-made Coconut Caramel — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #coconut #caramel #grahamCrackers #cookies

Strawberry Margarita Sorbetto! — like a frozen cocktail — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Strawberries from Avignon, blended with fresh lime, Reposado Tequila and Cointreau –#SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #strawberry #Margarita #cocktail #Tequila #Cointreau

My notes.

The lineup.

The ladies gather for their own table.

Inside where they basked in the A/C.

Overall, a delicious afternoon — food and wine both! Really just a fabulous setting and great company. Thank you very much to Tim for hosting!

Barolo was generally great as well :-).

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barolo, Bistro 45, BYOG, Chef James Lambrinos, Gelato, Italian Cusine, lunch, Pasadena, Sauvages, Wine

Truffles at Roccos

Aug21

Restaurant: Dinner at the Borgese’s [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7]

Location: Santa Monica

Date: December 1, 2021

Cuisine: Italian influenced gourmet home cooking

Rating: Awesome

Dinner at the Borgese’s is a special house dinner in Santa Monica cooked by the stunning pro-level home chef Borgese couple. Tonight’s dinner is another truffle themed dinner!

The dynamic Borgese team consists of Rocco, his lovely wife (and the main kitchen chef), and his daughter (helping out with service).

Their house has not only a wine cellar, but a cheese and meat larder!

Plus all this incredible wood fired oven set up.The wine lineup. Not too shabby.

Our outside table.

Tonight’s special menu.

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)

Truffle!

Rocco with said fungus.

2013 Louis Latour Chevalier-Montrachet Les Demoiselles. 94 points. Ready to go this is singing. A classic Montrachet, this has a perfect balance between clean linear notes and a wonderful buttery palate. This just emphasizes how Louis Latour competes against the prestigious label brands. This more than holds its own at a lower price.

2016 Vin Blanc de Palmer. 89 points. I had slightly older versions of this that I liked more. found it a bit new-world style with strong pineapple hints. perhaps in need of more time.

2013 Domaine Rémi Jobard Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières. VM 93. Pale-medium yellow. Bright aromas of lemon, lime, peach skin and nut oil. Densely packed and tactile but with lovely minty lift and energy to its lightly saline fruit salad flavors. Tactile and slightly phenolic but still shows a lovely light touch. Finishes with resounding minerality. Half of this wine is from vines between 25 and 30 years of age, the other half from 85-year-old vines. (Drink between 2020-2029)

Carpaccio di Filet Mignon al Tartufo Bianco. Filet mignon Carpaccio with White Truffles. Thin, delecate, and delicious.

1996 Colgin Cabernet Sauvignon Herb Lamb. VM 93+. Saturated ruby. Penetrating aromas of cassis, black cherry, licorice and shoe polish; essence of Napa cabernet. Superb purity of dark berry flavor, complicated by mineral and spice notes. The wine sweetness is quite restrained owing to its firm spine of tannins and acids. A classic rather than exotic style of cabernet, in spite of the vintage’s tendency toward roasted ripeness. Extremely long on the aftertaste; the somewhat tough tannins will require at least a few years of bottle aging.

1961 Château Gruaud Larose. VM 95. The 1961 Gruaud Larose from bottle curiously shows better than a magnum that was poured around the same time elsewhere. There is more flamboyance on the nose, a mixture of red/black fruit, pressed flowers and a sprig of mint. The palate is sorbet fresh on the entry with a fine bead of acidity. There is something almost sanguineous about this Gruaud Larose with a vibrant, perfectly balanced and structured finish that is pure class. Funny how this shows much better than the magnum – there you go. Tasted at the 1961 dinner Chairman Miaow’s in Hong Kong. (Drink between 2019-2040)

Midollo Osseo con Tartufo Nero. Bone marrow with Black Truffles. This is a Yarom dish as he loves bone marrow. This was a good bone marrow, but it isn’t my thing being pure fat without much specific flavor.

2007 Domaine Fourrier Gevrey-Chambertin 1er Cru Clos St. Jacques Vieille Vigne. VM 94. Bright deep red with ruby highlights. Knockout nose combines dark raspberry, smoked meat, minerals and crushed rock. Tactile and chewy as a solid yet almost magically light on its feet, with terrific definition and lift to the palate-staining red berry, smoke and floral flavors. This superbly ripe wine boasts an outstanding core of dense, sappy fruit. Finishes with great length.

From my cellar: 2001 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. VM 94. The 2001 De Vogüé Bonnes Mares exhibited uncommon depth and richness in the luxuriousness of its vibrant fruit, with a personality that was delicate yet powerful. Still very much an infant, it was a privilege to catch this gorgeous wine in its youth.

Quaglia Ripiena su Polenta. Stuffed quail over polenta. Now this is a to die for dish. The polenta is nice and juicy and the stuffing is amazing.

1989 Château Palmer. VM 97. The 1989 Palmer has vied with the 1983 as the highlight of the decade, so it is fascinating to revisit it at 30 years old. It has a wonderful bouquet of degraded red berry fruit, singed leather and hints of game and mint, beautifully defined and still so fresh, yet undeniably old-school in style. The palate is medium-bodied with supple tannin and still brimming with vigor, delivering a fine bead of acidity and a touch of cracked black pepper. A very detailed, engaging finish urges you back for another sip. A brilliant Palmer, and judging from this showing, it has another two decades of pleasure to give. Tasted from an ex-cellar bottle at the château. (Drink between 2019-2045)

1989 Château Montrose. VM 98. The 1989 Montrose is a magnificent wine and this represents one of the best bottles I have encountered – one that was purchased on release and not moved from Berry Brothers’ cellar since. I have encountered perfect bottles of the 1989, and this flirts with that magic figure. It is blessed with a captivating bouquet of blackberry, raspberry, sous-bois and black truffle, the veins of blue fruit just toned down a little compared to previous bottles. The palate is supremely well balanced with those filigreed tannins that in some ways are atypical of Montrose. It delivers silky-smooth texture and an intense finish that glides across the senses. I cannot give a perfect score on this occasion, but without question, this is one of the great Montrose releases. Tasted at the 1989 Bordeaux dinner at Hatched in London. (Drink between 2019-2050)

2000 Château Pavie. VM 96. The 2000 Pavie was tasted on two occasions. The first was from bottle at the château, where I felt it was quite sauvage and displayed more brettanomyces than I remembered. It was a peculiar showing. Then I tasted a magnum back in the UK, and this chimed more with previous bottles. Blackberry and crème de cassis feature on the nose, which is precocious and modern in style, though the new oak that once dominated this Saint-Émilion is now subsumed. The palate is full-bodied and dense, yet it does possess an alluring, silky texture. A sweet, precocious finish lingers extremely long in the mouth. (Drink between 2023-2045)

Pasta al Uovo con Tartufo Bianco. Homemade egg pasta with White Truffles. Very simple, very excellent.

2002 Abreu Madrona Ranch. 97 points. Just superb and plenty of life left, at least 10 years. A strong core of fruit enveloped by silky tannins. Everything you would want in a Cali Cab.

2005 Colgin Cariad. VM 97. The Cariad is the most severe of the 2005s. Early signs of aromatic development are just starting to appear, but the 2005 remains quite backward, dense and brooding. There is an element of explosive energy in the 2005 that I find especially appealing. Hints of rose petal, mint, cherries, smoke and white pepper gradually unfurl in the glass, but 2005 still hasn’t hit its stride. (Drink between 2017-2027)

2012 Schrader Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon “Old Sparky” Beckstoffer To Kalon Vineyard. 97 points. Classic ripe new world style, massive black and blue fruits, spice box, vanilla, great balance and texture. I’ll be honest, it’s lacking a bit in complexity and I was expecting more given the scores. It’s very very good however, so don’t get me wrong… I just expected more.

Bistecche alla Fiorentina Cotte a Legna. Wood fired Florentine Steaks. Awesome steak — not over cooked!

Verdure cotte a Legna. Wood fired vegetables: in this case eggplant.

Carrots.

Extra polenta and gravy.

1967 Château Suduiraut. VM 93. Tasted on several occasions, the 1967 Suduiraut is inconsistent from bottle to bottle. Like the previous bottle it has a strong Barsac-inspired nose that, as I have remarked before, might dupe you into thinking Climens. The palate is balanced and underpinned by a wonderful line of acidity that slices through the marmalade and quince notes. This is one of the few Suduiraut vintages from this era that improves with aeration and stands as one of the best wines of the decade. However, due to inconsistent showings over the years, you should cross your fingers and hope yours is good one. 70gm/L r.s. 14.8% alcohol. Tasted at a private dinner in London. (Drink between 2019-2028)

Passion for Pistachio Gelato — Sicilian Pistacchio di Bronte DOP custard gelato base with just a touch of Grand Mariner, ribboned with bits of Valrhona Dark Chocolate Passionfruit Ganache — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #pistacchio #bronte #Sicily #Valrhona #Chocolate #Passionfruit #GrandMariner #Ganache

Peach Rose Sorbetto — A blend of White and Blood Peaches from Avignon with a bit of Persian Rosewater! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — I’ve tried variants of this flavor several times and am at 1/8 the rosewater I started with, still titrating down! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #BloodPeach #rose #rosewater #peach

Overall, this was an amazing dinner, and the Borgese’s just keep amping up the quality.

First of all, the Borgese hospitality was awesome, the house lovely, and the food absolutely incredible. One of the best “home cooked” meals I’ve had. Maybe ever if you restrict it to chefs cooking in their own home kitchen. Just amazing. Every dish was great. Rustic but extremely delicious style. Superb homemade pastas. My gelato was darn good too :-).

Service was handled by the youngest Borgese (teen daughter) and was better than most restaurant staff. Super friendly and you can tell they do this a lot.

Wines were, as you can, pretty darn impressive! It should be noted that tonight’s meal had less distinct dishes than some of our previous meals, probably because of the “all truffle” theme, and as such I probably entered the steak course with more room than I might have — however it didn’t take very many slices of steak and spoonfuls of polenta to become stuffed to the gills so all good.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
Comments (0)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: beef, BYOG, Gelato, hedionists, Italian Cusine, Santa Monica, Truffle, Wine

Uni at the Borgese’s

Mar23

Restaurant: Dinner at the Borgese’s [1, 2, 3]

Location: Santa Monica

Date: February 6, 2020

Cuisine: Italian influenced gourmet home cooking

Rating: Awesome

Dinner at the Borgese’s is a special house dinner in Santa Monica cooked by the stunning pro-level home chef Borgese couple. Tonight’s theme is UNI!

The dynamic Borgese team. Rocco in the center, his lovely wife (and the main kitchen chef on the left), his daughter (helping out with service) on the right of her and our Somm on the far right.

Their house has not only a wine cellar, but a cheese and meat larder!

Plus all this incredible wood fired oven set up.

Rocco apparently shucked 20-30 fresh Santa Barbara Unis in preparation for this dinner.

Some live lobsters twitch in the bowl too.

Steaks ready for the cooking.

Since it was a “wintery” Febuary evening, we ate inside in the dining room as opposed to out on the lovely patio.

Our special Uni menu.

NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 163eme. VM 95. The NV Grand Cuvée 163 Edition is wonderfully open-knit and giving, qualities that make it a terrific choice for drinking now and over the next 30 or so years. Pastry, apricot, lemon confit, chamomile and white flowers, along with soft contours, give the wine its inviting, alluring personality. There is more than enough energy and overall freshness to support several decades of fine drinking. Even so, the 163 is virtually impossible to resist at this early stage. (Drink between 2017-2037)

Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition — unknown edition.

Riccio di Mare con Tartufo. Sea urchin with truffle. Two ways, one close to plain with sea-salt and the other with truffles. I think I actually like the plain more, but both were great.

2009 Dom Pérignon Champagne Luminous. 94 points. We are not sure if they play with the dosage on the Luminus given its designed for Party time but this felt softer than the usual 2009 (Papies 93) more approachable and lusher in a way. The fact that we had this in a club does not qualify for a full TN and hence no score but we do have to say that for party purposes the Luminous reigns supreme and definitely has a start & wow factor like no other.

Trish brought (thanks!): 1993 Dom Pérignon Champagne P2. 95 points. Light Amber color, good nose, nice palate feel, good bubbles and good finish.

Crostini con Burro al Riccio di Mare. Sea urchin butter crostini. Really nice crostini with a good bit of acidity to balance it out. This was even yummier than the bites.

2007 Ruinart Champagne Dom Ruinart Brut Rosé. VM 96. The 2007 Dom Ruinart Rosé is another brilliant wine from Chef de Caves Frédéric Panaiotis in his first vintage at the house. Delicate, nuanced and wonderfully polished, the 2007 is airy and gracious in feel, with superb aromatic intensity and exceptional balance. Sweet floral notes, mint, spice and crushed red berries are all laced together in this very pretty, gracious Rosé. More finesse than power, the 2007 is positively sublime. (Drink between 2019-2037)

From my cellar: 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut. VM 97. The 2007 Comtes de Champagne Rosé is a total knock-out. Racy and exuberant in the glass, the 2007 wraps around the palate with stunning textural depth and resonance. The 15% still Pinot adds structure and persistence to a creamy, inviting Rosé Champagne that will leave readers weak at the knees. Hints of rose petal, dried cherry, cinnamon and dried flowers meld into the sublime finish. This is about as good as it gets. Wow! (Drink between 2018-2038)

2006 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Rosé Brut. VM 96. The 2006 Taittinger Comtes de Champagne Rosé is at once rich and refined, a simply fabulous Champagne Rosè I won’t soon forget. Intensely perfumed, with the Pinot Noir-derived red berry and cranberry flavors that are not just concentrated, but also remarkably pure. It is one of the better Rosé bubbles I have had in the last year. (Drink between 2018-2036)

Brodo al Riccio di Mare. Sea urchin bisque with spiny lobster. This was incredible. Lovely presentation in the shell too and featuring a super rich sea urchin bisque — much like a lobster bisque — with lots of lobster.

2012 Louis Jadot Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 93. There is a hint of menthol sitting atop pretty aromas of acacia blossom, spiced pear and white peach scents. The delicious, muscular and pure broad-shouldered and powerful flavors possess fine size and weight that continues onto the concentrated and impressively persistent if presently compact finish. Those who enjoy their white burgs young should note that while this is very promising there isn’t great complexity at this early stage so I would very much be inclined to allow this to age for at least 8 to 10 years first. (Drink starting 2020)
By Allen Meadows

2013 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Charmes. BH 91-94. A background whiff of SO2 is barely noticeable and does not compromise the attractiveness of the layered and intensely floral nose of almond, white peach, pear and softly spice-infused aromas. There is good volume and richness to the appealingly crisp, stony and energetic medium-bodied flavors that possess a clean, focused and beautifully textured finish. (Drink starting 2021)

2006 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. VM 95. Bonneau du Martray’s 2006 Corton-Charlemagne (magnum) opens with a super-classic bouquet of slate, crushed rocks and hints of reduction. Bracing and intense and energetic, the 2006 flows with superb focus and pure mineral-drenched cut. From magnum, the 2006 is simply dazzling and appears to have many years of fine drinking ahead of it. 95 (Drink starting 2014)

Rocco shows off the live lobsters.

Aragosta con Crema al Riccio di Mare. California Spiny Lobster with Sea Urchin Cream. Delicious “lobster salad.” Really a fabulous dish.

2017 Sine Qua Non Tectumque. VM 93. Just bottled, the 2017 White Wine The Tectumque is rich, unctuous and full of character. Dried pear, almond, honey and wild flowers all infuse this rich, flamboyant wine. The 2017 is built on a core of co-fermented Roussanne and Petit Manseng, which yields a white with intriguing layers of savory complexity. I find that the Sine Qua Non whites need time to come together in the cellar and show their best with at least a few years of bottle age. I suspect that will be the case here as well. (Drink between 2021-2029)

From my cellar: 2012 Paolo Bea Arboreus. 94 points. Complex and unique, but also, like, whatever. It is basically watered down sherry. Quite honeyed nose. Dry. Oily. Seaside wax texture. Etc. Oxidized in the manner of the style. Gained weight with time open. Perfect pairing for uni.

Pasta al Riccio di Mare. Sea urchin pasta. Scrumptious creamy pasta. Not super urchiny, but amazing all the same. A bit reminiscent of this one.

From my cellar: 1985 Nicolas Potel Puligny-Montrachet 1er Cru Les Combettes. BH 91. A very fresh yet mature nose of citrus, white flower and lightly toasted nut aromas combines with round and vibrant middle weight flavors that possess a seductive and rich mouth feel, all wrapped in a sappy and mouth coating finish. This is really a lovely effort with complexity and ample finishing punch and is a wine that will continue to hold well if not improve. (Drink between 2007-2009)

agavin: Lovely. Also a good uni pairing due to its maturity.

Risotto al Riccio di Mare con Halibut. Sea Urchin Risotto with Halibut. The risotto was delicious, maybe just a hair thick or “dry” (just a bit shy of perfect), but delicious. Halibut is a plain fish, but the risotto offset this nicely.

Marcassin Fake pinot (can’t read the vintage).

2005 Château Ducru-Beaucaillou. VM 94. Good deep ruby-red. Wonderfully sweet, aromatic nose combines currant, chocolate and cedary oak. Fat, lush and silky, with atypical volume to the flavors of plum, tobacco and chocolate. Wonderfully supple, plump wine with layers of flavor, thoroughly sweet tannins and compelling aromatic persistence. Today the wine’s substantial baby fat is masking its impressive underlying power. According to Borie, this 2005 combines the best traits of the chateau’s 2003 and 2000.

2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape. VM 95+. Deep ruby. Powerful, pungent aromas of kirsch, dark berries, smoky herbs and spicecake, with notes of black olive and tobacco coming on with air. Chewy, palate-staining dark fruit flavors are complicated by bitter chocolate, licorice and black cardamom. Acts like a 2005 today, with serious structure but also superb depth of powerful, densely packed fruit. A hint of cherry skin adds grip and refreshing bitterness to the long, smoky, focused finish. Not an easy read right now: this demands cellaring. (Wines of France , Mountainside, NJ)

Bistecca Fiorentina. Giant slabs of rare beef. Nicely salted and bloody delicious.

Optionally, we gussied the steak up with more truffle!

Roasted eggplant with olive oil and salt. I loved these.

Roasted carrots.

My first gelato as an intermezzo.

Coconut Lime Sorbetto — bright lime flavors — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Thai Coconut, Lime Juice, and a touch of Dark Vanilla Rum — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #coconut #lime #rum

Almond cake by the Borgese’s.

By coincidence, my second gelato was a perfect pairing.

Almond Amaretto Truffle Gelato — Amaretto Zabaglione (egg yolk, amaretto, and sugar custard) Sicilian Almond gelato base with stacked layers of house-made Valrhona Almond Amaretti Ganache — 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 #almond #amaretto #amaretti #cookie #ganache #ChocolateTruffle

So we plated the almond truffle and the cake together. Match made in heaven.

The wine lineup. Not too shabby.

On the left our too awesome young servers, in the center our somm, and to the right the real chef, Lady Borgese.

Overall, this was an amazing dinner, probably my favorite of the three Borgese dinners — mostly because I love uni and seafood.

First of all, the Borgese hospitality was awesome, the house lovely, and the food absolutely incredible. Best “home cooked” meal I’ve had. Maybe ever if you restrict it to chefs cooking in their own home kitchen. Just amazing. Every dish was great. Rustic but extremely delicious style. Superb homemade pastas. My gelato was darn good too :-).

Service was handled by the youngest Borgese (teen daughter) and her friend (both pictured above) and was better than most restaurant staff. Super friendly and you can tell they do this a lot.

Wines were good. Not AS good as at the previous two events. Mostly whites and champagnes, which I love, but not everyone else has as deep a cellar in this department. My favorite was my whacky Umbrian white, the BEA Arboreus because being partially oxidized it’s an amazing uni pairing.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Dinner at the Borgese's, Gelato, hedonists, Italian Cusine, pasta, Rocco Borgese, Uni, Wine

Boar at the Borgese’s

Feb24

Restaurant: Dinner at the Borgese’s [1, 2, 3]

Location: Santa Monica

Date: January 6, 2020

Cuisine: Italian influenced gourmet home cooking

Rating: Awesome

Dinner at the Borgese’s is a special house dinner in Santa Monica cooked by the stunning pro-level home chef Borgese couple.

The dynamic Borgese duo.

Their house has not only a wine cellar, but a cheese and meat larder!

Plus all this incredible wood fired oven set up.

Pasta and steaks at the ready.

Since it was a “wintery” January evening, we ate inside in the dining room as opposed to out on the lovely patio.

From my cellar: 2007 Taittinger Champagne Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs Brut. VM 96. Taittinger’s 2007 Comtes de Champagne will be nearly impossible to resist upon release. Soaring aromatics, mid-weight structure and soft contours give the 2007 its alluring personality. Lemon oil, white flowers, mint, chamomile and green pear add brightness and freshness throughout, with a persistent, clean finish that makes it impossible to resist a second taste. Today, the 2007 comes across as a slightly more open version of the 2004, with freshness that makes that wine so appealing, and a touch of textural richness that recalls the 2002. Although the 2007 does not have the explosive energy or verticality of the profound 2006, it will drink better earlier. The 2007 has been positively brilliant on the three occasions I have tasted it so far. (Drink between 2018-2047)

NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée Edition 168eme. 95 points. Exceptional, though this wine needs a decent amount of air to show at its best. Aroma of citrus, brioche, and gingerbread. Intense acidity on palate with flavors of green apples, baking spices, toast, and rum raisins. A bit like Apfelstrudel. Exquisitely balanced, with a huge, rich body and unami in abundance. I cannot remember tasting a wine that has shown so well at so early a stage of its evolution.

Our table setting.

The menu.

From my cellar: 2010 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Blanc. JG 94+. The inherent elegance of the 2010 vintage is the perfect foil for the Clos des Mouches blanc and this is one of the most beautiful young vintages of this consistently excellent wine that I have had the pleasure to taste. The brilliant nose soars from the glass in a complex mélange of apple, lemon, a touch of butter, chalky soil tones, lemon oil, orange blossoms and vanillin oak. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, pure and quite reserved in profile, with a great core of fruit, impressive, nascent complexity, zesty acids and laser-like focus on the deep, transparent and utterly seamless finish. A great Clos des Mouches. (Drink between 2016-2040)

2013 Paul Pernot et ses Fils Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet. BH 93. A wonderfully complex and slightly riper nose offers up notes of honeysuckle, jasmine tea, peach and spiced pear. The superbly rich, classy and pure medium-bodied flavors possess impressive size, weight and mid-palate concentration while coating the mouth on the strikingly long, serious and energetic finish where a hint of bitter lemon appears. This is a relatively big and powerful BBM that will definitely need at least 5 to 6 years of bottle age before it begins to display glimpses of its full potential. (Drink starting 2023)

Tartare di Manzo con Tartufo. Beef Tartare Crostini with truffle. Great meaty toast.

From my cellar: 1996 Domaine Denis Bachelet Charmes-Chambertin Vieilles Vignes. VM 95. The 1996 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru is a wine that I bought a few bottles of in the days when I could get change from fifty pounds! This replicates the strong showing from 2010: ebullient red fruit on the nose with crushed granite and light truffle scents that convey more brightness than many 1996 reds. The palate is beautifully balanced with svelte tannins and a well-structured, quite grippy but balanced finish. It simply oozes effortless class and should offer many more years of pleasure. Tasted at The Ledbury in London. (Drink between 2019-2035)

1996 Gros Frère et Sœur Grands-Echezeaux. 93 points. Sexy aroma, just the right amount of funk. Enticing. Palate more precise than the nose.

2004 Domaine Ponsot Clos de la Roche Vieilles Vignes. VM 93. Good deep red. Superripe, slightly decadent aromas of red cherry, leather and underbrush. Plush, fat and large-scaled; a full-blown expression of soil, with notes of smoke and game. This boasts extraordinary sweetness for the vintage, remaining just this side of over the top. Just a hint of nut skin on the finish. Very sexy wine.

Quaglia Ripiene con Polenta. Stuffed quail over polenta. Great quail. Great polenta.

1995 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque. VM 96. Deep ruby-red. Powerful, expressive aromas of roasted cherry and raspberry, marzipan, brown spices and grilled nuts. Ripe, creamy and lush, with seamless cherry and pepper fruit. Not quite as expressive today on the palate as the above. But here the tannins seem even finer, though this wine is not longer than the Mouline.

1995 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Landonne. VM 97+. Deep ruby-red. More sauvage aromas of black raspberry, blueberry, tar, mocha, minerals, mace and roasted game. Superconcentrated and powerful, with a near-solid texture. One of those rare wines that seems almost too big for the mouth. Finishes with huge, toothfurring-but-ripe tannins and great persistence.

Tagliatelle con Ragu di Coniglio. Rabbit ragu with tagliatelle pasta.

1989 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Mouline. VM 95. Saturated deep red. Roasted redcurrant, raspberry, tobacco and warm earth on the nose, along with an exhilarating component of exotic spices; this reminded me of the extraordinary ’89 Haut-Brion and La Mission. Thick, dense, huge and sweet but with excellent verve. A fleshy La Mouline that’s packed with flavor. Finishes extremely long and sweet, with substantial ripe, chewy tannins.

agavin: probably my RWOTN (red wine of the night)

1998 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque. VM 95+. Bright medium ruby. Griotte cherry, roasted herbs, pepper and brown spices on the nose. Tightly wound but also quite suave, with penetrating black fruit and licorice flavors. Very fresh and precise. Finishes firm and extremely long, with slow-building, pure, fruit-driven flavor.

Piccione al Rosemarino con Risotto. Rosemary pigeon over risotto.

Pigeon giblets. Strong!

1993 Penfolds Grange. 93 points. Made with 14% Cabernet. More fragrant than your typical Grange in a floral kind of way. There is still power on the nose that perhaps comes from the slightly higher dose of Cabernet in this vintage. There is also a creaminess on the palate but its not as good as they ’92 and certainly can’t hold a candle to the ’91.

1999 Penfolds Grange. VM 91+. Full ruby-red. Sexy aromas of raspberry, cola, root beer and coconut. Thick, dense and concentrated, with exotic, slightly candied dark fruit, caramel, toasted coconut and mineral flavors nicely shaped by firm acids. Shows strong fruit and a major dose of oak on the powerful, backward finish. This can’t quite match the 1998 for sheer depth of fruit, but it’s built to age.

Pappardelle con Ragu di Cighiale. Wild boar ragu with pappardelle pasta. Yarom shot it.

2004 Sine Qua Non Grenache Ode to E. VM 97. The 2004 Grenache Ode to E is absolutely stellar. There’s not too much more to say. Still young, fresh and vibrant, the 2004 is incredibly impressive. Exotic spice, rose petals, raspberry jam all open up in an effortless, nuanced wine bursting at the seams with personality. Exquisitely nuanced and balanced, the 2004 is a gem. Readers who own the 2004 should be thrilled; as it is a magnificent wine by any measure. My favorite age to drink Sine Qua Non wines is around ten years. The Ode to E Grenache delivers the goods, and then some. The blend is 88% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 2% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions. (Drink between 2015-2024)

2011 Sine Qua Non Grenache Patine Eleven Confessions Vineyard. VM 97. The 2011 Grenache Patine has turned out beautifully. Dark red cherry, plum, mocha, spice and leather meld together in the glass as this savory, beautifully layered wine opens up. Herb, graphite, smoke, sage and tobacco add shades of nuance in a delineated Grenache that captures the best of this cool, late-ripening year. Patine is 77% Grenache, 22% Syra and 1% Viognier, all from Eleven Confessions, done with 25% whole clusters and aged for 33 months in French oak barrels, 11% new. (Drink between 2018-2031)

Bistecca Fiorentina alla Legna. Wood fired porterhouse steak. Definitely not overcooked!

Roast carrots.

Wood fired eggplant.

Salt.

Polenta with jus. Oh so good!

Fire water!

Grapefruit Aperol Tarragon Sorbetto — Cold pressed Fresh Grapefruit juice from my garden, Aperol and fresh Tarragon! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Unique and bracing — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #sorbetto #grapefruit #aperol #tarragon

Haven’t made this in almost 3 years — Rocky Road Gelato — Valrhona Chocolate base with marshmallows and pecans and house-made caramel and toasted kosher Marshmallow topping! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — oh my! — #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #chocolate #valrhona #RockyRoad #marshmallow #caramel #marshmallow #pecan

The wine lineup.

One tired chef — lots of work to put on this stunning dinner.

Overall, this was an amazing dinner.

Service was handled by the youngest Borgese (teen daughter) and her friend (both pictured below) and was better than most restaurant staff. Super friendly and you can tell they do this a lot.

Wines were out of this world too. I like this kind of array of different wines covering a range of foods. I did the pairings (flighting out what we had with the menu). Really an embarrassment of riches. Particularly the old Lalas.

We are heading back in February for “Uni night” — can’t wait!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Dinner at the Borgese's, Gelato, hedonists, Italian Cusine, pasta, Rocco Borgese, Santa Monica, Wine

Feeling it with Felix

Nov11

After a two year absence I return to Felix not once but twice more in October 2019. Check out all the new pastas…

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: felix, Italian Cusine, pasta

Marino Ristorante Back Room

May08

Restaurant: Marino Ristorante [1, 2, 3]

Location: 6001 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 466-8812

Date: April 12, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

Restaurants in Los Angeles are constantly changing, opening, closing etc. One of the recent changes I miss the most was the shuttering of Il Grano — certainly West LA’s best Italian, particularly in the fancy/modern department. I really miss it – as it was one of my favorites and has 9 write ups on the blog (I think the most of any restaurant).
But the amazing chef/owner Sal Marino has relocated (back) to his original family haunt, venerable Marino Ristorante on Melrose and continues to cook up his unique blend of amazing modern Italian. And if anything, he’s gotten even better.

We Sauvages have been here or Il Grano many times, and so we return with a familiar Barolo and Barbaresco theme.

Today we took up residence in the private room. I haven’t been here before but it’s very nice — totally private.

Our special menu.

NV Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d’Or. VM 92. Vilmart’s NV Cuvée Grand Cellier bristles with all the energy that makes the Vilmart Champagnes so compelling. Crushed rocks, lemon peel, white flowers, mint and dried flowers are all crystalline and finely cut. Medium in body, fresh and pulsating in its feel, the Grand Cellier is another winner from Vilmart. This release is based on 2014, with 50% reserve wines from 2013 and 2012. Disgorged September 2016. Dosage is 8 grams per liter.

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.

Fried dandelions from Sal’s garden. Nice and delicately crispy.

Bread.

2001 Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy Barbaresco Martinenga Camp Gros. VM 92. Palish bright red. Ripe, highly perfumed nose offers red berries, tobacco, minerals, dried flowers and woodsmoke: a classic example of the vineyard. Sweet, deep and rich but light on its feet, with a texture that’s at once silky and utterly mouthfilling. Wonderfully perfumed Barbaresco, finishing with impressive breadth, length and class. I could see the 2004 developing in a similar direction.

1997 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili. VM 92. Bright amber-red. Perfumed aromas of dried red currant, apricot skin, almond paste, sweet spices and blood orange. Lively acidity provides clarity and cut on the midpalate, lifting the floral red cherry, tar and spice flavors. The finish is long and nuanced, but the tannins are a little tough.

1990 Gaja Barbaresco. VM 95. The 1990 Barbaresco emerges from the glass with an exotic array of tar, smoke, licorice and grilled herbs. There is wonderful intensity to the fruit and plenty of structure. The tannins are still a bit young and the wine is only now beginning to enter the early part of what looks to be a long drinking window! The 1990 Barbaresco is a touch rounder and softer than the 1989, with perhaps just a little less aromatic complexity and inner perfume, although that is splitting hairs at this level. The finish is long, intense and deeply satisfying. This is a marvelous bottle of Barbaresco.

Quaglia Ripiena. Deboned stuffed quail with prosciutto and robiola cheese. Great quail.

1996 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Villero di Castiglione Falletto. VM 95. An uber-classic wine, the Bruno Giacosa’s Barolo Villero is utterly captivating from the moment it is first opened. The 1996 needs a good hour for the aromatics to open up and the fruit to find its sweetness, but it is a mesmerizingly beautiful Barolo. Now nearly twenty years old, the 1996 Villero has lost some of its youthful tannic grip and is in perfect place to deliver pleasure. Scents of orange peel, spice, lavender and dried rose petal are woven into the exotic finish. Next to Giacosa’s Falletto Barolos, the Villero is more perfumed and sensual. Count me among those who were deeply saddened to see Giacosa stop making wine from this historic Castiglione Falletto site. The 1996 is a fitting close to Giacosa’s work here.

From my cellar: 1997 Bruno Giacosa Barolo Le Rocche del Falletto di Serralunga d’Alba. VM 93. Saturated deep red-ruby. Deep, expressive aromas of cherry syrup, road tar, smoke and game. Fat, chewy and loaded with fruit; can’t quite match the ’98 for flavor development or sheer verve, but this is sweet and lush. Finishes with major, tongue-coating tannins that will require at least a few years of additional bottle aging.

Pappardelle Fagiano. Pappardelle pheasant ragu. I love these rustic ragus. Very nice chewy pasta too.

1999 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina. VM 96. I have always adored Elio Altare’s 1999s, even if for many years, Altare told me he preferred the 1998s. In my view, the 1999s always had more energy. That is still the case today. A great example of the vintage, the 1999 Barolo Arborina hits the palate with substantial depth. The tannins have begun to soften, revealing layers of crystalline fruit and more than enough freshness to drink well for another decade-plus.

2001 Paolo Scavino Barolo Bric dël Fiasc. VM 96. The 2001 Barolo Bric del Fiasc is a gorgeous wine laced with smoke, tar, licorice and menthol. The 2001 remains powerful and authoritative, with more than enough fruit to balance its huge tannins. Today it comes across as almost impenetrably young. There is plenty of upside to cellaring this fabulous Barolo.

Pollo. Autonomy Farms chicken breast black truffle, celery root.

Plus the truffle. Who says chicken has to be boring?

1997 Renato Ratti Barolo Marcenasco. VM 90. Full deep red. Exotic, superripe aromas of candied red fruits (currant, raspberry) and brown spices. Very sweet and lush but given shape by ripe, harmonious acids. Seems fatter and deeper than the ’96. A rather powerful, large-scaled wine in an essentially gentle style. Tannins are attractively sweet.

1999 Poderi Aldo Conterno Barolo Cicala. VM 92. Bright full red. Highly aromatic, minerally nose of raspberry, spice and underbrush; less open today than the Colonnello but very pure and noble. Wonderfully sweet on entry, then considerably less evolved in the middle palate. A powerful, penetrating wine with superb acidity and grip. Firmly tannic, tough and long, but the tannins are nonetheless buried under explosive fruit. The Colonnello is gentler and sweeter on the back today, but this rather masculine Barolo has uncanny persistence. One of the stars of the vintage. The Conterno 1999 Barolos all say 14% alcohol on the label, but the actual level is even higher, according to Franco.

1999 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. VM 93. The 1999 is easily one of the best wines in the series. It offers rich sensations of spices, flowers, toasted oak and minerals along with well-delineated layers of ripe dark fruit, menthol, and eucalyptus flavors, finishing with exceptional structure, length and freshness. I didn’t taste the superb 1989 (see above) at age six, but when I tasted this 1999 on a later occasion, the first thing that came into my mind was a young version of that wine. The 1999 will require at least a few years of bottle age and will start to be at its best around 2009, after which it should last another decade.

Agnello. Windrose Farms lamb, morels, porcini sauce, polenta.

From my cellar: 2012 Azienda Agricola Valentini Trebbiano d’Abruzzo. VM 93+. Light orange-yellow. Forward but racy aromas of tangerine, ginger, white flowers, sweet spices and medicinal herbs on the complex nose. Rich and round, but with lovely acid lift and energy to the concentrated flavors of apricot, pear and botanical herbs. Finishes long and pure. Not the most concentrated young Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Valentini, but has a rich, ripe seamless personality that is hard to resist. Good to go right now but ought to age for 15 years at least. Really lovely wine.

Formaggi Piemontesi. Italian cheeses hit the spot with the Trebbiano.

Espresso.

Today’s wines.

My lousy notes.

The whole gang.

Today we were joined by these three lovely ladies du sauvages.

2003 Joh. Jos. Christoffel Erben Ürziger Würzgarten Riesling Auslese ***. 93 points. Medium yellow in color. Deep aromas of ripe orchard fruits, citrus oils, fresh cut yellow flowers, slate and honeysuckle. Superb palate shows incredible intensity to the citrus and honey poached pears, peaches, good acidity and a long lip smacking finish with shimmering acidity. Woah…, this bottle is drinking incredibly well. There have been other bottles (from a six pack bought on release) that showed advanced age/aromas.

1989 Château Bastor-Lamontagne. 92 points. This had taken on the beautiful, golden amber colour of aged Sauternes. It was delicious, with the classic flavours of caramel, (hazel)nut and brown sugar. Slight savoury tinge, with uncanny Banofee like flavours dominating the palate, with just a little spice at the end. Simple, but absolutely yummy.

Because the day before I had a MEC3 rep in my gelato “lab” I had a whole series of gelatti.

Made 6 Gelatti to test out some new ingredients —Traditional Cassata di Siciliana Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — Sicilian Christmas cake as a gelato, with a ricotta almond base mixed with candied fruit and dark Valrhona chocolate chunks — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #dessert #icecream #FrozenDessert #nomnom #dessertlovers #dessertporn #icecreamlovers #gelatoitaliano #foodporn #gelatolover #food #foodgasm #foodblogger #dessertgasm #desserttime #foodphotography #gelatoartigianale #gelatomania #dessertlover #icecream #icecreamlovers #Cassata #Valrhona #CandiedFruit #fruit #chocolate #ricotta #almond #RicottaCheese #cheese #CassataSiciliana

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Caramel Nocciola Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Piedmontese hazelnut to produce a hazelnut base, then adding in house-made caramel and chopped up hazelnuts — 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 #hazelnut #Nocciola #caramel #nuts

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Salty Pistachio Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Sicilian Pistachio to produce a pistachio base with a slight saltiness — 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 #salty #pistachio #sicily #nuts

Testing out a new Italian nut source — Salty Pistachio Gelato – using my new egg yolk based nut formulation with the new Almond to produce the base, then weaving in Italian apricot variegate — 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 #nuts #almond #apricot

Very Cherry Gelato – a super intense amarena cherry gelato 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 #cherry

Chocolate Chocolate Chip Gelato – a super intense Valrhona 63% base with Valrhona 40% chips — 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 #ChocolateChips

Sal was totally on point today as were almost all of the wines. Service was great too. Really nice lunch that went extremely smoothly. The private room left us feeling like we were in our own little restaurant.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Or experience my gluttonous month-long food trips through Italy.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Barbaresco, Barolo, BYOG, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Marino Ristorante, Nebbiolo, Sal Marino, Sauvages, Wine

Date Night at Madeo

Mar27

Restaurant: Madeo

Location: 362 N Camden Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. (310) 859-4903

Date: March 1, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Good, and a scene, but pricey

My wife and I are always casting out for the intersection of our tastes on our date nights and it had been forever (at least a decade, probably more) since I was at:

Madeo — which has (I think temporarily) moved to Camden from their longstanding location. This is an LA mainstay medium old school Italian. The menu is fairly 80-90s high end Italian like Toscana.

The scene was off the hook. Very crowded with lots of “celebrity types” (looked like menu music industry people). There were also A LOT of heavy age gap couples — like the dark haired heavy dude in the far left (looked like 50s) and his early 20s date. They were making out in case one wondered if it was a different relationship.

From my cellar: NV Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin Champagne Extra Brut Extra Old. 90 points. Bone white! Tiny consistent bubbles.
Crushed bone, slate, minerals, oyster shell. Bone dry, medium finish, super high minerality. Bracing. An excellent value bubble. Better than the regular.

Pizza bread just like at Toscana.

Salmone Fresco Alle Erbe. Fresh salmon carpaccio with fresh herbs.

Carpaccio. Filet mignon, carpaccio, served with artichokes, parmigiano cheese and rucola. Very solid traditional carpaccio.

Rigatoni Mozzarella E Pomodoro. Diced eggplant and fresh mozzarella in a tomato sauce. My wife liked it, which is what matters.

Cacciucco. Fresh seafood soup in tomato sauce. Broth was good, if slightly salty and not a huge amount of it. Lots of good seafood, although it did have a pretty briny “seafood” smell. Really a mussels smell. I’ve had better, but this was a very respectable version of this dish.

Overall, service was very good at Madeo, and it’s quite a scene. Food was good, but for the price, not as good as I thought it should have been. I like Toscana’s food better and they are very similar style (if a tiny bit less of a scene).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Champagne, Date Night, Italian Cusine, Madeo, scene

Isole e Olena il Pastaio

Feb19

Restaurant: Il Pastaio [1, 2]

Location: 400 N.Canon Drive. Bevery Hills, CA 90210. Phone: 310.205.5444

Date: January 24, 2019

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Superb

Liz Lee of Sage Society always puts on fabulous winemaker dinners. She focuses on making every element perfect from the location, food, wines and has some of the best winemakers in the world.

For Isole e Olena — one of Tuscany’s greatest producers — she selected il Pastaio, one of the many Drago restaurants. Normally, Giacomino Drago (one of the several chef brothers) helms il Pastaio — a Beverly Hills mainstay — but tonight Celestino was supervising this special dinner. Celestino and I have been friends for nearly twenty years since we met when he catered the dinner the night before our wedding!

Il Pastaio has a nice private room — or maybe it was a section of the restaurant that can be closed off for special events.

But it was decorated with illuminated trees and ceramics from Caltagirone Sicily (the Drago’s are Sicilian).

There is a cute wine room too.

NV Billecart-Salmon Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Grand Cru. 92 points.

Crispy Shrimps, Fennel Marmalade. Like a little spring spring roll, but the combination with the fennel jelly was fabulous. Sweet and interesting.

Foie Gras Crostino, Caramelized Onions, Aged Balsamic. Great combination of rich foie, sweet onions, and savory crostino.

Scrambled Eggs and Truffles. Simple but perfect.

Close up of the table.

And my spot.

Liz Lee introduces our winemaking guests.

In the center is Paolo De Marchi, legendary owner and winemaker of Isole e Olena. His family originally hails from Northern Italy but in the 1950s they bought the Isole e Olena and through lots of hard work and innovation brought it to the peak of Tuscan wineries.

The lady in red is the highly selective importer.

Our special menu.

Drago bakery bread.

2016 Isole e Olena Chardonnay Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. 90 points. Very well made Chardonnay in a modern style, ripe fruit, rich but fresh, lovely complexity, lots of savoury oak, especially on the slightly resinous finish, very good length.

2012 Isole e Olena Chardonnay Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. VM 93. Another super-impressive wine, the 2012 Chardonnay Collezione Privata races across the palate with gorgeous nuance and pure texture. Apricot, white flowers, spices, butter and French oak all meld together in a Chardonnay that stands out for its texture and balance. Today, the French oak is quite evident, but that should be less of an issue over time. I have seen Isole’s Chardonnay age well in the past, and expect to see the same here. The textured, impeccable finish makes it impossible to resist a second taste. I am typically not a fan of Italian Chardonnay. This is about as good as it gets.

2011 Isole e Olena Chardonnay Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. VM 89. Almonds, butter, pastry and juicy yellow stone fruits emerge from Isole e Olena’s 2011 Chardonnay. Paolo De Marchi has done a remarkable job with this wine considering how difficult the vintage was for whites. The 2011 shows the ripeness and breadth of the year in its volume, yet all the elements are beautifully balanced. This is about as good as it gets in 2011.

Sea Food, Sea Urchin Panna Cotta. This is the second sea urchin custard I’ve had recently! There was a lot of it too, and it had that interesting sweet/rich/briny quality. The seafood was impeccable as well. Lovely dish, and actually a great pairing with the more mature Chardonnays.

2015 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico. VM 87-89. Tasted from tank just prior to bottling, the 2015 Chianti Classico is very pretty. Surprisingly medium in body, especially for the year, it is a model of total sophistication. It will be interesting to see if the 2015 gains a bit more flesh. Today, it is on the lighter side, even by the estate’s historical standards.

agavin: this is IEO’s basic Chianti. It’s a pretty blend, very much a great Italian table wine.

Scallops Saltimbocca, Cream of Forbidden Black Rice. I’ve never had the forbidden cream before! Great scallop nicely offset with the pancetta.

2016 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. no reviews at all.

agavin: Cepparello is IEO’s “Super Tuscan” being basically a pure Sangiovese.

2015 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. 93 points. dark red, dark ripe cherries, masculine, lovely style of Sangiovese, rich & round
2014 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. VM 97. The 2014 Cepparello is one of the truly great wines of the vintage. Vivid and intense in all of its dimensions, it exudes purity from start to finish. Silky tannins, expressive aromatics and beautifully delineated, bright, layered Sangiovese fruit are some of the signatures. In 2014, Paolo De Marchi produced an epic Cepparello for the ages. Don’t miss it.

2013 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. VM 96. The 2013 Cepparello is superb. Polished, silky nuanced and exceptionally beautiful, the 2013 exudes freshness and energy from start to finish. Succulent red cherry, plum, lavender and rose petal are some of the signatures. Aging in French oak shapes the wine nicely without marking it excessively. The purity of the flavors is striking. This is an especially cool, savory Cepparello built on finesse and persistence rather than power. Rain during harvest robbed the wine of some of its breadth. Otherwise, this is a striking Cepparello. I can’t wait to see how it ages.

Wagyu Beef Carpaccio, Pickle Mushrooms, Truffle Pecorino, Truffles. Fabulous Carpaccio. In fact, probably one of the best I’ve ever had. Great beefiness, olive oil, and truffle notes.

2013 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. 95-96+ points. Tasted after the outstanding 2015 Cepparello, this also is an absolutely stunning wine. A little more restrained on the nose maybe showing dark fruit, spices, tobacco, floral notes. Lots of fruit, powerful tannins, wonderful acidity in near perfect balance on the palate. Big, dense and concentrated, but not heavy. Like Cepparello, quite elegant in fact with lots of finesse. Super persistence to the finish. Keep. 95-96+.

agavin: Gran Selezione is even pricer (and rarer) than the Cepparello and is like the ultimate Chianti. Generally Paolo blends the Sangiovese with a bit of French wine like Syrah or Cabernet depending on the year. Selection is fierce and he uses only the best sections of the vineyards meticulously sorted.

2010 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. VM 98-99. The 2010 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione is extraordinary. A wine of pedigree and class, the 2010 boasts magnificent intensity and depth yet never comes across as heavy. The flavors are layered, nuanced and beautifully delineated in the glass. Plum, black cherry, spice, menthol and sweet spices are laced into the exquisite finish. The 2010 is a stunner today, but also has plenty of upside for the future. A reduction of time in barrel vis-a-vis the 2006 has paid off handsomely. The 2010 is going to be expensive, but it is worth every penny. Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot round out the blend.

Cavatelli Wild Boar Ragout. I couldn’t help think of how Paolo told us that he hates the cinghiale (the Tuscan white boar) because they mess with the vines — so he enjoys the revenge of eating them. This pasta was amazing, as Celestino’s hearty ragus always are. It was rich and porky. The cavatelli had that awesome thick chew.

2006 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selezione. VM 93. Isole e Olena’s 2006 Chianti Classico Gran Selezione, a wine that was originally produced for home consumption, turned out to be the drawing board for the Gran Selezione. Cherry jam, earthiness, spices, mocha, sweet herbs and French oak all meld together in the glass. The 2006 is marked by a slightly oxidative note in its aromatics it has always shown – the result of having spent three and a half years in oak. Otherwise, the 2006 is exceptional.

agavin: interesting that this was my favorite and the professional reviewers liked the younger wines.

2006 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. VM 96. The 2006 Cepparello is a super classic wine. It brings together the best elements of the house style in its breathtaking aromatics, delineated fruit and striking overall balance. All of the elements are in the right place for the 2006 to develop into a spectacular wine. The 2006 stands apart for its nuance, depth and overall detail. Juicy red cherries, raspberries, rose petals and licorice build to the huge, dramatic finish. The 2006 is one of the all-time great Cepparellos. It bears more than a passing resemblance to the stunning 1988. The 2006 has blossomed beautifully in bottle over the last few years, and it is now clear I underestimated its potential.

2005 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. VM 94. The 2005 Cepparello is glorious. A dark, mysterious wine, the 2005 has put on considerable weight in bottle, while the flavors have turned quite somber, with plenty of espresso, dried flowers, mocha, tar and licorice overtones woven throughout. The 2005 can be enjoyed today, but it also has more than enough stuffing to last for another 10-15 years. It is one of the real triumphs of the vintage. Specifically, the 2005 exudes a strong, assertive personality that simply can’t be denied. In 2005, proprietor Paolo De Marchi blended in a bit of Cabernet Sauvignon to add structure.

agavin: again I liked this less structured, less “big” wine.

2004 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. VM 95. The 2004 Cepparello has fleshed out beautifully since I last tasted it. Dark raspberries, flowers, licorice and spices blossom from the glass as the wine opens up over time. When it was young the 2004 was a much more linear wine, but since then it has put on a lot of weight. Today, the 2004 comes across as a modern day 1982 because of its balance of aromatics, fruit and structure.

Rabbit Cannellone, Squash Puree. This was a novel (and very Italian) dish. The rabbit was like a pink meat filling — not unlike dumpling filling. It was rolled into the pasta and than the unusual sweet squash sauce.

2014 Isole e Olena Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. 92 points. Paolo has some pure Cab and Syrah cuvees too.

2013 Isole e Olena Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. VM 96. The 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata is superb. A delicate, nuanced wine in this vintage, the Cabernet Sauvignon speaks in hushed tones. Silky tannins and highly expressive aromatics add to an impression of total finesse. In many vintages, the Cabernet can be quite big, but not in 2013. This is a brilliant showing from Isole and proprietor Paolo De Marchi.

2015 Isole e Olena Syrah Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. 92 points.

2011 Isole e Olena Syrah Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. VM 94. The 2011 Syrah Collezione Privata is a big, powerful wine. Dark cherry, smoke, plum, pipe tobacco, cedar, leather and menthol notes make a strong opening statement. Plush and deep on the palate, the 2011 is super-inviting. A dollop of Viognier rounds out the blend. This is one of the most intriguing Syrahs being made in Italy today.

Pan Roasted Lamb Loin, Eggplant, Apple Fritters. Yum, lamb.

2000 Isole e Olena Cepparello Toscana IGT. 91 points. Red berries and rose hip tea in the nose, all a bit high toned. Much personality, elegance, consistence right from the start but playing all cards only for so. with some patience: clearly best sip on day 3 from remaining small tasting glas. Good length, great robustness, sweet fruit expression. Great wine.

1998 Isole e Olena Cabernet Sauvignon Collezione Privata Toscana IGT.

1997 Isole e Olena Syrah Collezione Privata Toscana IGT. 90 points.

Wagyu New York Steak, Potato Gnocchi, Parmesan Cheese Cream, Pea Tendrils, Balsamic Sabayon. Boy was I getting full — and this was some great beef!

2008 Isole e Olena Vin Santo del Chianti Classico. Sticky!

Italian Cheeses. Liz normally doesn’t like sweets at the end of red wine meals as to not conflict with the wines but I twisted her arm and brought some of this:

Another new flavor — Orange Cinnamon Gelato — I steeped the milk with blood orange rind, vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg! — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — oh my! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #NomNom #dessert #orange #cinnamon #vanilla #nutmeg

Have a few wines!

My cryptic notes.

And some glasses.

As always from Liz and Sage Society an impeccable dinner. Lovely setting, Drago food at its best (and a rare and excellent showing these days with Celistino helming the kitchen), individual labeled stems for every wine (and there were A LOT) and perfect wine service!

Plus Paolo talked and was available all night we really got an insight into the creativity and energy that has made him one of Tuscany’s best winemakers. He engaged in all sorts of experiments with various clones, sites, variants, and techniques in the vineyard, individually pressing and separating small batches of differing grapes. In this way he was able to isolate his best plots and some variations and techniques that really enabled him to push his winemaking forward.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

Chef Celestino won the left and Paolo De Marchi in the middle.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: BYOG, Celestino Drago, Chianti, Chianti Classico, Drago, Gelato, Il Pastaio, Italian Cusine, Liz Lee, Paolo De Marchi, pasta, Sage Society, Seafood, Tuscany, Uni, Wine

Molto Miro

Jan25

Restaurant: Miro

Location: 888 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017. (213) 988-8880

Date: December 13, 2018

Cuisine: Contemporary American Italian (not fully Italian)

Rating: Not super Italian. Some dishes great, some just good

After the Dama dinner, most of us in attendance decided to visit Sandi on her home turf (she’s the head sommelier at Miro).

Bracing the traffic, Erick and ventured downtown.

It’s a short building on a taller block…

But inside has a very attractive, if loud and cold, build out and a whisky bar downstairs.

The menu is sort of Italian — or Contemporary American Italian. It doesn’t feel like an Italian owned place and there are numerous dishes that have no analogue on the boot.

Before Sandi could enjoy herself she had lots of work taking care of all the bottles!

2012 Domaine Michel Voarick Corton-Charlemagne. 89 points. I’ve never heard of this CC producer! Most of these notes were by Peter at this dinner. Darker gold; muted nose, slight walnut, hazelnut, touch caramel, not pre-mox but seemed to have poor storage and prematurely aged aspect; pretty high acid, decent, but should have more going on IMHO.

Bonus from my cellar: 2011 Villa Diamante Fiano di Avellino Vigna della Congregazione. 92 points. Darker gold, almond color; Earthy note, walnut, almond nuttiness with sour fruit, ample bod, long, good acidity, slight bitter finish; really cool, good age now, excellent with a variety of the Italian dishes, esp. the grilled octupus.

2002 Domaine Roulot Meursault Les Luchets. RJ 92. Slightly dark, in good shape premox wise but had a band-aidy rubber reduction thing going on that was distracting. good medium mouthfeel, acidity, but didn’t excite.

ROASTED BEET SALAD. avocado, castelvetrano olives, orange segments, sumac vinaigrette, pistachio crumble. Good salad with a nice crunch.

CAPRESE SALAD. heirloom tomato, basil, mozzarella, balsamic reduction, olive oil. Not my thing as I don’t love (raw) tomatoes.

GRILLED PEACH. burrata, prosciutto, basil, honey.

WOOD-GRILLED OCTOPUS. chorizo, fingerling potatoes, pickled tomato, achiote paste. Really tasty but surprisingly VERY spicy (and I love spicy but it killed the wines except the fiano).

From my cellar: 1998 Gaja Barbaresco. 93 points. Dark ruby-purple, good depth of color for this age especially; blackberry and savory notes, showing a little brown sauce age, oak showing a bit compared to the Mascarello ’08; rich, softer tannins starting to resolve, more of a Brunello character to me, or even a Cali Pinot with a rich mouth, oak, and sauce thing. Not too complex, better with meats than pasta. Preferred the Mascarello for its elegance. Showing a little age, in a good place now, will hold for a long while.

2008 Giuseppe E Figlio Mascarello Barolo Monprivato. 93 points. Red cherry, dried cherry, lightly savory, elegant, just ripe, tannins starting to resolve, in a really good place, even if quite young. My WOTN, classy, pure, true.

SQUID INK CORZETTI. lobster, tarragon, cherry tomato, saffron. Very interesting shape, texture and color.

HAND-CUT SPAGHETTI. pork bolognese, gremolata, parmesan. Nice meaty bolognese.

UNI TAGLIATELLE. sun-dried tomato, braised leeks, gremolata, lemon. I thought I’d like this more than I did — not bad, but I expected to love it.

1999 Clos Erasmus Priorat. 93 points. Good dark purple, cloudy; rubbery aspect, reduction with age? 75 % Grenache but quite dark in character (5% CS and 20% Syrah), still a little Black cherry syrup thing going on, tannic still, a bit one dimensional, I little off on this bottle.

2011 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. Vinuous 95+. Nice dark berries with a hint of red cherry, some good lift, good balance, the youngest red of the night and pretty refreshing actually, oak showing up front but not obnoxious, good softer mouthfeel, balanced, delish, good with meats.

LASAGNA. pork Bolognese, spinach egg noodles, béchamel, fontina, parmesan. VERY GOOD classic lasagna. Lots of strong red sauce flavor.

1994 Dominus Estate. 95 points. Great dark berry notes, dried cassis, tootsie rool; cool complex stuff going on, tannins almost all resolved, really good right now, won’t get better, drink up, why wait. Actually worked with Uni pasta as I found older Bordeaux seems to as well. But the Fiano was best with the uni.

2004 Heitz Cellar Cabernet Sauvignon Martha’s Vineyard. 89 points. This had a strange rubber thing going on as seemed to be the case with a couple other wines tonight as well; just wasn’t firing on all cylinders.

TRUFFLE MUSHROOM. fontina, mozzarella, artichoke, green olive, avocado, chives. Did not particularly like at all. Weird.

SPICY ITALIAN SAUSAGE. fontina, mozzarella, Calabrian chili, pickled onion, oregano. I expected to like this but the dough was all wrong. Ruined both pizzas.

2002 Spottswoode Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Spottswoode Estate Vineyard. 93 points. Earthy, dark leather, underbrush serious cab, still in its youth, structured, cigar tobacco, feeling quite youthful.

2007 Larkmead Vineyards LMV Salon. 92 points. Good Bordeaux blend softness to this as opposed to the more structured Spottswood Cab, and seemd a little more aged maybe b/c of this, despite the fact it was 5 years younger! nice, smooth, good cab blend, with the prime rib-eye.

BRAISED BEEF SHORTRIBS. wild rice pilaf, roasted young carrots, natural jus. A touch dry.

16oz. PRIME RIBEYE. roasted asparagus & rainbow carrots, pickled cherry tomatoes, garlic potato puree.

PISTACHIO CRUSTED LAMB CHOPS. grilled shishito, sweet corn, gremolata. These were very good.

Fries were just ok.

The first of many large batch holiday flavors — Peppermint Gelato — made by me for @sweetmilkgelato — peppermint candy base laced with peppermint bark! — #SweetMilkGelato #gelato #IceCream #peppermint #candy #holiday #winter

Overall we had a great time at Miro. We had the private room to ourselves — thank the big guy as the main room was so concrete clad and loud. Sandi did a great job taking care of us and service was excellent — particularly the wine service. And speaking of wine, we had a wide selection of really nice juice tonight.

Food had me slightly perplexed. The place is like part Italian / part steak house. The pizzas weren’t good at all, but most of the pastas were solid, some like the ragu and lasagna excellent. The apps were generally good too and the mains not really Italian at all, and not so much my personal style, but certainly tasty enough.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

or more crazy Hedonist dinners here!

By: agavin
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Tagged as: BYOG, DTLA, Gelato, hedonists, Italian Cusine, Miro, Sandi, Wine

Sauvages Amarone but Not

Aug22

Restaurant: Amarone Kitchen & Wine

Location: 8868 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. (310) 652-2233

Date: FRIDAY July 13, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Great cute little place

Sauvages is a really fun group but the Friday Lunch time slot makes it sometimes a challenge to attend. Still, when Sauvages buddy John Gordon told me he was organizing this one and it was going to feature Grand Cru Red Burgundy — I had to go.

John chose Amarone on Sunset as his location. I’ve been a couple times before years ago and always enjoyed this small intimate Italian.

We had the whole upstairs to ourselves — in fact the whole restaurant because he usually isn’t open for lunch.

Amuse Course:

From my cellar: NV Drappier Champagne Rosé Brut Nature Dosage Zero. VM 90. Pale orange. Mineral-accented red berries and citrus fruits on the nose, complemented by hints of candied rose and white pepper. Stony and precise, offering lively strawberry and orange zest flavors that expand slowly with air. Closes spicy, stony and tight, with very good clarity and floral persistence.

agavin: I love this light dry rose champ.

2004 Domaine Ramonet Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru La Boudriotte. BH 89. A deft touch of wood frames citrus and earth infused ripe chardonnay fruit aromas that lead to rich, full and fleshy flavors that are robust if not especially structured, all wrapped in a delicious and easy to like finish. There is good freshness here if not great underlying tension with fine overall balance and fine length. In sum, this is a generous and easy to like effort that should repay a few years in the cellar.

Swordfish carpaccio on toast with EVOO, orange zest, and red peppercorns. Very bright and lovely.

On the left (standing) is John G or group organizer and on the right (in blue) is Amarone’s owner Sandro Oliverio who it turns out I was friendly with when he ran Palmeri, a Brentwood Italian my wife and I used to frequent.

Flight 0 (white et rose):

This flight was cobbled together out of the contents of our bags (extras) in order to make a white flight when we realized that there was a salad course — which would not work particularly well with grand cru reds.

2014 La Chablisienne Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. BH 89-92. A wonderfully elegant nose that is cool, pure and airy with its array of essence of white flowers, citrus peel and iodine nuances, all of which is trimmed in just enough wood to notice. Once again there is good volume and concentration to the round and textured medium weight flavors that brim with minerality on the dry and citrusy finish that has a surprisingly clipped finale. This may round out but it is decidedly edgy at present and my projected range offers the benefit of the doubt.

2010 Vincent Dancer Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru Tete du Clos. BH 91-93. The fresh, cool and beautifully well-layered nose exhibits white flower and lemon zest scents that give way to restrained, refined and energetic flavors that possess plenty of underlying tension on the balanced and ever-so-mildly austere finish. Like the La Romanée there is a distinct salinity to the finish and this should age well.

From my cellar: 2013 Chêne Bleu Rosé. VM 91. Bright orange-pink. Powerful, mineral-laced aromas of ripe citrus fruits, redcurrant and cherry, with a suave lavender overtone. Fleshy, seamless and broad on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering bitter cherry and berry skin flavors that gain sweetness and energy with air. Blood orange and raspberry notes cling tenaciously on the lucid, mineral-driven finish. This concentrated wine really outperforms its appellation.

Radicchio salad with Parmesan and asparagus with a balsamic must dressing. Bitter and refreshing. A great salad, but not a red wine pairing.

Flight 1:

From my cellar: 1996 Jean Raphet et Fils Charmes-Chambertin. 93 points. deeply colored; red cherry and cloves; balanced and mellow with good acidity adding freshness (and giving away the vintage). A really nice bottle!

1996 Dominique Laurent Bonnes Mares. VM 94-97. Press wine from Morey-Saint-Denis: Sappy, iron-scented nose of great verve. Supersweet and smoky in the mouth; offers great tensile strength and terrific length. A blend of Morey and Chambolle: Highly complex aromas of raspberry, game, coffee, clove and exotic spices. Fat and sweet, but with a firm mineral underpinning. Very young and powerful. Fine tannins expand with aeration. The Chambolle character dominates today. Approximation of the final blend: Very deep red-ruby. Nuanced but reticent aromas of raspberry, smoke and coffee. Dense, large-scaled and sweet, with flavors of iron, earth and brown spices. Superbly textured fruit and sophisticated, rich tannins. Very firm but harmonious acidity. Extremely long, shapely finish.

1998 Domaine Robert Arnoux / Arnoux-Lachaux Clos Vougeot. VM 90. Good red-ruby. Lively, nuanced nose combines black raspberry, black cherry, violet, licorice and herbs. Fat, sweet and pliant; surprisingly easygoing and plump for the cru and the vintage. Finishes with dusty, fine tannins and very good persistence.

1996 Domaine Rene Leclerc Griotte-Chambertin. VM 91-94. Good deep red. Extravagant aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, tobacco and spice. Downright unctuous in the mouth, like liquid silk. Confectionary but not heavy. Distinctly sensual texture. Finishes very, very long, with suave tannins buried in fruit. If Leclerc can get 90% of this wine quality into the bottle, it will be a head-turner.

Mushroom risotto with truffles. A very simple but delicious dish. The EVOO on top really brought out the truffle too.

Flight 2:

1971 Camille Giroud Charmes-Chambertin. BH 92. Warm, rich, complex and fully mature aromas lead to big, dense, still firmly tannic flavors that display incredible vibrancy and vigor for a 30+ year old Burgundy and the finish is long a satisfying. This is a very impressive effort and while it is no model of finesse, the density and freshness this exhibits is nothing short of remarkable. First rate and this has another 20 years of life, even though I would not expect it to improve from here.

agavin: in great shape

1973 Philippe Remy Clos de la Roche. 87 points. Getting a bit on, but still decent.

1992 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echezeaux. 91 points. The DRC Echezeaux was a nice trip back to Burgundy. A lighter DRC with some strawberries and steminess to give away its identity, this bottle seemed as good as it was going to get, a good dinner wine with enough complexity to keep it interesting.

Italian Seabass, simply grilled with spinach. Well done bass, but nothing radical.

An intermezzo by moi (in my alter ego as Sweet Milk Gelato). Blackberry Meyer Lemon Gelato — milk infused with meyer lemon peels, pure French blackberries, and a touch of lemon juice.

Flight 3:

2002 Domaine Arlaud Bonnes Mares. BH 94. Nice.

1999 Domaine Comte Georges de Vogüé Bonnes Mares. BH 93. Massive notes of blueberry and blackberry jam yet there is a certain austerity to the nose followed by flavors that are huge, firm, reserved and extremely dense and while there is a solid underpinning of tannin, they are wrapped in sappy velvet. The length is just flat out stunning and very powerful. This remains quite closed and while it presently does not possess the refinement of either the ’02 or the ’01, with time it may catch them as the underlying material is every bit as good. Consistent notes save for this most recent bottle which exhibited just a touch of finishing dryness.

2002 Domaine de la Vougeraie Clos Vougeot. BH 92. While not invisible, much more discreet notes of toasty and spicy oak highlight pungent, high-pitched blackberry and cassis notes. The flavors though are somber, youthfully vibrant and austere with superb density. This is classic in style with a very firm finish that will require time to harmonize and soften. Still, this is an elegant, relatively refined young Clos de Vougeot with plenty of character.

Veal Scaloppine with burgundy reduction sauce. Also fairly simple, and not my favorite dish. I don’t love this kind of old school Italian main.

Flight 4:

2002 Domaine Robert Groffier Bonnes Mares. VM 94. Mellow, expressive aromas of musky strawberry and spices are a bit less sauvage than those of the Clos de Bèze. Smoother in the mouth as well, offering lovely finesse and restrained sweetness to the fine-grained raspberry and strawberry fruit flavors. The slowly building whiplash of a finish really stains the palate, with firm but ripe tannins contributing to the overall impression of freshness. Lingering saline minerality adds another dimension. (Incidentally, Nicolas Groffier seemed determined to show his two grand crus; he tried and failed to remove the corks of a first bottle of each wine but the second time was the charm.).

2002 Dominique Laurent Charmes-Chambertin. 90 points. Lovely cherry , bricking at edge but long life still ahead as it has a very long finish.

2002 Domaine Bertheau (Pierre et François) Bonnes Mares. BH 93. Interestingly, the nose is not all that dissimilar from the ’03 with very ripe black fruit and violet notes that lead to intense, huge and powerful, moderately structured full-bodied flavors that deliver stunningly good length plus a finish that is wrapped in sap that coats and stains the palate. This is forward for a young grand cru but it’s so stylish and pure that you really don’t care.

Cheese plate.

My cryptic notes.

Sandro brought up this lovely 2007 Vin Santo from Tuscany.

Toasted Almond Gelato made by me (Sweet Milk Gelato) with a gorgeous Almond Coffee Cake that Sandro added — a match made in heaven. This was a stunning gelato (if I do say so myself), to a large extent because of the amazing toasted Sicilian almond paste I got from Italy.

Sauvages lunches are always great and this was no exception. John’s planning, along with excellent flighting by him and Kirk and awesome hospitality by Sandro really helped bring the lovely food (particularly the first couple courses) and the awesome Burgundies into focus.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Burgundy, BYOG, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Red Burgundy, Risotto, Sandro Oliverio, Sauvages, Truffle

Barrique

Aug13

Restaurant: Barrique

Location: 796 Main St, Venice, CA 90291. (310) 399-9010

Date: June 27, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Excellent slightly upscale Italian

Barrique is the latest incarnation of a series of similar Italian restaurants by chef Antonio Mure. I’ve eaten at many of his restaurants, from Piccolo back in the old days to my location must missed il Carpaccio, La Botte, to Ado etc.

Barrique is housed in the former Van Gough’s Ear location, exactly where Ado was. And it has the same chef. And it’s still Italian. I guess there were some partner issues and it rebooted. Many of the dishes are signature Antonio Mure dishes I’ve had at most of his other places.

The menu.

The place is so quint and cute that the waiter had to server half the table through the window!

Insalata di Crescione, Pecorino, Cuori di Palma e Mandorle Tostate. Watercress Salad with Pecorino Cheese, Hearts of Palm and Roasted Almonds in a Balsamic Dressing.

Caprese di Bufala Napolentana. Sliced Bufalo Mozzarella served with sliced Heirloom Tomatoes with a Basil infused olive oil.

Prosciutto e Burrata. 18-Months Black Label Prosciutto di Parma and Burrata Cheese.

Polipo alla Griglia con Patate affumicate e Fagiolini con Aioli. Grilled Octopus served with Smoked potato and green beans and Aioli.

Simple pasta for the boy.

Parm comes through the window too.

Tagliolini Rossi con Ragù di Quaglia in Fonduta di Taleggio. Home-Made Red Beet Tagliolini Pasta, Marsala Quail Ragù on a Bed of Taleggio Cheese Fondue. This used to be one of my standards at Il Carpaccio and my mother LOVED it tonight.

Pappardelle con Ragu’ di Coniglio Prugne e Porcini. Homemade Pappardelle noodle served with Rabbit Ragu, Prunes, and a Porcini sauce. Great pasta texture.

Tagliatelle al Cioccolato con Ragu’ di Cinghiale all’ Amarone. Home-made cacao tagliatelle with an Amarone Wild Boar Ragu. Not sweet.

Branzino alla Griglia Servito con Cucuzza e Menta. Grilled Mediterranean Sea Bass served on a bed Braised Sicilian Cucuzza.

Filetto di Bue al Barolo Tartufato. Pan Seared Beef Filet Mignon served with a Barolo Truffle Butter Sauce.

Barrique has a cute unpretentious interior, nice service, and a classic Antonio Mure menu including his inventive and very tasty homemade pastas. Given how good a cook he is, I wonder why he’s had SO MANY restaurants — all of which have had very good food.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Antonio Mure, Barrique, Champagne, Italian Cusine, pasta, Venice

Valentino Rayas

Jul09

Restaurant: Valentino Santa Monica [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12]

Location: 3115 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 829-4313

Date: May 29, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Fun and educational!

Valentino is one of my most reviewed restaurants, particularly because Don Cornwell always uses it as a site for his Burgundy dinners. And when Ron suggested we do our Rayas dinner here I was skeptical, because it’s a bit staid, and when he suggested we order off the menu, I was even more skeptical — but this time Valentino proved me wrong.

The menu, which a certainly haven’t seen in a while.

Ron brought: 2006 Taittinger Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Comtes de Champagne. VM 97.5. The 2006 Comtes de Champagne is striking, especially in the way it brings together elements of ripeness and freshness in a hypothetical blend of the 2002 and 2004. Smooth and creamy on the palate, the 2006 is all about texture. There is a real feeling of density and weight in the 2006, qualities I expect to see grow with time in the bottle. All the elements fall into place effortlessly. The 2006 has been nothing short of magnificent both times I have tasted it. Comtes de Champagne remains the single best value (in relative terms) in tête de cuvée Champagne. I suggest buying a case and following it over the next 20-30 years, which is exactly what I intend to do. There is little doubt the 2006 Comtes de Champagne is a magical Champagne in the making.

Tomato Bruschetta. Classic.

Various bread sticks.

The have very good single source olive oil.

Pougs brought: 2015 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Saint-Aubin 1er Cru En Remilly. VM 91. Pale, bright yellow. Precise but subdued scents of lemon and wet stone. Very pure but closed, conveying lovely energy and juicy, citrussy cut to its concentrated lemon zest, mandarin orange and stone flavors. Colin’s Chatenière may be richer than this wine but it doesn’t not have the same degree of energy. Finishes very smooth, seamless and long. Last year, Colin told me that this wine has only 12.3% alcohol.

From my cellar: 1993 Robert Ampeau & Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92. A fully mature and expressive nose of elegant secondary fruit and floral aromas introduces intensely mineral-driven, pure and beautifully well-detailed middle weight flavors that possess excellent depth and fine length. This is drinking perfectly now and should continue to do so without effort for at least another decade. Tasted only once recently.

Scallops with asparagus puree, asparagus, and mashed potatoes.

Tartara di Tonno e Burrata. Tuna tartare with orange flavor burrata sauce. Possibly a slightly waste of burrata (which I discovered here at Valentino 23 years ago), but really nice combo.

Polpo alla Brace e Fregula. Grilled octopus with squid ink infused Sardinian cous cous. A touch ugly but delicious.

Smoked Quail, rolle on potato and asparagus salad with blueberry sauce. Not what I expected, but delicious.

Larry brought: 1986 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 86. This wine has been fully mature since its release and continues to drink well, although owners are advised to consume it before the turn of the century. Not one of the most successful 1986s (a difficult as well as irregular vintage in Chateauneuf du Pape), it displays a medium ruby color with no signs of amber or orange. A peppery, herbaceous, celery-scented note competes with ripe cherry/kirsch aromas. Although medium- to full-bodied, with good glycerin and a velvety texture, the wine lacks the sweet mid-palate and inner core of extraction and depth found in the greatest Rayas vintages.

Ron brought: 1989 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 98. The 1989 Rayas is finally beginning to live up to its immense potential. The color is a dense ruby/purple. The aromatics, which have consistently been tight and reserved, are beginning to reveal some of the framboise and black cherry liqueur-like scents for which this hallowed estate is known. Extremely full-bodied, powerful, and rich, with lots of tannin, muscle, and extract, the colossal-sized, tightly-knit 1989 is bursting at its seams. It requires another 3-5 years of cellaring. This is a prodigious Rayas that is just beginning to strut its stuff. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025.

agavin: great!!

Jeff brought: 1997 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 90. It appears I may have seriously underestimated the quality of the 1997 Rayas when tasted from barrel. Tasted twice from bottle, it unquestionably merits a 90-point score. It is rich, deep, and intense. It is an elegant, ripe, evolved, forward, medium-weight Rayas with copious raspberry and cherry fruit. It should drink well young and last for 10-15 years.

agavin: a touch corked? or too much bret?

From my cellar: 2000 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 93. The 2000 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape, which Emmanuel Reynaud believes is better than 1998, came in at a whopping 15.2% alcohol. It is reminiscent of a hypothetical blend of the 1998 and 1999, with a medium to light ruby color, and a sumptuous bouquet of kirsch liqueur, spice box, and licorice. Full-bodied and fleshy, with low acidity, it is a sweet (from high glycerin and alcohol), seductive, intoxicating offering with no hard edges and a rich, fleshy mouthfeel. While it will be hard to resist, I feel the 1998 still has more structure. Anticipated maturity for the 2000: 2005-2016.

agavin: drinking amazingly, young even

Erick brought: 2001 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 92. The 2001 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape is more structured and slightly deeper ruby-colored than the light-colored 2000. It also possesses more acidity as well as depth. This terroir-driven effort reveals aromas of raspberries and sweet kirsch as well as a medium-bodied, vigorously fresh, lively style. There is also good flavor authority. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 15. Like most Chateauneuf du Pape domaines, I did not see anything while tasting through the 2002 reds that would suggest they could be recommended in this publication.
Pougs brought: 2003 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve. RP 95. The 2003 Rayas Chateauneuf du Pape has gone from strength to strength and now looks to be the finest vintage since the monumental 1995. Deep ruby to the rim with that classic Rayas nose of flowers, kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, crushed rocks, and minerals, the wine is dense and concentrated, with a broad, savory mouthfeel, sweet yet silky tannin, fabulous persistence, and a blockbuster finish that just goes on and on. This is a reassuringly profound Rayas that seems to suggest that Emmanuel Reynaud has finally figured out this cold-climate terroir in a warm climate appellation. This wine should be given 3-4 years of bottle age, and drunk over the following 20+ years.

A special pasta with ham.

Gnocchi Patate e Rapini. Potoato and rapini dumpling sateed with cherry tomatoes and jalapeno and creamy ricotta.
Risotto with fresh porcini.

Lasagnetta con ragu d’anatra e porcini. Lasagna with bechamel, duck ragu, and porcini.

All four pastas were great. They might not look the most modern, but they tasted amazing.

Sea bass in Sicilian sauce.

Costolette d’agnello. Grilled lamb chops over fava beans with roasted tomato and olive tapenade.

l‘Ossobuco with risotto al parmigiano. Old school but awesome.

Larry brought this sticky.

A mixed plate of desserts. Their gelato isn’t the greatest, but the cannoli was very good.

The wines were amazing (as they should be). The whites were great and the Rayas was stellar, particularly the 1989 and 2000. All were great though (the 01 and 03 just being young) except for maybe the 97 with its light corking.

Service was great as always, as Valentino really takes care of us — we are, after all friends of the owner, some for many many years. They moved us from a smallish table into our our dining room. Not a private room per se but they built a large table for us in the middle of one of the other rooms and put no one else in there — perfecto!

I was pleasantly surprised how good the food was off the menu, particularly as compared to my many boring sets of food at Don’s dinners. I guess they do it much better off the menu. And it’s always easier to handle a 6 person dinner, which really is a great number.

Or for epic Foodie Club meals, here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Chateauneuf du Pape, Dessert, Foodie Club, Italian Cusine, Piero Selvaggio, rayas, Valentino, Valentino Santa Monica, Wine

Scopa Italian Roots

May02

Restaurant: Scopa Italian Roots

Location: 2905 Washington Blvd, Venice, CA 90292. (310) 821-1100

Date: March 24, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: New style rustic Italian

My wife loves Italian food so we like to test out any (decent looking) new Westside entry into that crowded arena.

Scopa (and it’s long winded colon name) is near Washington and Venice, right down the street from one of my favorite Indian places.

The space is totally in that new hard surfaces, bar-like, industrial new style.

The menu.

I just got a glass of Italian rose.

Steak Tartare. Capers, quail egg, lemon, chives, lardo toast. Very good version of classic Steak Tartare (which in Italy is more often veal). The lardo added a unique take on it.

Crispy Squash Blossoms. Ricotta, mozzarella, tomato, chili flakes. Nothing novel here, but well done and a good sized portion.

Rigatoni, vodka sauce, chili flake, basil, fresh ricotta.
Lasagne. Italian sausage, meat sauce, parmesan locatelli. The new rustic style loves the curly parm. This lasagna was solid. I would have liked a more intense sausage flavor but it was good.

We didn’t have a chance to order that much, but what I did have here was solid. Well executed on straightforward modern rustic. Not “more interesting” like Sotto, but more a crowd pleaser version of such. The format is fairly Millennial friendly — a bit loud. They have a big bar and cocktails (which I rarely bother with).

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Italian Cusine, Marina del Rey, Scopa, Scopa Italian Roots

Valentino – 2010 White Burgundy part 1

Mar30

Restaurant: Valentino Santa Monica [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11]

Location: 3115 Pico Blvd Santa Monica, CA 90405. (310) 829-4313

Date: February 7, 2018

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Fun and educational!

This dinner is the first part of the annual White Burgundy Premox test series, hosted by Burg-meister Don Cornwell. Tonight’s particular dinner covers 2010 Chablis, Meursault, and Corton Charlemagne. Other dinners in the series are listed at the bottom of the post.

As usual, the dinner was at Valentino, which has been a mainstay of the LA fine dining scene for decades. I first started coming here in about 1995 and it was a mind blowing change from the usual trattoria and red-sauce style Italians. Valentino is much closer to Michelin 2 star restaurant in Italy, although not as modernist as some of those are in recent years. If food in Italy turns you on, check out my Eating Italy segment.

And with regard to the wines and vintage: 2010 is a classic year for white Burgundy. The relatively cool growing season maintained crisp acidity, and the reduced crop delivered great intensity of flavor. Moreover, the wines have structure, and although the simpler wines are accessible now, most premiers and grands crus from top estates have a long life ahead of them.

Our private room. Notice the large table with a lot of space. This is important when you have 30+ glasses a person!

Notice the awesome array of glasses in the background. Only about half of them are visible. Few restaurants can handle this sort of thing, as they need over 400 stems of the same type and a dedicated Sommelier with sufficient experience and skill. Ours tonight handled the whole wine service with extreme professionalism and personality.

The whole thing in session.

Tonight’s special menu.

Flight 0: Champagne

2002 Philipponnat Champagne Brut Clos des Goisses. VM 96. The flagship 2002 Brut Clos des Goisses is simply stunning in this vintage. Seamless, ripe and beguiling, the 2002 is pure harmony in the glass. Dried pears, apricots, flowers, red berries and spices are some of the many notes that inform this towering, aristocratic wine. At once vertical yet endowed with serious length, the 2002 stands out for its breathtaking balance and overall sense of harmony. Layers of fruit built to the huge, creamy finish. This is a great showing from Philipponnat. The 2002 was disgorged in June 2011.

Parmiggiano Schegge.

Eggplant Cotoletta.

Grilled pizza.

Calamaretti Fritti.

Branzino & Enoki Mushroom Rolls.

Bread sticks.

Flight 1: Chablis

2010 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses. VM 97. The 2010 Chablis Les Preuses combines the minerality of Valmur and the fruit of Bouguerots in a style that is immensely appealing. The wine’s balance is utterly impeccable throughout. This is one of those effortless, gracious wines that is easy to underestimate because the elements are so seamlessly woven together that nothing in particular stands out. I am blown away by the sheer balance, purity and harmony of what is in the glass. This is a great showing from Fevre and Didier Seguir.

2010 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Preuses. VM 96. The 2010 Chablis Preuses is a dense, structured wine bursting with fruit. The typical Preuses bouquet is very much present, but today the wine is young and needs time to settle down. This is a decidedly bold, ripe Preuses that captures the weight and richness of the year. Although insanely vivid and beautiful in the glass, it needs time to fully come together. Today, the minerality appears nearly buried by the sheer weight of the fruit.

2010 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Valmur. VM 96. The 2010 Chablis Valmur is intense, rich and heady, but also has more than enough acidity to back things up. It is at once rich yet weightless in its expression of fruit, which is rare for Valmur. Hints of slate, crushed rocks, peaches and apricots meld together on the dramatic, enveloping finish. The Valmur is every bit as fabulous as it was when I tasted it last year from barrel.

2010 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. VM 95+. The 2010 Chablis Les Clos is all about understatement and balance. White floral notes meld into white stone fruit in this utterly gracious Chablis. Clos can at times be fleeting and elusive, and there is certainly some of that in the 2010. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s textural finesse and sheer overall balance. I will not be surprised if the 2010 continues to get better in bottle.

2010 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. VM 96. Veins of saline minerality support expressive fruit in the 2010 Chablis Les Clos. White peaches, slate, smoke, crushed rocks and salt are all quite vivid in the glass. It is hard to resist the Clos today, as the fruit is so silky and delineated, yet at the same time it is quite clear the wine has the potential to evolve beautifully in bottle for many, many years. The 2010 is all about silkiness and precision. Today, it has a little less overt ripeness and weight next to the Preuses.

2010 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos. VM 97+. The very best elements of vintage and site is expressed by one of Chablis’s true visionaries come together in the 2010 Chablis Clos. The aromatics alone are breathtaking, but then endless layers of fruit flow across the palate, captivating all the senses; intellectual, hedonistic and everything else. The Clos has elements of all the preceding wines in the same way Romanée-Conti encapsulates all the wines at DRC. The 2010 Clos shows great balance and class from start to finish. It is a profound wine to savor over the next few decades, although it shouldn’t be touched before age ten. Readers who can find the 2010 should not hesitate. It is a magical bottle of wine.

2010 François Raveneau Chablis Grand Cru Blanchot. VM 95. An intriguing, rich, almost tropical expression of fruit emerges from the 2010 Chablis Blanchot, owing to the warmer microclimate in this site. The Blanchots is ripe, seductive and enveloping. Stylistically it is one of the flashier 2010s here. Layers of fruit build to the deeply resonant, radiant finish. The Blanchot should drink well relatively early.

2010 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Montée de Tonnerre. VM 95+. Readers will have to be patient with the 2010 Chablis Montée de Tonnerre. Some of the other 2010s are showing much more today, but the Montée de Tonnerre is all understatement and class. Still, it is impossible to miss the wine’s textural finesse and exceptional overall harmony. Everything is simply in the right place in this majestic, compelling Chablis. A gentle hint of spice frames the finish.

Warm King Crab Salad with Cannellini Beans and Citrus Essence.

Flight 2: Meursault

2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 93. Pale, bright yellow. Aromas and flavors of fresh peach and apricot, lemon-lime and crushed rock. Rich, dense, creamy and seamless, but with firm acidity and strong stony minerality leavening the wine’s sweetness. Very complex and intense Perrieres with superb energy and length. Made from a blend of three parcels.

From my cellar: 2010 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 94+. Bright pale yellow. Exotic, slightly high-toned aromas of orange, hazelnut and spicy oak. Then much more soil-dominated on the palate, with savory, chewy flavors of liquid stone and salty minerality dominating the wine’s underlying fruit. Tensile, tightly wound Perrieres, in need of five to seven years of patience.

2010 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Bouchères. VM 94. Roulot’s 2010 Meursault Bouchères comes across as weightless, perfumed and very beautiful. Floral aromatics lead to expressive stone fruits in this gracious, feminine wine. In 2010, the Bouchères is all subtlety, finesse and understatement. A distinctly salty finish full of tension and energy leaves a lasting impression. This is going to be a fascinating wine to follow over the coming years. The 2010 is the last Bouchères made by Roulot. As part of the purchase of Domaine Manuel, Jean-Marc Roulot acquired the 1.3 hectare Clos des Bouchères, and he prefers to focus his efforts there, as that plot is quite a bit larger than his existing holding in the greater Bouchères.

From my cellar: 2010 Domaine Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières. VM 94. Knockout perfume of soft citrus fruits, menthol, wet stone and white truffle. Densely packed, saline and seamless; deceptively approachable today owing to its sheer richness and depth of flavor and its very long, sweet aftertaste. But this utterly primary wine has the stuffing for aging. Boillot recommends drinking it in the next year or so or holding it for seven or eight years; he’s convinced the wine will be totally closed in two years.

2010 Domaine Latour-Giraud Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières Cuvée des Pierre. VM 95+. Bright pale yellow. Spicy oak, lemon oil, hazelnut and brown spices on the nose. Boasts superb saline density on entry, then remains tactile and salty in the middle, but with terrific energy to buffer the wine’s volume. There’s outstanding flavor intensity here but not the early tenderness of the basic Genevrieres bottling. Superb lemony minerality gives the finish terrific cut. Really mounts slowly and builds. Latour noted that both this wine and the cuvee classique went back into barrel for additional aging after the August racking; he moved the rest of his wines into tanks, where they remained in mass for another six months.

2010 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Genevrières. VM 96+. Usually we feature older wines in Cellar Favorites, but given the understandable trepidation consumers have around cellaring white Burgundy, I thought it would be interesting to see how a handful of highly touted white Burgundies are faring. To be honest, I had a selfish reason for wanting to taste these wines. I bought many of the Lafon 2010s (it is my daughter’s birth year), but I did so not really knowing when the wines would be ready to drink or how long they will last. I think I can at least offer a view on the first part of that question, but the second, happily, remains a question mark, in the best sense of the term.Vinous readers will recall that 2010 is unusual in the Côte de Beaune for its combination of both elevated ripeness and high acidity, two attributes one rarely finds in the same vintage. At Lafon, the 2010s were positively electric when I tasted them from barrel and then from bottle. Today, a few years later, the 2010 whites are every bit as impressive. Although projecting drinking windows for white Burgundy these days is fraught with peril, based on this showing all of the 2010s need at least a few more years in bottle with the possible exception of the Goutte d’Or.While the preceding Meursaults all offer a measure of exuberance – albeit in a classically austere style – the 2010 Meursault Genevrières is a much more introverted wine that draws the taster in with its myriad shades of dimension. Deceptively medium in body, the 2010 is all about intensity, cut and inward energy, with the classic reductive flavor profile that is typical of this great site, and breathtaking harmony. The 2010 refreshes the palate with every taste as it continues to grow in the glass. Over the last few years, the 2010 has blossomed into a spectacular Meursault. This is the best showing yet from the Genevrières.

2010 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes. VM 95+. Orange and lemon zest and pure crushed stone on the reticent nose. A real live wire in the mouth, with great verve to the flavors of lemon peel, white pepper and saline minerality. For such a bracing wine, this one boasts a magically silky, seamless texture. The outstanding, slow-mounting finish boasts pristine grapefruit, lemon and crushed stone elements and outstanding aromatic persistence. This wine finished its malo in June of 2011 and is still an infant today.

From my cellar: 2010 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Charmes. VM 94. Deep aromas of fresh apricot, orange creamsicle, vanilla and spices. Big, concentrated and rich, displaying more power and weight today than the Genevrieres. Dense and silky-sweet but a bit shocked by the bottling and not currently showing the precision or length of the last sample. But this is still long on the aftertaste. Lafon notes that this wine will become more floral as it settles down in the bottle.

Linguine with Sea Scallops Ragu. Not a bad dish, but not the best White Burg pairing and oddly VERY similar to the next dish.

Flight 3: Meursault Perrieres

2010 Henri Germain et Fils Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 90-93. Here the SO2 had just recently been adjusted and it was strong enough to render the nose impossible to fairly evaluate. The stony, precise and energetic middle weight flavors possess both excellent complexity and plenty of detail before concluding in a dry, clean, focused and impressively persistent finish.

2010 Henri Boillot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 93-95. Bright, light medium yellow. Fully ripe peach complemented by flinty minerality. At once thick and bright, with intense stone fruit, oak char and nut oil flavors. Quite serene today after the early malo. This switches to a higher gear on the back half, with its mounting finish showing strong crushed stone minerality, some smoky, petrolly, riesling-like notes, and outstanding persistence.

2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 95+. Locked up tight on the nose. Then thick, large-scaled and powerful in the mouth, with an extraordinarily tactile palate feel to the pineapple and crushed stone flavors. Packed with dry extract. Boasts the concentration, fine-grained texture and sheer sappy density of a grand cru. This brilliant wine finishes with uncanny rising length. I’d love to revisit it in ten years.

2010 Domaine des Comtes Lafon Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 96. Bright pale yellow. Very ripe aromas of pineapple, yellow peach and wet stone, lifted by a floral topnote. Wonderfully fine-grained and sweet, but with pungent pineapple and mineral flavors conveying a powerful impression of energy. Finishes very long and lush, with a resounding whiplash of fruits and stone. These 2010s boast outstanding depth of fruit without any heaviness.

2010 Vincent Dancer Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. BH 92-94. This is perhaps the purest wine in the range with its gorgeously complex floral, spiced pear and wet stone suffused aromas. The racy, intense and chiseled flavors possess good mid-palate fat and concentration with plenty of dry extract that buffers the explosive, classy and gorgeously persistent finish where a discreet touch of wood surfaces. This is, in a word, terrific.

2010 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 93. Much more exotic on the nose than the Charmes, offering aromas of pineapple, hazelnut and marzipan. Hugely ripe and concentrated, but almost tropical in the context of this set of 2010s. Offers grand cru weight and texture, strong acidity and palate-staining pineapple and grapefruit flavors but finishes with a slight youthful bitterness. I’d drink this very ripe wine over the next decade or so while waiting on the superlative Charmes.

2010 Domaine Jean-Michel Gaunoux Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières. VM 94. Bright pale yellow. With its aromas of pineapple, powdered stone and tea leaf, this smells a bit sweeter than the Genevrieres. Dense but light on its feet, with terrific inner-mouth perfume to the flavors of lavender, powdered stone and minerals. Taut, elegant, very dry wine with superb cut and rising length. A very clear expression of Perrieres terroir.

2010 Albert Grivault Meursault 1er Cru Clos des Perrières. VM 92. Cool nose of mint, green herbs, some lemon and lemon drops, a bit of sweet oak. A bit oaky for my tastes. The palate shows more energy with good acid, not as deep or wide as I would like from a Perrieres but quite pretty with lemon drops, oak, a touch of the herbal/mint. The finish is the best part showing great drive and brightness with lots of lemon drops and some sweetness from the oak.

Risotto with Lobster and Mixed Seafood. We always get this dish, but tonight it was nearly identical in flavor profile to the pasta and again a bit too tangy/acidic for the Burg. Really we should have had the white cheesy/creamy risotto that was a Valentino specialty back in the 90s, the one that is closer to Risotto gamberi con crema.

Flight 4: Corton Charlemagne

2010 Henri Boillot Corton-Charlemagne. VM 96+. Bright pale yellow. Extremely closed nose hints at gunflint and menthol. Dense and pure on entry, then as powerful as a solid in the middle, with explosive lift to the flavors of white pepper, mint and dusty stone. Expands with air to fill the mouth without giving any impression of weight. Finishes with a convincing saline tang and outstanding persistence. This has the structure of a top red Burgundy: I’d forget about it for at least eight years.

2010 Bouchard Père et Fils Corton-Charlemagne. VM 95+. Good bright, pale yellow. Very pure, reticent aromas of lemon, lime and white flowers. Dry and penetrating to the point of painful, with pristine flavors of crushed stone, lime, lemon and ripe but lightly bitter pomelo. Pure energy: this makes the Cabottes seem almost creamy by comparison. Finishes with intense crushed stone flavor and outstanding cut and lift. For the cellar.

2010 Faiveley Corton-Charlemagne. VM 95+. Palish bright yellow. Tight, vibrant nose offers white peach, pineapple, nut oils and brown spices. Juicy and sweet but kept under wraps today by powerful acidity. Still, this remarkably intense wine does not come across as austere owing the full ripeness of the fruit. Wonderfully classy Corton-Charlemagne with a penetrating, dusty, extremely long finish. This held up brilliantly in the recorked bottle. I suspect this wine will shut down in the next couple years.

2010 Domaine Patrick Javillier Corton-Charlemagne. VM 92+. Bright pale-yellow. Very closed nose hints at minerals and spices. Rich, dense and sappy, with almost surprising sucrosite to the flavors of orange zest and stone. Very precise Corton-Charlemagne with a tangy, slightly tannic back end. Forget about this one for at least five or six years.

2010 Domaine de la Vougeraie Corton-Charlemagne Le Charlemagne. VM 94-96. The 2010 Corton-Charlemagne Le Charlemagne is stunningly beautiful. Layers of expressive, voluptuous fruit are supported by persistent underlying mineral notes. The wine blossoms on the palate in all directions, showing off its pedigree and pure class. A vivid, crystalline finish leaves a lasting impression.

2010 Pierre-Yves Colin-Morey Corton-Charlemagne. VM 95+. Pale, bright yellow-green. Discreet, pristine aromas of white peach, lime, white pepper and powdered stone. Extremely tight and penetrating, with outstanding intensity to its steely, lemony flavors. Conveys a powerful citrus character that’s accentuated on the back end by a bracing crushed stone element. Impenetrable today but built for a long and eventful evolution in bottle.

2010 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne. VM 94+. Good pale yellow. Penetrating aromas of citrus peel, spices, metallic minerality and crushed rock. Tightly wound, gripping and deep, with outstanding concentration and clarity and a density of texture that reminded me of the 2005 here. A flavor of candied lime peel is already quite exhilarating but this wine’s youthfully imploded character calls for at least seven or eight years of cellaring. Today, this is rather like a tighter version of the 2011, and even more closed than a bottle I rated 94 in Issue 164.

2010 Domaine / Maison Vincent Girardin Corton-Charlemagne Quintessence. VM 92?. Bright, pale yellow. Reticent but very pure aromas of yellow peach, hazelnut and vanillin oak; comes across as riper than the utterly primary basic Corton-Charlemagne. Sweet and fine-grained, with a distinctly silky texture to the yellow fruit flavors. I find this less limey and minerally than the basic bottling, without quite that wine’s tension. In fact, the finish shows a slightly exotic apricot quality and a bit of youthful warmth.

Pan Roasted Napa Quail with Parmesan Polenta. Good quail dish.

Flight 5: Dessert

1989 Château Rieussec. VM 92. Lively, complex, fresh aromas of tropical fruit, honey and spicy oak. Sweet and viscous in the middle palate; kept fresh by apple and pear notes and harmonious acidity. Very concentrated and deep. Very long on the aftertaste; has the sheer material to buffer its alcohol. Rieussec switched to later bottling with this vintage: 30 rather than 24 months after the harvest.

Made and brought by me for the meal: Mint Oreo Fudge Triple Threat – Fresh mint gelato base with Valrhona chocolate ganache and mint oreo cookies!

Apple Torte & Apple Fritters with Cinnamon Creme Anglaise.

Looking over the sea of glasses!

There is a lot to say about this tasting. First of all, Valentino did a good job as usual. 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. The food was okay, although feeling a bit dated and the menu selection was odd with the two nearly identically sauced dishes. The decor and food are also a tad dated now, very very 90s — and not even as good as I remember back in the 90s. But memory is a funny thing.

There wasn’t quite enough food and the flights were WAY too large. Really this dinner could use 6 flights, no bigger than 5 wines each and about 6 savory dishes. This was more a planning/budget issue than anything under the restaurant’s control.

Thanks to Don C again as always for organizing a super fun and education event! It’s an enormous amount of organization and we all really appreciate it.

Speaking of Don, his compiled results and comments from this dinner are as follows. The top five ranked wines of the evening were:

On February we held the first night of the 2010 White Burgundy and Vintage Assessment Dinners at Valentino Restaurant in Santa Monica. The dinners were in our usual format with 14 attendees and sommelier Paul Sherman evaluating the wines at each dinner. All of the wines were served single blind and all of the voting takes place completely blind (with individual written ballots) with the attendees ranking their top five wines by bottle number. As we usually do, we attempted to include all of the top examples from each appellation.

We tasted 32 different wines from Chablis, Meursault and Corton Charlemagne (four flights of eight wines each). On February 20 we had 30 different hyphenated grand crus from Montrachet and two ringers – one from California and one from France. Again, we had four flights of eight wines each.

Here are the top ten wines based on the group rankings from each night:

Night One- Feb 7 (Chablis (8), Meursault (16), Corton Charlemagne (8)):

			Top 5	DC
	Group Ranking	Total Points	Votes	Rating
1	Vincent Dancer Meursault Perrieres	29	8	95
2	Lafon Meursault Genevrieres	23	6	95
3	Raveneau Chablis Clos	20	5	94
4	Roulot Meursault Perrieres	19	6	95
5 tie	Javillier Corton Charlemagne [DIAM]	17	7	94
5 tie	H. Boillot Meursault Perrieres	17	4	93\|90?
7	Latour-Giraud Meursault Genevrieres Cuvee de Pierre	15	5	95
8	Vougeraie Corton Charlemagne	13	4	93
9	Roulot Meursault Charmes	11	4	94+
10	Fevre Clos [DiAM]	8	4	94+

The premox report for nights one and two were very good. Over two nights, we had the lowest total incidence of oxidized or advanced wines over the past 13 years. The group consensus was that 3 of the 64 wines were advanced or oxidized (6.25%). By my count it was 7 of 64 wines (or 10.94%) [ Andy interjects that at dinner 1 basically nothing was premoxed and that he feels Don sometimes see a highly ripe wine as advanced ]. To date, the vintage with the lowest incidence of oxidized and advanced wines was 2004 — (12.7%). But we still have 16 bottles of “Mostly Montrachet” to taste on March 7. Once again, none of the DIAM-closed bottles were corked, oxidized or advanced and no one reported any sort of unusual flavors or aromas. So far, that’s 13 perfect bottles over the last two years.

Some Impressions About the 2010 Vintage Based on this tasting:

I will provide details on each wine in the tasting notes, but I found the 2010 vintage more uneven and probably less impressive overall than I had expected – at least for the Cote de Beaune wines. The Cote de Beaune wines are much riper and more dense (with lots of tropical fruit notes on the aromas) than the early reviews suggested. And in several cases, particularly in Corton, Meursault and Batard, the acidity level wasn’t as high as expected and in some cases, seemingly not high enough to counterbalance the heavy ripe fruit flavors. [ Andy notes that he LOVED the 2010s – but it’s highly subjective ]

The 2010 Chablis as a group were marvelous. They have prototype Chablis aromas (lots of oyster shell and green fruit) with excellent Chablis minerality/liquid rocks in the finishes. The surprise was that this came with about 50% more depth of fruit than most of the classic Chablis years. This is a vintage in a style that everyone can love – similar to 2002 but with better acidity and abundant minerality. There were lots of smiles over these wines and no one had any doubts, as we sometimes do when tasting Chablis at 7.5 years.

The Meursault wines were very uneven, and in some cases the wines seemed totally atypical and excessively ripe for Meursault. Three or four of the wines had Corton Charlemagne weight and density with none of the normal Meursault aroma or flavor markers. These bottles gave the impression of being too sweet and way too fat for Meursault. Since I’m a classic Meursault lover, I wasn’t pleased. While there were a handful of really stellar Meursaults (e.g. Vincent Dancer MP, Roulot MP, Lafon Genevrieres, Latour-Giraud Genevrieres Cuvee Pierre, and Roulot Charmes) overall I preferred the flight of 2009 Meursault Perrieres we tasted a year ago, which were exceptional, to the flight of 2010 Meursault Perrieres. That’s certainly not what I would have expected going into the dinner.

The Corton Charlemagne flight was group’s least favorite flight on night one. Two of the wines were advanced, one was corked and the BDM seemed quite off to me with an excessively bitter phenols finish. Overall this flight of wines didn’t impress me. Some were notably sweet, even for Corton, and the acidity didn’t seem to match the ripeness and sweetness. Only the Javillier seemed to be a classic Corton.

Other big tasting dinners from this dinner series:

2009 White Burgundy part 1

2008 White Burgundy part 1

2008 White Burgundy part 2

2008 White Burgundy part 3

2007 White Burgundy part 1

2007 White Burgundy part 2

2007 White Burgundy part 3

2006 White Burgundy

2004 Red Burgundy

2005 White Burgundy part 1

2005 White Burgundy part 2

2005 White Burgundy part 3

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: 2010 White Burgundy, BYOG, Chablis, Corton-Charlemagne, Don Cornwell, Gelato, Italian Cusine, Meursault, Valentino, Wine

Eating Melbourne – Sarti

Mar09

Restaurant: Sarti

Location: 6 Russell Pl, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia

Date: December 31, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Very good Italian

Our final dinner in Australia was New Years Eve and we went to this excellent Italian restaurant…

Pretty front hidden on a side street.

Inside, bar, etc.

Outside patio currently hosting a private party.

Italian all the way.

The special New Year’s menu.

I ordered this nice Australian chard.

Trota Marinata. Semi cured ocean trout, white radish, grapefruit, salmon roe.

Rotolo di Coniglio. Rolled rabbit, quinoa salad, walnuts, baby carrots.

Fiori di Zucca. Zucchini flowers filled with goat’s cheese and chives.

Insalata di Polipo. Octopus salad, avocado puree, pomegranate.

Zucchini and goat cheese foam.

Il Pesce. Pan seared Barramundi, baby cucumber, orange, caramelized witlof.

Risotto alle Verdure. Pea pisotto, sugar snap peas, mascarpone, mint.

Green salad with nuts.

Fries.

Spaghetti alla Chitarra. Black ink pasta, WA blue swimmer crab, fresh tomato, garlic, chili.

Chocolate ice cream.

Pietre di Frutta della Passione. Passion fruit stones, what chocolate sponge, basil.

The crew at the table.

Downtown Melbourne

Overall, a very nice Italian meal. Australia has a lot of Italians and quite good Italian food. This was in that modern Italian style.

For more Australia dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Australia, eating-australia, Italian Cusine, Melbourne, Sarti

Sage at Rossoblu

Dec01

Restaurant: Rossoblu

Location: 1124 San Julian St, Los Angeles, CA 90015. (213) 749-1099

Date: November 1, 2017

Cuisine: Italian (Emilia Romagna)

Rating: Very tasty modern rustic style

Los Angeles Italian restaurants are getting more explicitly regional. Rossoblu is helmed by Chef Steve Samson (who opened at Sotto) whose family is from Bologna in Emilia Romagna — a city and region of epic food tradition (check out my own visit to the area here). This visit was organized by Liz Lee of Sage Society.

The location is in DTLA in one of those ugly market districts on the southeastern side of the city. The building looks new and certainly newly renovated with a slightly oddball but large front patio. The neighborhood is kinda sketchy.

Inside is modern and attractive with a slightly offset bar area.

And a spacious main dining room with very high ceilings.

The menu.

The kitchen is open and the hood huge — with one of those wood burning roasting ovens.

We each brought geeky central Italian wines. First the whites.

Liz brought: 2000 i Clivi Galea. 93 points. Very cold weather and herbal.

From my cellar: 2010 Paolo Bea Arboreus. 93 points. Very interesting orange wine. This is a wine that continues to exceed my already-high expectations for it. In this setting it held its own against two hearty pasta dishes—not the fare you would typically associate with Trebbiano, but then again this isn’t your typical Trebbiano. Bea’s decision a few years ago to add a touch more sulfur when bottling has increased the wine’s stability and reduced its oxidative quality somewhat, without losing any of the characteristics that make this wine what it is. Always a delight.

Kirk brought: 2010 Le Macchiole Paleo Bianco Toscana IGT. VM 88. Light, bright yellow. Honeydew and pineapple aromas, along with floral and grapefruit nuances. Juicy, spicy and high-pitched, offering brisk flavors of citrus zest, winter melon and fresh herbs. Finishes slightly dry, with refreshing bite and good spicy persistence.

Grilled buckley bay oysters. Brown butter, sage, parmigiano reggiano, lemon breadcrumbs. Certainly I’ve never seen these in Italy but these “almost like Oyster Rockefeller” oysters were quite good.

Grilled Santa Barbara spot prawns. Breadcrumbs, parsley, Romagnola Olive Oil. These were great prawns — although again you wouldn’t see this exact dish in Italy — and the row in particular was awesome.

Swiss chard ebazzone tartlet. Stracchino, Chicory Salad. A lot like a Greek Spanakopita. Behind it is a kind of Emilia Romagna cheese (stracchino) in olive oil.

Strozzapreti. Clams, shrimp, lobster mushrooms, tomato. Essentially a Gauzetto sauce. Very nice al dente bite on the thick pasta. Really lovely for a seafood pasta actually, although somehow felt a little more Southern Italian.

Valbruna’s Eggplant. Tomato sugo, parmigiano reggiano, basil. Bright pizza flavors. Nice fresh eggplant dish.

Whole grilled orata. lemon arugula. Nice fresh fish but with a strong grilled flavor — undoubtedly down on the wood fire grill.

Liz brought: 1985 Castell’in Villa Chianti Classico Riserva. AG 93. The 1985 Chianti Classico Riserva is a gorgeous wine. It has plenty of depth and richness to match its fabulous overall balance. The warmth of the vintage is very nicely balanced here. The bouquet is starting to show early signs of development, which suggests the 1985 won’t be one of the longer-lived vintages at Castell’in Villa, but it should continue to drink well for another 5-7 years, perhaps longer.

From my cellar: 1966 Badia a Coltibuono Chianti Classico Riserva. 89 points. A little sharp but still in amazing shape given that it’s a 51 year old Chianti!

From my cellar: 1999 Paolo Bea Sagrantino di Montefalco Secco. AG 95. The wine was absolutely majestic. Tons of fruit!

Pappardelle. Sausage ragu, broccoli, ricotta. Very nice sausage and broccoli pasta. Very al dente with a lot of rich flavor.

Maltagliati. Procini & pioppini mushrooms. Dandelion greens, sage. Particularly tasty for a vegetarian pasta. The mushrooms were almost meaty. Again extremely al dente.

Very Emilia Romagna style puffy breads.

For the Salumi board. Sotto cenere / testa, whipped dry aged beef tallow. Mortadella DOP, prosciutto di parma (30 months), served with stracchino cheese.

Nonna’s Tagliatelle al ragu Bolognese. Beef, pork, not too much tomato sauce. Very traditional Bolognese with LOTS of meat. Good stuff.

Risotto. Yellow corn, chanterelle mushrooms. Lovely almost sweet / cheesy risotto. Nice bite to the rice.

Milk braised pork shoulder. caramelized cabbage. Really nice soft flavorful pork.

Coal roasted vegetables. Carrots, beats, etc. Sea salt. Olive oil. Was getting pretty full for veggies.

The dessert menu.

Tiramisu Tradizionale. Cognescenti espresso, blackstrap rum, mascarpone. As good a tiramisu as you get in a restaurant, although not as good as my own.

Fall Date Blondie. Nutmeg cream, maple walnuts, coppa di gelato. More like a spice cake with whipped cream.

Overall, Rossoblu (named after the colors of the Bologna soccer team), adds another great entry into the new LA Italian dining scene. It’s focused on Emilia Romagna, but more like the rustic home cooking of an older Emilia Romagna as filtered through LA sensibility. My own experiences in the region show considerably less rustication. But in any case Rossoblu is very tasty. The pastas in particular were fabulous — and I’m always a pasta fiend. Too bad, like Officine, Bestia, and Factory Kitchen, it’s located ALL THE WAY Downtown — 1:45 of traffic.

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Italian Cusine, Los Angeles, pasta, Rossoblu, Sage Society, Steve Samson, Wine

Sauvage Estrella

Oct18

Restaurant: Estrella

Location: 8800 Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069. (310) 652-6613

Date: September 9, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Mirko is an awesome chef

Sauvages lunches are always fun and this time we head off to:

Estrella, a former hollywood hip spot that now hosts one of our favorite Italian chefs, Mirko Paderno formerly of Culina, Officine, and Oliverio.

We had the cute private room in the back all to ourselves

Chef Mirko Paderno on the right.

From my cellar: 2014 Montenidoli Vernaccia di San Gimignano Fiore. 90 points. Sweet and sour white fruits, good acidity here and nice persistence. Very likable and food-friendly, but also able to stand on it’s own.

The menu.

The main wines were all Barolo and Barbaresco.

1995 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche. VM 91+. Similar red color. Very expressive, very Barolo aromas of cherry, tar and chestnut. Sweet and densely packed but very firm and stubbornly backward; with aeration, this showed complex, fresh flavors of cherry, raspberry and smoke. The strong tannins are nicely integrated. A rather powerful ’95 that should show more personality with four or five years of additional bottle aging.

1996 Albino Rocca Barbaresco Vigneto Brich Ronchi. VM 94+. Even deeper red ruby color. Pungently spicy, penetrating aromas of rose petal, violet and red berries. Thick, intensely flavored and sharply delineated, with strong acidity and plenty of buffering extract. This has superb material and outstanding grip and persistence. Firm tannins are in perfect balance with the wine fruit. Wow! This is aged in all new barriques, but I never would have guessed it.

1997 Azienda Bricco Asili (Ceretto) Barbaresco Bricco Asili. VM 91+. Medium red. Subdued but pure aromas of sappy redcurrant, cherry, dried flowers, leather and mint; the most complex of these ’97 Barbarescos. Suave and rich but impressively unevolved for a ’97 Barbaresco. Firm acids contribute to the impression of solid structure. Finishes firm and persistent.

From my cellar: 1999 Roagna Barbaresco Crichët Pajé. JG 93. The 1999 Crichet Pajè is a superb bottle of young Barbaresco, with the inherent elegance of this superb vintage working very nicely with the “nobly rustic” style of the wines at this epoch at Roagna. The bouquet is deep, pure and complex, wafting from the glass in a blend of cherries, orange zest, cigar smoke, a superb base of soil, nutskins, fresh oregano and a dollop of road tar in the upper register. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied and beautifully balanced, with a sappy core, outstanding soil signature, ripe tannins and excellent length and grip on the tangy and focused finish. High class juice that is still in need of several years in the cellar to reach its apogee

Cauliflower Torino, castelmagno cheese founduta, summer truffle. Pretty much the Mirko signature dish. Always delicious. Creamy, cheesy, with that truffle goodness.

1988 Elio Altare Barolo Vigneto Arborina. VM 94. The 1988 Barolo Vigneto Arborina stands out for its forward, decidedly fruit-driven style. Soft, pliant and super-expressive, the 1988 is wonderfully expressive today. Hints of leather, smoke, tobacco, cedar and crushed flowers add nuance on the finish. The 1988 saw just four days on the skins and was the last Barolo aged partly in cask. Even today, the 1988 retains gorgeous freshness and delineation.

1997 Azienda Bricco Rocche (Ceretto) Barolo Bricco Rocche. VM 92+. Medium red, orange at the rim. Cool, highly aromatic nose of redcurrant, dried rose, clove, cinnamon, chocolate and loam. Highly concentrated and rich in the mouth; flavors of chocolate, marzipan and amaretto show an almost liqueur-like sweetness. Big but ripe tannins coat all the surfaces of the palate. Very impressive.

Polenta Taragna, duck prosciutto, butter and sage. Rough polenta with a that butter and sage flavor. Very rustic dish, but nice.

1989 Giovanni Corino Barolo Vigna Giachini. VM 91. Corino’s 1989 Barolo Vigna Giachini offers up cedar, mushrooms and a host of mostly mature aromas and flavors on a delicate, elegant frame. The tannins remain a touch firm, but there doesn’t appear to be much upside in holding bottles too much longer.

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.

Pennoni all’amatriciana, guanciale, red onion, san marzano, pecorino. Nicely al dente, and tons of bacon fat flavor. Not was integrated or smooth as the Felix version though.

1996 Luciano Sandrone Barolo Cannubi Boschis. VM 96+. The 1996, one of the estate’s best, takes things to another level. It shows an outrageous, well-delineated nose of fresh roses, minerals and menthol followed waves of dark fruit and licorice flavors that are just beginning to show the signs of early maturity, with exceptional freshness, length, and harmony. This opens beautifully in the glass, taking on an almost Burgundian elegance. A wine to marvel over. It is hard to resist this now, but it will be even better in another 3-5 years, and age gracefully for another decade, and probably more.

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.

Black summer truffle risotto, chenterelle mushrooms, parmigiano reggiano. Gorgeous risotto. Mirko really knows how to get the perfect texture.

1998 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 92. Domenico Clerico’s 1998 Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra is one of the most full-throttle wines of the vintage. Still deeply-colored, this authoritative wine possesses tons of mineral-infused dark fruit intermingled with French oak and menthol. This remains one of the most tannic and firm wines of the vintage. My impression is that the fruit will fade before the tannins melt away. Still, this is a beautiful wine Barolo to enjoy over the next few years, although it is not a wine for the timid.

2001 Domenico Clerico Barolo Ciabot Mentin Ginestra. VM 95. Clerico’s 2001 Ciabot Mentin Ginestra was one of the first Barolos that really captivated my attention and for me it remains this producer’s most representative wine. It is a superb achievement and one of the highlights of the vintage.

Roasted squab, eggplant caponata, soft potatoes, natural jus. Stuart who organized this dinner loves game bird!

From my cellar as a bonus: 2008 Ferrando Carema White Label (Etichetta Bianca). VM 92. The 2008 Carema Etichetta Bianca wafts from the glass with sweet dried cherries, tobacco, sweet herbs and crushed flowers. A mid-weight, delicate wine, the 2008 is quite typical of these hillside vineyards. In 2008 the acidity is a bit on the high side, which readers should keep in mind when considering food pairings. This is a gorgeous wine from Ferrando.

Chocolate Mousse Cake, mixed berries.

Grapefruit aperol sorbetto by moi — I brought this one.

Cafe.

Cryptic notes.

Cute details in the room.

I opened this “bonus” wine: 1997 Maison Roche de Bellene Chambertin Collection Bellenum. 91 points. Seemed a bit uninteresting at first, but after about 5 hours of air, this was really singing. Very perfumed, elegant nose, with loads of soft red fruit, spice notes, and a touch of secondary. Great acidity on the palate, beautiful silky tannins on the finish.

These Sauvages events are always great fun and the wines were spectacular, particularly supported by Mirko’s sophisticated Northern Italian cooking. This is his fourth location in recent years but wherever he goes, there the cooking is!

For more LA dining reviews click here.

By: agavin
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Tagged as: Estrella, Italian Cusine, Mirko Paderno, Sauvages

Relocated to Officine

Oct06

Restaurant: Officine Brera [1, 2, 3, 4]

Location: 1331 E 6th St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. (213) 553-8006

Date: August 24, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Some of the best (new?) Italian in the city!

Sebastian tried to get me to go out to Glendale to a more uninspired Italian so I hijacked the whole dinner location over to Downtown’s Officine Brera. Another modern “rustic” Italian by the team that brought us Factory Kitchen, including master chef Angelo Auriana.

The area offers a mess of old brick 40s warehouses and factories which are being lovingly converted, allowing large spaces at reasonable rents (for now).

And inside the gigantic warehouse/factory space has been reconfigured with highly attractive duct work. Who would have thought that grungy 70 year-old factory windows could look so good?

For some weird reason, despite being impossible to get into last summer, and really good, Officine is much quieter now-a-days. It was about half full on our Thursday. I hope it picks back up. LA is a notoriously fickle market driven by hype, star power, and rent prices instead of food quality.

Tonight’s menu.

From my cellar: 2010 Abbazia di Novacella (Stiftskellerei Neustift) Kerner Praepositus. VM 90. The 2010 Kerner Praepositus is a more textured, creamier wine that the Sylvaner Praepositus tasted alongside it. Layers of fruit caress the palate in this effortless, totally gracious white. Ripe peaches, apricots, sage, savory herbs and wild flowers are all woven together nicely.

Fiore di Zucca. Crescenza-reggiano-pecorino stuffed zucchini blossoms, tempura batter. Always yummy.

Rustici. Baked stuffed vegetables, eggplant ,peppers, red onion, zucchini, tomato pepper sauce. Interesting, all these roasted vegetables stuffed with ground meat and cheese.

Carpaccio di Manzo. Seared beef sirloin, arugula, raspadura, Ligurian extra virgin olive oil. Solid, but not as much flavor as the tongue below.

Farinata. Chickpea “pancake” cooked in the 750 degree wood oven.

Sebastian brought: 2005 E. Guigal Condrieu La Doriane. VM 93. Light gold. Explosively aromatic nose offers a complex array of citrus and spice scents, notably tangerine, blood orange and nutmeg. Sappy and concentrated, showing great depth to the sweet but energetic citrus flavors. Really expands on the palate, with riper peach and nectarine flavors building through a strikingly long, elegant finish. “We’re after finesse and expression without heaviness here.” explains Guigal, who points out that this was raised in 100% new oak. “You can’t see it, can you?” he asked. Nope.

Stacciatella. Baby kale, white endive, mint, sage, stracciatella cheese, toasted almonds. Nice salad, particularly with the cheese.

Lingua Salmistrata. Sliced pickled beef tongue, parsley sauce, taggia olives, arugula salad. LOVED the tongue. We ordered a second round. Great tender meat, with pesto, cheese, and bright arugula.

Sebastian brought: 1996 Tenuta San Guido • Bolgheri Sassicaia. RP 92. Here’s a little gem from Tenuta San Guido that has never been reviewed in Robert Parker Wine Advocate (except informally by me one year ago in a Hedonist’s Gazette). I have consistently found the 1996 Bolgheri Sassicaia to be an impressive wine on the few occasions I have had to taste it. This is one of those rare underrated vintages that bring so much delight and surprise in an important retrospective such as this. As I recall from my informal tasting, this Sassicaia shows a heavy dose of Cabernet Sauvignon typicity but without the astringent medicinal tone or unripe greenness you might expect. Instead, it delivers a bright but balanced, tonic verve that is driven by the wine’s natural acidity. I had previously paired this wine with an oversized bistecca alla fiorentina t-bone steak and the marriage was perfect. This was a difficult vintage in Bolgheri, but the results in the bottle suggest otherwise.

Larry brought: 2001 Tenuta San Guido • Bolgheri Sassicaia. RP 88. The 2001 Bolgheri Sassicaia had never been previously reviewed in The Wine Advocate. When I saw that this wine was missing from the database, I asked to open a bottle. I also wanted to taste the 2002 Bolgheri Sassicaia (also missing from the database) but there are virtually no bottles left at the winery. It’s counterintuitive, but Tenuta San Guido did make Sassicaia in the difficult 2002 vintage. The 2001 vintage was promising when released but shows heavy warm weather aromas today. In fact, these jammy notes come as a big surprise and add to the wine’s weight and heaviness today. The results are somewhat muted and flat. The bouquet shows savory tones with cured meat, leather and bresaola. The fruit tones are dried and dark in character with plum, blackcurrant and dried fig. The aromas are evolved and mature. In the mouth, the wine shows thick density with gritty texture. Because this was a warm vintage, the wine showed plush tannins and round fruit flavors upon release. Those qualities can make longevity difficult.

Pappardelle al Pesto. Wide cut egg pasta, arugula pesto, crispy foraged mushrooms. Nice pasta but a mild pesto, probably because its arugula instead of basil.

Raviolini. Roasted three meat ravioli, rapini, cherry tomatoes, raspadura. Interesting with the fruit.

Mafaldine. Wide cut chestnut pasta, lamb ossobucco sugo, lodigrana, chives.

Gnocchi al Sugo. House-made potato dumplings, nebbiolo beef cheeks, castelmagno fonduta. By far the best of the pastas. Awesome meat/cheese factor.

From my cellar: 1990 Tenuta dell’Ornellaia • Ornellaia. RP 92. Another super effort from this producer, Ludvico Antinori’s 1990 Ornellaia is a worthy successor to the super 1988. Fat, supple, and loaded with black-cherry and curranty fruit, and a dash of vanillin from new oak barrels, this full-bodied, velvety-textured, opulent wine should drink well for 10-12 years.

Mark brought: 2000 Leoville-Las Cases. RP 98+. Tasted blind as a vintage comparison at the Valandraud vertical, the 2000 Leoville-Las-Cases is a quite fabulous, magisterial Saint Julien that is only just beginning to flex its muscles. It has a very intense and beautifully defined bouquet with mineral rich blackberry and bilberry scents, outstanding focus and harmony, and very well-integrated oak. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, impressive backbone and focus in situ. There is a touch of mint infusing the fruit here, superb tension with a touch of mulberry and Hoi Sin lingering on the finish that still feels backward and sinewy. What was remarkable was to observe the melioration in the glass, achieving wondrous energy and delineation with time, still improving after a couple of hours. Buy it, cellar it, drink it. Tasted December 2016.

Marittimo. “Acquerello” carnaroli superfino rice, octopus sugo, cuttlefish, black mussels. Very nice seafood risotto.

Bassa Padana. Carnaroli riserva san massimo rice, luganega rope sausage, cotechino, grana. Awesome sausage risotto.

Milanese. Vialone nano rice veronese igp, saffron, wood oven roasted bone marrow, raspadura. The classic Officine saffron risotto with bone marrow.

Anthony brought: 2008 Sine Qua Non • The Line. RP 98. 2008 The Line: This wine was just released in April of this year, and is a blend of 87.5% Grenache, 11% Syrah, and 1.5% Viognier, with 21% whole clusters used in the Grenache component. Seventy-eight percent of it came from the 11 Confessions Vineyard and the balance from Bien Nacido and the White Hawk. It is no measly wine at 15.5% alcohol, but it displays extraordinary berry fruit and kirsch notes intermixed with lavender and other floral components. Intense, full-bodied, voluptuously textured, and stunningly pure, with no real noticeable oak (21% new French oak was used, most of it the larger demi-muids), this beauty has put on weight and is showing additional complexity since I first tasted it. Anticipated maturity: now-2023.

Carne Bovina. 30-day aged prime new york steak, heirloom baby carrots, roasted peppers.

Rombo Intero. Whole grilled european turbot, potatoes, cherry tomatoes, capers, taggia olives.

Roasted Turbot!

Dessert menu.

The lineup.

Torrone. Honey & nut nougatine semifreddo, warmed fudge sauce, amerena cherries. Awesome dessert. I love semifreddo, and nougat and amerena cherries? Yum!

Nocciola meringata. hazelnut meringue cake, gianduja feuilletine, chocolate cream, black grapes. Nice gianduja flavors.

Panna cotta di coco. coconut panna cotta, pistachio sponge, gelato, rum pineapples, tuile.

Pistachio gelato. Very Neapolitan version of pistachio, not strong in the nut department, but probably had a touch of marsala or something too.

Macedonia allo zabaglione. Seasonal stone fruits, sherry zabaglione, almond tuile. Very classic with the fruits and zabaglione (sherry, egg, sugar custard in this case).

Budino di cioccolato. Chocolate cream pot, whipped Chantilly cream, maldon salt, caramelized nuts. Love budinos — basically custard/pudding.Castagnole. Freshly fried goughnuts, anise sugar, salty bourbon caramel sauce.

Overall another amazing evening.

Food. The food at Officine is very good. It’s very Italian, with a fairly non Italian “vibe” to the place and a more modern share plates style.

Service. Service was great and we were treated like family. Wine service in particular is great.

Atmosphere. I love the big factory look. It’s a little loud, but not as bad as some (Bestia!). It wasn’t as crowded tonight as on all my previous visits and so was nicely not as loud.

Wines. Great wines.

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By: agavin
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Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Angelo Auriana, Italian Cusine, Officine Brera, Wine

Totally Toscana

Oct04

Restaurant: Toscana

Location: 11633 San Vicente Blvd #100A, Los Angeles, CA 90049. (310) 820-2448

Date: August 18, 2017

Cuisine: Italian

Rating: Excellent upscale neighborhood Italian

I haven’t been to Toscana (other than one quick lunch) in over 10 years but Seb was willing to drive across the city so we headed out on a Friday night “double date” (my wife was my date obviously). The place has been open since 1989 but is still seriously holding its own. It was mobbed as was Bar Toscana next door.

Raw vegetables on the table. Toscana has had these for at least 20 years, probably longer.

Sebastian demos — a theme for this post.

From my cellar: 2013 Azienda Agricola Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi Classico Superiore. VM 92. Bright-straw yellow. Knockout nose combines orchard fruits, anise and crushed stone. Dense, juicy and brilliantly delineated, offering very pure, intense flavors of tangy stone fruits, almond paste and flinty minerality. Offers lovely grip and intense, lingering floral notes. This is much more minerally than the 2014 Verdicchio.

Crispy pizza-like bread.

Insalata Carciofi. Baby artichokes, fine slices of pecorino cheese, lemon, walnuts, fennel & fava beans.

Burrata. Creamy mozzarella, bibb lettuce, tomato. Love burrata of course.

Insalata di Pere. Spinach salad with pear, goat cheese and walnuts. My wife’s dream salad (she loves pear, goat cheese, and walnuts).

Prosciutto e Melone. Artisanal 24-months prosciutto di Parma with *melon

Tartufo Nero e Burrata. Burrata cheese and winter black truffle. Tasted of truffle…

Smelled like truffle!

From my cellar: 2007 il Cocco Brunello di Montalcino. 95 points. Great grapey brunello.

Trenette al Pesto. Linguine with pesto sauce. Nice solid classic pesto.

Ravivioli di Carne. Homemade veal ravioli with butter and sage. I love this old school butter and sage sauce with a meat ravioli.

Special spaghetti with king crab and shrimp. Great pasta too with lots of crab.

Risotto ai Funghi Selvatici. Arborio rice and wild mushrooms. A solid risotto.

Milanese. Pounded veal chop in bread crumb. Old school!

The lemon helped lighten it up. I was getting very full though.

Bone in.

The dessert spread. Like many traditional Italian places in Italy, Toscana has a great selection of tortes.

Blueberry torte. Fabulous buttery crust.

Chocolate mouse torte and profiterole. The torte had milk chocolate mouse, white chocolate mouse, and shaved white chocolate.
Overall, I was very impressed, and we should go back more often — far more often than once a decade. Toscana was a regular place for my wife and I when we were young and used to eat out late (Naughty Dog hours). I assumed it was “dated” but far from it, still a great Italian and one of the best in Brentwood (which is jammed with Italians).

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By: agavin
Comments (2)

Posted in: Food

Tagged as: Brentwood, Italian Cusine, pasta, Pizza, Toscana, Wine

Seconds at Chi Spacca

May29

Restaurant: Chi Spacca [1, 2]

Location: 6610 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90038. (323) 297-1133

Date: April 17, 2017

Cuisine: Italian Steakhouse

Rating: Rich but delicious, a carnivore’s paradise

The little Mozza empire on Melrose now includes the Pizzeria, the Osteria, Chi Spacca, and Mozza 2 go. They do a great job with all their restaurants but their annoying corkage policy (2 bottles per table!) has limited my ability to attend. I only go to this sort of place with my wine groups (my wife being a near vegetarian) and so the limits make it near impossible. But anyway we managed to organize a small group after months of planning.

Chop chop.

The menu.

The small room.

The smoky in the room grill.

I ordered this off the menu.

2015 Bisci Verdicchio di Matelica. 91 points. Bright and crisp, very minerally. Nice summer wine. Great food wine too.

Grilled Octopus. pureed & fried ceci, parsley leaf. Very soft tender octopus. Basically as good as grilled octopus gets (which is pretty good).

From my cellar: 1974 Gaja Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo. 95 points. One of the stars in this tasting, the 1974 Barbaresco Sorì San Lorenzo is quite a bit fresher and also more powerful than the 1971. A huge core of fruit hits the palate, followed by savory herbs, leather, tobacco and smoke. The 1974 remains powerful and virile, with fabulous intensity for a wine of its age and a compelling interplay of tertiary nuance, dense fruit and plenty of structure to back it all up. Readers lucky enough to still own the 1974 can look forward to another 5-10 years of very fine drinking.

Focaccia di Recco. Fett’unta. Super light, crispy cheese “pizza.”

See the cheese, feel the cheese. Very very salty though.

Smoked burrata & roasted parsnips. garlic, thyme, honey. Okay, but arguably the most disappointing dish tonight (most were awesome).

1995 Tua Rita Redigaffi Toscana IGT. Big!

“Moorish” lamb shoulder chop. mint yogurt, cilantro.

mint yogurt.

A special salad of citrus, kiwi, etc.

2005 Château Cos d’Estournel. VM 97. I have been fortunate to taste the 2005 Cos d’Estournel three times in recent weeks and it has never been anything less than stunningly beautiful, as it is once again on this night. The interplay of dark, ripe fruit and the more mineral, savory-inflected nuances typical of Saint-Estèphe yield a compelling, wonderfully complete Bordeaux that simply has it all. An exotic mélange of graphite, gravel, smoke, cured meats and dark-fleshed fruits flow through to the explosive finish. Riveting today, the 2005 Cos will continue to thrill those fortunate enough to own it for several decades. Given its price vis-à-vis many of the high-flying wines of the year, the 2005 Cos remains a terrific relative value in its class.

Costata alla Florentina. Dry-aged bone-in New York steak. Solid beef.
2000 Harlan estate. VM 93-96. he 2000 Harlan Estate is in a beautiful place today. Soft, open-knit and nicely mellowed by age, the 2000 is absolutely gorgeous, with soft contours to match is engaging personality. Mocha, black cherries, leather and spice are all quite forward in this succulent Harlan Estate. The 2000 might not be a profound Harlan Estate, but it is a striking wine that is peaking today and that should continue to drink well for at least another few years.

Tomahawk Pork Chop. fennel pollen. The top (far) part is the pork chop itself, wonderfully tender and with a lovely flavor. The bottom long parts are the pork belly, similar flavor but WAY richer.

Roasted cauliflower. crushed lemon bagna cauda. Excellent!

Roasted potatoes. Lardo, rosemary. Flower of sliced crispy potatoes.

2004 Harlan Estate. VM 95+. Bright ruby-red. Superripe aromas of raspberry, currant and tropical dark chocolate. Sweet, lush and large-scaled, hinting at surmaturite and compellingly mouthfilling without coming across as heavy. This extremely ripe wine’s high pH seems fully buffered by huge dry extract. Finishes with big but lush tannins and outstanding palate-staining persistence. A bit port-like but with mineral and licorice notes giving it definition and grip.

Beef & bone marrow pie. beef cheek, cippolini, funghi. Wow! Like the ultimate beef pot pie — and I mean ultimate. Salty, though, like almost everything here.

Mashed potatoes.
The dessert menu.

1986 Château d’Yquem. 96 points. Deep honeyed gold colour. Nose of burnt carameled toffee, soaped new leather car seats and shoe leather, white shoe cream, apricots…very suave but complex. Palate is gorgeously honeyed, rounded, almondy burnished copper and with a medium-cut acidity to stop it getting cloying. Tooth-coating. Massive head-expanding resonance and reverberance and all so smooth-edged… quite silence creating. Wow! Hard to stop sipping. It just gets more head-expanding with more time in the glass and the mouth.

Banana cream slab. hot caramel. Even I loved this, and I hate bananas.

Butterscotch Budino. sea salt & rosemary pine nut cookies. OMG, I love these creamy puddings. I ordered an extra too just for myself.

Cocoa Nib Caramel Tart. whipped creme fraiche. Rich.

Seasonal Gelati & Sorbetti. Pistachio and I can’t remember what else.

Seasonal Gelati & Sorbetti. Passionfruit (great) and others.

Overall, I thought the food at Chi Spacca was quite awesome, if not exactly authentically Italian. Certainly more to my taste than any normal steakhouse. They should import some pastas over from Mozza though :-). From the menu I thought prices looked crazy, but the total turned out to be reasonable ($130 a person before tip) even though we went to town. Really to town as the above was for 6 people! It was salty though. Extremely salty.

Service was great too, and the atmosphere fun. My only complaint is with the bottle limit. The $30 corkage is fine. But the 2 bottle hard limit, apparently strictly enforced, is quiet annoying. It totally breaks down for wine dinners. Their list has interesting Italians, but the wines are too young. Plus I just resent having to buy off wine lists altogether (beyond the occasional white or rose). If they priced a fixed $30-50 markup, and had my kind of wines, it would be fine, but they always use a multiplicative markup. I’m not paying $400-600 for a $200 bottle!

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