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Bordeaux Day Two, March 28th

We awoke early, ready to roll at 7:00 a.m. This was to be one of our toughest appointment-packed days – over 14 Chateaux to visit by 6:15 p.m. That meant, with a nearly two-hour lunch (sorry, it’s the habit of our generous French hosts!), we had less than 35 minutes to drive to, tour and taste at each chateau. We planned our route in clusters; first Haut-Médoc and nearby Margaux. Later, we visited St. Julien and Pauillac before returning to the Haut-Médoc.

First stop, Chateau La Lagune, a classified 3rd growth of the Haut-Médoc. The front entrance look grand, kindly and somewhat quaint but the real entrance in back was super modern with a high-tech cuverie (wine-making area) and glorious chai (barrel cellar).

The wine was our first look at a 2010 classified growth. It was a tannic beast to my palate, untrained at tasting new Bordeaux fresh from barrel (Parker calls the tannins “supple”). It was ultra-dark, ultra-concentrated but I could discern a seam of dark fruit peak through the tannins. The remarkable thing was the high acidity. This is a wine to age. Robert Parker (RP) rates it 93-96 points, Decanter (D) 18 points but the Wine Spectator (WS) only 89-92 points. I’m in the 92-94 point range.

Cantemerle, a classified fifth growth near Margaux but in the Haut-Médoc, was next. Like La Lagune, Cantemerle was dark, tannic, but without the fruit concentration of La Lagune. RP is 91-93 points, D rated at 17 points.

After Cantemerle, we went to Cambon La Pelouse, an unclassified estate in the Haut-Médoc. There was no chateau here but a nice, modest contemporary building. Luckily, the staff tasted us on a vertical of four vintages from 2007 through 2010. Again, the 2010 was the dark, tannic wine far more concentrated than 2007 and the lovely 2008. The 2009 was richer, more opulent. Parker gave the 2010 89-92 points, Decanter 16.5 points.

Now a duo of classified growths as we entered 3rd Growth Chateau Giscours in Margaux and tasted their wine as well as 5th growth du Tertre – also in Margaux – owned by the same family. No time for a tour. I enjoyed the wines, although I was not impressed with the du Tertre. 2010 Giscours: 91-94 WS, 92-95 RP, 17.5 D. du Tertre: 87-89 RP, 90-93 WS, 17 D.

The beautiful Cantenac-Brown, a 3rd growth of Margaux loomed up before us as we entered its majestic gates. The grand vin was excellent with the 20120 hallmarks – deep color, high tannins, high alcohol, high acidity. 92-94+ RP, 91-94 WS, 17.5 D. We also tried the 2nd wine, Brio, which was disappointing. It’s a similar blend but with 5% Cabernet Franc which was missing from the grand vin. The Cabernet Franc did not help.

Now on to Desmirail, a third growth in Margaux. The chateau was beautiful but not on the scale of grandeur of Cantenac-Brown. Here the wine was incredibly dark but no blockbuster powerhouse. No ratings from Parker (whom the Bordelais call “beeg Bob”) but Decanter rated it 16.5 points
2010 Desmirail in the glass.


It’s lunchtime at Chateau Angludet in Margaux (17 points Decanter). The wine was lovely but we were blown away by the 2005 Larrivet Haut-Brion Blanc we sipped first. Our host was James Sichel whose family owns the estate along with a big share of Chateau Palmer which we’ll visit after lunch.

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Bordeaux Day One, the 27th

We arrived in Paris on Sunday morning, March 27th, at 9:30 a.m. (or 12:30 a.m. our body time). We immediately got our rental car and drove 7 hours to Bordeaux, arriving at Maison Sichel’s offices at nearly 6:00 p.m. Up nearly 23 hours, we tasted through some 20 wines (see picture).

Most, but not all, the wines were Bordeaux from the 2009 vintage. I focused on one wine, Chateau Piochet, and purchased all available stock – it is a terrific value and will arrive at Esquin sometime in June.

From there, we proceeded to Chateau Cap Léon Veyrin in Listrac where would have dinner with the owners and spend Sunday and Monday nights at their small inn. We arrived quite late, around 9:00 p.m. Dumped our luggage in our rooms and went right downstairs to dinner with the Meyre family (Alain, Maryse and daughter Natalie). Alain and son Julien tend the vines, Nathalie oversees the winemaking and marketing, wife Maryse does administrative duties. Alain Meyre, whose family owns three estates, is also President of the Médoc, Haut-Médoc and Listrac appellations.

First we went to the cellar and tasted the 2009 and 2010 vintages of Cap Léon Veyrin from barrel. Nice dark fruit with minerality and slight earthiness. They were pretty good, typical Listrac with the 2010 showing good acidity and bigger tannins than the more lush 2009. This was to be the story of our Bordeaux trip; the 2010 vintage has excellent concentration of fruit, possibly from lower yields (down 30-40% from 2009), higher levels of phenolics, especially tannins, and higher levels of acidity than the 2009s. This was true nearly everywhere in Bordeaux. 2010 is a vintage which needs time and which should age well.

After the tasting, we proceeded to dinner with the warm and hospitable family Meyre. Maryse is a locally well-known chef who is famous for an obscure local specialty called Grenier Médocain, which is made from pig parts, including the face. We also enjoyed her homemade pâté, steak, sautéed mushrooms, fresh radishes and white asparagus, which just came into season. We enjoyed a variety of Cap Léon vintages, capped by a surprisingly good 1949 poured from decanter. What a treat!

Our host Nathalie framed by 1949 and 1961 Cap Léon Veyrin

Feeling (and looking!) fuzzy

By the time we got to bed, it was nearly 11:30 p.m. – we had been up nearly 29 hours. We had to be up at 7:00 a.m. and be at our first stop by 8:30 a.m.
]]> http://www.arniemillan.com/winetalk/index.php?entry=entry110201-003219 wasn’t there: all the five First Growths (Mouton, Lafite, Latour, Margaux and Haut Brion), Cheval Blanc, Ausone, Petrus and other high priced exotica of that ilk.

Alas, we were to taste only the other remaining top classified, or otherwise renowned, estates and have the rare opportunity to meet the Chateaux’s owners; people whom we only heretofore knew by name, mentioned in print in somewhat hushed tones.

How cool is that? And they were all pleasant and unpretentious.

Overall, this is an excellent vintage which favored the Right Bank (Pomerol, then Saint-Emilion) and the estates of the Médoc, particularly Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux.
These wines are drinking well now and I think they’ll show even better with age.

The biggest disappointment was the wines of Graves and Pessac-Léognan. They did not show well at this tasting. I hope age will be kind to them. This was the only region from which we tasted dry whites. The superior white was from Château Pape-Clément followed by Domaine Chevalier. One of my favorite estates there is Smith Haut Lafitte but the wines were disappointing, especially after tasting Pape-Clément immediately beforehand. On the plus side, I was able to meet and chat with the charming proprietress Florence Cathiard and her husband.

My list of the top wines of the tasting must start with Pomerol’s Château La Conseillante and Pauillac’s 2nd Growth Pichon Baron (de Longueville). They were extraordinary and smoked the rest of the pack. They were both distinguished by a vibrancy, a depth and complexity of flavor which was transparent and fresh. Amazing.

Other top wines were Les Ormes de Pez, a Saint-Estephe I tasted with Sylvie Cazes whose family owns this estate along with Lynch-Bages (tasted but not as good) and whose brother is the famed Jean-Michel Cazes. What a lovely, unassuming person!

Also, I enjoyed Saint-Émilion’s Pavie Maquin with owner Nicolas Thienpont (above), whose family also owns Pomerol’s elite Le Pin. Canon La Gaffelière was delicious, represented by the irrepressible and perpetually grinning Count Stephan von Niepperg (see below, dressed in amazing style).

A surprise was the Médoc’s Chateau La tour de By. This is an obscure small estate whose inexpensive wine was first-rate. Here are the others I enjoyed, not already mentioned:

Saint-Julien
Léoville-Poyferré, Léoville-Barton, Talbot, Branaire-Ducru, Lagrange, Beychevelle, Gruaud-Larose and Saint-Pierre

Pauillac
D’Armailhac, Clerc-Milon, Grand Puy-Ducasse, Haut-Bages Libéral, Pichon-Lalande

Margaux
Rauzan-Segla, Brane-Catenac, Giscours, Kirwan, Lascombes

Pomerol
Clinet, Gazin

Saint-Émilion Grand Cru
Angelus, Canon, Clos Fourtet, Figeac, Larcis Ducasse, Troplong Mondot



]]> http://www.arniemillan.com/winetalk/index.php?entry=entry101206-162320 Saturday, 12 of us enjoyed a fabulous dinner at Crush Restaurant. It was a perfect dinner amazing food paired with equally amazing wines crowned by outstanding service.

Bacon & Eggs
Parsnip Flan, Smoked Salmon Roe, Bourbon Bliss
2002 Pierre Morlet Champagne

Japanese Hon Hamachi Crudo
Celery Root, Black Garlic, Preserved Lemon & Pickled Ground Cherry
Chapoutier 2004 l'Ermite Blanc

Sautéed Hawaiian Mero Sea Bass
Crushed Cajun Chokes with Fine Herbs, Cippolinis & Watercress
Kongsgaard 2007 The Judge Napa Chardonnay

Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras “Steak”
Apples, Pears & Mascarpone Farro
Rieussec 2001 Sauternes


Douglas Fir Sorbet

Rosemary & Cinnamon Roasted Elk
Smoked Parsnip, Rutabagas, Black Trumpets, Squash & Apple
Numanthia 2004 Numanthia
Fattoria Galardi 2000 Terra di Lavoro

48 Hours Painted Hills Braised Beef Short Ribs
Yukon Potato Purée, Bacon & Sage Scented Baby Carrots
Greenock Creek 1998 Shiraz Roennfeldt Road

Warm Chocolate Coulant
Praline Ice Cream, Salted Caramel & Cherries
Alois Kracher 2002 #12
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To-date, I've tasted over 200 red and white Burgundy from the 2008 vintage, from village level to Grand Cru. I have also spoken with over a dozen vignerons, exploring their thoughts on 2008. This experience has given me a sense of the complex vintage.

Overall, 2008 appears to be a much better vintage than I've been led to expect from the professional pundits. I find the whites outstanding and the reds to be fresh, lively, elegant but not thin. These wines will age well; the reds need more time to show their stuff. To be fair, I've tasted from top producers and, although I've tasted my share of barrel samples (around 80 wines this past February), I've tasted wines closer to release (over 100 wines). Burgundy - especially red Burgundy - is very difficult to judge when young in barrel, especially before the malos* have been completed. But vintage judgments from all the top critics** have been made solely from barrel samples.

The whites are showing lively acidities and mineral notes. Normally lush Meursaults come across more like Puligny! This is a very fine vintage for whites; many show a subtle rich complexity. Outside the Cote d'Or, I even enjoyed a sensational Premier (1er) Cru white from Mercurey in the Chalonnaise (Chamirey's 1er La Mission) and some amazingly rich and complex Pouilly-Fuisse (Chateau Fuisse)- both barrel samples. The Cote de Beaune whites are particular successes, from Beaune 1er Cru (Prieure's Champs Pimont) to dazzling Meursault from Buisson-Charles (especially their village "Tessons", 1er Goutte d'Or and Bouches-Cheres) and superior Puligny, Rully, and Corton-Charlemagne from Olivier Leflaive.

Reds fared well, too. For these wines, the successes were made in the vineyard, not the cellar. Painstaking vine care, leaf canopy management, yield reduction and scrupulous sorting were necessary to produce top notch fruit with good concentration. Acidities were high and, in some cases, lesser wines are high-toned. Biodynamic vineyards fared particularly well. The top reds, however, are terrific!

Standout reds for me were Armand Rousseau's Clos de la Roche and Chambertin Clos de Beize, both Grand Crus (available in 2011). Wow, what elegant richness. I loved Perdrix's Echezeaux. These were barrel samples tasted in February. Recent tastings show the quality of this vintage and indicate how the wine will age in bottle. I was surprised recently at how complex and fresh these wines tasted; indeed some were dense and rich. I'm reminded here of Raphet's delicious Clos de la Roche Grand Cru. These reds demonstrate how important the producer is to selecting good Burgundy, rather than the vintage.

More recently tasted Burgundy include Jean-Jacques Confuron's Chambolle 1er Cru, Comte Armand's amazingly concentrated Pommards (the younger vines 1er cru is a terrific buy). Huber-Verdereau's biodynamic 1er Cru Volnay and Pommard were sleek and refined. I was wowed by the depth and complexity of Lafarge's Volnay Clos des Chenes. Freddy Mugnier's Nuits-St. Georges 1er Cru monopole Clos de la Marechale was outstanding. Pavelot is usually an earthier style of Burgundy but not their terrific and richly styled 1er cru Savigny Serpentieres or Dominodes; I think they are excellent values. Gevrey-based Taupenot-Merme turned out some intense 1er Cru Gevrey and Chambolle (Combe d'Orveau) and grand crus like Charmes- and Mazoyeres-Chambertin. Finally Violot-Guillemard's top Pommards (the Clos Derriere St. Jean, Rugiens and Epenots) showed beautifully.

Please let me know if you'd like to find out about upcoming Burgundy offers by contacting me at Esquin.

Cheers!

Arnie

* Malolactic fermentation usually proceeds after alcoholic fermentation, especially for all red wines, converting tart malic acid into softer lactic acid through the action of lactic bacteria.

** I'm referring to the Wine Spectator, Wine Advocate, Stephen Tanzer and Burghound



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Although Ernie is known as Germany�s premier Riesling ambassador, he is a big Burgundy fan and collector. I can see why. Like Burgundy, great Riesling is all about subtlety and balance � not about attacking you with giant wines possessing tons of dry extract.



Ernie is a very entertaining and charming personality, full of great stories including his two hilarious encounters with a celebrated, iconic producer from Piedmont (I might talk more about this later but I promised discretion!). With Ernie, there is no pretension, artifice nor self-importance � he�s a really likeable guy!



Anyway, here are the wines we tasted, with some notes (I�m recalling them as best as I can from memory):



2004 Joseph Roty Mazys Chambertin Grand Cru

Very oaky and disjointed. Needs a lot more time but is the fruit there? No obvious nose of Grand Cru either. The least favorite wine o� the night by unanimous vote. By the way, this Grand Cru is also spelled Mazis and Mazy. Perhaps it should have been decanted for a few hours.



2003 Comte de Vog�� Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru

Very ripe (almost cooked) fruit on the nose, a telltale sign of a (very) hot vintage. Likewise, full, rich and round � what Clive Coates might describe as foursquare - on the palate with low acidity. A guilty pleasure, as this is not a more typically refined wine from Chambolle�s greatest producer.



2002 Comte Armand Pommard 1er Cru Clos des �peneaux

This was outstanding; rich yet refined with excellent depth and complexity. However, to be fair, this monopole* was the only wine to be decanted.



2001 Denis Mugneret Richebourg Grand Cru

Wow. This, and the Armand, were the wines of the night. Denis and his son Dominique sharecropped this parcel from Liger-Belair. A typical full, rich, intense Richebourg with aromas of violets and complex flavors of toffee and black berries.



1995 Daniel Rion Chambolle-Musigny

Daniel�s on Patrice made this wine. It was beginning to show its age, holding up pretty well for a village wine. The fruit of medium red berries was delicate but still many faceted.



1990 Claude Dugat Gevrey Chambertin

This showed impressively well for a 20 year old village wine. Like the Rion above, delicate fruit but still showed Gevrey�s firmness and animale aromas.



1990 Louis Latour Volnay 1er Cru Leds Santenots

Frankly, we were apprehensive about this wine, coming from a large n�gotiant house with a middling reputation. Wine snobbery? In any case, we were pleasantly surprised because it held up well and still showed tasty light berry fruit.



* a monopole is a rare, single-owner vineyard. Most vineyards in Burgundy have multiple owners.



]]> http://www.arniemillan.com/winetalk/index.php?entry=entry100711-133515 Vinum Distributing , and nationally known Port authority Roy Hersh and his wife. Roy is a down-to-earth fellow with great stories and a marvelous palate.



This was a casual dinner get-together among unpretentious people (me excluded!) who love wine. Although there was no set �theme,� most of the wines served were from Portugal. The exceptions were a 2003 Chateau Pape Clement Bordeaux, which I brought, and Rob�s 2005 Confuron-Cotetidot�s village Vosne-Roman�e Burgundy. The star of the evening, a fantastic 1948 Taylor Vintage Port, was saved for last.



The evening started with a delightfully complex bubbly Vinho Verde, the Casa de Cello, San Joanne Espumante 2002. It was yeasty and nutty with a pleasingly slight oxidative character. Two tasty cheese-based appetizers were served; one with shredded ham and onions was delicious.



We then went outside to table. Roy brought a terrific 2006 Douro white, Niepoort�s Redoma Reserva Branco, which had clean, beautiful tropical citrus fruit notes and � for a Douro wine � excellent acidity. No Douro �bake� here! Roy also mentioned that this same winemaker produces a decent Pinot Noir � in the hot Douro! Our host opened a lovely Minh�o Branco (white), also from San Joanne. Minh�o is in Portugal�s Northwest Vinho Verde region.



At this point, we discussed the various grapes in these wines and the wealth of Portugal�s hundreds of native varietals. Most Portuguese dry wines and Ports are field blends of many different grapes. It�s not like asking if it�s Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc; at best, we can guess if it�s a blend with Avesso or Rabigato or whatever. It�s sometimes nice not to know � just relax and enjoy the wine!



Mike served up an excellent grilled salmon with a ragu of caramelized onions and mushrooms.



Next up were the reds, starting with Rob�s Vosne-Roman�e. It was perfect with the salmon. Its lush texture likely due to the warm 2005 vintage ad its alluring aroma so typical of Vosne. We then opened up the Pape Clement and it was surprisingly approachable for a massive young Bordeaux; opulent dark fruit with aromas of dusty pencil lead. I downed it with the grilled steak Michael served next. Yum!



It was back to Portugal with some terrific reds � again blends with one exception. I�m fascinated that all four reds (and the Taylor Port) we tasted were produced in a similar manner: old vines/low yields giving concentrated fruit, traditional foot treading and fermentation in concrete lagares.



We started with two wines from Quinta do Fojo, the 2000 Fojo and their 2000 Quinta da Manuela. Surprisingly, we found the Manuela to be the richer, bigger wine while the Fojo was more elegant or perhaps a bit more closed up. Based on our host�s previous experience with these two wines, he and Rob expected the opposite. I found the Manuela to be the more interesting wine. Both are big, massive reds with dark red velvety fruit



Next up was a pairing from Herdade do Mouch�o, from Alentejo, south of Lisbon. This winery features the Alicante Bouschet grape, a red fleshed variety originally from France (a cross of Petit Bouschet and Grenache) also known as Garnacha Tintorera in Spain. The first wine tasted was the self named 2003 Mouchao, a blend of predominantly Alicante Bouschet with Trincadeira. This was outstanding, a more refined wine than the Fojo. It offered a deep rich color and spicy dark berry fruit. The Mouchao is released four years after the vintage, spending two years in cask and two in bottle.



One of the more remarkable reds was Mouchao�s Tonel 3-4. It is 100% Alicante Bouschet, produced only in exceptional vintages and aged two years in two special 5000 liter casks (tonels 3 and 4), which are made of Portuguese oak and Brazilian hardwoods. The wine is then aged two more years in bottle. Wow, the wine was dark, complex, spicy and plummy.



Dinner was finished and we went on to a cheese course with the evening�s featured wine, the 1948 Taylor Port. Rob opened the bottle like a jeweler dissecting a top Swiss watch. Our expectations grew as Rob painstakingly worked the fragile cork. Alas, it broke but he extracted all the pieces with surgeon-like precision. We were then poured the wine without decanting in cheesecloth so there was considerable sediment.



Yikes (a technical wine term)! The Port tasted of nut and toffee but it was alive with nice fruit concentration and, yes acidity. Just how much longer can this wine live? The Taylor did not disappoint; it was the best port I have ever tasted. The cigars came out and we opened a Warre�s 1994 Vintage. It boasted lush, sweet red fruit � a nice follow up to the Taylor and a splendid way to end a memorable, convivial evening.

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Before those tastings, my impression of that vintage was unfavorable, in those two regions, due to the lukewarm-to-bad press* and, in far lesser part, to an unusually mediocre C�tes-du-Rh�ne from a renowned producer. On that basis, I concluded 2008 was a poor vintage in the Rhone and in Burgundy.



Wrong!



I believe the two recent tastings gave me a much more valid basis to assess this vintage. Alas, few people get the opportunity to do so. Most must rely on pundits like Robert Parker�s Wine Advocate or The Wine Spectator or on restaurant or retail sommeliers. In fairness, I should add that the published vintage assessments were made at least one year before my assessment; I had the distinct advantage of tasting wines with more maturity under their belt.



Here are my impressions:



Burgundy

While I agree with the Spectator that �08 was a better vintage for whites than reds, I would up the rating to B+ for whites and a B for reds, with the proviso that the best producers still produced amazing reds. Domaine Armand Rousseau made a killer Gevrey Clos Saint-Jacques 1er Cru, Clos de la Roche Grand Cru and Clos de B�ze Grand Cru. Domaine des Perdrix crafted a gorgeous �chezeaux Grand Cru. As for whites, I was enchanted by the Mercurey Monopole La Mission� 1er Cru from Chateau de Chamirey and a remarkable Beaune �Champs Pimonts� 1er Cru from Domaine Jacques Prieure.

Prieure�s reds, including their Clos Vougeot Grand Cru, were disappointing.



Southern Rhone

I would up the Southern Rhone to an �A-� rating. Nearly all the wines tasted were excellent especially the Village level on up (Cairanne up to Chiateauneuf). The problem is that this vintage lies in the shadow of the stunning 2007 vintage. In general, the wines are excellent but they lack some of the depth of the �07s. I was surprised by just how ghood the wines were, especially given the lackluster 2008 C�tes-du-Rh�ne I tasted last year. I feel, after talking with about 12 winemakers, that 2008 definitely favored Grenache over Syrah.



Other 2008 regions tasted:



Bordeaux

I�ve only sampled a dozen Right Bank Bordeaux from barrel last May but the wines were stunning. An excellent vintage. The Spectator gives it measly �B-� while Parker rates it, by region, from Excellent to Extraordinary.



Germany

Another excellent vintage, especially for Kabinett and Sp�tlese. 2008 was a classic vintage, like 2004 only better - the 2008s have "more acid verve, and its fruit has more punch." 2008 "yielded wines that are very ripe with a near electric poise on the palate."** Balance is the key characteristic of 2008. The longer hang times/later harvest (7-10 days than 2007 in most regions) meant more fruit concentration and greater tartaric acid levels. The result is wines with racy acidity, concentration of fruit, lower alcohols - balance!



I�ve tasted nearly two dozen �08s and I�m excited about this vintage. The Spectator gives it an �A-� and I agree with that.



* The Wine Spectator rates the Southern Rhone as a �B� and Burgundy (whites �B-� and reds a �C+�)

** Rudi Weist Vintage Report 2008

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Chef Jason himself greeted us and came by to describe each dish as it was served.



Jason and staff double decanting the wines



We began with decadent Cave Aged Gruyere Cheese Gougeres drizzled with truffle oil accompanied by Coultier Grand Cru Champagne



We then sat down, with our Champagne, to enjoy an incredible seaood trio of Hawaiian Ahi Tuna Crudo with Blood Orange, Olive & Fennel

Sea Scallops Sashimi with Warm Black Truffle Cauliflower & Meyer Lemon

"Bacon n Eggs", Parsnip flan, Smoked Steelhead Roe, Bourbon Barrel Aged Maple Syrup



A fantastic pairing was the 1990 Fontainerie Vouvray Moeulleux with a complex flavored dish of Dungeness Crab and Mascarpone Raviolo

Buttered Pumpkin, Pinata Apple, Frisee & Chervil



The saut�ed Rhode Island Black Bass & Meyer Lemon Sabayon with Baby Octopus, Sunchokes, Chorizo, Baby Fennel, Sherry Brown Butter was backed by the exceptionally rich 2003 Chapoutier Ermitage Blanc Le Meal.



Perhaps one of most stunning dishes was the Black Garlic Sausage Wrapped Lido Farms Lamb Loin with Sous Vide Root Vegetables, Soubisse & Rosemary. Chef Jason told us how he painstakingly prepares the sausage wrap. We enjoyed a 1996 Troplong Mondot Saint-Emilion Grand Cru Class�e. It was perfect, tasting it just at the apex of its maturity.



Oh, my goodness, talk about decadence! After the Lamb loin, we enjoyed the Grilled Painted Hills Wagyu Beef Rib Steak with Potato Leek & Truffle Terrine, Thumbelina's, Hedgehogs & Cabernet Sauce. We accompanied this dish with two wines: the 2001 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz (the first bottle was corked but, thankfully, we had a back up bottle) and a spectacular 2005 Mas 'en Compte Les Planots Priorat.



We were nearly ready to surrender when Jason presented the Vahlrhona Chocolate Bombe with Cocoa Nib Merignue, Salted Butter Caramel, Chocolate Ganache & Hazelnut Mousse, Huckleberry Spice Beignets. Yikes. When I sipped the brilliant 1985 Graham's Port with this dish, I closed my eyes relishing the moment.



As if this wasn't enough, the meal finished with an artistic array of Mignardises: Poppyseed-lemon brittle, walnut macaroon, coconut truffles, earl grey caramels, Vanilla madelines, Smoked Salt Caramel, Chocolate chip cookies.



Thank you, Jason!]]> http://www.arniemillan.com/winetalk/index.php?entry=entry100101-210831 ]]>