EVALUATION:  17/20

Pino Cuttaia is among the best chefs in Southern Italy and is certainly the best in Sicily. His cooking is intelligent, playful, and light, and some of the best dishes are indeed very accomplished. His creativity is grounded in tradition and tempered by common sense. 

He can possibly achieve a higher score, but three visits to his restaurant, which is an oasis in a working class neighborhood of an undistinguished town in the middle of Sicily, convinced us that there are some areas for improvement. Most importantly, some of the shellfish is less fresh than it should be. Secondly, there are dishes which are a triumph from the aesthetical standpoint, but may be overly complex and fussy.  Lastly, in order to create such complex dishes, he is obliged to precook maybe too many components of several courses (as is the case in many Michelin multi-macaroon restaurants) at the expense of  more spontaneous cooking after the order is taken (naturally there are more risks (of inconsistency) with that approach, but higher rewards too).

He offers three menus.  We have tried them all and repeated some dishes that we particularly liked.

One amuse, pizzaIolo merluzza, which is doughless pizza with smoked and thinly cut cod fish, onion, tomato jam, and potato foam is always served.  It is outstanding.  It is airy, playful, and full of complimentary flavors which don’t dominate one another.

I also bet that anybody from 7 to 70 years old would love his signature Caprese salad of tomato, mozzarella and basil.  This dish consists of a light ball of mozzarella that has been whipped and siphoned to the texture of a soufflé, then wrapped in a layer of milk skin (the film that rises to the top of a simmering pot of milk). It is sauced with sweet Sicilian datteri tomatoes and drizzled with pesto.

Other outstanding dishes include the following.

1. Sapori di mare, sapori di …

Datteri di mare, clams, sea urchins, thinly cut squid, zucchini, and orange peel.  This dish is served with a sea essence foam. It all blends well and is almost like the gist of Sicily.

2. Pasta e minestra di crostacci

This is an amazing crustaceans soup with short cut pasta.  The red shrimps from Licata are very good.  The seafood stock with tomato is reduced optimally. Hazelnut pieces add crunch.

3.  Quadro di alici

This is a masterpiece from both the visual and taste perspecrtive.  The dish has raw and marinated anchovies with bottarga and onion jelly.

4. Tortello in falso magro

What a masterpiece created from basic, simple ideas and non-luxurious ingredients!  It is simply paper thin excellent tortello filled with Ragusa cheese and topped with chopped mortadella, summer truffes, and eggs.

Some dishes were good to very good.

1. Pulpo Sulla Roccia

Octopus “on the rocks” is with a crispy rock made from solidified seawater, holding a mix of chickpeas and lentils. The small roasted octopus is served whole on this rock and is surrounded by a parsley coulis.  Certainly this is a successful design, but, of the three times I tasted this dish, the freshness of the octopus varied.

2.  Raviolo di calamaro ripieno de tenneruma di cucuzza

Nice and light doughless ravioli is wrapped in cigalas and filed with tenerume (a kind of zucchini) puree.

3.  Spaghetto alla Milanese

Perfect homemade spaghetti with crunchy bread crumbs, anchovies, wild fennel.  A light rendition of a Sicilian classic.

4. Tataki di Pesce

The catch of the day is cooked tataki style with almond-shell charcoals to impart a smoky scent from the burning shells.  The idea, the execution, and seasoning are all perfect, but the quality of the fish varies. During the last visit we were served the rather bland ricciola fish.  Obviously Sicilian tuna would work better, and this dish can then be extraordinary. On the other hand, the skewered potatoes served on the side were extraordinary.

5.  Filetto di Manzo su carbonella di mandorle.

It is cooked with charcoal from almond shells.  Again the technique is beyond reproach and the filet is good quality but not too special. A different cut from a more special cow species may elevate this dish to a higher level.

6. Piccione con cipollata

This dish displayed perfect technique again and quite good quality pigeon.  The thigh is cooked to perfection, but the breast is served rare. Cuttaia pairs the pigeon with caramelized apples and quince, onions, and foie gras.  This dish can also be elevated to the highest category if he can find the level of pigeon one can find in Piemonte and Tuscany. (Le Calandre uses Tuscan pigeon.)

Two dishes impressed me less for different reasons.

1.  Battatino di gambero rosso.

This was raw red shrimp served with a mayonnaise from bottarga di tonno.  This is an excellent combination, but the shrimp carpaccio did not taste as sweet and juicy as I had hoped. It may have been kept in the kitchen for a longer time than ideal. Unfortunately the restaurant is less than half full most of the time (especially lunch) and this may be the reason.

2. “Uovo” di seppia-cuttlefish egg.

Here the technique and the desire to “shock” takes the upperhand over taste. Pureed cuttlefish is slow cooked inside an egg mold, then injected with a sauce of canned cuttlefish ink and served atop the same sauce flavored with lemon ricotta. This dish is overly and unnecessarily complex and makes one long for “real” cuttlefish eggs.  It is a privilege to taste fresh cuttlefish eggs simply seared in butter with their own ink. Imitation of nature with sophisticated techniques is not a substitute for the great ingredient.

DESSERTS

Desserts are very good.  Don’t miss the classic canola filled with mascarpone cream, which is served with a candied orange slice, pistachio crumbles, and,marsala ice. The cone is made from almond and chocolate.

WINES

1. 2011 ANTE. I CUSTODI DELL’ETNA

This wine is a blend of Caricante, Minella, and Grecanico from Etna.  It ihas a smokey, floral nose, with a lean structure.  It reminded me of Gruner Veltiner.  It has medium intensity, good tenacity, and a saline-citrus finish.  92/100

2. 2010 GRACI. QUOTA 1000

The grape is Nerello Mascalese.  They are in Contrada, about 1000 meters altitude.  It has an intoxicating nose with soft spices, like candied cloves, mace, and cinnamon.   The texture is silky, and it is smooth and long, with a kiss of oak. There is an explosion of red fruits and it has a good structure.  It is elegant. The long finish has notes of fennel and thyme.  It is like a Bourgogne, an outstanding wine and best I have tried from Sicily.  96+/100

3.  2010 Tenuta di Castellano Bianco Pomice

This is a Malvasia from Lipari and Carricante.   It has a nose of bitter almonds, grilled pineapple, grapefruit, and salinity.  On the palette, there is good viscosity, ripe fruit, but nice acidity.  It developed apple and roasted pecans on the palette.  The medium long finish displays mineral notes (proximity to the sea?).  It is a bit too heavy in the body to accompany crudo, but it should be great with espardenas.  90/100

Evaluation: 5 stars

This is a a very nice restaurant in Brittany, in the scenic town of Pont Aven.  We have dined there twice with consistent results.  Monsieur Guilloux is an excellent seafood chef who works with very fresh products. His langoustines, grilled whole in the fireplace, are outstanding.

The amuses were a parmesan macaroon, foie gras with spiced cake, and marinated raw sturgeon on a cracker.

ENTREES

1.   Le millefeuille de foie gras, vinaigrette au pain d’epices

 Crumbled pain d’epices works well with foie gras.  It is served with agrumes, quince confit, and aragula.  This is an excellent and very fresh foie gras preparation.  It is accompanied by toasted brioche.

2.  Le carpaccio de bar de ligne aux herbes.

The carpaccio is extremely fresh, and served with a dill, chive, and passion fruit puree.

MAIN COURSES

1. Les grosses langoustines grillees, sauce a l’estragon.

This is the plat de resistance. Langoustines are firm, juicy, and sweet.

2. Le blanc de barbue, croute au chorizo, pommes de terre a la ciboulette.

Barbue, like meaty turbot, is one of our favorite fish.  It is served with a proper beurre blanc prepared with homemade churned butter and served on top of hand mashed potato puree with a good dose of butter. The thick cut of barbue, cut from the bone, is very very good.  The chorizo crust added flavor without detracting from the pristine fish.

3. Le carre d’agneau de Quercy (label rouge), roti.

A very good rack of lamb was served with jus flavored by a touch of garlic and tarragon.  It is accompanied by paimpol beans and green tomato chutney.  The rack was browned a la plancha and then roasted at a low temperature.  It was served medium rare.  This is a classic.

Before the dessert we ordered cheese:  Le Plateau de Fromages Affinees de Madame Baratte a Riec Sau Belon, which included Landres, Comte, Camembert, Reblochon, Charolais, Pont L’Eveque, Chevre.  They have a very good cheese cart.

DESSERT: La Tarte fine aux pommes chaudes, glace a la vanille

This is a perfect rendition of a timeless French classic.

Add to all of this the fact that the homemade breads and butter are excellent, and the wine list is fairly priced.  This is a no miss restaurant when you are in southern Bretagne.  It is impossible to understand as to why Michelin removed their macaroon.

WINES

1. 2005 Luneau Papin, “Puere Solis”

This is a muscadet made according to my taste.  It has a crushed stoney minerality aroma with mandarine notes.  It is round and nervy on the palette with no oak. It coats the palette and has nice acidity.  The finish is medium long with crushed sea shells and stony minerals.  The texture is creamy.  It clearly comes from old vines.  It should age well too. 94/100

2. 2007 Antoine Arena, “Grotte di Sole”

This is Nielluccio from Corsica (a clone of Sangiovese).  I like the herbal, thyme scented, slightly rustic nose with red fruit. On the palette one detects bitter black cherry, juicy, and non-smooth tannins. It is like biting into pit fruit, sweet and tart at the same time. The finish is vegetal but not astringent, and this went well with the roasted lamb chop with herbs. 90/100

EVALUATION: 18.5/20

I tried all of the German three macaroon restaurants with the sole exception of Amador.  While they all have different styles and strengths, my vote (and my wife’s vote) for the best of all goes to Bareiss.  This exclusive restaurant in beautiful surroundings, inside the luxurious Bareiss resort in the Black Forest, offers a totally satisfying three  macaroon experience:  excellent service, beautiful room, and superb food.  The wine service is presided over by Mr. Hendt who is a sommelier of the highest caliber, I would say one of the very best anywhere without hesitation. The combination of all these factors renders Bareiss a special address.

My wife and I dined there four times in the last two years.  Chef Claus-Peter Lumpp’s cooking can be called classical French.  The cuisine is rich, quite elaborate but not heavy, well thought out, and balanced. Clearly a lot of thinking and experimentation goes into preparing dishes as they are both cerebral and delicious.

There are two possible strategies in ordering. One is to order the degustation menu.  It is well thought out and overall very satisfying.  The alternative is to go a la carte. Here most dishes are composed of three or more components around a single theme or ingredient, like, say, “langoustines”.

Are you thinking of Gagnaire?  Clearly there is a parallel.  Both chefs like to explore the multi-dimensional potential of a given ingredient, cook it in different ways, and present them altogether in a single course.  In addition both chefs rely on a diverse world heritage for inspiration to create complex dishes. That is, quite a few spices, grains, etc., not normally found in more classical or fusion cuisine can be found in some of the dishes.

But there are differences too. Gagnaire is certainly more daring and intuitive.  He hits some very high marks, but he can also concoct hastily prepared, haphazard preparations, where components just don’t blend together.  Claus-Peter Lampp’s cooking is more consistent, if less daring.

Amuses are always very good at Bareiss, and in two consecutive days we were served completely different amuses.   An example is a mackerel sushi with cucumber, a tiny vegetable tart, cottage cheese with tomato, and basil and beef tartare.  Enjoy them with a complimentary glass of muscat or champagne.

The four or so appetizer courses on the menu are among the most interesting and complex preparations.  I have had “Le Veau,” the veal, three times, and there is always some twist depending on the chef’s whim.  The veal is of outstanding quality.  Last time it featured in three different guises:  a tartare of suckling veal marinated with parmesan and citron and topped by an herbal cream sauce; a praline of pressed veal head (tete de veau) with sauce gribiche; and a  carpaccio from the filet with marinated raw artichokes and fava beans.

Don’t miss the langoustines. I don’t know how Bareiss can procure sweet big langoustines of high caliber given their location in Schwarzwald. (I believe they said that they are shipped from Denmark.)  Langoustines are served in five components:

a. Carpaccio with mascarpone and oscietra caviar;

b. Tartare with lemon cream, custard and oscietra caviar;

c. Sautéed and glazed with shellfish jelly (served in a spoon);

d.  Tempura with apple and coriander; and

e. Ragout with cucumber and romaine heart.

The caviar is from Israel and very good quality.

If you are yearning for high quality goose foie gras, this is the place to have it. This course is comprised of four small dishes:

a. Terrine of goose liver with port caramel;

b. Crème brulee with whipped goose liver;

c. Goose liver foam with cocoa bean and ice; and

d. Sauteed goose liver with a macaroon of goose liver and aged balsamic vinegar.

We also tried another foie gras preparation from the menu:  braised foie gras with melon and tarragon.

I also love the soup courses at Bareiss.  There is usually one seasonal soup and one classic.  The classic one is a hearty beef tail, queue de boeuf.  It is an excellent, very clear consommé which tastes like savoring liquid bone marrow. It is accompanied by a ragout of queue de boeuf “en salade, en chiffonade et crème beurette” which features summer herbs and vegetables.

I tasted the seasonal and excellent wild trout-like lake fish, “omble chevalier” poached in olive oil that was prepared for our 12 year old daughter Ceylan Handan. It was fresh and melted in the mouth.

Another delicious starter is the king crab, “crab royale,” glazed with avocado, couscous, and verjus sauce.

What impresses me at Bareiss, and the reason behind the very high rating is the overall consistency and technical precision.  Last year we tried two lamb dishes, and I still savor the spring lamb that they served.  This year we opted for wild doe deer (hunted in their domaine) which also consisted of three elements:

a. the roasted saddle with root vegetable puree and chanterelles;

b. the leg poached in white wine with an apple-celeriac salad and cream sauce; and

c. Ravioli filled with liquid elderberry.

The cheese course, served in a trolley, consisting of mostly French and some hard to find artisanal cheeses, is another highlight, and we try not to miss it. With the cheese course we enjoy the remaining sips of excellent dry Rieslings which are among the most complex and satisfactory white wines on earth.

We then skip the dessert course and proceed to the petit fours and little gateaux that they bring with coffee.

WINES

1. 2011 Battenfeld Spanier Am Schwarzen Herrgott Riesling GG.   

This wine has a very distinct mineral nose.  It is intense, silky, suave, elegant, and complex.  Different fruits dance on the palette, such as pineapple, agrumes, and grapefruit.  It is not heavy at all and is one of the best GGs I have tasted.  Apparently the top soil is volcanic and the bottom is calcareous. The wine improved with aeration and developed exotic spices, such as cloves and ginger. The broken chalk keeps the humidity intact during the growing season.  The wine does not develop too much petrol aroma, like schiste (typical in Alsace). It has 13% alcohol and is from Hohen-Sulzen in Rhineland. 97/100

2. 2010  Bareiss Old  Vines Mosel from ungrafted vines.

This wine is from ungrafted vines, first planted in 1893. It has a light golden color and a nose of honeywax, apricot, and peach jam, together with lush, full, and honeyed agrume peel.   The texture is creamy and lush.  The wine is extremely well balanced, despite the richness.  It went well with game too. It has 12.5% alcohol. 97/100

Bareiss will not appeal to those looking for culinary fireworks and/or natural cuisine with minimum proteins. It will appeal to those who know the early years of nouvelle cuisine and are searching for classical French cooking with not only high quality but also luxurious ingredients, put together expertly, and at times ingeniously, with a nod for modern sensibilities.

Evaluation: 18/20

Joshua Skenes is one of the few chefs, not only in the States, but anywhere, who has a personal style and who can put together a multi-course menu degustation which proceeds logically and titillates both the brain and the palate.  Following my previous evaluation of this restaurant, we have had two more meals there, in June and in October, and thought that the restaurant deserves an even higher score. Both meals were consistent, but I should say that we have a slight preference for what we had in June (18.5/20), in comparison with October (17.5/20).  The ranking above is an average in ranking. 

In June we took our own wine and in October we opted for the pairing.  We also found the food-alcoholic beverage pairing (we had two sakes and a beer) to be successful, save for a minor hitch (see the pumpkin dish below).  Another positive is that the service flows flawlessly and with grace under the direction of Patrick Ellis. 

Overall there are only two high end dining spots in the States, Manresa of David Kinch and Saison, which may be called destination spots, and both chefs draw inspiration from Japan and rely on local products.  For some reason I can only think of these two restaurants as representatives of the best of California (a Noma or Can Roca may be planted anywhere in the world despite their nods to local traditions).  

Joshua Skenes’ cooking is very focused, looks minimalist, but actually is quite complex in conception.  He makes excellent use of charcoal and wood smoke, often uses dairy products to add dimensions and richness to his dishes, and he is able to concentrate flavors without chemicals-molecular techniques.

The only lament I have is that as the dessert chef,  Shawn Gawle, has moved to another restaurant, there are no more parker house rolls and canneles with coffee.   (I miss the soufflé less.) Parker house rolls were the most decadent, unhealthy, white puffy bread one can ever experience in modern times. When savoring them after an incredibly sophisticated and slim course, say the “seaweeds,” I always felt like I was transported away from a slender beautiful lady’s arms to the lap of a big bosomed, big bottomed, and big hearted Felliniesque whore, and then back again to modern norms.  I loved this indulgent sinful voyage during the meal, but it is no longer possible!

I would love to highlight a few favorites from the last two meals.   

1. Tomato in a few forms, citrus marigold (October).

The theme, all tomato, in season and in different textures (jellied, dried in the wood burning oven, etc.) is déjà vu, but this is one of the most appetizing examples, focused and devoid of unnecessary elements, and a perfect beginning to a 12 course meal.  Bravo to the sommelier who paired it with a 2013 Meyer-Nakel Spatburgunder Rose, Ahr, Germany. Just like the dish the wine was clean and focused with bracing acidity.

2. White Sturgeon Caviar, sturgeon belly cured and smoked on kelp, gelee of the grilled bones (June)

Skenes certainly did more work with caviar last June, and this concoction was outstanding.

He chose to pair the caviar with potato in October.  This is a classic, but not as memorable as the previous one.  But who can resist fresh, briny, popping in the mouth sturgeon eggs (a combination of Israeli and Californian caviar), especially when one is gulping down two great bubblies with it: Krug (more elegant and complex) and a rare A. Margaine Blanc de Blancs, Special Club bottling from Montagny, the village of Villers-Marmery (quite vinous due to three years sur lie, big and incisive and nutty-buttery notes overall and a long finish).

3. Abalone over the embers, sauce of the livers and capers (both in June and October).

This is one of the best abalone preparations, on par with anything in Japan. Like Chez Michel, one of my favorite bistros in Paris, Skenes uses the liver and uplifts it with vinegar and capers. The abalone absorbs the aroma of embers.  The 2012 Didier Dagueneau, Blanc Fume de Pouilly, steely and wiry,  is as of a good match as any other wine I can think of (a young Silex or Pur Sang would be too overpowering and closed at this stage).

4. Sea Urchin toast (both in June and September)

This is a decadent dish.  The grilled toast (from Tartine bread) is yeasty, and it is dipped in soy, raw milk, and brown butter. The sea urchin is very fresh, soft and oh so sweet and velvety.  I can’t disagree with the beverage choice: good sake.  It was Kanbara Junmai Ginjo, “Bride of the Fox,” from Niigate, Japan.  It is neutral and accentuates the sea essence flavor of the Santa Barbara sea urchin, without interfering with it. In June he added some river algae to the dish. Although both are excellent, we prefer the October version without it as one should want to savor the uni. 20/20

5. Seaweeds in seaweed vinegar and herbs (October)

This is a crisp, lively, aromatic, beautiful to look at, whets the appetite, and complex salad.  This follows the rich, creamy, oomph-like sea urchin. It reignites and prepares the palate for the black cod that follows.

6. Naple long pumpkin, hung over the fire for three days (October)

It was first dehydrated and then slowly grilled.  Not sweet at all, this pumpkin reminded me of a kind we find in Konya, Turkey. It was grown in Saison’s farm in Lagunitas.   The wine match here was not perfect.  They re-filled our glasses with 2012 Schloss Godelsberg Riesling “Reserve,” “Gaisberg,” Kamptal, Austria.  This is an excellent Kamptal, with good grip, minerality, and a minty-herbal nose which went perfectly with the preceding course: “ratatouille.”  The printed menu says that the wine is a 2012 Mosel Spatlese from Ziliken, which I believe would have been a better match given the higher residual sugar and silky texture (just like the pumpkin’s texture).

7. Sea cucumber-espardenas (June).

They are grilled on the fire and a chicheron was made from the skin.

They are as good as the espardenyes at Hispania in Arenys de Mar, Spain, but with the extra crunchy element, the chicheron.  This dish is 20/20. It paired well with the wine I brought, 2002 Coche Corton Charlemagne, which was drinking beautifully.   But it paired even better with what the sommelier had kindly poured for us: 2011 Sartarelli Verdiccio, “Tralivio” (a full bodied wine with bitter almonds, tangerine, and honey notes).

8. Foie Gras, peaches, and maple from the fire (June)

I only recall early Aduriz’ (Mugarritz) take on foie gras for such an interesting texture, i.e. not too fat but with a rich and concentrated flavor. Instead of peaches, plums figured in the dish to cut the richness, and the peach turned out to be the peach wine used in deglazing.  I cross my fingers hoping that Skenes will do this dish again. With this and also the wood pigeon dish (below), he also proves that he is a good saucier.

9.  Eight Years Old Beef Bone Marrow (June).

This is a wow dish, with thinly sliced wild ceps on top of the aged beef tartare and carpaccio and grilled bone marrow.  The quality was outstanding, and this sequence was perfect (this dish followed brassicas, which is a classic here, but somehow not as impressive as an earlier version).

10. Wood Pigeon with sansho pepper leaves with a bouillon of pigeon bones and pickles (June)

This was probably the most impressive meat dish I have eaten for some time in the States.  It must have been a lot of work, but the work paid off.  See the beautiful design with fresh squash blossoms, burdock, and rhubarb.  The broth was very clear, the morel mushrooms from Modesto were quite good, and the aging of the pigeon (faisandage) was optimum. It was minerally, but not dry.  One really needs a complex Grand Cru Bourgogne with this, rather than a good Californian wine, like Rajat’s nice Santa Barbara Pinot or a very pure and delicious 2006 B. Kosuge Pinot Noir “Hirsch Vyd”, Sonoma Coast.

11. Krug Sorbet, followed by wild berries, French marigold, and milk ice cream. (October)

This is a wild strawberry panna cotta flavored with marigold flowers and raw milk ice cream. I am always appreciative of the Krug sorbet as a pre-dessert, but preferred the panna cotta to the (very good) souffles of the past.  This is a light, aromatic and perfect ending to a great meal.

EVALUATION: 16/20

We had a mixed meal at Gagnaire in early summer.  I prefer to order a la carte at Gagnaire as his attention seems more focused on these courses which consist of four to five small dishes.  Gagnaire knows about the globe’s best ingredients perhaps more than any other practicing chef, and he is always eager to design complex dishes with many complimentary and contrasting elements.  This may lead to spectacular results, but to failures, as well.  He always treads a very fine line between achieving a high level of harmony or dishes that lack balance.  He calls himself an artist, and he is one, but one wonders at times whether his spontaneous way of cooking and his overconfidence is an impediment to perfection which requires more experimentation and fine tuning before dishes are put on the menu.

Another issue with this type of overly ambitious cooking is the availability and quality of ingredients.   When one or two elements are missing and/or they are sub-par, they upset the whole harmony.   This was the case with one of the courses we selected with my wife, the rouget.  This dish featured neither the kokotchas of bacalao, nor the bacalao tripe.   Without these elements the course lacked an important part, i.e. the fat/gelatin which was necessary for overall balance. It is also interesting to note that the servers simply recite the menu and are not properly trained about the ingredients.  We were first told that the dish had kokotchas of merlu, then of bacalao. At any rate it did not matter. It was also disheartening to note that one course on the written menu that I wanted to savor the most, i.e.  Adour Salmon, was unavailable as they had not received the shipment.  I made another reservation for the following week to try it as I am a fan of this rich and juicy wild salmon without fat, but when confirming my reservation I was told that they still had not received the shipment. Clearly there is a discrepancy between the capacity to procure so many ingredients and the design of the menu. My best guess is that Monsieur Gagnaire is overstreched and is not dealing with procurement and the implementation/execution of his complicated dishes.

All these said, he is a great chef, and when everything comes together, he is able to achieve heights of which very few chefs can dream.

My little daughter wanted to order a la carte, and she asked for the course called “Almost Spring”.   I tasted two dishes in the course, and they were both brilliant: a cocotte of aromatic herbs with crunchy foie gras ravioli and a fera fish mousse with nettle puree.  The small bites summed up all that is great about spring:  fresh herbal aromas, rich and bitter notes tempered by just the right touch of tart, savory, and acidic nuances. 

Linda and I fared equally well with “Jardin Marin.”  The poetic promise of a culinary voyage to a marine garden was fulfilled.  Various elements of this course, when tasted in a circular fashion, i.e., tasting them consecutively and then coming back to the very first, all blended in complex harmony and appealed both to the brain and to the palate.

There were five dishes in this course.  One was the large lobster-like Andalucian carabineros prawns, which was first marinated in brandy and then seared on the grill. I also noted granny smith apples and other fruits (oranges?) macerated with beetroot syrup.  The second element was more a nod to umami: bonito bouillon with white miso, cockles, clams, periwinkles, and nori.  Thirdly, we had a mélange of broccoli, oysters, and anchovies, followed by lotte (monkfish) aspic with tandoori spices, potatoes, and leeks.  The last element featured wild abalone from Brittany, dried mackerels in vinaigrette, and figatelli sausage from Corsica in a sea water froth flavored with beer.

Gagnaire’s creations are like fireworks which are shot at close intervals. They dazzle and shock.  The above-mentioned ROUGET was no less complex than the Jardin Marin, but it dazzled more than it satisfied.  The de-boned rouget wrapped in lardo di Colonnata had been out of the sea and in the fridge for longer than ideal.  The piquillo pepper puree and the saffron butter were certainly good ideas, but they were not balanced by the gelatinous kokotchas and tripe of bacalao, as the second component of this dish simply featured thinly cut cuttlefish, which lacked the juicy and sweet freshness of very fresh calamari.  The next element, sea anemones with scampi, espelette pepper jelly, and eggplant slice tempura, was fun to eat by itself, but did not blend well with the rest of the course. I liked the cucumber water flavored by Manzanilla sherry and pochas beans. Had the last two dishes been served without the first two, it would have been a more interesting dish of complimentary flavors with some contrasting elements.

Our captain strongly recommended the Saint Pierre, John Dory fish.  It was the most disappointing one. It featured a thick slice of Saint Pierre with Cevennes onions, cashew nuts, salted caramel, Paris mushrooms and tetragone salade flavored with farm cider. Maybe the dish was well thought out, but somebody had a heavy hand with caramel, and consequently this dish was like the equivalent of a soda pop New World Chardonnay in seafood. Call it Bonbon of Saint Pierre if you want. I lost interest after the first bite and could not derive satisfaction from other components of the dish.  This is too bad because the red tuna tartare with cockles and carnaroli risotto imbued by the rich gelatinous flavors of “tete de veau” was very good, a dish in itself.

Since we had our share of sweets with the Saint Pierre, we did not order the “Grand Dessert” and indulged in the goodies with coffee.

Wine is a strong point. I liked the sommelier who listened to me carefully and made good suggestions which were relatively fairly priced for a Michelin three macaroon restaurant.  It is hard to match wine with food here (some sake may be necessary), but at least they were good wines in their own right.

1. 2009 GUIBERTEAU SAUMUR BREZE

This is a good Chenin Blanc with characteristic fresh acidity and a bitter agrumes finish.  The nose is relatively developed with fresh almonds, pipen apple, and a floral touch.  It is fresh and balanced. The oak is well integrated.  92/100

2. 2007 REMI JOBARD MEURSAULT LES GENEVRIERES

It has an earth, mineral, grilled hazelnuts, grilled bread, ripe pear and apple aroma. It is loaded with material, but has good cut, mid-palette, and structure.  It has good intensity without being fat.  I love the 2007s. This wine developed papaya, melon, and tropical notes during the meal.  It is a great Meursault. 96/100

Index:

2010 Sigalas Santoini  88/100

2013 Hatzidakis Santorini  92/100

2013 HATZIDAKIS SANTORINI WHITE

Maybe the best from Assyrtiko in Santorini. More mineral and higher acidity than Santadi.  Smoky, saline mineral nose. Good grip. Nice underlying citrus fruit Medium acidity.  Like a cross between Gruner and Alborino from volcanic soil.  Should be consumed in five years.  Probably no  malolactic. 13.5% alcohol. 92/100

2010 SIGALAS SANTORINI WHITE

Assyrtiko probably gone batonnage and malolactic. Slight oxidation and rubber nose. The round palette is attractive with ripe stone fruits and the finish displays the volcanic soil with stony minerality.  Low acidity. Should be consumed when it is still giving pleasure. 14.2% alcohol.  88/100

Index:

1993 Nikolaihof Gruner Veltliner “Vinothek”  96/100

2008 Knoll Smaragd “Loibenberg” 93/100

2009 Hirtzberber “Singerreidel” Riesling  92+/100

2010 Jager Riesling Smaragd “Achleiten”  93/100

2011 Prager Gruner Veltliner “Ahleiten”  93/100

2011 Schloss Gobelsberg Riesling “Gaisberg” Kamptal  90/100

2012 Schloss Gobelsberg Riesling “Gaisberg” Kamptal  91/100

2013 Ott Gruner Veltliner “Am Berg”  88/100

2011 PRAGER GRUNER VELTLINER “AHLEITEN”

Tropical, pineapple aroma contrasts with bone dry palatte. Impressive in minerality and mid palette.  Dried herbs developed in the aroma. Quite complex  and many years ahead. Remains balanced despite 14% alcohol.  93/100

1993 NIKOLAIHOF GRUNER VELTLINER “VINOTHEK”

Quite subdued dry herbs, smoke, apple and pear aroma. Clean palate with depth. Tons of minerality. Polished, lean and concentrated with very long finish that is nuanced with grassy herbs and quince and stony minerality.  96/100

2013 OTT GRUNER VELTLINER “AM BERG”

Herbal nose, nice cut and citrus fruit. Lean with medium acidity. Not complex but in balance. Meant to be drunk young. 88/100

2010 JAGER RIESLING SMARAGD “ACHLEITEN”

Lean, elegant.  Slaty, minerally nose with a wiff of lemon rind. Good structure. Medium body, citrus fruit peel like tart and bitter finish.  Perfect match with sashimi. It has character. 13.5%.  93/100

2008 KNOLL SMARAGD “LOIBENBERG”

Floral, summer pit fruits aroma.  A bit restrained on the palette with peach, apricot, quince, green apple and bracing acidity.  Chalky minerality in the finish makes  this quite complex and satisfactory. 93/100

2012 SCHLOSS GOBELSBERG RIESLING “GAISBERG” KAMPTAL

More subdued than Wachau Rieslings. It has a minty-herbal and citrus, green apple nose followed by riper pit fruits and candied lime and some slaty mineral notes in the finish. Intense and balanced wine. Has good grip and works well with complex vegetable dishes. 91/100

2011 SCHLOSS GOBELSBERG RIESLING “GAISBERG” KAMPTAL

Similar notes as above except slightly lesser acidity. Softer than 2012 but still has very good balance and mineral notes in the finish. Paired with tomato gazpacho with anise hyssop gelee. 90/100

2009 HIRTZBERGER, “SINGERREIDEL”, RIESLING

Very lush and rich with tropical fruit and fat body due to botrytis. Needs spicy and fat food to match.  Should age well. 92+/100

Index:

2010 Clemensbusch Marienburg Riesling “Falkenlay” GG  95+/100

2010 Diel Riesling Trochen “Dorsheim Burgberg” GG 95+/100

2011 Clemensbusch Marienburg Riesling “Fahrlay-Terrassen”  93/100

2011 Clemensbusch Marienburg Riesling “Falkenlay” GG  94/100

2011 Donnhoff Hermannshohle Riesling GG  92/100

2012 Keller Riesling “Kirchspiel” GG  95+/100

2012 Wagner-Stempel Siefersheimer Weissbergunder  93/100

2010 DIEL RIESLING TROCKEN “DORSHEIM BURGBERG” GG.

Racy, sexy, smooth and sleek. Honeyed pipenapple on the nose and the fruit is very complex, both honeyed and tart. Loaded by minerals which are buffered by fruit and acidity.  Long finish. 95+/100

2012 KELLER RIESLING “KIRCHSPIEL” GG

Lemony, mineral and laser sharp nose. Like biting a salty lemon.  Impressive minerality.  The fruit gets rounder with agrumes notes. Should age very well. Unique and great match with seafood dishes with acidified sauces.  95+/100

2011 CLEMENSBUSCH MARIENBURG RIESLING “FALKENLAY” GG

Another remarkable GG from Mosel and a millesime which can be approached now. Lean, muscular, almost no fat but all muscles. Melted minerals, complex fruits, intense but retains is purity.  94/100

2010 CLEMENSBUSCH MARIENBURG RIESLING “FALKENLAY” GG

There is more body and acidity compared to 2010. The nose is sweet and complex with peach, apricot, passion fruit, agrumes notes. Rich, sharp and angular with ample slaty minerality in the long finish. Excellent harmony of all elements. Should evolve very well.  95+/100

2011 CLEMENSBUSCH MARIENBURG  RIESLING“FAHRLAY-TERRASSEN”

Higher altitude than Falkenlay. This wine has ample fruit and slatey minerality and medium acidity.  The smokey aroma is followed by almost tropical, tangerine, orange peel and agrumes and then the finish is long.  Possibly some botyritis in this wine so it could not be labelled as Grosses Gewach. 14% alcohol. 93/100

2011 DONNHOFF HERMANNSHOHLE RIESLING GG

This wine was first fizzy when opened (CO2?). It revealed rich and opulent tropical fruits, low acidity and a touch sweetness balanced by good minerality, long mid palette  and a dry finish where the minerality asserts itself.  One of the best producers in Nahe made a very good wine in a weaker vintage. 92/100

2012 WAGNER-STEMPEL SIEFERSHEIMER WEISSBURGUNDER

This may be the best pinot blanc to date. From Rheinhessen. Rich and viscous, medium to low acidity, very dry and complex fruit character. Has substance and character without being heavy.  Good match with smoked trout. 93/100

Index:

1985 Stag’s Leap “Cask 23”  93/100

1994 Thackery Orion  94/100

2006 B. Kosuge Pinot Noir “Hirsch Vyd,” Sonoma Coast  89/100

2012 Green and Red Zinfandel  88/100

1994 THACKERY ORION

Aroma is in full bloom with cassis, black cherry, cardamom, cloves, coffee.  Ripe fruit kept in check with good acidity. Intense and balanced.  Not pruney at all. With aeration a little meatiness developed on the palate and the long finish is earthy. This wine flirts with complexity and can be a ringer in a blind tasting of Hermitage from a warm weather millesime. This can easily age 10 more years.  It has character. 13.5% alcohol. 94/100

1985 STAG’S LEAP “CASK 23”.

Turn out to be much better than I expected. There is no browning at the edges and all elements are in synch. Perfectly integrated oak. Not a fruit bomb, jammy or overextracted. No heat or excessive alcohol and not sugary. Blackfruits on the palette followed by a medium long touch earthy finish. Not a trace of green peppers like many Californians.  Silky but not elaborately crafted international wine texture. At its peak. Probably no batonnage as they do nowdays. 13.5% alcohol. 93/100

2006 B. KOSUGE PINOT NOIR “HIRSCH VYD”, SONOMA COAST

This is not overextracted. It has some bright red fruit and hay and tar aroma, nice red fruits on the palette underlaid by bracing acidity and a clean finish. Not too complex but as French style as Californian can be.  89/100

2012 GREEN AND RED ZINFANDEL

A simple and well made Zin with spicy and sweet but not pruney nose and red plums on the palette. Spicy finish is interesting and the wine is not boring. 88/100

Index:

1989 Bruno Giacosa Barolo “Rionda” Riserva  97+/100

1990 Altesino Brunello Montosoli  92/100

1990 Guiseppe Mascarello, Barolo “Monprivato”  97/100

1997 Solaia  92/100

2001 Vernaccia di Oristano

2004 Calabretta Etna Rosso  94/100

2007 La Stoppa “Macchiona”  88/100

2008 Sardus Pater, Sulsic, Carignano, “Nur”  91/100

2010 Agricole Parovel Vitovska “Vinja Barde”  92/100

2010 La Stoppa Trebbiolo “Frizzante”  90/100

2010 Tenuta Terre Nere, Etna Prephylloxera, “La Vigne di Don Peppino”  89+/100

2012 Occhipinti “Il Frappato”  90/100

2013 Punta Crena, Rossesse, Liguria  89/100

RED

2010 LA STOPPA TREBBIOLO “FRIZZANTE”.

Tart and peppery nose followed by a juicy blackberry palette with an interesting finish that alternates between sweet and earthy. Perfect match with spicy salumi and cig kofte, kibbe and Adana kebap.  Not to be scorn at.  90/100

1997 SOLAIA

Sweet red and black berries, tree bark, cedar and tobacco aroma. Silky, sexy and sweet and underlying acidity keeps it alive.  Earthy finish.  At its peak. Successful example of international style.  Actually better than 97 Sassicaia. 13.5% alcohol.  92/100

2007 LA STOPPA “MACCHIONA”.

Earthy, dried red berries aroma. A bit pruney but acidity saves it. The fruit disappears fast and the medium-long finish is earty and spicy and has some heat. It became more fruity in glass. An intriguing wine which went well with an earthy Bolognese sauce linguini. I found the cheaper “frizzante” better balanced though. 15% alcohol.  88/100

1989 BRUNO GIACOSA BAROLO “RIONDA” RISERVA

A great Barolo. Still no browning at the edges.  Both the aroma and palette is complex and the finish is sweet and delightful. Iron minerals, spices, freshly roasted Jamaica blue mountain coffee, tar, ginger, touch anise and cumin nose. The palette displays a range of flavors of earth, spice and both red and black fruits which are candied but not heavy due to perfect acidity. The tannins are felt in the finish showing that this will continue to improve.  Clearly the wine has not been overextracted and the tannins have not been polished through microoxidation.  This is what great Barolo should be with a unique depth but rarely is.  97+/100

2004 CALABRETTA ETNA ROSSO

A very good Nerello Mascalese.  The aroma is Burgundian with soft spice, sweet red and black berries. Silky texture, well integrated tannins. Pinot like Napoleon cherry, black raspberry, blueberry on the palette. The fruit is sweet but not jammy. There is an iron-mineral finish coming from volcanic soil in the medium-long finish. The acidity is buried in the fruit. 94/100

1990 ALTESINO BRUNELLO MONTOSOLI

This is an elegant brunello with melted tannins, good fruit and underlying acidity which is in proportion with the mostly cherry and pomegranate fruits and a medium long finish with touch earthiness that developed over 2 hours. 92/100

1990 GUISEPPE MASCARELLO, BAROLO “MONPRIVATO”

Outstanding and at its peak but will hold.  Complex and intoxicating aroma with rose and sweet flowers and summer berries.  Tannins have melted and acid-fruit-tannin are all in perfect harmony.  The texture is silky and elegant. The fruit is reminiscent of the small and white colored Ottoman strawberries of my youth, along with blueberries.  The finish is iron like minerality and the sweet fruit lingers. Complex and gives great pleasure. 97/100

2010 TENUTA TERRE NERE, ETNA PREPHYLLOXERA, “LA VIGNE DI DON PEPPINO”

Good but not as good as Calabretta above.  The nose is more attractive than the palette with Burgundian notes of soft spice and ripe plums and black berries. The palette is slightly diluted and all elements have not yet come together and the oak detracts from the overall pleasure. The finish is complex with iron minerality and a green-herbal element.  Maybe the year was quite hot and it is possible that over time the wine will become jammy. But I had very good bottles before so there is hope that this will give pleasure in five years. 89+/100

2013 PUNTA CRENA, ROSSESSE, LIGURIA

A very light red which gives pleasure.  The nose is very floral. Low acidity, no tannins (carbonic maceration?), soft red fruits, peach, cantaloupe, strawberry. 89/100

2008 SARDUS PATER, SULSIC, CARIGNANO, “NUR”

Quite earthy, fungus and wild thyme aroma.  Mostly black fruits are on the ripe side but not overextracted and the medium finish is interesting reminiscent of red clay soil.  This wine has character and quite different than old vine carignane from Priorat. Paired well with a stew of wild boar, venison and goat with a rich tomato and saffron broth.  91/100

2012 OCCHIPINTI “IL FRAPPATO”

An interesting Sicilian that goes against the trend of jammy wines in the region. Freshly cut herbs, grass, cranberry juice cinnamon and ginger aroma. Light and zippy on the palate with tart red raspberry. Short to medium finish is herbal but not green. 12.5% alcohol. I like this food friendly wine. 90/100

WHITE

2010 AGRICOLE PAROVEL VITOVSKA “VINJA BARDE”

My first experience with Vitovska from Friuli. This is a lean, clean, focused white with a saline and floral nose and very precise pit fruits backed by underlying bracing acidity and crushed sea shell type minerality in the finish. Smooth texture. 92/100

2001 VERNACCIA DI ORISTANO

I did not write down the producer but wanted to highlight this high alcohol, oxidative wine with a saline finish (reminiscent of Manzanilla sherry) as an excellent accompaniment to a rich bottarga  pasta, as well as fregola with tuna hearts and sea urchin.

Index:

1964 Lopez de Heredia Vina “Bosconia” Reserva  95/100

2002 Lopez de Heredia Vina “Bosconia” Reserva  92/100

2002 Lopez de Heredia Vina “Tondonia” Reserva  93/100

2006 Vega Sicilia, Valbuena 5 Ano  89/100

2007 Artadi Vina “El Pison”, Rioja  94+/100

2008 Rene Barbier Priorat “Clos Mogador”  94+/100

2013 Ribeira Sacro Amandi, Guimaro  88/100

2002 LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VINA “BOSCONIA” RESERVA

Tobacco, cedar, thyme and licorice aroma is complex. Full and forward fruit, esp. like pomegranate, underlaid by good acidity. This is a lively and Bourgogne like wine.  Old style Rioja which has character and not dominated by oak and pruney. 13% alcohol.  92/100

2002 LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VINA “TONDONIA” RESERVA.

Tempranillo, graciano, mazuela, garnacha blend. Dark ruby. Coffee, licorice, ripe plum and blackberry and Napoleon cherry. Fruity, silky and suave with good acidity, pure flavors, a touch earthy and spicy finish.  Complex. 93/100

1964  LOPEZ DE HEREDIA VINA “BOSCONIA” RESERVA

Like an aged grand cru Bourgogne from 64.  Powdered Ottoman strawberry and soft exotic aromatic profile, suave and very elegant with lingering raspberry and wild blueberries which still shine behind strong acidity that keep the wine fresh. Melted tannins and quite long finish.  It is not intense but almost weightless and nervy. Less spice and earth in the finish than comparable Bourgogne.  95/100

2008 RENE BARBIER PRIORAT “CLOS MOGADOR”.

Old vine carignane with some Grenache, Cabernet and Syrah.  It needs to be decanted a few hours before to reveal its qualities. Black currants, lead, tiny bit of licorice and dried herbs aroma. First impression is the structure and dark forest fruits and strong (not sculptured) tannins and acidity but it displays harmony and becomes smoother and more suave throughout the meal (paired at the end with roasted becasse).  There is cardamon and mace like spice and iron like minerality in the long finish.  Should age very well.  14.5% alcohol.  94+/100

2006 VEGA SICILIA, VALBUENA 5 ANO

It is an OK new world style with jammy red fruit, anise, toffee nose and ripe and forward rich fruit which is not as jammy as it is in the nose. It was a relief after the overextracted and overoaky 2012  Mauro crianza. Lush tannins and velvety-soft texture. This was the best wine available at Zurita.  89/100

2007 ARTADI VINA “EL PISON”, RIOJA.

Artadi is interesting because the first impression is new world (typical in Rioja and Ribera) style with ripe fruit, soft tannins, etc., but his wines are not overextracted and retain elegance and some complexity.  2007 is still a baby but is already displaying  sweet spices, delineated red and black berries and a long finish with spicy and earthy notes. Excellent acidity and impressive texture.  Harmonious. Should develop well. 94+/100

2013 RIBEIRA  SACRO AMANDI, GUIMARO

A good Mencia.  Round, earthy and soft with a good core of black cherry eaten with pits. Low acid and low tannins. 88/100

Index:

2008 Emilio Rojo  90/100

2009 Do Fereiro Albarino “Cepas Vellas”  93/100

2011 Do Fereiro Albarino “Cepas Vellas”  92/100

2011 Terroir Al Limit “Pedra de Guix,” Priorat  88+/100

2012 Clos Nilin Priorat “Grallatops,” Priorat  91/100

2012 Emilio Rojo  93/100

2013 Albamar Finca E Pereiro, Rias Baixas  93/100

2013 Castell d’Encus Talern “Taleria” Saugivnon Blanc/Semillon  93/100

2013 Do Fereiro Cepas Vellas, Rias Baixas  92/100

2013 Valdesacia “Akilia,” Bierzo  92/100

Equipo Navazos Palo Cortado No. 48  94/100

WHITE WINES

2011 DO FEREIRO ALBARINO “CEPAS VELLAS”

Lemon rind and ocean water aroma.  Nice salinity.  Lime and quince notes on the palette. Lean body but lingering finish. Grassy notes in the medium-long finish.  This is like a Muscadet with more fruit.  A little less structure than the really excellent 2010 but this should put on some weight as it ages. 12.5% alcohol.  92/100

2009 DO FEREIRO ALBARINO “CEPAS VELLAS”

Grassy nose.  Good cut and minerality blends well with tart summer fruit, pipen apple, quince.  Harmonious and balanced with remarkable salinity in the finish.  One of the best Spanish white.  93/100

2008 EMILIO ROJO

Slighty oxidative, spring flowers and rubber aroma. Clean and intense and complex tart pit-stony fruit and the finish has stony minerality and apricot skin.  Elegant. Should be consumed in a year or two. 90/100

2012 EMILIO ROJO

Stone fruits and citrus and floral, very refreshing nose. Balanced, crisp and elegant which develops weight during the meal.  One can talk about a hint of minerality in the finish. I like this wine young which may be the most interesting Spanish white. 93/100

2013 CASTELL D’ENCUS TALERN “TALERIA” SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON

A very good sauvignon from a small producer in Costers del Segro appellation in Lleida, Cataluniy.  It is salty and mineral and lean with noteworthy electric acidity. Clearly a cold climate. The winemaker is Raul Bobet, former winemaker of Torres. 93/100

2013 ALBAMAR FINCA E PEREIRO, RIAS BAIXAS

A very good Galician Alborino. It has a saline citrus aroma, medium plus acidity, good nervosity and mineraliy and a medium long finish. It is lean but not thin, has good mouthfeel with a medium long finish.  93/100

2013 DO FEREIRO CEPAS VELLAS, RIAS BAIXAS

We find this wine to be always consistent with a chalky minerality, freshly cut grass and herbal aroma. 2013 is a little thin but it still has good cut and taut. It finishes with agrumes notes. It should age a bit more to put on weight and become rounder. 92/100

2012 CLOS NILIN PRIORAT “GRALLATOPS”, PRIORAT

An interesting blend of white Grenache, macabeo, pinot noir, pedro ximenez, marsanne and viognier. Dark yellow color, rich and praline like nuttiness and honeyed texture. Marsanne and PX seem to dominate. It is smooth and very good acidity keeps it fresh and interesting. 91/100

2011 TERROIR AL LIMIT “PEDRA DE GUIX”, PRIORAT

I was less impressed with this wine than Clos Nilin altought I like their reds. It seems like a stage in a particular experiment, a broad shouldered and tannic white Grenache and Grenache which displays dried apple and pear, nuts and some fat but not elegance or effortless balance.  It still has minerality and fine acidity. A wine to hold to see the development.  88+/100

2013 VALDESACIA “AKILIA”, BIERZO

Very interesting.  Palomino and Dona blanca cepages in Bierzo rather than Godilla. It is smoky and very dry. Pure, herbal and clean.  Quite playful on the palette and surprisingly mineral for a Bierzo. Apparently the wine maker worked for 7 years at Petrus. I would have guessed this to be a Gruner Veltliner and it matched the vegetable dishes very well. 92/100

SHERRY

EQUIPO NAVAZOS PALO CORTADO NO. 48

Rich, caramelized orange and toffee nose. It is concentrated and dry on the palette which remains fresh throughout and finishes long with saline notes. Exellent pairing with spicy bone marrow and tacos.  94/100

Index:

1988 Chateau Climens  93/100

1999 Billecart Salmon Brut  93/100

Champagne A. Margaine de Villers-Marmery “Blanc de Blanc”  94/100

Krug Grand Cuvee Brut  94/100

Lassaigne Rose  94/100

CHAMPAGNE

KRUG GRAND CUVEE BRUT

Strong and minerally which still retains an elegance despite its extracted, vinous quality.   94/100

CHAMPAGNE A. MARGAINE DE VILLERS-MARMERY “BLANC DE BLANC”

A new find.  It comes from a chalky soil and it is aged for 3 years sur lie.  This is an incisive and intense blanc de blanc with notes of pipen apple and citrus and the finish is long and nutty.  From Montagne de Reims.  94/100

1999 BILLECART SALMON BRUT

Nice persistent bubbles.  Grapefruit, apples and pear skin as opposed to Krug’s more agrumes flavors.  A touch less elegant than Krug but good minerality and harmony.  93/100

LASSAIGNE ROSE

Herbal, floral, very clean nose. Lean and sharp with very fine bubbles. Citrus and stone fruits. I love the purity and understated complexity and harmony. Higly recommended non millesime.  94/100

DESSERT WINE

1988 CHATEAU CLIMENS

Light orange color.  Dried apricot and peach, agrumes’ peel backed by good acidity that gives depth. Complex fruit. It delivered.  93/100

Index:

1992 Lafon, Meursault Charmes

1995 Verget Corton-Charlemagne  92/100

1996 Francois Jobard Meursault “Genevrieres”  96/100

1997 Coche Dury Puligny Montrachet “Les Enseigneres”  96/100

1998 Coche Dury, Meursault  91/100

1999 Domaine Leflaive Chevalier Montrachet  97/100

2000 Domaine de la Louvetrie Muscadet “Le Fief du Breil”  91/100

2004 Ente Meursault  90/100

2004 Ente Puligny Montrachet “Les Referts”  92/100

2005 George Vernon, Condrieu “Coteau du Vernon”  92/100

2006 Pascal Cotat Chavignol Rose  93/100

2009 Didier Dagueneau Pouilly-Fume “Pur Sang”  95/100

2009 Domaine de la Pepiere, Chateau Thebaud, “Clos des Morins”  94+/100

2009 Domaine de la Vougeraie, Clos de Prieure Monopole  93/100

2009 Edmond Vatan Sancerre “Clos la Neore”  88+/100

2010 Chateau de Fosse Seche, Saumur  93/100

2010 Domaine de la Pepiere, Chateau Thebaud Muscadet “Cos des Morines”  91/100

2010 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec “Le Mont”  91/100

2010 Francois Chidaine Montluis sur Loire “Les Tuffeaux”  93/100

2010 Francois Chidaine, Vouvray Brut Petillant  90/100

2011 Domaine Roulot Meursault “Luchets”  90/100

2011 Melaric Saumur “Clos de la Cerisaie”  91+/100

2012 Chateau de Saint Louans Chinon  86/100

2012 Domaine Jamet Cote du Rhone Blanc  90/100

2012 Domaine Leflaive Macon-Verze  93/100

2012 Dominique Belluard, Savoy “Les Alpes,” Gringet 

2013 Bailly-Reverdy Sancerre Rose  90/100

2013 Brunier Chateauneuf Blanc “La Roquette”  91/100

2013 Domaine Ilarria Iroleguy Rose  90/100

2013 Domaine Tempier Bandol Rose  91/100

2013 Emile Balland Sancerre “Croq’Caillotte”  92/100

2004 ENTE MEURSAULT

Good example of Meursault at optimum drinking point.  Toasty oak has not been fully integrated but does not cover the fruit. Crème brulee, butterscotch nose and creamy texture. Classic pear and apple is not overripe and underlaid by adequate acidity.  Optimum drinking point.  90/100

2004 ENTE PULIGNY MONTRACHET “LES REFERTS”

Touch oxidative, polished charred oak nose. Suave and smooth on the palate with adequate acidity.  The fruit became more complex and developed tangerine notes on top of classic ripe pear and apple.  There is no minerality.  The texture is especially fine, there is premier cru depth and weight but it is not heavy.  92/100

2006 PASCAL COTAT CHAVIGNOL ROSE

Really excellent rose from Pinot which has some complexity.  Zesty strawberry, good acid and earth in an elegant overall package. 12.5% alcohol.  Rose does not get better than this. 93/100

2013 DOMAINE ILARRIA IROLEGUY ROSE

Intriguing with character.  Quite charming with spicy red berries backed by acidity and retains good balance with higher than standard residual sugar.  It went well with prawns in a tomato-garlic sauce. 13.5% alcohol.  90/100

2013 BAILLY-REVERDY SANCERRE ROSE

Pale salmon color. Fruity and elegant with good acidity. Light on its feet with a hint of earthiness in the finish.  90/100

1995 VERGET CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE

Still young and fresh. Well integrated oak. Clean and persistent and fruit driven but not sweet soda-pop. A good (and rare) example of Verget. Nice accompaniment to fish with beurre blanc.  13% alcohol.  92/100

2013 EMILE BALLAND SANCERRE “CROQ’CAILLOTTE”

Citrus and floral aroma also follows on the palette and with aeration it reveals peach and agrumes notes.  It has good grip and chalky minerality in the medium-long finish. It held up well the second day and developed some melon nuances.  We “discovered” this producer at Yam’Tcha.  92/100

1996 FRANCOIS JOBARD MEURSAULT “GENEVRIERES”

Pale yellow.  Lemon, grilled nuts, toasted bread nose. Pronounced acidity and minerality. Lime and tart apple. Long finish. No trace of oak. Fresh and intense without being heavy. Elegant. Should easily hold for 5 more years. Excellent Meursault which flourished.  96/100

2000 DOMAINE DE LA LOUVETRIE MUSCADET “LE FIEF DU BREIL”

Floral, white peach aroma. Soft texture. Between filigreed and watery.  Slighty oxidative with saline minerality in the finish. Clean and pure. Developed grapefruit skin like bitterness in the finish. Not bone dry and pairs well with shellfish in tomato sauce. 12% alcohol.  91/100

2010 DOMAINE DE LA PEPIERE, CHATEAU THEBAUD MUSCADET “CLOS DES MORINES”

Pale yellow.  Whiff of citrus and sea-shell aroma. Not fruity. Almost no residual sugar. Good grip. Crushed sea shells like salinity. Really perfect with briny oysters and raw clams. 91/100

2010 CHATEAU DE FOSSE SECHE, SAUMUR

A good Loire Chenin. Ripe peach, apricot, alternates between sweet and tart on the palette. Feels fresh and acid/sugar balance is noteworthy. Rich mouthful of stone fruit which is ripe but refreshing. Round but no oak.  Really nice with lobster, scallops, etc. 93/100

2010 FRANCOIS CHIDAINE MONTLUIS SUR LOIRE “LES TUFFEAUX”

First thing one notices is the honeyed texture and how well the acidity balances the residual sugar. Quite complex in fruit and different agrumes unfold on the palette and the finish is long and leaves a nutty and touch earthy aftertaste. Works so well with seafood in beurre blanc. Excellent Chenin. 93/100

2012 CHATEAU DE SAINT LOUANS CHINON

Too much batonnage compromised the varietal character and tastes more like a generic polished Chardonnay than Sauvignon.
Round.  86/100

2010 DOMAINE HUET VOUVRAY SEC “LE MONT”

A nice clean nose with a whiff of quince and licorice and some  metal (copper?) Pipenapple, quince, lime flavors backed by good acidity.  The finish is steely,-earthy.  Restrained and precise Chenin from a consistently reliable producer.  91/100

2011 MELARIC SAUMUR “CLOS DE LA CERISAIE”

Quite puzzling  Chenin. The nose was a bit off at first but it corrected itself to reveal a wine with character which had a thick texture (old vines?), lovely sweet pear and apples cut by bright acidity and a long finish with notes of minerality.  It has not all been perfectly integrated yet but it should get better. 13.5% alcohol. 91+/100

2012 DOMAINE JAMET COTE DU RHONE BLANC

Touch floral, lemon curd and herbal aroma. Lovely, fine acidity and quite fresh and lively on the palette. Viscous texture. A very good Marsanne for low price from a great producer. 90/100

2011 DOMAINE ROULOT MEURSAULT “LUCHETS”

The oak is not perfectly integrated yet. It has classic vanilla, grilled bread and crème brulee nose, followed by well delineated citrusy and precise flavors. It reveals some mineral notes in the finish.  90/100

1999 DOMAINE LEFLAIVE CHEVALIER MONTRACHET

This wine is at its peak and all the elements came together in a thick, velvety, very elegant texture. Not a trace of oxidation. Like a quintessence of French  grand cru chardonnay.   Rich and opulent which retains its inner core minerality and lushness throughout the long meal. Special thanks to Monsieur Pierre Lemoullac for bringing this wine to Table d’Aki. 97/100

2013 BRUNIER CHATEAUNEUF BLANC “LA ROQUETTE”

A whiff of petroleum and touch butterscotch nose.  Not too fruity (pear notes?), with a steely backbone,  good acidity and good body which is not fat or broad.  Nice precision A very good Roussanne from southern France. 91/100

2009 DIDIER DAGUENEAU POUILLY-FUME “PUR SANG”

This is a tightly wound beautiful wines where different elements of minerality, fruitiness and acidity are well integrated to a solid core.  The aroma is just opening up with  spring flowers, citrus and fresh herbs (did not detect grassiness).  Quite full and lovely on the palette with quince, pipen apple and kiwi notes. It developed orange and grapefruit rind in glass and became quite elegant.  Will continue to give pleasure for at least another 5 years but drinking beautifully.  Great sauvignon.  95/100

2009 EDMOND VATAN SANCERRE “CLOS LA NEORE”

Too big at 15% alcohol and there is some heat in this very broad shouldered, fat sauvignon.  The fruit is now in the backbone and the grassiness/herbalness is not showing.  A bit reductive. But it may have potential given chalky minerality and the grapefruit like pleasant bitternenss it developed in glass. 88+/100

2005 GEORGE VERNON, CONDRIEU “COTEAU DU VERNON”

This is a broad shouldered concentrated Condrieu which is drinking very well now. It shed the woody smell, the nose is tropical and crème brulee, the palette is full and fruity, and it has a nice creamy texture. Higher acidity than typical Condrieu helped to age this very good wine.   92/100

2009 DOMAINE DE LA VOUGERAIE, CLOS DE PRIEURE MONOPOLE

Pear and apple nose reminiscent of Puligny.  Good structure, nice acidity, not fat but has weight.  Probably old vines. Oak is well integrated. Long, touch earthy finish.  93/100

1997 COCHE DURY PULIGNY MONTRACHET “LES ENSEIGNERES”

Dark yellow color. Rubber, tar, wood spice, ripe pear and apple nose.  Very concentrated and leesy, explosive but also velvety texture. Layers of flavors unfold in the palette with citrus and agrumes undertones. Oak is perfectly integrated and the acidity gives a boost to the rich fruitiness. It retains an elegance which distinguishes it from New World’s best chardonnays.  Long finish. 96/100

2010 FRANCOIS CHIDAINE, VOUVRAY BRUT PETILLANT

Uplifting with touch sweet citrus, green apple, nice acidity, chalky mineral finish. Perfect with oysters or as an aperitif.  90/100

2013 DOMAINE TEMPIER BANDOL ROSE

Pale salmon color. Not too fruity, subdued strawberry and saline minerality on the palette. Quite“filigreed” texture in a good sense. Impressive balance. Provence rose does not get better than this.  91/100

2012 DOMINIQUE BELLUARD, SAVOY “LES ALPES,” GRINGET

My first taste of Gringet is very positive.  Fresh and sharp herbs, anise and pit fruit aroma. It is clean and pure (not a trace of oak) with good body weight, good acidity and agrumes. Very good fit for spot prawns grilled in the shell with mint and chervil.

2012 DOMAINE LEFLAIVE MACON-VERZE

Dried hay and citrus in the leesy nose. Macerated at optimum with a lean and pure mouth feel dominated by citrus notes. So clean and flirts with complexity. I would have guessed Premier Cru Chablis. 93/100

2009 DOMAINE DE LA PEPIERE, CHATEAU THEBAUD, “CLOS DES MORINS”

A vow Muscadet. A whiff of seashells, sea weeds and pineapple aroma. The palette is among the richest I have seen in Muscadet and saline minerality unfolds in waves in the medium-long finish along with wild fennel and salicorne. Bright acidity and great purity along with complexity. This wine goes well not only with oysters but also with richer seafood dishes. 94+/100

1998 COCHE DURY, MEURSAULT

Sligtly charred grilled nuts and crème brulee aroma with pear notes. The palette follows with a fine blending of nutty, baked apples and pear notes underlaid by good acidity.  91/100

1992 LAFON, MEURSAULT CHARMES

Unfortunately oxidized. Past its prime.

Index:

1949 Leroy Corton-Bressandes  100/100

1953 Chateau Angelus  97/100

1986 Chateau Pichon Lalande 89-91+/100

1989 La Mission Haut Brion  97/100

1990 Leroy Latricieres Chambertin  92+/100

1990 R. Chevillon NSG “Les Cailles”  92/100

1993 Domaine Tempier, “Cabassou”  92+/100

1995 J.L. Chave Hermitage  94/100

1995 Les Cailloux, Chateauneuf du Pape “Cuvee Centenaire”  94/100

1995 Rene Rostaing Cote Rotie “Cote Blonde”  96/100

1996 Denis Mortet Gevrey Chambertin, “Les Champeaux”  89+/100

1996 Joguet Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”  93/100

1997 Jaboulet Hermitage “La Chapelle”  92/100

1998 Rene Rostaing, Cornas  93/100

2000 Chateau Lafite  96+/100

2000 Gigondas “Les Pallieres”  89/100

2000 Robert Groffier “Bonne-Mares”  94/100

2002 Chevillon Nuits St. Georges “Les Bousselots”  92/100

2004 Domain Leccia, Petra Bianca, Patrimonio  93/100

2005 Chateau Lagrezette  91/100

2005 Domaine Tempier Bandol “La Migoua”  92/100

2006 Jamet Cote Rotie  94/100

2006 Saint Cosme Gigondas Louis Barruol “Hominis Fides”  93/100

2010 Comte Lafon Volnay “Clos des Chenes”  92/100

2010 Jean Foillard Fleurie  93/100

2010 Pierre Gelin Gevrey Chambertin Premier Cru “Clos Prieur”  92-94/100

2011 Domaine Tempeir Bandol Rouge  91/100

1996 JOGUET CHINON “CLOS DE LA DIOTERIE”

Complex aroma and flavors.  If you play the game one can detect tart blackberry, pomegranate, raspberry, licorice, bloody meat, wild mushroom, cinnamon.  Flavor follows with nice fruit and a touch herbal, meaty, earthy but still fruity finish. Excellent integration of different elements in an overall harmonious bundle.  Should drink well a few more years. 12.5% alcohol.  93/100

1997 JABOULET HERMITAGE “LA CHAPELLE”

Much better than another bottle drunk a few months ago which was jammy/pruney.  Some brett/barnyard aroma mixed with leather, humus, fungus, earth. Plummy fruit is ripe and mouthfilling and there are earthy notes on the finish.  92/100

1986 CHATEAU PICHON LALANDE

Fungus, earth and leather aroma with a hint of fruit. Tannins are still harsh. It mellowed the second day and showed some elegance and focused black fruits.  Will all the elements come together without losing fruit? Hard to evaluate.  89-91+/100

2000 GIGONDAS “LES PALLIERES”

Still not brown at the edges. Sweet spice, nutmeg, cinnamon aroma.  Soft red and black berries, melted tannins.  Drinking well but will not age. Gives pleasure. 89/100

2000 ROBERT GROFFIER “BONNES-MARES”

First impression is like biting into a bitter-sweet cherry. Silky and smooth. On the nose it reveals exotic spice with a kiss of oak. The finish is medium-long and is true to Grand Cru status.  Many elements have come together and it is drinking very well now but should hold some more years. 94/100

2002 CHEVILLON NUITS ST GEORGES “LES BOUSSELOTS”

This wine is fully open and giving pleasure. Juicy and sensual aroma with cloves, mace, eucalyptus and sage. Rasberry and black cherry, good balance.  The soft texture reveals relatively young vines. It developed an attractive herbal component in the finish. Tannins have melted. Drink now or within 5 years. 92/100

2000 CHATEAU LAFITE

A claret where various elements are just coming together.  Well known Pauillac aroma  with lead pencil, cassis, tobacco and so on is now beginning to be detectable. Integrated oak and the bright fruit is well integrated.  Not big but concentrated.  Quite elegant. No herbaceousness in the long and persistent finish. The texture is noteworthy and classy. Many years ahead. Should continue to improve. 12.5% alcohol. 96+/100

1995 J.L. CHAVE HERMITAGE

Iron like minerals, spice and cassis aroma.  Stoney and freshly cut bloody meat like flavors interact with wild berries. Persistent and concentrated with good acidity.  Very long finish.  Very good expression of Syrah in old world terroir. 13% alcohol. 94/100

2005 CHATEAU LAGREZETTE

Old wine Malbec from Cahors.  Rolland’s style is evident in round but strong tannins and velvety texture which makes this approachable at young age. The oak is well integrated. Spicy and big and structured.  Blackberry, ripe plum and licorice nose. Quite concentrated and thick and chunky  and black currant palette and the long finish is earthy and tannins reassert themselves.  Excellent pairing with a lievre a la royale. 91/100

2010 PIERRE GELIN GEVREY CHAMBERTIN PREMIER CRU “CLOS PRIEUR”

This wine gives maximum pleasure right now. It is generous, round mouth feel, silky and tannins are very refined and the acidity is bright and buried in fruit.  The captivating nose is floral and spicy with red and black berries perfume.  Soft spices such as nutmeg and mace unfold on the palette in the charming finish. 30% new oak is used and the vines are about 45 years old.  A great premier cru GC. I am curious about how it will age but it is hard to resist right now. 94/100 (another bottle imported to US tasted more oaky. I wonder if they bottled separately for the US? This bottle will warrant 92/100)

2010 COMTE LAFON VOLNAY “CLOS DES CHENES”

This is a masculine wine with good grip and concentration.  Full, round and spicy with black fruits and strong acidity. Nice texture. A little restrained right now.  92/100

2006 SAINT COSME GIGONDAS LOUIS BARRUOL “HOMINIS FIDES”

Excellent Gigondas from a very old vineyard. Stoney, black pepper like spicy, ripe blackberries and touch gamey and forest floor aroma. Full, lush and smooth and the ripe blackberry and blueberry fruit is not jammy. Stays fresh and lively due to perfect acidity.  Very well integrated oak.  Very long finish. This is a complex wine and it is better in a not too hot vintage like 2006.  Some highly scored wines from hot vintages may be too candied and sweet/jammy and  get boring after the first sip.  Paired well with roasted becasse.  93/100

2010 JEAN FOILLARD FLEURIE

Another great Beaujolais from Foillard.  Immediately likeable but not simple.  It is aromatic with powdered strawberry and fresh herbs.  Elegant and silky texture with loads of pure black cherries.  Quite long finish and some complexity due to the interaction between spice, herbs and fruits. This wine should age till 2020. 93/100

2006 JAMET COTE ROTIE

Textbook Jamet. Underbrush, dried herbs, tobacco leaf, red berries and bloody meat nose.  Good acidity, very precise and elegant and deceptively light, long finish. Very suave and complex. Still very early stages of its development but giving great pleasure.  94/100

2005 DOMAINE TEMPIER BANDOL “LA MIGOUA”

Very nice sweet berries, garrigue herbs and cedar nose. Some complexity and depth on the palette with good grip and balance.  The finish is pleasantly herbal. A good showing for this Mourvedre dominated wine which ages well and is adept in pairing with a variety of food in my experience. 92/100

1953 CHATEAU ANGELUS

Mid neck but corked in great condition. Has not traveled more than 100 miles from the Chateau and only once.  The nose gives off tobacco leaf, sous-bois and candied raspberry.  Tannins have completely melted but the texture is still dense, almost chunky.  The fruit became less of currant and plums but more like raspberry, blue and black berries. Over 3 hours the fruit still held on and the texture became less dense and more velvety.  The finish is long and not particularly earthy or vegetal. This is more suave than elegant and complex.  97/100

1949 LEROY CORTON-BRESSANDES

Not filtered (label was written by father Leroy when he was a notable negociant). We found 4  bottles and chose the 2 with good fill (about an inch lower than neck) and both turned out to be outstanding.  The wine was decanted half an hour before tasting and it was wet and smelled wonderful.  The color was very bright and limpid.  Like a dark rose or light red with brick edges. It displayed an intoxicating aroma of exotic spice, rose petal and wild strawberries. The palette was beyond adjectives: pure silk and elegance and a particular fruitiness which was ethereal.  Almost weightless but with persistence. The  finish lasted forever and unfolded a cornucopia of sweet spices and sweet ottoman strawberries of my childhood.  100/100

2011 DOMAINE TEMPIER BANDOL ROUGE

Earth, sous-bois, wild mushroom, forest floor and black summer fruits aroma.  Soft entry and then an austere but gamey-meaty, rich, earthy and plummy, dark chocolaty feel. Finish is medium-long with earth and dried herbs. Nice acidity and firm tannins which should take a few more years to soften. Showing well in its early stages but this is the one that matures before the other Tempier red wines.  91/100

1990 R. CHEVILLON NSG “LES CAILLES”

Barnyard, fungus, roasted meat and blood aroma. Good structure  and  the fruit is not baked and complements other elements. I liked the green notes on the finish.  92/100

1995 RENE ROSTAING COTE ROTIE “COTE BLONDE”

Almost all you expect from Cote Rotie.  It opens up in glass with a complex nose of wild forest floor, fungus, spit roasted meat, wet earth, tobacco smoke, wild blackberry. It is beautifully structured and complex and all elements are in proportion.  Long, elegant and spicy finish. Depth without fat. Near its peak and may improve more and give pleasure many more years. 13% alcohol. 96/100

1996 DENIS MORTET GEVREY CHAMBERTIN, “LES CHAMPEAUX”

This wine is good but does not give pleasure.  The fruit is candied with bright cherry but somehow the acidity is out of proportion and the tannins green, unripe.  The nose is complex with tobacco, green leaf, soil and summer berries. Over 2 hours it improved and became more balanced and some spice and bitter almond notes developed in the medium-long finish. 89+/100

1995 LES CAILLOUX, CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE “CUVEE  CENTENAIRE”

Earthy, funky, sweet black fruit, fungus, stony nose. Palette follows and the interplay between earthy, soily and fruity elements renders this wine complex and fun to drink. The finish is long and spicy with cardamom and black truffle notes. Tannins are soft and barely noticeable. This wine has peaked but should continue to give the same pleasure for a few more years before the waning of fruit. 94/100

1990 LEROY LATRICIERES CHAMBERTIN

Spice, dark fruit, wild mushroom and touch wild herbs nose.  Quite feminine for Leroy with fruit, spice and herbs in ample proportions. Extremely well structured but a bit linear.  It kept changing in the glass. Needs at least 5 more years to give more pleasure.  92+/100

1989 LA MISSION HAUT BRION

Sweet cassis, plum, earth, spice and mineral nose.  Very suave texture, not overextracted.  Blueberries and blackcurrants on the palette are pure, neither sweet nor green.  The long finish is elegant and complex  with noticeable metallic minerality. The tannins are still noticeable. Needs 5 to 10+ years to reach its peak. Almost as good as 89 Haut Brion.  97/100

1993 DOMAINE TEMPIER, “CABASSOU”.

Dark red color but no browning at the dark ruby edges. Slightly sweet, plummy aroma with exotic spices.  Good palette and it leaves a sweet, baked fruit, especially black rasberry impression in the medium-long finish along with spice, thyme, oregano nuances. Good acid-fruit balance. The interesting thing is that the wine put on weight the second day and did not lose its fruit. Should continue to improve 5+ more years.  92+/100

2004 DOMAINE LECCIA, PETRA BIANCA, PATRIMONIO

A very nice surprise from Corsica. The best Nielluccio I have tasted. It opens up with a forest floor, candied black fruits and wild thyme and  marjoram aroma. On the palette the black berries and plum is slightly baked and candied but excellent acidity keep the fruit from becoming cloying over the meal. The medium to long finish has plenty of earth and fungus notes to add complexity. The tannins are very interesting, almost grainy and they give character to this terroir wine. Is this cepage a clone of Sangiovese as some claim?  This is more like Castel in Villa than modern style Chiantis. 13.5% alcohol.  93/100

1998 RENE ROSTAING, CORNAS

Freshly cut bloody meat, dried herbs and  red raspberry aroma. Lean palate with good clarity of flavors. Fruity and earthy flavors in balance. The finish is quite complex, with tart berries, garrigue dried herbs and metallic-earthy notes.12.5% alcohol. 93/100

Evaluation: 18.5/20

After closing his restaurant in Los Gatos due to a fire in the summer of 2014, David Kinch reopened Manresa in January 2015.  Manresa has always been among the top five restaurants in the States where one can have a truly memorable meal.  I have always found the early courses to be especially successful, but have been mostly unfazed by the meat course (except for the game pie). The restaurant economics in the States is such that top end restaurants cannot afford offering a whole fresh sweetbread or a large slice of turbot cooked in the bone, etc., luxuries you may take for granted not only in high end, but also in quite a few non-gastronomic restaurants in Europe. I usually derive more pleasure tasting three extremely well designed and executed courses at L’Ambroisie or Le Cinq under Le Squer than multi-course “creative tapas” degustation menus.

Manresa’s multi-course degustation menu is among the few exceptions for several reasons.  Chef Kinch knows well how to build a progression throughout the five hour meal, and the courses are not repetitive.  He also does not adopt the trendy Scandinavian formula of composing multiple dishes around the same theme of the trio of “raw seafood-fermented green-dairy” and “lots of vegetable stocks.” His cooking is more complex, but remains focused and balanced.  He cares about the quality of ingredients as much as anybody else and boasts a garden which is the source of his vegetables and salads, but he does not succumb to what I call “the imperialism of the garden.” That is, the bounty of the garden is taken into account in his meal planning to good effect, but does impose itself as a constraint. His cooking overall is light, but not intense. I am also partial to his offering of very good bread (especially the whole wheat) and exceptional quality butter with a grassy aroma. I had lamented in the past about the disappearance of the cheese tray, which, to me, is more important than desserts, but it is now back and there are quite a few very good domestic cheeses on offer.

Our January 2nd meal in Manresa was certainly one of the best.

Some taste bits are now signature: red pepper jellies and olive madeleines.  The granola crisp is new.  They are all good, but Kinch always pampers us with his beignets/cromesquis. This time it was a goat cheese and nasturtium beignet, and it was superb.

With the amuses we sipped Rose champagne from Lassaigne.  This is quite a complex and pure rose with a floral, herbal nose. Lassaigne is one of the best small producers in champagne and this was the first time I have his rose and was really impressed.

Following the amuses, the menu consists of eight courses.

1. Seafood and caviar consommé.

This dish is a masterpiece and one of the three favorites of the night.  In this dish, very fresh Mendocino sea urchin, monkfish liver, and oysters swim in a pool of Kinch’s dashi (this level of dashi will make any Japanese chef proud), and the jus of fermented plum. Glaciale plant, which tastes like an oyster, decorates the dish. A good dollop of sevruga caviar from Israel blends extremely well and elevates this dish to the pantheon of the true expression of the iodine minerality of the rocky Pacific sea.

2. Turnips with dungeness crab, chrysanthemum.

This dish included poached turnips and wekiwa tangelo.  It is a cold and soothing Dungeness crab dish.

The wine we have tried with these two dishes is one of my favorite Grosses Gewachs from Mosel:  Clemens Busch Marienburg, Falkenlay from the excellent 2010 millesime. I described it in the wine section in gastromondiale.

3. Scallop, fermented carrot and flowering coriander

This is a very good dish. The fermented carrots and yarrow added a sweet and earthy dimension, and the fresh coriander had layers of flavor and highlighted the sweetness of scallops.  The combination worked.  Kinch simply rolls the scallops around in a warm pan for about 20 seconds with olive oil and sea salt.

This dish was paired with 2012 Domaine Leflaive Macon Verze. I had not tried this wine from Leflaive before.  The well-structured lean body and citrus flavors worked well with the dish.  A bigger oaky wine would have ruined the delicate taste of barely cooked scallops.

4.  Into the vegetable garden

This is a fine course, but somehow I don’t think the vegetables in California possess the deep minerality one can find in the old continent (not unlike the wines). This said, the way Kinch binds different elements together with some root vegetables and potato “ash” is noteworthy. On the other hand, a touch more acidity, which may come from the addition of some tart herbs, should make a better balance.

5. Black cod “norinade” and black truffle

This is an excellent dish. The black cod cannot be more fresh.  It is certainly one of the best things from the sea since it is fatty and flakey.  The chestnut balls rolled in truffle and topped with crunchy Brussel sprout leaves may be the equal of beignet with goat cheese and nasturtium.  Kinch cooked the fish on the plancha and served it with a tapenade. But instead of olives, he used toasted nori. The sauce had onion, garlic, caper, olive oil and champagne vinegar and highlighted the sweetness of the black cod with the right touch of acidity.  I wonder why various chefs prepare black cod in an overly sweet way, with honey-sake like marinades.  Davide at DIVER-XO prepares a civet from wild porc, discards the overcooked porc, and uses the civet with the black cod. I should say that Diver-XO’s black cod still is a reference point for me.

6. Abalone porridge and black truffle.

This is the second dish that I found to be outstanding.  The texture of the rice, which was cooked like an oatmeal, was amazing. It was creamy, but retained its texture, i.e., it was not mushy. The abalone liver and porcini added depth and richness. Green onion, sesame, and yuzu were used in such a precise combination that they imparted aroma and acidity, and overall, this was a masterpiece.  Very few Japanese chefs cook abalone as well as chef Kinch.  This is a 20/20 dish.

7. Duck and sweet potato, dried persimmon, mustard fruit

Persimmon works so well with game. Kinch dry aged Liberty Farm duck, which I believe is a cross between a domestic species and Peking duck,  for about a month and then he paired it with dried persimmon, mostarda, and yams cooked in a salt crust. The cooking of the duck breast was perfect, and the fatty part under the crisp skin was especially tasty.  This was a delightful meat course.

8. Beef roasted with bolets…beef broth, smoked lentil

The final savory course was by no means less impressive than the duck, and certainly richer.  The beef turned out to a thick piece of strip loin A5 Wagyu from Miyazaki. The wagyu was seared and then roasted very slowly for about 30 minutes in and out of the oven.  It is hard to cook Wagyu so well, and when everyting comes together, the end result is sensual. Raw and cooked porcini mushrooms, served on the side, also impressed me, and it was the first time that I have seen such high quality bolets in CA, on par with Piemonte and Dordogne. Chef Kinch followed the strip loin with a rich but clear broth, enriched by sprouted grains, toasted sesames, chanterelles, and smoked lentils. Overall, this two part course, was another masterpiece:  earthy, complex and fulfilling.  High end gastronomy and comfort food met for mutual benefit in this course.

Then we had the cheese course. The highlight of it was the 2001 Parmigiano Reggiano. The whole wheel was purchased in Italy, and at Manresa it was served with 65 year old balsamic vinegar.  Obviously the cheese was dry, but had incredible depth. We also tried about eight domestic cheeses.  I especially found three of them to be very good: a brie-like cow milk cheese from Pennsylvania, a camembert-like cheese wrapped in fig leaves and washed in whisky from Tennessee, and a runny and rich goat cheese washed in beer from Petaluma, California.

With the final few courses and the cheese, we had a 2010 Pierre Gelin Gevrey Chambertin, “Clos Prieur” 1er cru.  The wine is open and showing very well, but compared to the same bottle in France, this showed more oak. It may have been due to bottle shock.  (See notes in gastromondiale.)

Finally we had three desserts:

1. Quince and yogurt with hibiscus

2. Apple and celery with green tea

3. Pumpkin, chocolate and sherry vinegar

Desserts are modern at Manresa and follow prevailing trends. I liked them, especially the “apple and celery with green tea.” However, I would rather have one memorable dessert, like the sable au chocolat at L’Ambroisie, the grapefruit dessert at Le Cinq under Le Squer, or the millefeuille at l’Arpege.

On the other hand, the petits fours are among the best I have seen anywhere, especially the remarkable macaroons.

Overall it is hard to understand why the Michelin Guide is still not rewarding the 3^rd star to Manresa, as it is inarguably among  one of the most exciting places to dine right now. My hunch is that Kinch’s cooking is not pigeonhole-able, since it is neither Scandinavian trendy, nor too influenced by Japan, nor classical French.  On the other hand, this is precisely what makes it so exciting, since Kinch is cooking what he likes, and he has very good taste and a good team around him to boot.

Index:
1996 Tinto Pesquera, Ribera Duero Riserva 88/100
2001 Lopez Heredia, Vina Tondonia, Riserva 93+/100
2010 Emilio Rojo 94/100
2011 Zarate, Balado, Rias Baixas 93/100
2012 Emilio Rojo 94/100
2012 Los Canarios, Suertes del Marques Trenzado, Valle de la Orotova 93/100
2012 Zarate, Tras da Vina, Rias Baixas 92/100
2013 Algueria Merenzao, Ribeira Sacra 91.5/100
2013 Do Fereiro, Cepas Vellas 92/100
2013 Emilio Rojo 94.5/100
Equipo Navazos, La Bota de Vino Bianco, “Florpower”

RED WINES
2001 Lopez Heredia, Vina Tondonia, Riserva
Earthy, fungus, red fruits and spices dominate the aroma. Elegant mouthfeel with cranberry and bing cherry. It stays focused and various spices unfold in the finish. Suave wine. Should age and become more silky and sensuous. 13%. 93+/100

2013 Algueria Merenzao, Ribeira Sacra
A gamay like wine from Galicia. Carbonic maceration. Flowery nose with rose and strawberries. Soft and smooth and the finish is layered and displays sweet spices. 91-2/100

1996 Tinto Pesquera, Ribera Duero Riserva
Vanilla from new barrels and black fruits on the nose. Good fruit on the palette. Medium body and medium finish. 88/100

WHITE WINES
2010 Emilio Rojo
Impressive. Daisies, summer fruits aroma with great precision. Complex on the palette with crushed sea shells, white peach skin and saline minerality. Harmonious. 94/100

2012 Emilio Rojo
Floral, perfumed, mineral, saline, peach skin and fresh almond nose. Elegant and harmonious. Saline minerality is evident in the finish. Lemon and lime dominates the palate. Smooth but long finish. Very much layered and changes with each sip. 13%. 94/100

2013 Emilio Rojo
Even more saline-minerality but the same elegance as the 2012. Fruit takes time to blossom and enchants with agrume nuances, lime, pipen apple. Very pure. 94-5/100

2012 Zarate, Tras da Vina, Rias Baixas.
Intense nose with remarkable salinity, agrumes and wild herbs, watered grass. Old vines. The fruit is rich and intense with grapefruit and pineapple. Touch bitter almond and herbal notes in the long finish. Not too elegant but penetrating and makes an impression. Not oaked. 12.5%. 92/100

2011 Zarate, Balado, Rias Baixas
This is even better than Tras da Vina as it is equally complex but more elegant. Like a cross between a good Muscadet and Sancerre. 93/100

2012 Los Canarios, Suertes del Marques Trenzado, Valle de la Orotova.
First the nose was reduced and sulfur was evident. As it sat, it displayed strong, petroleum like minerality (volcanic soil). Minerals are almost too intense and the fruit nuances in the background but captivating. Fine acidity. Long finish. Ample. No oak. Very impressive. 22 Euro in the restaurant. 93/100

2013 Do Fereiro, Cepas Vellas.
As good as always. Grassy, unripe peach and apricot nose. Nice balance and penetrating acidity on the palette. Earthy and saline mineral finish with green herbs notes. 12%. 92/100

Equipo Navazos, La Bota de Vino Bianco, “Florpower”
Dark yellow color, oxidative and saline nose. The palette is fresh with green apple and citrus. Saline and slightly bitter finish.

Index:
2010 Benanti, Pietramarina 92+/100
2011 Marina Coppi, Timorasso 92/100
2012 Cantina Terlan, Terlaner Classico, Aldo Adige 92/100
2012 Cantina Terlan, Vorberg, Pinot Bianco Riserva, Aldo Adige 92/100
2012 Tani, Vermentino di Gallura, Taerra 92.5/100
2012 Tenuta di Fassina, Musmeci, Etna Bianco Superiore 92+/100
2013 Capichera Vermentino “Vigna Angena” 92/100
2013 Feudi di San Maurizio Michel Vallet, Petite Arvine, Valle d’Aosta 92.5/100
2013 Marisa Cuomo, Furore, Coste d’Amalfi 90.5/100
2013 Stroblof, Strahler, Pinot Bianco 90.5/100

2013 Feudi di San Maurizio Michel Vallet, Petite Arvine, Valle d’Aosta
Chestnut honey, citrus, spring flowers, pear and apple aroma. Full, marsanne like weight, honeyed pear and apple fruits with underlying acidity that keeps them fresh. Medium long finish. As it opened in the glass it became more fruity with peach and apricot. Layered and balanced. 92-3/100

2013 Capichera Vermentino “Vigna Angena”
Nice citrus and tropical fruit. Good salinity on the nose and finish. Long finish, has body and not oaked. 92/100

2010 Benanti, Pietramarina.
%100 Carricante. It is a straight wine with good structure and nerve, salinity and loaded by minerals. The complexity of volcanic soil is not showing yet. Too early to drink. 92+/100

2012 Cantina Terlan, Terlaner Classico, Aldo Adige
A blend of Sauvignon, Pinot Bianco and Chardonnay. Pale straw color. Pear, apple, a touch tropical and chalky mineral aroma. Lean but not thin on the palette and harmonious. Fruit is quite restrained and has good intensity. Medium long and mineral finish with grapefruit notes. 13.5%. 92/100

2012 Cantina Terlan, Vorberg, Pinot Bianco Riserva, Aldo Adige
Clean and precise. No oak. Mineral. Silky texture. Apricot and peach skin. 92/100

2011 Marina Coppi, Timorasso
This may be the best Timorasso as it combines round full texture with freshness, clarity and a mineral finish. The fruit is mostly tropical. May be the most interesting white from Piemonte. 92/100

2013 Marisa Cuomo, Furore, Coste d’Amalfi
Not oaked like Fiord’uva. It is a blend of falanghina and biancolella. Very clean and lean with remarkable salinity and citrus. Great with fish and shellfish crudo. 90-91/100

2013 Stroblof, Strahler, Pinot Bianco
The aroma has some salinity and herbal, almost green vegetables component. It is very clean and neutral on the palette with a background fruit component reminiscent of pear. 90-91/100

2012 Tani, Vermentino di Gallura, Taerra
Finally a Sardinian Vermentino which showcases the minerality and the fruit and not the wood. It has seashell and saline aroma, full and rich with agrumes and the finish is like biting a grapefruit skin with salt. Long finish. 92-3/100

2012 Tenuta di Fassina, Musmeci, Etna Bianco Superiore
Linear, lean and sharp Carricante from volcanic terroir. The nose barely started to develop the stony minerality. Quite citrusy on the palette with a kiss of oak. Saline minerality is apparent in the medium-long finish. Should develop well in the coming years. 92+/100

Index:
1971 Castell’in Villa Chianti, Riserva 97.5/100
1993 Sandrone, Barolo, Cannubi Boschis 92/100
1995 Castello Banfi, Poggio all’Oro, Brunello 89/100
1999 Guiseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate “Le Coste” 95.5/100
2005 Sassella, Valtellina Superiore, “Ultimi Raggi” 93/100
2006 Masseto 94+/100
2007 Bressan, Schiopettino 93.5/100
2007 Poggio di Sotto, Brunello di Montalcino 93.5+/100
2008 Le Macchiole, Messorio 92/100
2008 Occhipinti, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Grotte Alte 92.5/100
2008 Outis, Etna Rosso 92/100
2008 Terre Nerra Guardiola, Etna
2009 Dona Noir, Hartmann Dona, Pinot Noir, Aldo Adige 92/100
2009 Poggio di Sotto, Rosso di Montalcino 91/100
2009 Terra di Lavoro 93/100
2010 Casavyc, Temerario Pinot Noir 90/100
2010 Castello Potentino “Piropo” Pinot Noir 91/100
2011 Emilio Pepe, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 94/100
2011 Myo, Friuli Orientale, Schiopettino 90.5/100
2011 Pietradolce, Vigna Barbagalli, Mount Etna, “Prephylloxera” 96/100
2012 Occhipinti, Il Frappato 90/100

1999 Guiseppe Rinaldi, Barolo Brunate “Le Coste”.
This is a captivating, complex and elegant, Bourgogne like Barolo. The nose is complex and has developed with cardamom, malt, dried rose, sweet strawberries. The color is very vibrant with no brown edges. The flavor follows and raspberry and black cherries developed by aeration. Perfect harmony with sweet spices in the finish. Clearly wild yeasts. Silky texture and intensity is due to dry extract not to the 13% alcohol. The acidity is bright and uplifting. 95-6/100

2010 Castello Potentino “Piropo” Pinot Noir
Really good. It has a perfumed nose with dried herbs and wild mushrooms and red fruits. It is concentrated on the palette with good fruit, mineral, lively acidity and peppery finish. Not overextracted but has weight. I would have guessed a Pommard rather than Seggiano PN from high altitude vineyards. 14%. 91/100

2010 Casavyc, Temerario Pinot Noir
3 times more expensive than Piropo but I will give the edge to the less expensive one. It has a dark color and a little barrique in the aroma. Dark berries and nice, silky texture. It is elegant and rich in various forest berries but the finish is a touch woody and displays dry-green tannins. Opened up in glass and displayed griotte. 89-90/100

1971 Castell’in Villa Chianti, Riserva.
What an incredible Chianti from old vines and before the whole region started catering to international taste. Light red brick edges. Fungus, dried herbs, spice and wild berries aroma. Elegant and very smooth on the palette with lively acidity. Fruit is esp. complex. Finish lasts more than a minute and leaves a sensual impression. Fruit is neither sweet nor tart, like a Bourgogne Grand Cru. 13%. At its peak but will stay there a few more years. 97-8/100

1993 Sandrone, Barolo, Cannubi Boschis
Oak is still too apparent. It is elegant and Burgundy like with sweet fruit nose and red fruit on the palette with creamy texture. The finish is smooth. At its peak but acidity will keep it many more years. 92/100

2009 Poggio di Sotto, Rosso di Montalcino
Tar, coffee, slightly earthy and spicy nose. Nice balance between acid and fruit. Red and black berries are on the ripe side. It is giving pleasure accompanied by local pici. 14%. 91/100

2007 Poggio di Sotto, Brunello di Montalcino
Dry herbs, sage, earthy, red currant aroma. Structured and elegant with nicely integrated tannins. Light on its feet but intense fruit and long and layered finish. A complex brunello which should develop very well. 14%. 93-4+/100

2011 Myo, Friuli Orientale, Schiopettino
Dark red fruit, pit cherry. Overall round and enjoyable with good acidity. Medium long finish. There is a bitter edge to the fruit which is pleasant. 90-91/100

2007 Bressan, Schiopettino
Bright ruby color. Black and white pepper, absinthe, licorice nose. Quite juicy with raspberry and blackberry. Elegant and round. Perfect integration of oak. The fruit goes back and forth between ripe blackberry, black cherry and tart strawberry. Lean and focused. The entry is ripe with sommer berries, buffered by good acidity. Spicy finish. Last impression is fresh, tannins have melted. Sweet and round and at its peak. 93-4/100

2011 Emilio Pepe, Montepulciano d’Abruzzo
Dark color. Slightly sur mature. Kirsch. Peppery, mace, dried herbs and anise aroma. Concentrated but not heavy, very good acidity. Yummy palate with black cherry, organic blueberry, black berry. Some herbs unfold on the palette but the wine is not green. Tannins are integrated. 13.5% alcohol but feels higher as sweetness comes from old vines, not alcohol. Wild yeast and fermented in cement tanks without temperature control. Minerality developed in the finish. 94/100

1995 Castello Banfi, Poggio all’Oro, Brunello.
International style with evident aggressive oak. The fruit is ripe, a touch jammy, tannins have melted. Acidity is good. Kirsch fruit. Finish has some class with an earthy component. At its peak. 89/100

2011 Pietradolce, Vigna Barbagalli, Mount Etna, “Prephylloxera”.
One of the 2 best Etna Nerello Mascalese red I have tasted (the other is Graci Quota 1000). The aroma is a cross between Chambolle Amoureuses and Cote Rotie. It has spice, blood, wild herbs. The palette is more Chambolle with a meaty yet elegant texture and captivating sweet but not jammy red and black berries. Light, elegant and complex. It is treated very gently and aged in tonneaux. The fruit is very delicate and the finish is very long with powdered small perfumed strawberry and raspberry as well as sweet, Asian spices. Sensual. 95-96/100

2008 Outis, Etna Rosso
80% Nerello Mascalese, 20% Nerello Capucino. Bright red fruit, lively and nice herbal component. Cherry and cranberry. Mace, cardamom like spices in the finish. Tannins are hidden. I liked the underextraction, the opposite of Benanti reds. 92/100

2009 Dona Noir, Hartmann Dona, Pinot Noir, Aldo Adige
Medium red and bright color. Soft spices and sweet berries. Fresh and light on the palette but it has presence. The finish is medium long with fresh berries and without a hint of greenness or oak. Elegant. I may have guessed this to be a Volnay. 92/100

2005 Sassella, Valtellina Superiore, “Ultimi Raggi”
Lavender, rose, wild berries and plum aroma. Juicy. Tannins are present but soft. Good structure. Quite lean for Nebbiolo. Rich fruit. The finish is more sweet than first entry with earth and mineral tones. Nice acidity. It developed in glass. 93/100

2008 Terre Nerra Guardiola, Etna
Too jammy. Bad example of Nerello Mascalese. Avoid it!

2008 Occhipinti, Cerasuolo di Vittoria, Grotte Alte
Sweet red fruit and sage, thyme aroma with some rose petal nuances. Light palette with good acidity and tart berries. The finish is complex with earth, spice and herbs and underbrush. Light on its feet but vibrant. It is a blend of Nero d’Avola and Frappato (I would have guessed Loire Cabernet Franc). The second day the wine added on weight and an earthy, fungus and humus like character came to the fore and the fruit became sweeter and more delineated. Has character. 92-3/100

2012 Occhipinti, Il Frappato
Freshly cut grass and herbs, soft spices, cranberry, cinnamon and ginger aroma. Light and zippy with cranberry, raspberry and the finish is short to medium and aftertaste is pleasantly green. 12.5%. 90/100

2008 Le Macchiole, Messorio
Dark color. Charred wood, crème de cassis and licorice nose (from barrique?). Lush, smooth tannins and persistent. What I like is that the fruit is buried in iron minerality and it is concentrated w/o being heavy. Very good Bolgheri Merlot. 14.5%. 92/100

2009 Terra di Lavoro
Coffee, chocolate, plum, leather, cassis, licorice and polished wood aroma. Sweet and round tannins, forward fruit. It displays complexity and terroir and the medium long finish has tobacco, black pepper and leather nuances. Should evolve well and may be an interesting ringer in a blind Bordeaux tasting. 93/100

2006 Masseto
Coffee, bitter chocolate, clove and cinnamon aroma. It is not monolithic on the palette as some others I tasted but rather complex with an interplay of fruit and earthy backbone. Tannins are buried in fruit and the oak is well integrated. One of the best Masseto and it should improve in the coming decades. Sexy. 94+/100

Other Masseto tasted:
2004 Masseto: 93/100
2007 Masseto: 91/100
2009 Masseto: 89/100

Index:
1992 Lafon, Meursault Charmes 50/100
1995 Domaine Leflaive, Bienvenue Batard Montrachet 95/100
1997 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne 100/100
1998 Coche Dury Meursault 91/100
2000 Coche Dury Meursault Rougeots 96/100
2004 Lafon Meursault “Charmes” 95/100
2006 Francois Cotat, La Grande Cote, Sancerre 80/100
2007 Jacques Puffeney, Arbois, Cuvee Saena 90/100
2008 Muscadet, La Louveterie, “Fief de Breil” 92/100
2009 Chateau Thebaut Clos des Morines Muscadet 94.5/100
2009 Clos Rougeard, Breze, Saumur 94.5+/100
2009 Coche Dury Meursault “Perrieres” 95+/100
2009 Dauvissat, Chablis, Premier Cru Vaillons 91/100
2010 Buisson-Battault, Meursault, “Goutte d’Or” 93.5/100
2010 Clos Rougeard, Breze, Saumur 94.5+/100
2010 Francois Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, Les Choisilles 93/100
2011 Antoine Petitprez, Saint Romain 88/100
2011 Domaine du Collier, Saumur 92/100
2011 Louis Magnin, Roussette de Savoie 93/100
2011 Philippe l’Heritier, Roussette de Savoie, Orchis 88/100
2012 Guiberteau, Saumur, Clos des Guichets 93+/100
2012 Moreau-Naudet, Chablis 88/100
2013 Domaine Belluard, Gringet, “Les Alpes” 91/100
2013 Yves Leccia d’y Croce 92/100
2013 Yves Leccia, YL 91/100
2014 Abbatucci, Faustine 91.5/100
2014 Abbatucci, Gris Imperial 91.5/100
2014 Domaine Pieretti, Cap Corse 92/100
2014 Domaine Pietri, Malvasia, Cap Corse 92/100
2014 Domaine Pieretti Rose, Cap Corse 92/100

2009 Chateau Thebaut Clos des Morines Muscadet
Whiff of seaweed, seashells with pineapple aroma. Rich mouth feel, concentration, fruit is in the background. Perfect acidity. Lingering salty minerality comes in spades in the long finish with wild fennel and garrigue. Sharply delineated. Nice mix of sea shells, fruit and minerals. You can have it with rich seafood dishes. Should be perfect with bouillabaisse too. 94-5/100

2000 Coche Dury Meursault Rougeots
Intense, leesy, truffled butter pain grille, roasted hazelnut and pineapple aroma. Intense on palette with a beautiful cut and acidity. Concentrated but not heavy. Long finish with baked apple/pear and earthy flavors. 12.5%. 96/100

2004 Lafon Meursault “Charmes”
This is excellent, all you expect from it. Not too much extraction or sweetness like Lafons in the 90s. Leesy, concentrated classical fruit, it is layered and has depth and elegance. Perfect integration of oak. Ready to drink. 95/100

2009 Coche Dury Meursault “Perrieres”
Aroma has not developed yet but the integration of the fruit to the overall structure and the intensity is impressive. It has ripe pears, leesy and layered. The finish is noteworthy with roasted hazelnut and pecan. It lingers very long and it has explosive intensity. Just beginning to show its complexity. Wait at least 5+ years. 95+ (potentially a 97-98/100)

1998 Coche Dury Meursault
Slightly charred grilled nut nose. Good blending of fruit, oak, nutty notes and fine acidity. Textbook Meursault. 91/100

1992 Lafon, Meursault Charmes
Unfortunately maderized. 50/100

2009 Dauvissat, Chablis, Premier Cru Vaillons
Citrus, pipenapple and creamy aroma. Different elements are in harmony. Not too complex but delivers.
Steely, metallic and citrusy finish. Should improve. 91/100

2009 Clos Rougeard, Breze, Saumur.
Intense, penetrating, persistent, tightly knit and complex. Right now it is almost too intense but you don’t taste the wood at all and it is multi-layered. Extremely rich, almost too rich. Potentially extraordinary Chenin in the making. 94-5+/100

2010 Clos Rougeard, Breze, Saumur.
Very rich in minerality and a touch oxidative. The nose is quite tropical. The intensity of fruit is almost painful but balanced by great acidity. The fruit is a little less ripe than 2009. Opulent. Touch oxidative finish adds complexity. The finish lasts very long and it is like licking honey and then tasting agrumes’ skin. Clearly old vines and unique style expressive of terroir. 94-5+/100

2010 Buisson-Battault, Meursault, “Goutte d’Or”.
Excellent Meursault with nutty and crème brulee nose, pear and very well integrated charred wood (30% new oak). Nice acidity, optimum balance, steely backbone. The rich apple and citrus fruit is neither tart and nor overripe. A new producer to watch. 93-4/100

2012 Moreau-Naudet, Chablis.
Well made but a little simple. It has good acidity and citrus though. 88/100

2012 Guiberteau, Saumur, Clos des Guichets.
An excellent Chenin. Complex aroma with a whiff of green almonds, grapefruit, stony minerality. It has weight and intensity on the palette but not heavy. Intriguing tension on the palette with multi layers of citrus and agrumes nuances. Should develop well and become more elegant over time. 93+/100

2013 Domaine Belluard, Gringet, “Les Alpes”
This is my second tasting of the Savoie cepage Gringet and I was impressed. It has citrus and orange blossom aroma with herbal nuances. It is a little more fruity than a sauvignon but a little less fruity and more lean than a roussanne. This wine has been aged in concrete vats. 91/100

2011 Louis Magnin, Roussette de Savoie
Melted stone, smoke, root vegetables, celery root and earthy aroma with fruit in the background. On the palette it is complex with sweet summer fruit, ripe peaches, nice acidity, neither lean nor fat. It has presence and a long, smoky finish and the fruit shows itself as it opens up and sweet summer fruits lingers on the palette. 93/100

2011 Philippe l’Heritier, Roussette de Savoie, Orchis
It is creamy and imbued with tropical fruit but too much batonnage detracts from its character. Not a terroir wine but quite versatile with seafood. 88/100

2011 Domaine du Collier, Saumur.
Very good Chenin which is pure, clean and harmonious. The strong acidity is balanced by fruit and the finish has peach and apricot skin notes. It is more restrained in style than Clos Rougeard. 13%. 92/100

2011 Antoine Petitprez, Saint Romain
This is a clean wine with adequate acidity, not oaked and moderate intensity and complexity. 88/100

1997 Coche-Dury Corton Charlemagne
Intense, classic nose with toasty charcoal ash aroma and intense fruit with an earthy, mineral component. Palette follows with depth. Intense with pineapple and grapefruit nuances.Very powerful but not heavy. No sign of aging. Very complex. Finish lasts more than a minute and leaves ripe summer pit fruit notes backed by polished and steely minerality. Great structure and mid palette. A complete wine, quintessence of grand cru Bourgogne. 100/100

2007 Jacques Puffeney, Arbois, Cuvee Saena
A blend of Savignin and Chardonnay. The aroma is quite fruity and oxidative with small red berries. On the palette it is zippy and energetic with red berries, kiwi, mango. Nice balance and neither lean nor fat. More intellectual than merely pleasurable. We tried it with shitakes with dried fruits, olives and walnuts and also kale with onions, pine nuts, paprika, tomato paste and various spices and black pepper. Ideally should be paired with aged Cantal and Comte. 90/100

2010 Francois Chidaine, Montlouis sur Loire, Les Choisilles
Tropical fruit, honey wax, floral, crème brulee nose. On the palette it is creamy and pure, apply and nice acidity. Multidimensional. 93/100

1995 Domaine Leflaive, Bienvenue Batard Montrachet.
Light yellow. Matchstick, hay and ripe peach aroma. Citrus fruit, ripe pear underlaid by perfect acidity. Creamy texture (old vines?), interesting feel of salted caramel on the palette. Oak is well integrated. Very structured with good mid palette yet retains its elegance. 13.5%. 95/100

2006 Francois Cotat, La Grande Cote, Sancerre
Too ripe fruit, acetone. Volatile acidity? Over maceration. Layered and long on the palette with stewed pineapple and pear. Low acidity. Botyrtis? 80/100

2014 Abbatucci, Gris Imperial
Pale pink. Captivating and not overpowering aroma. It is like licking the skin of summer pit fruits, lime and lemon. Very fresh and dry. Impeccable balance. A great Corsican Rose which went very well with real fish soup. 91-2/100

2013 Yves Leccia, YL
Good Vermentino from Patrimonio, Corsica. Clean and full bodied with agrumes and minerals. Intense rather than elegant. 13%. 91/100

2008 Muscadet, La Louveterie, “Fief de Breil”.
Crushed sea shells, lime and tart apple aroma. Palette follows. The acidity is very nice and washes well the best of intense Corsican charcuterie. 92/100

2014 Domaine Pieretti, Cap Corse.
Whiff of rocky sea shore and pit fruit skin aroma. Clean, precise, straight, no trace of oak. Developed more agrumes like flavors on the palette. Lean body. Quite saline finish. Very honest Vermentino. 13%. 92/100

2014 Abbatucci, Faustine.
His Vermentino. The aroma is pure, crushed seashells, saline and citrus. Round but not oaked and nor overly fruity. Slight bitterness of agrumes in the medium-long finish. 13%. 91-2/100

2014 Domaine Pietri, Malvasia, Cap Corse
Saline minerality, leaner than Vermentino, clean mouthfeel. It has grip, remarkable fruitiness, intensity and medium-long finish. Great value. Worked with lobster. 92/100

2014 Domaine Pieretti Rose, Cap Corse
It is like diving in the Mediterranean sea. So light and fresh and enchanting. Vin de character. Great match with fresh clam pasta. Whiff of tart strawberry fruit. 12%. 92/100

2013 Yves Leccia d’y Croce
Apple, pear and vanilla (French barrique) nose. Apple and citrus fruit on the nose but as you air it, remarkable salinity develops. Quite lush Vermentino which should be better in a year or two as the oak gets better integrated into the fruit. 92/100