Chef: Sang-Jeong Lee
Wine selection: Joonki Song
Cheese and charcuterie
Crostini with peach, brie, habanero honey and prosciutto
Roasted cauliflower with feta cheese
Stracciatella with roasted tomatoes
2022 Domaine François Cotat Sancerre La Grande Côte
Place: Sancerre, Upper Loire, Loire valley, France
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
A sommelier mentioned it as an atypical Sancerre. It is riper and has a fuller body because the producer is harvesting the grape very late. The balance between harvesting ripe (and not acidic enough) and enough acidic (and not ripe enough) grapes is one of the most important decisions for grape growers. I wonder how Cotat sustains enough acidity in his wine.
2004 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Roussanne Vieilles Vignes
Place: Southern Rhone, France
Grape: Roussanne
A critic praised this wine saying “It's the Montrachet of the Southern Rhône!"
The producer says “Considered as one of the greatest white wines in France, only 6000 bottles of this wine are produced. It's made with 100% very old Roussanne vines and harvested slightly over ripe. This exceptional wine must be drunk within 3 years or after 15 years.”
Schloss Gobelsburg Tradition Heritage Cuvee 50 Years, Jubilee Edition 850’
Place: Kamptal, Austria
Grape: Grüner Veltliner, Riesling, Grüner Sylvaner, Muskat Sylvaner, Riesling Sylvaner, Welschriesling, Muskat Ottonel, Traminer, Muskateller.
“A blend of past 50 vintages of different grapes to celebrate Gobelsburg’s 850 year anniversary. This is only possible because the monks own a collection of vintages dating back to the 1940’s. Step by step the final blend was developed by numerous tastings and trials.” (Producer’s website)
The wine contains: Vintage 1970 - 1979 . . . 11% Vintage 1980 - 1989 . . . 12% Vintage 1990 - 1999 . . . 7% Vintage 2000 - 2009 . . . 37% Vintage 2010 - 2017 . . . 33%
2014 Thibault Liger-Belair Richebourg
Place: Cote de Nuits, Burgundy, France
Grape: Pinot Noir
I look forward to tasting this wine together. “Richebourg is truly a modern wine, in that it displays the power and amplitude so prized by wine lovers today. If the Burgundian slate were wiped clean and a new hierarchy established, it’s a fair guess that Richebourg, rather than Romanee-Conti, would be anointed the greatest of all red Burgundies. The greatness of Richebourg is that it supplies an imposing amount of supremely complicated flavors - the signature spiciness; violets; chocolate - with a resonance unrivaled in any other red Burgundy. Moreover, this is delivered with great finesse allied with the most satiny texture of any of the grands crus of Burgundy. At its best, Richebourg is incomparable.” (Matt Kramer)
Tuna tartar with shrimp chips
Salmon ceviche
2018 Cédric Bouchard Champagne Ursules
Place: Champagne, France
Grape: Pinot Noir
Unlike other Champagne that typically blends multiple vintages, multiple grapes, and multiple vineyards, Bouchard makes wines focusing on single vineyard, single vintage and single grape. It is their Ursules vineyard Pinot Noir based wine. The producer recommends to decant his wine gently and drink it on a regular wine glass rather than flute to appreciate the quality of wine.
2018 Remelluri Rioja Blanco
Place: Rioja, Spain
Grape: Eleven varietals
I heard about this wine a lot. It was hard to get it. People say sommeliers clamor for their annual allocations of this wine. First time for me. I expect high intensity and freshness in a full body texture.
“The wine’s aromas surge forward on wafts of yellow plums, coconut milk, marmalade, Danish pastry, pineapple, white pepper, dried herbs, and a resiny chaparral that smells like the Riojan countryside.”
(Karen MacNeil)
Scallops with soy butter on crispy rice
2009 Bonneau du Martray Corton-Charlemagne
Place: Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France
Grape: Chardonnay
How can you not be intrigued to try Corton Charlemagne after reading following? “Corton-Charlemagne is a wine of texture. It should give the sensation of heaviness without actually being heavy. Each mouthful is its own universe of flavor, never capable of being fully explored. One is not drinking Chardonnay with Corton-Charlemagne. One is drinking terroir.” (Matt Kramer)
2018 François Raveneau Chablis Premier Cru Montee de Tonnerre
Place: Chablis, Burgundy, France
Grape: Chardonnay
Topmost Chablis producer using classic methods for extraordinary long-lived wines.
Grilled fillet mignon with salad, and sides
2001 and 2018 Chateau Pontet Canet
Place: Pauillac, Bordeaux, France
Grape:
2001: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 5.5% Cabernet Franc, 0.5% Petit Verdot
2018: 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot
I hope that we can appreciate the differences of young and aged bottles. Many believe good Bordeaux needs time. Is that true? It is a rare opportunity to taste an old wine. But does it really better as the original fruit fades away? Can a young wine provides complexity?
2001 is not a great vintage. But, when I tried it 2 years ago, It was excellent. 2018 is supposed to be stellar.
Pontet Canet was classified as a Fifth Growth estate in the 1855 classification. Currently, its quality, dedication to biodynamics, and its fame put it close to the price of the Second Growth estates
Chocolate cake
Macha panna cotta
2009 Joh. Jos. Prüm Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Auslese
Place: Graach, Mosel, Germany
Grape: Riesling
One of my all time favorites. It has distinct tanginess with very complex sweetness. Jennie and I tried to visit the winery in 2007. They said they do not take visitors and introduced a local wine store. It should show petrol or gasoline smell, a signature of an aged riesling.
2009 Château Suduiraut
Place: Sauternes, Bordeaux, France
Grape: 93% Semillon, 7% Sauvignon Blanc
“This is loaded, with gorgeous papaya, mango, yellow apple and creamed peach flavors carried by salted caramel, toasted coconut and ginger cream notes. Very long on the finish, this just sails on and on. Showing terrific range and depth, this has a long life ahead of it.” (Wine Spectator)