My wife, my son and I dined at the heretofore untried Selanne’s Steak Tavern in Laguna Beach for my son’s B’day celebration. Selanne’s has a pretty broad wine list with choices across the spectrum from reasonable (for a restaurant) to first tier (aged DRC anyone?) as well as a fairly large selection of “by the glass” wines. I knew it was going to be a fairly pricey dinner so the $25 corkage was no surprise. We reserved only about 6 days early for a Sunday meal and we were informed the only time our party of 3 could be seated through Open Table was a rather early 5:00 p. m. The early reservation turned out to be a good idea as it turns out that certain dishes are only available in limited quantities and the Chateaubriand (only 3 available) was the entreè of choice for my wife and I to share. The waiter had no problem decanting my BYOB wine of choice, Paul Hobbs Beckstoffer Dr. Crane 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon even paying attention to exclude some dregs. We tried 3 appetizers, the Wagyu beef Tartare, the seared scallops and the Foie Gras. The scallops and the Wagyu beef were very good but the best was the Foies Gras. Just slightly underdone but really delicious. My wife and I chose a nice Prosecco to drink and my son went with a oatmeal stout. The appetizer course with conversation and wine took us almost an hour (service was not fast but the lag was not too noticeable). As the main courses arrived I asked our waiter to pour the Cab. The Chateaubriand was outstanding and my son’s New York Prime steak was, in his words, “Fantastic!”
5/21/2017 - I LIKE THIS WINE: 97 points
Absolutely outstanding wine. I really have preferred Dr. Crane fruit to To Kalon fruit so far.More wines yet to try. Decanted at the restaurant for about an hour as we ordered some appetizers and enjoyed a glass of sparkling wine. One characteristic of Dr. Crane fruit is the fantastic nose and this wine was no exception. Beautiful cassis, floral notes and some spices sends shivers up your spine as you first sniff. I usually spend an inordinate amount of time with my nose in the glass with wines of this caliber. The palate starts with the same flavors as the nose then black currants, blackberry and some earth notes kick in toward the mid-palate. Next up, some excellent acidity ensures you are going to enjoy the Chateaubriand or New York Steak you ordered while the smooth tannins and long finish seal the deal for a wine experience that is truly memorable. The overall balance in this wine is remarkable. I am so sad that this was the last bottle I had of this wine but hope that some of the succeeding years will continue the tradition of excellence. (Cellar Tracker)
The dessert was what was called “COFFEE & DONUTS
warm beignets / coffee pot de crème / salted caramel / Fernet Branca-coffee ice cream” and it was delicious. Overall a great night and made so much better by a great wine and great company.