Not sure if you’ve been before, but before dinner, you’ll go down to the cellar where the Somms are and make selections right there in the cellar. Really fun to talk to the Somms and see what they come up with too.
Yes, been there many times, twice for dinners at the Wine Cellar. Love the experience, but just thought maybe Berserkers may have some suggestions. Will definitely still chat it up with the somms regardless.
Usually, I don’t have such a large wine budget, as I usually just bring in my own bottles, and when I do order off the list, it’s more low end stuff. On a quick glance, it seems like there are some decent deals to be had though.
I was in charge of ordering the wine last year for my wife’s law practice holiday dinner. The wine list was outdated so I ended up talking to the somm, I think his name was Matt. Nice guy. We started with some young white Chablis with scallops, a few bottles of Littorai with quail and a very memorable magnum of 2006 Ladera Howell Mountain cab which was in a really good place. Partner’s wife wanted more wine so they popped a bottle of 2013 Shafer One Point Five cab which felt much too young after the Ladera. We had a 1980’s port, and it was fun to see them pull out the port tongs and (?beaver) hair brush… but ultimately was a fail and they had to open with a corkscrew.
For that price range, I’d look 2 bottles of 2008 Continuum and two bottles of Tyler or Littorai Pinot Noir.
Thanks Viet. Will default to the somm and keep those bottles in mind, especially the Continuum. Interesting that they price the same wine of different vintages, generally, the same, even when one of the vintages is especially bad or good.
Was Ken Burnap (of old Santa Criz Mtn. Winery) somehow associated with this restaurant? I seem to remember him having a restaurant down in Orange County (this would be YEARS ago for the young’uns on this board (as in 40 or so)).
Their wine list online is way out of date. Great selections, some at good prices if you look hard enough. Some grossly way overpriced. Seems no rhyme or reason to their pricing. My only quibble is you don’t have much time in a crowded cellar to actually look around and chose before you sit down to eat.
I can confirm Andy’s comment that the wine list is way out of date. Somm highly recommended a new Italian white he recently purchased, which paired very well with the scallops.
As to the reds (paired with an osso buco and a NY strip), ended up going with the 2007 Trotanoy and the 2002 Heitz Martha. Both tasted in similar spots of evolution, with the Heitz darker than the Trotanoy. Both were very good bottles and enjoyed by all, so a success.
While the wines were good, the food was a bit disappointing, based on my past dinners there. The scallops were good, with nice flavor and sear over some homemade pasta. The two meat dishes were not so good though. The osso buco was dry and had this weird sauce with small crunchy veggies, but the marrow was very tasty. The NY strip seemed more choice than prime.
Overall though, a very nice night, especially the dinner part in the Wine Cellar with music and Christmas lighting. You feel like you are all alone, and when we went upstairs (around 11), it seemed like the whole restaurant was empty.
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