Roelanda and I traveled recently to Westwood in LA to attend a special birthday celebration for a special friend.
In order to create a kind of short getaway, we made it a 3 day journey and after enjoying a fine evening on our own the first night, the next night we walked to the wonderful birthday dinner held in the nearby La Bruschetta Ristorante.
Our friend had reserved the entire restaurant for this occasion and there were 41 people in attendance seated at tables accommodating 5-6 at each table.
He supplied all of the amazing wines and hired 2 sommeliers to prepare and serve them as they were paired with a prix fixe menu featuring some of the speciality dishes from this restaurant.
The menu and wine parings:
It was a marvelous evening and we enjoyed meeting many people we’d not met before and a few we had met previously, but more importantly, to join in celebrating our friend’s birthday.
At one point during the dinner, our celebrant introduced everyone in the chronological order he’d met them in his life, a cool thing to do and helpful in placing various people with different times in his life.
Two sommeliers were on hand to help prepare and pour the wines, a class move. They told me all of the red wines had been quality controlled and double decanted earlier in the the day.
Somm Nadia
Somm Marilyn
But, first champagne and it was an interesting one at that. It paired nicely with the meet and greet appetizers and the ricotta and goat cheese filled zucchini blossoms that initiated our formal dinner.
zucchini blossoms
2012 VEUVE CLICQUOT LA GRANDE DAME BRUT ROSE- the makeup of this rose is quite unusual in that 13% is comprised of red wine sourced from Bouzy; additionally, there is a total of 92% Pinot Noir from Ă„y, Verzenay, Verzy, Ambonnay and Bouzy, 8% Chardonnay from Avize and Le Mesnil-sur-Oger; it was dosed at 8 gpl and disgorged 10/ 2019; it had a amber copper red color and aromatics that included fresh strawberry and red cherry that continued on once tasted and was enhanced by a nice streak of spice; it was fruit forward, had a soft, almost cotton candy like mousse and was a delightful treat to start out the evening.
The next course featured a delicious butter and sage seasoned pumpkin ravioli and was paired with 3 white Burgundy, but I only tasted two. I had failed to read the menu listed wines thoroughly nor look at my before dinner photos and did not recognize it until the next day. The 2nd one more than made up for it.
ravioli
1996 MICHEL COLIN-DELGER EN REMILLY CHASSAGNE-MONTRACHET 1er Cru- the color was more gold than the photo indicates and the nose and taste confirmed the advancement this bottle had with oxidative notes of caramel, butterscotch, vanilla and coconut accented bruised yellow apple being most prominent; it had an oily mouthfeel, was very mellow and was actually a fun and pleasing wine, albeit a bit past its apogee.
2004 CAMILLE GIROUD CORTON-CHARLEMAGNE GRAND CRU- one approach to the glass and a brief nose and I knew we were in for a treat; following its yellow gold color came mild aromas of mineral and flint accented citrus fruit which translated into orange zest and lemon with apple, pear and honeydew melon coming in late; it was crispy and yet very smooth and tantalizing while maintaining perfect balance throughout; marvelous wine.
The one I missed was a 1996 ETIENNE SAUZET les PERRIERES PULIGNY-MONTRACHET 1er Cru.
We moved on to the main course for which each person had a choice of veal chop with mushroom, roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables or a branzino with fresh herbs, roasted potatoes and seasonal vegetables or a vegetarian option.
This course was paired with 4 different vintages of Mouton- Rothschild, 1988, 1989,1995 and 2000.
1988 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC- a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 10% Cabernet Franc, 13% Merlot and 2% Petit Verdot; this had a still youthful, vibrant dark red purple color; the nose offered earth and leather laden black currant which continued on to make up most off the taste profile; it was full bodied with nice depth and complexity and initially possessed the Mouton signature smooth texture until the very end when it finished with some pretty stiff tannins suggesting to me it has enough acidity to go a lot longer and more decanting may be of benefit. It was my #4 fav of 4 good ones.
1989 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC- a different blend in contrast to the1988, this was comprised of 78% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Cabernet Franc, 8% Merlot; displaying a still youthful dark red purple color; the nose and taste was replete with sweetened black currant, plum and blackberry; it had richness, depth, length and was super soft and smooth and my 3rd fav of the 4.
1995 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC in magnum- 72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc; the nose was so inviting with cedar, fennel, sage and leather accented blackberry and black currant most prevalent; on the palate came additional notes of dried red currant and noticeable sweetness, but not cloyingly nor to a fault; there was a bell pepper note that hung out in the background throughout; it had that signature smooth mouthfeel and was seemingly still very young with lots of maturity still to go; at the end of the evening, I was gifted a half full 750 ml bottle and consumed it 2 nights later with similar notes although it was devoid of the bell pepper and dried fruit notes. My fav of the 4.
2000 CHATEAU MOUTON ROTHSCHILD PAUILLAC- 86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot; this was so good and it gave the 1995 some competition for being the best of the 4; it had a dark, almost inky red purple color and aromatics that again had some bell pepper, leather and earth, but more fruit in the form of black currant and plum; there was more of the same in the taste along with a little funky note that blew off within 15 minutes or so; the hallmark of this wine was its super smooth, silky texture that was sensed in the nose and tactilely on the palate. I expect this to evolve into something even more exceptional in about another 15-20 years. My #2 fav of the 4.
The dessert dish was a “tiramisu celebration cake” that was paired with 3 vintages of Chateau d’Yquem from 1986,1990 and 1995 of which I tasted the 1986 and 1990.
1986 CHATEAU d’YQUEM SAUTERNES in 750 ml bottle- 80% Semillon,20% Sauvignon Blanc; it had a pure gold color and intense aromas of coconut, lime, butter and honey laden yellow apple that was followed on the palate by more of the same and an added accent of licorice; it was creamy and rich while being delivered in a viscus textured medium all the way through.
1990 CHATEAU d’YQUEM SAUTERNES in 750 ml bottle- Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc blend; this had an intense dark amber gold color and equally intense aromas and flavors that included honeyed apricot, yellow peach and nectarine with an accent of toffee and caramel; as intense as it was, it was also very creamy and mellow exuding the epitome of power and finesse; this may have been the best bottle of this vintage I’ve had.
It was made with 126 gpl of sugar with an acidity of 3.9 gpl and 12.7 degrees abv.
What a glorious night and it did not end there for us as some continued the celebration by going to a wonderful brunch the next day at Lulu located in the open air courtyard of the nearby Hammer Museum. This restaurant is helmed by chef, writer, and cookbook author David Tanis and conceived with legendary chef and food activist Alice Waters.
This was a righteously good way to celebrate a birthday and we were grateful for being included.
Cheers,
Blake
