Dinner at République with good stuff

WINE TALK
1

As an aside, Republique is my favorite place to eat in LA right now. They put out amazing food, and it is casual which I like. Wine service is spot on.


1996 Dom Perignon Oeno: I’ve tasted this many times, but this was the best bottle yet. The backward chalky notes have receded revealing a beautiful classic DP champagne. Really creamy texture. Apples and tiny red berries. Loads of power. I’m really happy with the way this wine has come around. It also doesn’t appear to have the tca issues that the regular release did.

2011 Roulot Luchets: A good but not great roulot. Classic stone fruit and citrus profile with flinty minerality and loads of acid. Nice wine, but lacks the volume and density of his best efforts.

1983 Pousse d’Or Volnay Caillerets Cuvee 60 Ouvres: Flawed. Last bottle out of a 3 pack. The first 2 were great.

1999 Cathiard Les Suchots: Delicious layered dark fruit with crunchy acids and abundant tannins. A middle weight wine. It is tasty now, but additional cellar time will be greatly rewarded.

1996 Hudelot Noellat Romanee St. Vivant: Wow!! This wine is spectacular. Pure silk on the palate. Polished red and dark fruits. Accents of forest floor. This very complete and spherical in the mouth like only the best burgundies can be. This is every bit as good as the DRC version. I actually prefer it.

2001 Jamet Cote Rotie: This is still a baby. All the elements are there, but it is a bit disjointed at the moment. Give it time.

1991 Jamet Cote Rotie: As perfect as Cote Rotie can be. There is so much stuffing in this wine. Densely packed with fruit, but somehow manages to be perfectly in balance. Dark and blue fruits. Wood smoke, bacon, pepper, iodine, aging meat and violets. Everything one could want in syrah.

1970 Vega Sicilia Unico: This wine reminds me of the 1990 Jaboulet La Chapelle in that both of them are immortal. The 70 Unico is just entering its adolescence. Drinks like a first growth bordeaux from a legendary vintage. Just more expressive and red fruited. Some bottles have VA issues. This did not and was delicious.

2011 Roulot Perrieres: A forth joined us and brought this along as a night cap. Great bottle. Everything it should be. Citrus and a smokey/flinty minerality. Expansive through the mid palate. Finely detailed in the mouth. Zips around leaving a delicious trail of minerals and citrus in its wake. Great way to finish.

2

agree about the resto. A little loud–like most are now–but great eats.

3

Sounds like a great night. I’ve been to LA twice within the past 9 months. Both times I had reservations at Republique and cancelled them. When I look at the prices I find them to be freakishly expensive.

4

it also takes 4 hours to eat a meal there. I’d go there way more often if every set of courses wasn’t a hour in between. Last time Andy timed the space between the pasta and the steak, it was 57 minutes. I don’t think I’ve had a wine dinner there that didn’t take 3+ hours.

5

I don’t go there often, but I haven’t had a meal drag out for 4 hours. On the other hand, service can be “leisurely,” so it wouldn’t surprise me if that happens.

Bruce

6

It looks so cool in the opening of Som2.

7

It really isn’t that expensive compared to other top restaurants in LA. I like the flexibility within the concept. You can have a drawn out formal wine dinner, or a quick cocktail and snack. Both feel totally natural. It can take a while and the seats aren’t super comfortable, but it’s a great spot. We go in with wine, hand them off to the somm who confers with the chef and creates a menu to match the wines. Its always spot on. Going again tonight! Third time in 8 days.

8

[scratch.gif] [help.gif] Can somebody tell me how acids can be crunchy?

9

The chef, Walter Manzke, has always been slow getting food out of the kitchen. Anyone remember the delays at Church & State when he was chef? That said, the food is good and Taylor Parsons is the best sommelier in LA.

10

When I say this I mean there’s something like the sense of crunching an acidic fruit like a cranberry or apple.

11

Pastas may be the best in town there.

But I agree with Fu, both times I’ve been there for wine dinners dinner started around 7 and ended just before midnight.

12

You guys are prone to eating at the same place over and over again. [snort.gif]

It’s definitely not cheap though, I don’t think I’ve done a wine dinner there under $200/pp. Especially when we tell them to just whip up a menu with the paired wines.

What Mark said is pretty spot on, Walter is slow as F in firing dishes but Tyler is a fantastic somm and wine service is top notch. I don’t mind the price of the meal, I just wish it wasn’t 4-5 hours every time or I’m sure we’d go way more often.

13

Had another nice meal there last night. The kitchen is slow, but it was a really enjoyable meal. I’m with Fred on the pastas. They are fantastic. The crab pasta that they are serving right now is unreal. Dover sole is delicious as well.