Go to their website and check out the prices of the wines with any decent age…double yikes! Which is why I love BYOB with corkage. Sadly, just not an option at some places
I’ve been to EMP and know the pricing on the wine. My issue is that the above “reserve” wine pairing list wouldn’t be exciting to me - I don’t really want to drink most of those wines all that much and I’m sure I can find something I do want to drink for around that price.
Of course, I fully agree with you that BYOB is the vastly better alternative.
i feel like there are always a few deals to be had on the emp list especially considering it is service included. of course if you are looking at burgundy it is not that friendly but i have always found very interesting wines to drink with some age, even some which cost less than the corkage fee.
Last time I looked at the list they had some Benetiere at fairly reasonable pricing. I agree that Burgundy is almost never going to be a “value” option at a high end restaurant.
I think this illustrates the problem here. In my opinion this is quite a good pairing and given US restaurant wine prices, not bad value, but some people will be bitterly disappointed with the choices and some will feel ripped off. So you can get all sorts of opinions from the same pairing.
Was that a full glass of each of those wines? That’s a pretty good reserve pairing. I’d probably still be happier with bringing a couple of my own bottles and paying $150 but not bad.
I don’t think “ripped off” is the right word. I did some back of the envelope math and made a few assumptions (including the Krug being the latest disgorgement), and this is probably around 2.2 times retail mark-up at today’s prices. Which is not bad! EMP isn’t throwing in Louis Latour Bourgougne or Caymus here, which was never my point. But there isn’t a single wine on this list I’m particularly excited about for $300, and at least one I’d definitely prefer not to drink.
This, sort of. Not just zero value. Negative return in my view.
Per a comment above, when Charlie Trotter was at its peak in the 90s (my first time in 1994), they had excellent pairings and one didn’t pay this type of premium to get them.
Whenever I end up at any restaurant where I order the tasting menu, I order a bottle of Champagne. After that, perhaps a bottle of a high-acid red that would be relatively versatile, and maybe one glass of a heavier red for the last savory course, if necessary.
When in doubt: Champagne.
I haven’t had pairings in a very long time, as they’re generally disappointing.
It’s interesting to see people’s comments on this. Given the cost of eating here to begin with, and their list prices, I would be fine with it as long as the pours were good.
Yeah, I would never be paying that much for a meal in the first place, but 2001 Beaucastel, Krug Grand Cuvee, aged Guiraud…those seem to pass muster. It’s nothing jaw-dropping but it works compared to some of the wine pairings out there where they try to skate by with orange wines, cru Beaujolais, and the like.
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