I have a reservation to dine at the French Laundry with my father on 3/6 (its on his bucket list). We are doing the 9 course food tasting menu and are leaning more towards a few 1/2 bottles, instead of the wine pairing option. We would rather enjoy a few full glasses vs many small pours.
We aren’t opposed to a wine by the glass if it makes sense. Finally, there is a $200 corkage fee and an allowance of 1 bottle per 2 people. I am not opposed to going down this road but we are arriving in Napa earlier that day and flying with no checked bags so we would have to pick a bottle up at a shop in downtown Napa close to our hotel at the Napa Marriott.
If I was doing this pairing solely on my own, I would probably start with a champagne, then a higher acidity white (ie sauv blanc, reisling), possibly a Chardonnay and finish with a red. However, my father is more of a red wine drinker and enjoys all styles of red. He enjoys white but not as much as red, so i would also consider skipping a bottle/glass of white to add more red or a full bottle of red vs a 375ml.
My personal collection is heavily focused in CA and OR red and white with French red Bordeaux closely behind. So there are many wines on this list that are foreign to me, which is why im loooking for a little guidance but Im not opposed to staying in my wheelhouse of CA either.
My ideal budget would be $500-$800 (preferably closer to the lower range without sacrificing too much in quality if possible).
Finally, I read the WB thread and watched the youtube video posted several years ago but its outdated today:
If there is a more recent thread tackling this wine list, please direct me to the link and i can either join this thread or just use the guidance from that thread if the question is similar.
Special occasion to me says wine with some bottle age.
The few red Bordeaux with bottle among the half bottles are not great vintages, but '06 Barton or '07 Las Cases might work.
The one that catches my eye in red Burgundy is the 2010 Pousse d’Or ‘Caillerets’. For white, the '19 Bouchard Beaune is young but excellent and reasonably priced.
If you decide to byo - go see Randy and Carrie Bowman at Napa Valley Wine & Cigar. NVWC is about a 10 minute drive from your hotel. You’ll find something there, they have a great and broad selection of wines.
With these markups and this venue I would lean towards getting some things that are good and honest but nothing spectacular and leave the focus on the food. So,
Hebrart Champagne, $115
Huet Vouvray, $70
Tondonia Rioja, $95
and you’re solid through all courses for barely more than the corkage fee. For a slight upgrade you can do a Gobelsburg Heiligenstein instead of the Huet. But there don’t appear to be any options for a big upgrade without paying insulting prices or going to the 750s.
This is fun. Usual pockets of food friendly value for me (Barbera d’Alba, Bandol, Rioja) are limited for full bottles.
I would probably go:
2 glasses of champagne to start (Egly-Ouriet/Lasalle for me, but whatever style you prefer)
Half-bottle Gruner or Austrian dry Riesling
Full-bottle of either: 2013 Gripa, 2015 Baron de Brane, 2014 Lafon Rochet, or 2015 Cantemerle
Glass of sweet wine w/desserts
Or swap the half bottle of 2018 Scavino Barolo and 2011 LdH Tondonia (probably my favorite wine in the world), for the Bordeaux if your comfortable going lighter-bodied on the red.
Would also lean on somm/staff for advice when you get there. Have a great meal!
When I last dined there in 2018, I told the somm what we wanted (try and few things, mix and match) and gave him a budget and he put together a custom pairing that included BTG and a couple half bottles. And he managed to come in under my budget. Could be another option for you
Exactly my first thought - ask the Somm what is drinking well for a certain price point. The Oregon Pinots are affordable. The Cali choices look very pricey. The Pagodes is a good vintage - might drink ok for a second wine despite the youth.
In my opinion, the menu is better suited to old world wines. And I agree with Keith, keep the wines somewhat simple and let the food shine. The best meals I’ve had there were ones where we did just that, as opposed to some of the bacchanalian wine orgies in which I’ve also participated there, where legendary wines outshined the food.
I’ve worked BOH at several Michelin restaurants that were very proud of their hospitality. The French Laundry wasn’t one of those, but their reputation remains excellent. So here’s my $0.02: talk to the sommelier about crafting a wine pairing that fits your budget and your desires. Most will be very happy and excited for the challenge to provide you 3-4 wines to try over the course of the meal rather than 7-8.
Here’s another insider reason though, most places really love to make a “Once in a Lifetime” type meal feel REALLY special. If you order a specific 1/2 bottle, they will gladly serve it to you but it doesn’t give them a chance to go above and beyond. Whereas, I’ve seen plenty of situations where another guest in the restaurant gets a “reserve pairing” and a bottle that’s already open is offered to you. Might be a Montrachet or an older Ridge Monte Bello, but getting the pairing gives them the chance to flex their muscles and make your night really special. Hope you enjoy it!
Yes, crazy list–out of touch with reality, but still, clearly, they can have it their way.
Not yet mentioned:
White from Austria:
Brundlmayer, Grüner Veltliner, “Terrassen,” Kamptal 2022 65
Brundlmayer, Riesling, “Zobinger Heiligenstein,” Kamptal 2022 95
Chablis (maybe too young):
Louis Michel, “Vaudésir,” Grand Cru 2020 150
Pinot:
Calera, “Mills,” Mt. Harlan 2015 120 (Jensen was still there methinks; excellent wine; some age)
As others have said:
Lopez de Heredia, “Tondonia,” Reserva 2011 95
If you must have burgundy:
Gerard Mugneret, “Cuvée Prècolombière” 2017 175
Jacques Girardin, “Clos Rousseau” 2013 75
Bordeaux:
Chateau d’Armailhac 2010 170 (not impossible)
Chateau Nenin, “Fugue de Nenin” 2005 105 (not impossible–second wine of a decent producer?)