Wine Geeks at Trattoria Nostrani Wednesday

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
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Tonight will be Wine Geeks Night at Trattoria Nostrani. It’s on Wednesday this month because one of the participants requested it. Larry Archibald will be joining us.

The menu with our wine selections follows:

Michel Beauchamp NV Brut Rosé Cuvée Rubis
Amusée (tbd)

2005 Roger Naudet Sancerre
Domaine des Buisonnes
Nostrani Spinach Salad with Chicory, Quail Egg and Apple Cider Vinaigrette

1999 Michel Neillon Chassagne-Montrachet
Les Chaumes Clos de la Truffiére
Alaskan Halibut Cru with Spring Onion Cream and Artichokes

1988 Jean-Marc Bouley Volnay Clos des Chênes
1993 Robert Arnoux Vosne Romanée Chaumes
Buckwheat Crepe with Port Salut and Roast Pork

1987 Chateau de la Tour Clos Vougeot
1999 Clape Cornas
Pan Seared Pekin Duck Breast with Plums, Calvados and Red Wine

1988 Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraugey
Kouing-Aman with Peaches and Chantilly Cream


It sounds like a really good menu and I’m looking forward to it.

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And I got to have a turkey sandwich, twix bar and some cranberry juice on Delta.
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The amusée was Scallops Bretonne - two or three slices of large scallops on a rich, tasty sauce. The amusée went very nicely with the Rosé, which was fairly dark rose in color; bright nose and flavors of strawberries and red cherries; with a good medium mousse; and a rich mouth feel.

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We then had the Sancerre opened and poured for the lovely salad - spinach and chicory from their garden, lightly dressed with a delicate dressing, with a perfectly cooked soft (runny yolk) quail egg, which blended nicely with the greens. The Sancerre was reminiscent of a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - very grassy and minerally with lower acidity (the dressing was delicate enough that the lower acidity didn’t detract); minerally, light fruit mid-palate; and a medium minerally, grassy finish.

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Next it was time for the Chassagne - light yellow gold in color; rich, flowery nose and flavors of ripe pear, apples, and quince, with just a hint of oxidation (which actually enhanced the richness); rich, full mid-palate of spicy white fruits with good acidity. It was very good with the pieces of halibut sashimi in a rich onion-artichoke cream sauce. The halibut sashimi was as tasty as that we used to get at Kiku Sui in Torrance CA (our favorite sushi bar).

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Next were the Volnay and Vosne Romanée to have with the rich pork and cheese folded into a delicate buckwheat crêpe. The Volnay was dark ruby-garnet in color; rich, full nose and flavors of spicy red and black fruit; a full-bodied. rich, balanced mid-palate with spicy dark fruit and good acidity; and a long, spicy fruit finish. The Vosne-Romanée was surprisingly (to me, it was the best '93 I’ve had) open and pleasant to drink; denser in appearance than the Volnay; nice flowery dark fruit in nose and flavors; good mid-palate with adequate acidity; and a long fruity finish. Both wines were quite good with the rich roasted pork and Port Salut in the lovely crêpe. This was one of the best dishes we’ve at at a Wine Geek’s Dinner.

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Then we had the Clos Vougeot and the Cornas with another lovely dish - duck breast slices in a rich plum, Calvados, and red wine sauce. The Clos Vougeot was dark garnet in color; rich, complex, spicy red and dark fruits in nose and flavors full, complex, fruity mid-palate with adequate acidity; and a long rich dark fruit finish. The Cornas was deep purplish ruby in color; fairly simple dark berry fruit in nose and flavors; pleasant balanced berry fruit mid-palate with barely adequate acidity; and a medium long berry fruit finish. Overall the Burgundy was better with the tender, tasty duck than the Cornas. The Cornas only came into its own with a good sized piece of plum in the sauce, otherwise it was a bit much for the duck. After declaring the pork dish the best, this was essentially as good or better. So far this is easily becoming the best Wine Geeks dinner we’ve had.

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Then sated as we were it was time for dessert. The Sauternes was rich, complex, and not too sweet. It was very good with the rich, buttery pastry, ripe peach slices and Chantilly cream. I had to Google ‘Kouing-Aman’ to find out than it’s a butter rich pastry from Brittany. This was a great finisher to a great meal; then we headed for home.

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