Bo ssam and vino with a visiting John Tomasso.

Facebook's favorite curmudgeon, da Bronx's own John Tomasso, was back in town from California for one of his usual family visits. While it's rare to get him out to a wine dinner on one of these trips, the lure of a Momofuku inspired bo ssam dinner at Christine Huang and Marty Ellington's place did the trick. As usual, Christine did a tremendous job in the kitchen, cooking a feast of king oyster mushrooms with pistachio purée, bo ssam (with all the sauces,) roasted Brussels sprouts and cauliflower with fish sauce vinaigrette and apple pie layer cake. Suzzanne Camhi, Kenny Shusterman and Marty's mother rounded out the group and a wonderful evening ensued.

• 2008 François Chidaine Vouvray Le Bouchet

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray

  Always a great way to kick off an evening. I've loved this wine since release and while showing a little more coyly than most of the other bottles I've had, it's still shows that electric personality and vivid quince, citrus and crushed white gravel profile with a smattering of yellow and white flowers. Brilliant acidity balances out the 19 g/l residual perfectly. This bottle sees the fruit just a little less full and the structure a bit tighter, so it could be that the wine is starting to shut down. While it may make some sense to start keeping ones hands off these for awhile, it's still lip smackingly good. Solid A-.

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• 2010 Domaine Roulot Bourgogne Blanc

  France, Burgundy, Bourgogne Blanc

  Quite a lovely Bourgogne blanc, actually. It shows nice freshness and precision with green apple, pear, green citrus and smokey/flinty mineral flavors and aromas. Nice acid levels and no real oak for this oakaphobe to complain about. Solid B+.

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• 2002 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos Habert Flawed

  France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire

  Heat damaged, dang it. A shame as this was the wine that got me into Chidaine.

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• 2010 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese

  Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer

  Really quite striking with a rich, stone fruit filled profile with a bit of mango and a healthy dose of minerality. The wine shows tremendous depth and power, but is nicely balanced with still petillant acidity that helps cut the sweetness. Seems a little sweeter than Spatlese, but that only became apparent when the wine filled in a bit in the glass with air. Mouthfilling with a nice creaminess and a lingering finish. Classy wine. Solid A-.

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• 2010 Joseph Drouhin Beaune 1er Cru Clos des Mouches Rouge

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru

  Shows pretty aromatics of red cherries, dried flowers, spice and a hint of wood. Perhaps a touch light, but with lovely purity and nice fruit levels. Similar flavors as aromas with a touch more wood apparent on the palate. Elegant mouthfeel with nice crunch and tartness on the finish. Low A-.

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• 2010 Nicolas Rossignol Volnay 1er Cru Les Chevrets

  France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

  A much more butch and extracted wine than the Drouhin, with a thicker mouthfeel and deeper, riper cherry and strawberry fruit. I really enjoy the richness of the fruit, which is still quite primary. There's some wood that, while lending pleasant spice notes, still needs to integrate and there are some tannins lurking in the shadows. A touch bitter on the finish from the wood, but there are good materials here and this should come together beautifully with some time. A-.

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