Anvil Club, East Dundee
Tasted Saturday, July 11, 2015 by AllRed with 564 views
Though my birthday is not for a couple of weeks, this was the night that worked for our schedule, so why not kick things off early. We reserved a private dining room at the Anvil Club and called on a few friends to help me celebrate my 40th birthday.
Joining Domino and I were:
Dave
Ruth
Mr. & Mrs. thelostverse
Rich & Dana
Mr. & Lady Vino Me
Chef Eric was charged with planning a menu for the evening, knowing that I would have a few older Bordeaux to open. Chef came up with a fantastic menu- there wasn't a single dish that I wouldn't love to see featured on the regular menu at some point. Our server and busser, LeAnn and Marcelino, kept clean glasses coming all night long. The Club executed perfectly tonight, and I am very grateful for their hard work. I am very thankful to my wonderful wife and friends who joined me, shared a few bottles and plenty of laughs. Wine would be merely a beverage were it not for the friends and family with whom it is shared.
The pork belly was killer- a nice thick slice of seared belly topped with shaved ham and a light layer of cheese, I really loved the layers of flavor here. As to the Champagnes, what had been my favorite recent lot of Krug did not show all that well, and even a bottle of the Marc was slightly off. The evening was not off to the best start in terms of the wines, but luckily things would take off from here.
Chef told us what oysters we were served, but I did not make a note and my memory is not what it used to be. The "nameless" oysters were excellent- a deep shell and slightly briny with a nice minerally punch. The chicken was excellent- terrific crunch with a slightly sweet note turned quickly to a wonderful spicy heat that lingered on the palate, softened by the wine.
An excellent chilled bisque, very creamy and refreshing. The Peter Michael, from magnum, was an excellent match. I thought the oak was very well-integrated and tame considering the youth and large format.
In the running for my favorite course of the night. Chef was excited for us to try the amaranth and I can see why. Dusted over the top of the salad, it added a wonderful textural component with a slight crunch, and a great nutty flavor too. The Chardonnays- Peter Michael and Liquid Farm- both worked well here.
Another great dish, the chamomile plays off the natural sweetness of the carrots. This actually did get put on the regular menu a couple of weeks ago and I certainly understand why.
A "deconstructed" presentation of sorts, with large cubes of steak that had been perfectly cooked in a sous-vide and then briefly seared off for added color and flavor, along with huge bits of crab, a potato gaufrettes of sorts, and perfectly cooked baby asparagus (thank you, Chef!).
It was in between the this and the previous course that we began opening and pouring the reds. Tasting in pairs worked very well and all of the wines received the same treatment- opened, decanted immediately off its sediment and served. This worked quite well I think, though the Gassies needed some time in the glass to open, the others were ready right from the start. The Haut Brion did not fade much, if at all, for the time it was in my glass.
The Club's menu now features foie gras on a regular basis- something I take full credit for- and I was very excited for this preparation...it was most impressive. Only one time in my life have I uttered the words "almost too rich"- this was the second time. Having two lobes split among ten resulted in a huge portion of decadence on a plate, and paired with two such amazing wines, well, it was incredibly rich and over-the-top wonderful. Was that a chorus of angels I just heard?
Another really well-prepared course, the duck was also cooked sous-vide and then seared off. The peaches and fennel provided a nice counter for the rich duck and the Bordeaux paired very well with this course. The Burgundy also worked nicely here and while not a great wine, was a nice value for the price I paid.
An excellent transition from the savory to the sweet, this was every hit as good as you would expect it to be.
My favorite of the two desserts, this was wonderfully balanced with just enough to satisfy the sweet tooth, but remained light and elegant. A perfect ending to our night, finishing up with the remainder of the Fargues and the Fonseca.
Many thanks to the Anvil Club and its staff for making this a truly wonderful evening- Matt for the terrific craft cocktails, Joe and Carlos for all of their help leading up to the event, LeAnn and Marcelino for the stems and flawless service, and Chef Eric and his team for their hard work creating the menu and executing perfectly tonight. Thank you Dave, Ruth, Rich, Dana, M/M thelostverse, Vino Me & Lady Vino Me, and Domino for a wonderful night.
NV Arthur Marc Champagne Grande Cuvée 86 Points
France, Champagne
We sipped on this as we set things up and prepared for dinner. A bit of citrus and orchard fruit with an odd funky quality. Not undrinkable but not at the level of a bottle enjoyed a couple of weeks ago.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 88 Points
France, Champagne
Lot LLLHSM disgorged in 2006. Marshmallow and nutty overtones with an austerity on the palate. Flavors of marshmallow and roasted apple. A disappointment to be sure.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points
France, Champagne
Bottle #2 of LLLHSM started off a bit too cold but was clearly better than the first bottle. Pear, cashew, marshmallow and pastry cream on the nose and palate. None of the austerity that marked the first bottle. Fine bead with a nice finish.
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NV Krug Champagne Brut Grande Cuvée 92 Points
France, Champagne
Bottle #3, same lot, was consistent with the second bottle, though neither hit the heights of previous examples from this lot.
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NV Arthur Marc Champagne Grande Cuvée 88 Points
France, Champagne
Citrus and mineral qualities with orchard fruit underneath. Nice acidity on the palate with chalk, citrus and green apple.
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