Palate Food + Wine
Tasted Saturday, April 11, 2009 by ruddy with 675 views
Some friends agreed to join us for dinner for my 45th birthday. I worked out a menu with the restaurant to pair with some wines I wanted to open. Probably a few too many bottles, but no one seemed to complain. Palate's staff really stepped up--a tremendous dinner.
The champagne was great, but the Huet was my WOTF.
The Scholium was the hands down favorite, but the Vio. went really well with the salad.
The Southing was probably my WOTN, if only because it far exceeded my expectations for both balance and complexity--maybe the best California PN I've ever had. The Volnay was a good pairing for the food, but totally outclassed. The Chianti had been a gift from a friend, and as it's my birthyear, thought it would be fun to check it out.
Oh, Saxum, I love you so. The Rocket Block was dynamite, just behind the Sea Smoke for my favorite.
I had been waiting to open this Dehlinger since reading a rave review on eBob. It was truly a fine bottle of syrah, but got a bit lost in the shuffle so late in the evening. The S-F spaetlese was very nice, but needs lot of time.
Not a great port, but we were all feeling pretty fat and sassy by now, so who cares?
NV Franck Bonville Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Les Belles Voyes 91 Points
France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru
Nice yeasty/citrus nose, gorgeous whirlpool of bubbles drifting to the pale straw surface. In the mouth, there's a the precision of fine chablis. As the somm pointed out, this was fine wine that happened to be sparkling. Very, very nice, albeit a bit pricey.
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2007 Domaine Huet Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu 93 Points
France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Loved this one. Citrus/floral nose with a gentle acidity on the palate that made this one ideal with the smokey salumi and the smoked trout. I'll have to try this with barbeque ribs some time. Tons of upside.
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