Wine Spectator Offline, San Diego
Grant Grill, U.S. Grant Hotel, San Diego
Tasted Thursday, October 6, 2011 by Javachip with 1,174 views
Introduction
The instructions were simple: "Bring something good." With those marching orders and the illustrious list of attendees, this was truly a stellar evening. I even dished out my first three-digit rating. (Why isn't my phone ringing with interview requests?) The following notes are sprinkled with a few of the more colorful remarks overheard. These are kept anonymous, to protect the reputation of the speaker, and are quoted verbatim, as they cannot be improved upon.
Point ratings are my own; overall rankings are by group vote.
Flight 1 - White wines including Champagne (4 Notes)
W+A supplied three bottles of very special aged Champagne, an extraordinary act of generosity. All of these, plus the American chardonnay, paired beautifully with garlicky focaccia bread on the table, and with my first course of Dungeness crab risotto.
Flight 2 - Red wines (7 Notes)
Any of these wines would be the centerpiece of an ordinary offline. I tasted these with my entree of braised lamb shank served off the bone with maitake mushrooms and broccoli. The dish was really first rate. The Grant Grill has re-earned its place in the top tier of San Diego restaurants. Everything -- cuisine, service, decor, ambience -- has improved dramatically over the last few years.
One member of our party must strike fear into the hearts of restauranteurs everywhere, claiming that he "craps out better steak" than a certain well-regarded steakhouse.
Another attendee, deciding between entrees and explaining her choice of a husband, said "I didn't marry a steak, I married a sausage." The deafening silence followed by riotous laughter, brought the waiters running to see if everything was OK.
Flight 3 - Dessert wines (4 Notes)
I don't remember what I had for dessert. Such was the nature of the evening. The Sauternes was tasted at the table and included in the voting (it didn't place). The other sweet wines were tasted by a lucky few of us in the hotel lobby after the rest of the party were taken away by ambulance or police car.
Closing
It was a great pleasure to meet WIML and TPEwinedrinker, and of course to see W+A again. I would like all out-of-towners to return weekly, but my gastroenterologist advises otherwise. Many thanks to Gigond Ass for securing the private dining room in this grand location, for planning and coordinating, and also for his own over-the-top contribution of wine. Until we meet again, cheers everyone!
1966 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon
France, Champagne
Hazy straw-golden-honey color. W+A stated that the wine had bubbles when first poured, but by the time I arrived unfashionably late, the wine was still. "Dry Sauternes" or "old white Burgundy" came to mind. Evolved notes of ginger, mulling spices, alfalfa, and for me, faintly musty apple cider. Fascinating -- a rare and unforgettable treat. FOURTH PLACE for the night overall, out of twelve wines.
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1975 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 95 Points
France, Champagne
Clear light copper blond, with faintest lazy stream of tiny bubbles. I thought this was similar to the 1966, but fresher, more vital. Most others preferred the 1966. TPE commented on the wonderful toasted almond notes.
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1982 Moët & Chandon Champagne Cuvée Dom Pérignon 96 Points
France, Champagne
Clear light golden straw color. Scant ultra-fine bubbles, but more than the 1975. First whiff -- oops. Boiled eggs and cabbage. W+A urged us to put the wine aside and not despair. He explained that in France, producers will sometimes decant older Champagnes for several hours before tasting. An hour later, the off notes had vanished, and we were rewarded with a mesmerizing, subtle, complex bouquet of white chocolate and marzipan. On the palate, this was expansive, weightless, fresh and precise. One taster remarked, "She lifted her skirts for us." Voted best of three Champagnes tonight, and SECOND PLACE overall.
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2006 Marcassin Chardonnay Marcassin Vineyard
USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast
Had a complex, almost late-harvest Burgundian or "dry Sauternes" quality, with nice mineral acidity providing structure. "Burnt butterscotch, coconut, tanning lotion" were comments heard. From a technical standpoint this may be a well-made wine, but it is so far removed from my personal taste preferences, that I can't score it. More than one person at the table relegated his aliquot of this $200+ wine to the pour bucket. This is why I don't like to spend more than $20 for a white wine.
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