Dinner at Lampreia

On Friday we had a chance to go out for a nice meal with a co-worker of my wife. Stuart is a Canuck and an outrageously fun and clever guy to hang with, so it was a fun evening of conversation. The venue was my favorite restaurant, Lampreia, and Scott as always did a masterful job on a busy evening.

The wines were not an ideal match, but before dinner I asked Stuart and Anna what they prefer to drink, and "Aussie Grenache" and "really big reds" were the clear clues to come back. So why not!

• 2002 Clarendon Hills Grenache Clarendon 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon

  Wow, these are so distinct. The nose explodes from the glass with ripe plum, white pepper and confectioner's sugar. This is sharp and potent. The palate is intense, seething with boysenberry syrup, raspberry mint and more white pepper. Wow this has such gorgeous focus and purity, supremely enjoyable!

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• 2002 Noon Eclipse 93 Points

  Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale

  Wow, compared to the Clarendon this is dark, musky and forbidding, a much less pleasant drink at this point. Mint and menthol scream from the glass. The palate is a thick, deep, black stew of spiced plums and spice cake. Vanilla and tar start to peek out from this intense, spicy beast. Right from the initial pour I had some concern that the wine was slightly corked, but I never could find it again. Was it the mint? The wine seemed less impressive than a prior bottle, so I did keep scratching my head and wondering if there was some faint cork. In the end I thought nope, just a young, forbidding beast of a wine. On this night the Clarendon was a lot more approachable and pleasurable, although the Noon was deeply impressive.

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By the way, my personal menu consisted of the following:

• Sweet pepper and onion tart: This was crispy, almost crackerlike thing about 6 inches long, rectangular and narrow, with a roasted onion paste and lovely roasted peppers. Atop this were a few slabs of Robiola cheese providing a wonderful contrast/
  
• Poached egg Palio style: This is a truffled duck egg that is poached and then set atop a spinach and parmesan mousse with even more truffle. Mmm, such a wonderful texture and richness to the yolk on this one.
  
• Smoked with asparagus with lardon: Nice but not overwhelming. Nicely smoked white asparagus are dressed lightly with a balsamic-based sauce and then layered with thinly shaved and fatty pork belly. I found the balsamic and pork to overwhelm the asparagus, and past preparations of these asparagus in brown butter sauce have held more intrigue for me.
  
• Duck three ways: Oh wow, this was a knockout. Duck leg confit, tender and flavorful; a 'prosciutto' of duck, dark and savory; and a'ham' of duck, with the unmistakable texture of ham yet the clear flavor of duck. Delicious!
  
• Assorted cheeses: As always, Scott unveils a delicious assortment of cheese. We opted for mostly firm cheeses plus one portion of the cedar-baked Pecorino with truffle honey.
  
• Chocolate dumplings: I finished with my favorite dessert. These are small balls of poached chocolate, brownie-like and molten in the center, yet firm on the exterior, served atop luscious chocolate and vanilla sauces.