Canlis celebration to welcome Dan Polivy

After 8.5 years of working alone on CellarTracker (although with some excellent part-time help from Andrew Hall and Laura Conway), I am very excited to welcome Dan Polivy to the CellarTracker team. By way of celebration, we dined with our wives at Canlis. If you haven't been to Canlis since Chef Jason Franey joined, you owe it to yourself to do so. I am sure that the standard menu is lovely, but the chef's tasting menu really does show the chef's roots at EMP.

• 2006 Vilmart & Cie Champagne Premier Cru Grand Cellier d'Or 94 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Premier Cru

  Creamy and delicate. This threads the needle exceptionally well between freshness and citrus and creamy, toastiness. Exceptionally fresh and very feminine in personality.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1981 Trimbach Riesling Clos Ste. Hune 89 Points

  France, Alsace

  We took a stab at this off the wine list. Intriguing even if not utterly compelling. Diesel and honey tones on the nose. Funky wet stone on the palate. As I hoped, this started a little flat but with chill and some air the acid came into line. Of course very dry in the Trimbach style and yet with the regal aspect of a Clos St. Hune. At this age, this one was just a bit tired.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 1982 Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande 100 Points

  France, Bordeaux, Médoc, Pauillac

  There is 1982 Pichon and there is 1982 Pichon. This was a seriously great example. An utterly compelling nose with all of that stalky tobacco intermixed with gloriously ripe and roasted plums. The palate is pure silk and everything I want from great Bordeaux. This wine has lost a little weight over the past decade, but it makes up for it with glorious complexity.

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

• 2007 Sine Qua Non Syrah Dangerous Birds 97 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast

  I thought this might be a bit crude next to the 1982 Pichon Lalande, but in fact they were quite comfortable on the same table. Pretty classic SQN, crazily ripe aromatics, surprisingly fresh and tinged with red fruit on the meaty palate, moving to a palate and finish so supple and silky they nearly defy belief. Plush without being heavy. Simply lovely!

  Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue

Welcome aboard Dan!