Dinner at Salt, Honolulu

While on Kauai, my wife and I met Doug Kokol who is the charcuterie chef at Salt in Honolulu. We decided to cancel our reservations at Roy's and reschedule the location of dinner with Haggis and his wife at Salt. Salt is a tapas style restaurant although they do have full meal items. Corkage was $20. Doug and executive chef Quinten Frye came out to greet us and discuss this new restaurant. During our dinner, they sent out 2 duck in asian 5 spice plates and later a smoked raw ahi dish as a thank you for visiting. Besides these dishes, we ordered plates of blistered Shishito peppers with Hawaiian sea salt, ox tail empanandas with a raisin chutney, flash fried oysters with a pineapple relish and a charcuterie board (there may have been another plate or 2 but I can't recall). Loved this restaurant and would highly recommend it. Here are my notes from the wines that evening:

• NV Maurice Vesselle Champagne Grand Cru Cuvée Reservée Brut 91 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  Drank with Haggis in Honolulu. No formal notes. 91 points.

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• 2008 Domaine Thierry Laffay Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 93 Points

  France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

  Took one to dinner at Salt in Honolulu. This paired surprisingly well with the grilled Shishito peppers with Hawaiian sea salt. 2nd time I have had this wine with similar notes. Crisp, clean and very lively. Warmed up a little too much over the course of the evening. My score is for the right temperature. 93 points.

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• 2008 Rivers-Marie Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast 92 Points

  USA, California, Sonoma County, Sonoma Coast

  Opened by Haggis at Salt in Honolulu. Ruby red color. Not decanted. Wonderful nose filled with eucalyptus. Round texture and not over the top. Notes of black cherry, smoke and some sweet red fruit. Paired very well with the Asian 5 spice duck course and oxtail empenadas. 91-92 points.

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• 2007 Stefania Cabernet Sauvignon Chaine d' Or Vineyard 89 Points

  USA, California, Santa Cruz Mountains

  Opened by Haggis at his home after we returned from dinner. I have a bottle of this but have not tried it yet. Not decanted but would likely improve with air. A round, medium bodied wine. Old world in style and slightly vegetal. Notes of green pepper, herbs and plums. 89 points.

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• 2005 Dobogo Tokaji Aszú 6 Puttonyos 92 Points

  Hungary, Tokaji

  Opened by Haggis and brought back by his wife from a trip to Budapest. I had the 1997 vintage of this wine 7 years ago and thought the 2005 was slightly better. Drank this with chocolate. Very young but showed nice apricot, orange marmalade and candied lemon notes. Could have used a bit more acidity to push it higher. Give this time. 92 points.

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VM