Rubicon Restaurant, San Francisco
Tasted Thursday, April 28, 2005 by jfloren with 1,583 views
Sixteen of us gathered to investigate fine Chablis, new and aged, at Rubicon Restaurant in San Francisco. Since only a few of us had any fine older bottles, most of us formed a Syndicate to hunt down and acquire choice examples, with overall very good results.
Amuse: Artichoke and Mushroom Puree
First Course: Yellowfin Tuna & Hearts of Palm; charred pineapple and curry oil
This was a very strong flight; all the wines were expellent if too young. We made the the right decision by starting with these, most of which were double-decanted. I suspect in 10 years the best two wines will be the Fevre Clos and Raveneau Chapelot, but we tried to evaluate them based on how they showed on this night.
Seared Dayboat Scallops; Sake Steamed Mussels, Melon, and Shiso
Another very strong flight, with the group almost evenly divided on favorites
Grilled Alaskan Halibut; White Asparagus, Fava Beans, Meyer Lemon, Coco Cipollin
Roasted Sonoma Guinea Hen with Duck; Asparagus, Wild Leeks, Trumpet Mushrooms, Brioche Butter
Terrific group of wines here. Careful observers willl note that the number of votes does not always equal 16. Some people did not always vote, and we counted Larry Stone's vote in this flight (he liked the Verget Bougros best).
A beautiful selection of cheeses for these super-compelling wines.
Strawberries n' Cream; Gingered Tapioca, Candied Pistachios, Strawberry Sorbet
Confronted with the problem of selecting a dessert wine, we found this gem on the endlessly fascinating Rubicon list
Thanks to Carl Steefel and Robert Thornton for the inspiration, to the Syndicate members and dinner attendees for their generosity and especially the good company,and to Rubicon Restaurant: Larry Stone, Master Sommellier, who shared his impressions and knowledge of the wines, of Mondovino, and of many other matters of interest to hard-core winos, and who together with Chef Stuart Brioza created a memorable and exquisite menu that perfectly matched the wines, and Samara Miller who arranged and coordinated everything. The food, service and organization by Rubicon were impeccable.
My only regret is that we did not get to curl up with some of these bottles and watch them evolve over hours or days. These fine Chablis have a living quality to them, like all great burgundies, evolve in interesting and sometimes thrilling ways, and improve for decades. Now I'm ready for pinot again!
2002 Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Restrained lemon notes on the nose and palate. Steely but juicy, with a long, pulsating finish of mineral magic. A classic. Showing well today. My third favorite of this excellent flight (4 votes for 1st, 3 votes 2d)
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2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Nose muted, green notes, very closed. Terrific midpalate and long mineral-laden finish. Palate grows stronger with air. Give this 10 years, it's great wine, but tonight it was overshadowed by the competition. (2 votes for 1st, 1 vote 2d).
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2002 François Raveneau Chablis 1er Cru Chapelot
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru
Petrol notes on the nose, at first off-putting then intriguing as they blew off and melded with the restrained fruit. Austere and rich at the same time, with ripe yet focused fruit that builds and builds and a fine finish. We gave this one a lot of air but what it really needs is time. This will be great. The most popular wine of this very strong flight by a nose and also my favorite, just before the Cote de Bouguerots. Many agreed that this like the other Raveneaus has a unique quality that sets it apart from classic chablis. (5 votes for 1st, 6 votes for 2d)
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2002 Domaine William Fèvre Chablis Grand Cru Bougros Côte Bouguerots
France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis Grand Cru
Slightly floral, some tropical fruits, quiet but rich, initially shy finish opens to show tremendous mineral quality, like a burst of sunbeam. One of the two most popular wines of the flight. (5 votes for 1st, 5 for 2d)
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