30th Birthday Wine Dinner for Rebecca

Chez Dade, Woodside, California
Tasted Sunday, May 10, 2009 by rjonwine@gmail.com with 2,092 views

Introduction

Rebecca Rapaszky is one of the jewels of our Bay Area fine wine community. Not only is she very wine knowledgeable (studying for an MW), young and beautiful, she's also smart, funny and a talented writer. No wonder her milestone 30th birthday inspired her dear friend, Dee Vine Wines owner Dade Thieriot, to host a fabulous feast of wine and food in her honor at his amazing mountain home among the redwoods. Our chefs were Stuart Brioza, Nicole Krasinski & Lauren Kiino, formerly of Rubicon, who created some exceptional dishes for the occasion. Dade paired these with some rare and lovely wines, including selections that turned out to be both from Rebecca's birth year and "conception year," that were all served blind, after a couple of wonderful birth year Champagnes.

It was great to see Rebecca's friends--including longtime friend Robin Stark, who came up from San Diego, and Manresa Wine Director Jeff Bareilles, who was able to join us for dessert. The highlights were many, from the flavorful and well-tuned food, to the carefully selected bottles. On the wine side, I particularly enjoyed the '79 Krug Brut Collection, the '78 Pousse d'Or Pommard, and the '49 Schönborn TBA. Lou amazed us by not only identifying the double blind white as "Meursault Charmes," but also picking out the two Pousse d'Ors. And I won't soon forget the arrival of Rebecca's poppyseed and lemon birthday cake, with a 1917 Spatburgunder BA to accompany it and an approximately same vintage recording of John McCormack singing "Star Spangled Banner" playing in the background on one of Dade's ancient gramophones. Many thanks to Dade and Rebecca for including me in a most memorable evening.
image
image

Flight 1 - Champagne Flight (2 Notes)

image
with our hors d'oeurves:
Kusshi Oysters on the halfshell with cucumber and pink pepper
image
Warm English pea soup and lemon leaf oil
Spring onion pancake with Cowgirl's Mt. Tam
Stuffed squid with avocado, cilantro and harissa (very juicy and tender)
image

Flight 2 - Meursault (1 Note)

imageServed with Abalone Soft Scramble - asparagus, agretti and Spring onion soy broth
image
Lou, who correctly guessed "Meursault Charmes"
image

  • 1993 Domaine Roulot Meursault 1er Cru Charmes 94 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault 1er Cru

    From magnum - medium golden yellow color; reticent light butter and poached apples nose initially, that opens after 25 minutes to a more floral nose; nice tart apple, pear, butter palate with good cut and structure, a refined Meursault; medium-plus finish

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

Flight 3 - Riesling Spatlese (1 Note)

Accompanied Galantine of Rabbit - with coriander seed and exotic pepper crust, shiso pickled ramps and carrots
image

Flight 4 - Burg Flight (2 Notes)

image
Served with Roasted Breast of Quail, veloute "creamed" peas & morels
image

  • 1978 La Pousse d'Or Pommard 1er Cru Les Jarollières 96 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Pommard 1er Cru

    Slightly bricking light medium raspberry red color with pale meniscus; youthful, tart raspberry, roses nose with a touch of chlorine, initially, that changes after 20 minutes to an intriguing smoky, tangerine brulee, asian spice and geranium nose; silky textured, tart red fruit, dried raspberry core, with tart cherries, dried cherries, touch of tobacco, cigar ash, kumquat and roses palate with good acidity and wonderful length; long finish

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

  • 1978 La Pousse d'Or Volnay 1er Cru Clos des 60 Ouvrées 95 Points

    France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Volnay 1er Cru

    Light, bricking garnet red color with pale meniscus; nice, mature, dried cherry, roses and berry nose; gorgeous, tart cherry, berry, dried fruit, clementine, brown sugar and dried cherry palate; medium-plus finish

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

Flight 5 - Northern Rhone flight (2 Notes)

image
With Spring lamb - braised turnips with Brooks cherries and fried herbs in beurre noisette
image
Chef Stuart Brioza
image

  • 1979 Paul Jaboulet Aîné Hermitage La Chapelle 92 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Medium red violet color with pale to clear meniscus; brett, mushroom and leather nose, with a touch of TCA; tart cassis, plum and currant palate with a touch of green herb; medium-plus finish

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

  • 1979 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage 94 Points

    France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, Hermitage

    Light medium red violet color with pale meniscus; reduction, sulfur, tobacco, earthy, olive, herbaceous and slightly stewed nose; mature, tart orange, tobacco, roasted fruit and sage palate; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.

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

Flight 6 - Sweet finish (2 Notes)

image
image
After a palate cleanser -- rose petal granita, with ginger tapioca and strawberry compote -- our dessert was poppy seed birthday cake, with rhubarb, pistachios, and preserved Buddha's hand citron
Jeff, Pastry Chef Nicole Krasinski and Rebecca
image
image

Closing

image

×
×