Bacchus Does Sonapanoma |
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WINES TASTED: 1985
Chateau L'Arrossee St. Emilion
This is one of my favorite Wine Country restaurants. While they are sometimes faulted for food inconsistencies, I have never had a bad meal there. This evening, they closed the Cantinetta for our party, and set up three large round tables inside, which we filled to overflowing. Mr. and Mrs. Togni arrived shortly after we did, along with their charming daughter. Lisa Togni has recently returned from an internship at Leoville Barton, and may represent the next generation of family winemakers. Bruce Scotland joined us shortly thereafter, and graciously brought a few bottles of his Cornerstone wines, as well as his excellent palate and formidable wine knowledge. Delia Viader was fashionably late and fashionably dressed.
Al and Mindy also joined us for dinner. We started with a guided tour through a vertical of Togni Cabernet, led by the winemaker, then on to a dazzling array of Old and New World reds.
The service was quite good, even in the face of a very crowded room, with little space to maneuver. There were plenty of carafes for decanting, and the room was abuzz with conversation. Each of us had five or so stems to sample from, which was an ideal situation, since there were wines we wanted to savor or give a little time to open.
The food was just wonderful. The menu had obviously been carefully constructed to complement our focus on red wines, and each course was memorable. We started with a taste of ‘Bresaola’ – a cured and air-dried fillet of beef that was served with a fascinating combination of fresh Bing cherries, arugula, and shaved Parmesan with aged Balsamic.
Next was rare Ahi Tuna Caponata (a savory melange of eggplant, onion, tomato, olives, capers…) served with crispy shoestring potatoes. Then, a fabulous pasta with roasted quail, morels, and pancetta (Italian smoked bacon). Finally, a rustic braised Beef Short Rib, crusted with Parmesan, and served on Roasted Tomato Soft Polenta. I know, it seems like a lot of food, but the portions were moderate – and when spaced over the evening, were just right. The room was a blur of wines and people moving from table to table, and we made sure that our distinguished guests got to taste all of the prized bottles.
The latter part of the evening is a bit hazy in my memory. We finished with a great cheese plate, and then a Blackberry and Custard Tart, accompanied by Mr. Togni’s unique dessert wine, "Ca' Togni." Tra Vigne performed in exemplary fashion. The food was superb, and the service, even in the face of crowded conditions and thirty winefreaks, was patient and cordial. We’ll be back (if they will have us!). As Russell said: "This had turned into one of the most amazing wine days I’ve ever heard of…Montelena pulled out all the stops. Judson fell in love. We watched the sun rise from Delia’s and set at Philip’s (Togni) at the other side of the valley. Pure magic." Indeed.
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