I was thinking about a dinner I had last Friday with Greg St. Clair from K&L Wine Merchants at RN74 restaurant in San Francisco. It was following a screening of my movie “Cigars: The Heart and Soul of Cuba” for the Sonoma Film Festival. The movie is officially selected for the festival, which begins on April 11.
However, I was thinking how Burgundy – despite how great it can be – can often leave you a little cold after a bottle or two. I just wasn’t satisfied, even though we were in the Burgundy Mecca of restaurants on the West Coast, and we drank some admirable bottles including a beautifully fresh 1993 Coche-Dury Meursault 1er Cru Les Perrières and a stylish 1998 Leroy Nuits St.-Georges Les Boudots. Those were from another table. We had selected a frigid 2005 Marquis d’Angerville Volnay 1er Cru Champans.
Honestly, I can’t remember all that wines we tried. But we kept on hoping for some real love from those bottles of angelical Burgundies that were passed around our part of the restaurant like rare books in a book fair. We wanted that religious experience from the holy grail of Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that we all hope for, especially with the outrageously delicious haut couture bistro food we were eating at RN74, such as decadent herb roasted bone marrow on toast or succulent braised pork short rib.
I could see that Greg was getting a little bummed out by the end of the meal. He is a real Italian wine guy, and RN74 is not a place for that. I needed something really serious as well. Luckily, I spotted a bottle of 1989 Le Gay on the list. I pulled the trigger. Sometimes you just have to pay.
The Pomerol was phenomenal with incredible mushroom, wet earth, dried spice, mineral, and dark fruits. It was full-bodied with dusty tannins that followed through to licorice, dark fruits, and black olives. It was everything I hoped for and more. I was 94 points on it.
It made the night for me – Greg too. It was like getting in fight with your wife or girlfriend and making up. Just happy.
It’s funny how Bordeaux can make you happy when you are looking for something great in Burgundy.
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