Fourth Annual BYO at A L'Os

My tasting group has been the cornerstone of this blog, pushing the envelope on wine prices and styles and in the process educating my palate in ways a wine class could never achieve. But the reason our group has continued for more than five years is that this is first and foremost a group of friends.

This friendship, and wine, brought us together for our Fourth Annual "grand tasting" at a BYO Restaurant, Montreal's À l'Os. No scoresheets tonight - just great food, conversations and vinous treasures from our respective cellars:

1988 Château Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien)
1999 Pio Cesare Barolo "Ornato"
2001 Beringer Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa)
2002 Domaine Chevalier Père & Fils Corton "Le Rognet"
2003 The Standish (Barossa)
2004 Domaine l'Aiguelière Côte Rousse (Coteaux du Languedoc)
2004 no. 2/3 Trio Infernal (Spain)
2004 René Rostaing Côte Rôtie "La Landonne"

But before I get to the wine, I want to say a few words about what was the most impressive Montreal BYO I have ever had the chance to dine in. Very French in style, but what impressed me was an obsession with balance - of flavours and textures - that signify a chef with complete dedication to his trade. An impressive soup of cauliflower and watercress to start - beautiful creamy texture and balance. This was followed by a blood pudding that was insanely light and fluffy, served on a bed of cooked apples and a dab of cream on top (it looked like a dessert) - Wow! The main of filet mignon with seared foie gras (an error - I asked for the mushrooms - but I didn't complain about the freebie) - simply flavourful and stunningly textured, surely the greatest steak (and foie gras) I have ever had. And I couldn't pass on a dessert of fresh figs and balsamic vinegar ice cream. All with impeccable service (despite a rowdy crowd). This was, without a doubt, THE best table to pair with your cellar that I have dined in in Montreal (but noticeably pricier). A hearty shout out to the chef!

Oops, nearly forgot the wine:

Our first pour was Pramod's 2001 Beringer Cabernet Sauvignon Private Reserve (Napa). Rather predictably high-end Napa on the nose, with spicy vanilla, violets, dark berry fruit, white pepper and gobs of oak. Somewhat atypical on the palate - a big tannic wallop up front, but rather lighter and more elegant than the nose suggested - should soften up nicely with cellaring. Great, but I don't remember a lot of discussion around this one.

Next up was Lloyd's ancient 1988 Chateau Branaire-Ducru (Saint-Julien), a fourth-growth that is showing very well as it enters its third decade. It didn't go over well at first - some cellar stank I guess - but that blew off to reveal a sublime blend of mushrooms and prunes, cedar and old leather, black earth and vegetal notes. Elegant, light and earthy on the palate with crisp fruit and spicy oak - for me it was the most memorable, and most food-friendly, of the evening...ahhh, old Bordeaux....

Next up was Cosme's 2003 The Standish (Barossa), one of Australia's top shirazes. Meaty blueberries, tar and liquorice, flinty vanilla, violet and cherries on the nose. Luscious and well balanced with big, velvety tannins and a never-ending finish, but a touch fruitier and more extracted than my current preferences. I, and most of my peers, were rather ho-hum on this one tonight.

A wine that did generate a lot of discussion was Ash's 2004 Domaine l'Aiguelière Côte Rousse (Coteaux du Languedoc) - big stinky cheese notes (in a good way), spicy new leather, and slate on the nose, a delicious velvety texture with crisp fruit and a lengthy finish. I would say "Bordeaux-esque", but perhaps less polished (in my opinion) than some of the other wines tonight. I expect that will be resolved with some cellar time...

Next up was another controversial wine, Cam's 2004 no. 2/3 trio infernal (Priorat). Made from 100% carignan, this modern-styled wine showed leathery dark berries, tar, and minty alcohol. Lighter-bodied with a modest finish, I found the alcohol just too hot, but otherwise no rough edges. I have to agree with David's QPR comments on this one. Drink now.

Since nobody was scoring I declare my 1999 Pio Cesare Barolo "Ornato" the "winner" - hah, I finally won! A gorgeous nose of tar and rose petal, black pepper, and flinty blackberries. Muscular - an elegant muscular - with a very long finish, it was the first decanter emptied.

As if that weren't enough we poured Chris' 2004 René Rostaing Côte Rôtie "La Landonne" for the finale. Candy and flowers on the nose, tea and wet stones as well. Elegant, with crisp fruit and a minerally palate - a deceptively long finish, will be amazing in a few years.

I forgot to mention the 2002 Chevalier Corton, a wine that showed up hidden under Cosme's chair (insurance in case no one brought a Burgundy, I suppose - Barry could sympathize). He relented and shared with all, but I didn't take notes as I thought this was the 2005 we had recently.

I won't cover Chris' Hungarian dessert wine - it was DRY! Sorry, that's like salami for dessert. It may have been good, but I was SO not in the mood for that.

Whew! Did I say this was a great evening?

(BYO 2007 at Yoyo, BYO 2006 at Bistro l'Entrepont)

La Colombe: Great Food & Friends, Pair With Awesome Wine

I joined two buddies, Ash and Lloyd, for an evening of great food and wine at La Colombe. It was my first ever visit to La Colombe, one of Montreal's great "bring your own wine" restos. Lloyd's favourite, I would have to agree that it is amongst Montreal's best, but as great as the food was (my veal shank was stupendous), an amazing flight of wines were the stars this evening...

Lloyd's contribution was a 1995 Grand-Puy-Lacoste (Pauillac). Leafy green notes gave way to unsweetened cocoa, leather, grenadine, smokey black pepper, truffles and pencil shavings - gorgeous! Ever so elegant on the palate, with bright cherry fruit, silky tannins, fresh acidity and a long finish, it was drinking very well this evening but could go MANY more years. A strong case for investing in a wine cellar.
cork, 13% alcohol, Score: 18.5/20

My wine friends rarely taste high-end Malbec so I thought I'd surprise them with my last bottle of 2000 Catena Alta Malbec Angelica Vineyard (Mendoza). A complex and ever-changing nose...beef au jus with a fruit sauce on top...dark cherries, charcoal, flint, undergrowth, cocoa powder and coffee grounds. A palate of crisp, dark cherry fruit and velvety tannins satisfied with a very long finish...even better than last year.
cork, 14% alcohol, Score: 18/20

Ashkan's 1999 Cantina di Montalcino Brunello di Montalcino looked rather suspicious to Lloyd and I, as neither of us had heard of this estate. The mystery continued as this shy bottle took time to open up, later revealing notes of cloves, tobacco, smokey liquorice, and compote. Terrific mouthfeel, all liquorice and velvety tannins dancing across the palate, it may also have been the nicest wine with the food (the decanter emptied first, I believe). IIt might age, but it was drinking So well today.
cork, 13% alcohol, Score: 18/20

Wow, three 18+ wines, doesn't get much better than that...and the food was REALLY, REALLY good.

Mini Vertical #3: 2000 vs. 2001 Quinta Quietud

Getting out of the house, but not getting away from my cellar, we decided on an early sitting at Toucheh, a local BYO resto known for great food at a reasonable price. To match the Iranian/Italian inspired fare I brought two Spanish reds, in keeping with my mini-vertical theme.

The 2000 Quinta Quietud comes from Toro, a Spanish appellation down river from Ribera del Duero. This wine, 100% tempranillo (Tino de Toro), was bright cherry red in the glass. Oaky and peppery on the nose at first - crisper fruit and more subtle - it later showed some plum, white cherries, rose, hay, mint and coffee. Very dry, with fresh acidity and supple tannins, it was a bit awkward and less balanced. Very enjoyable, but less complex than the 2001 below. Drink now.
cork. 14.3% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: $39.75 (SAQ)

The 2001 Quinta Quietud was a deep, dark cherry red (much darker than 2000) and very aromatic. Lots going on - spicy at first, supported by attractive violet, blackberry, strawberry, cherry, oak, earth, pepper, tea and smoke aromas. The spiciness continued on the palate. Very dry, with ripe berry fruit and ample oak, it had a nice backbone of firm tannin and fresh acidity. Elegant, harmonius, with a very long finish, this wine could use much more time in the cellar. My type of Spanish red - dry, spicy and beautifully textured. Great price.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 18/20
Price: $30.75 (SAQ)

For dessert I brought a Jurancon Sec, the 2005 Domaine Cauhape "Symphonie de Novembre". Golden yellow in the glass, the nose was all apples, quince, pears, cantaloupe and fig. Honey, green melon and apples on the palate, it had a nice bitterness and acidity on the finish. Rich, smooth, balanced, it was not too sweet, viscous, or fruity. Terrific.
cork. 14.5% alcohol
Score: 17/20
Price: $38.00 (SAQ)

I highly recommend Toucheh - the chef came to our table and explained the fine selection of 10 different entrees (incl. some vegetarian), and service was very attentive. But don't count on them to be wine nuts - the glassware was weak and there were no decanters (I brought my own) to be seen, but they did bring an ice bucket for the Cauhape. Not a problem, just prepare yourself.

Yoyo, a Resto, it's BYO

Our tasting group now has a new annual event, the Christmas BYO dinner. Last year it was Bistro l'Entrepont and the year before it was Les Infidèles, so when La Colombe (wisely) rejected us, Yoyo happily took us in. The only theme this year was NOT EXTREME - bring anything you want, but not the stupid-priced stuff we had last year.

Yoyo was an incredible BYO so I will start with the food. Serving up a diverse menu of French comfort food, the menu had unusual creations and well-loved classics, with the most diverse set of appys and entrees I have yet seen at a Montreal BYO. Slightly larger than the city's other BYOs, it was probably a bit less romantic, but more appropriate for our large-ish group. The only criticisms I can think of are that it was a bit out of the way and the freakish heating system rapidly alternated between Havana and Baffin Island, but that's nitpicking.

I took advantage of the unusual menu to try some things you don't get every day - a blood sausage appetizer and a "sweetbread" stuffed with sweet goat cheese for the main course. Both were impeccably prepared, and tasty enough to convert the vast majority of you who just vomited under their computer desks.

Of course there was wine involved. Enjoyed, but not intensely scrutinized, here are some notes:

2001 Chateau Lagrezette Cuvee Dame Honneur: My contribution had beautiful violet aromas were framed by leather. tobacco, earthy wet stones, pencil shaving, minerals and and copious dark fruit - very intriguing, and the favourite of a few diners. A bruiser on the palate, with tough tannins and a bit hot, but with nice leathery fruit. A wine to sip and ponder, it only started to open up late in the eveing. Needs time. cork, 15% alcohol

2002 d'Arenberg Dead Arm Shiraz: Pramod's Dead Arm showed big jammy cherries and fresh wild berries, later some mint, pepper and flinty notes, it continued to evolve right up to the last drop. Despite its youth it tasted more delicate, yet powerful at the same time. Very tannic, but with juicy fresh fruit and good acidity. It softened over the evening, but I just don't think this is ready yet. Sock it away. cork. 14.5% alcohol

2003 d'Arenberg Ironstone Pressings: I generally think of d'Arenberg as more old world style than other Aussie makers, but it is really specific bottlings that seem that way - the Ironstone Pressings is one of them. Cam's wine was Rhone-like: meaty, earthy and cedary up front, with some vegetal, black cherry, and a touch minty. Velvety tannins, I found it more interesting than The Dead Arm, but perhaps a big more rough around the edges on the palate. Fine now, but should improve over time. Probably the wallflower of the evening - nobody's favourite, but enjoyable for all. cork. 15% alcohol

2000 Marchesi di Gresy Martinenga Barbaresco: A beautiful nose of berries, licorice and undergrowth, and even more amazing on the palate - crisp strawberry fruit, silky tannins and very nice length - this was the most elegant and drinkable of the evening, and probably tied with the Burgundy below for the crowd favourite. cork. 13.5% alcohol

2004 Ghislaine Barthod Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru Les Cras: Peanuts? Yes, peanuts on the nose - almost peanut butter - never had that before. Also, truffles, tea and cocoa, pepper, cedar, rose, and minerals. Smooth and elegant, light to medium bodied, with dusty tannin and a short finish, but very well balanced and drinking well today. Overall it started odd, but flowered throughout the evening (and everyone noticed). Drinking well now. cork. 13% alcohol

This was a very diverse set of wines and all were excellent. Hard to call a favourite, but I think the Burgundy and the Barbaresco both crowd favourites (interesting that these were the subtle, lowest alcohol, wines). I liked the Burgundy with my blood sausage, while the Barbaresco (my favourite of the evening) paired best with my sweetbread.

When in Montreal you definitely need to check out Yoyo with a Gresy Barbaresco - highly recommended.

Dinner with Brooklynguy at AOC Bedford

(source: AOC Bedford, Neil conveniently sat under the copper frying pan...)

Dinner and wine with a fellow blogger is a treat, but twice in a month? Rare, indeed.

Neil (Brooklynguy) was kind enough to supply the wines for a tremendous dinner on my last trip to NYC. AOC Bedford is a quiet little French Bistro (apparently NYC's "most romantic restaurant", so I hope Neil took Brooklynlady there sometime!) in Greenwich village, just a few blocks from where I used to live in New York. Sunday is bring your own wine night, with no corkage on the first bottle (Ha! One bottle...).

Neil was late, but that was ok as the server set me up with a Pinot Blanc from Germany. Very nice, but I can't recall the name of the wine (no notebook tonight). What I absolutely can recall is that the restaurant was obsessive about using the proper stemware for each wine, and the glasses did not betray the manner in which they were cleaned - Bravo!

Neil opened with the Henri Billiot Brut Rose NV Champagne that has previously written about. His comments were "nearly perfect", and I would agree. While the rose colour was subtle, I found the pinot noir came through quite clearly, with nice blackberries and that crisp white champagne backbone and a great mousse. Neil correctly refused the ice bucket, allowing us to observe the flavour and aromas evolve throughout the evening. Like Neil, I am not a huge fan of rose Champagne, but this was a great one.

With appetizers we opened the 2002 Domaine du Closel Savennieres Clos de Papillon, a delicious Loire white that Neil has tasted on multiple occasions (I don't see the '02 there). Anyway, this was a delicious, but ageing, white, which we both remarked was remarkably similar on the nose to a Sauternes (apricot, noble rot). An elegant, balanced, white that is losing some of the crispness I love in Loire whites, perhaps peaking in my mind.

For the main course Neil shared a 2002 Sylvain Cathiard Vosne Romanee, which he wrote about here. Cherry red in the glass, it started musty, but followed with earthy vanilla, blackberry/raspberry, and smoke. On the palate it showed dry, dusty tannins, with a nice - but short - finish. A terrific red Burgundy showing that paired well with my lamb, drink now.

Many thanks to Neil, who was surprisingly close to how I pictured him! My apologies, Neil, as I was very disorganized for this event - I didn't even bring a gift (how embarassing - I was going to bring the de Villaine Bouzeron I sampled here). Unfortunately, airline travel with wine is frustrating these days. Speaking of de Villaine, tomorrow is WBW #39....