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Yesterday, a wine-lover friend sent me an e-mail with the most wonderful attachment: a copy of the 1940 wine list from Antoine’s in New Orleans, the country’s oldest family-run restaurant. This particular edition of the list was created to celebrate the centennial of this French Quarter institution.
 When Antoine Alciatore, a native of Marseille, opened his eponymous restaurant in 1840, Abraham Lincoln was still a struggling lawyer, the Pony Express was the surest way to send mail, and New Orleans was the capital of a French province in Louisiana. Antoine’s invented Oysters Rockefeller and boasted of having, “Clarets …from the peerless 1811’s, the wines of the Comet Year…” in its cellar.
The edition of the 1940 wine list, lovingly (one can tell) put together by Antoine’s grandson, Roy Alciatore, is an important moment for this storied restaurant, as explained in its introduction: “Our wine cellar had to start from the beginning after Prohibition, but at last, after seven years, we can present a list in every way worthy of our cuisine of which we are, and we believe justly, proud.”
And indeed they can. Illustrated with maps and judiciously annotated, the list is a treasure trove of great wines from the turn of the 20th century. The Bordeaux section features all the first growths of the legendary 1929 vintage, with Mouton Rothschild (then a second growth) and Latour listed at $9. A magnum of Château Palmer 1900 would have set you back $16, and is described thusly: “Famous, even young, for its finesse, this lovely Palmer has with the passing years acquired the color of autumn leaves and the beauty of a faded tapestry.”
The Burgundy section is equally fascinating. It features many estate-bottled wines (Edouard Jayer, Charles Noellat and Claude Ramonet, among others) at a time when the practice was a rarity. The greatest vineyards are described as “Le Roi - the King: Le Chambertin; La Reine - the Queen: La Romanée-Conti; Le Dauphin - the King in waiting: Le Musigny.” Rarely have the masculine, rugged power of Chambertin, the voluptuous femininity of Romanée-Conti and the princely hauteur of Musigny been described so poetically - and so spot on!
The Rhône Valley is well represented with Château Fortia, arguably the most important estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape at the time. Baron Leroy, its then-owner, was one of the precursors of and inspirations for the creation of the A.O.C. (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) system that regulates the production of most French wines today. Now considered one of France’s greatest wines, Jaboulet’s 1929 Hermitage La Chapelle was listed as “…one of the best of the lesser known wines of France - fine, sturdy; with a splendid bouquet and after taste.” Mr. Alciatore was a true connoisseur of good juice.
Despite the times, Germany is a presence with, among others, a mouth-watering Hocheimer Kirchenstück Trockenbeerenauslese 1934. The Italian and Spanish selections are sparse (although there is an intriguing Marques de Murrieta Rioja 1924 for $2.50,) and there is a short but interesting page devoted to California, which includes a Livermore Zinfandel made by Wente Brothers. One of the most important California wineries of the day, Wente Brothers is present again with a 1935 Sauvignon Blanc. (A little trivia: this was the first-ever commercialized vintage of American-made Sauvignon Blanc. It is also the most expensive California wine on the list at $1.50, a privilege it shares with Napa Valley’s Inglenook Cabernet Sauvignon 1934, a vineyard still considered one of the best.)
The list finishes with a great selection of Champagnes and other sparkling wines (sparkling Burgundy or Nebbiolo anyone?) old brandies (including Antoine’s Centennial Private Reserve Grande Fine Champagne 1840,) liqueurs, cordials and a detailed vintage chart. (You never know when you’re going to need to know if 1932 was any good in Bordeaux - apparently it was terrible).
Having overseen a world-class level wine program for many years at Restaurant Daniel, I can only tip my hat to Roy Alciatore for putting together such an inspired and well-laid-out list. The carefully chosen selection, lively commentary, overall integrity and presentation is a master-class in wine-list making.
Leafing through its pages re-affirmed my dedication to seeking the best wines and understanding what make particular vineyards around the world so instrumental in the creation of great bottles.
Has a wine or a book or article about wine inspired you lately?
Written by Jean-Luc Le Dû 5/8/2008
If you saw the documentary “Mondovino,” you might remember Aimé Guibert, the proprietor of Mas de Daumas Gassac, as the stern vigneron who successfully fought the Mondavi corporation from buying a neighboring vineyard in order to produce international-style wines. We remember him as the father of the Languedoc wine revolution, who helped transform the province in southern France from a primitive backwater to a respected wine region. His layered, complex, organically produced wines made from low-yield, old clone vines are truly unique. Reminiscent of great Médoc while young, they evolve into wines that have the pungent undergrowth and truffle aromas found in great Burgundies.
Aimé Guibert bought the property from an octogenarian brother and sister named Daumas in the late 1960s as a retirement project following a successful career in the fine glove business (apparently Guibert gloves were very hip in the United States during the 50s.) Upon visiting the property, one of his closest friends, Henri Enjalbert, a professor of geology at Bordeaux University, declared the land perfect for making great wine, and as they say, the rest is history. The French wine magazine Gault-Milau called Mas de Daumas Gassac, “the Lafite Rothschild of the Languedoc-Roussillon,” while the London Times described it as tasting like, “a Latour.”
Yes, Mas de Daumas Gassac is indeed the “grand cru” of the Languedoc.
Today, Aimé has largely handed the reins to the eldest of his four sons, Samuel, who is ably aided by his Californian wife, Muffi. Together they have been fashioning some of the finest wines ever produced at the estate. This week I had the immense honor of welcoming them to New York for a wine dinner at Payard Patisserie & Bistro. Accompanying a tasting menu prepared by the talented chef de cuisine Philippe Bertineau, we enjoyed a wide variety of the atypical wines made at the estate, including some that are never tasted outside the doors of the cellar.
While the word has been out now for many years about the quality of the red wines of Daumas Gassac, their white - a blend of equal parts Viognier, Chardonnay, Petit Manseng and Chenin Blanc, with the remaining 20% made up of 40 other varieties - has always been a favorite of mine. With our first course, a Provence-inspired escabeche of red mullet, we tasted the 2006 and 2003 vintages. The dish showcased the youthfulness and sense of energy of the younger ‘06, while the ‘03 revealed how broad-tasting and unctuous the whites of Daumas Gassac can become with aging.
The main course featured the Daumas Gassac red wines. The 2005 was full and berryish, and the 1999 displayed complex truffle and earth aromas, smoothed out by bottle age. Both were perfect with the veal cheeks and orange zest. The cheese course featured two rare wines, the Homage à Emile Peynaud, produced only during the greatest vintages, named for the legendary Bordeaux winemaker who helped shape the destiny of the estate, and the seldom-seen sweet wine Vin de Laurence, a delectable blend of Sercial and Muscat d’Alexandrie smuggled into the country by the Guiberts especially for this dinner. All said and done, it was a perfect evening that combined one of my all-time favorite French country estates with inspired cooking.
The world definitely needs more wine estates with the dedication to terroir and willingness to experiment such as Mas de Daumas Gassac. Now more than ever, the battle against the Mondavis of the world needs leaders. Please comment about your favorite terroirists below.
Written by Jean-Luc Le Dû 5/8/2008
Brunello di Montalcino, one of Italy’s most revered and long-lived wines, is currently under investigation to determine whether some of its most renowned producers have been secretly adding Cabernet and Merlot to what should officially be 100 percent Brunello grapes. This scandal — an attempt to internationalize a great local wine — got me thinking about how Bordeaux varietals are used legally and illegally around the world to blur regional character and distinction.
You don’t even have to leave Tuscany to find some prime examples: after all, Super Tuscans were created to produce a more assertive wine than traditional Sangiovese. Cabernet has been a legal part of the D.O.C. (or Denominazione di Origine Controllata, the official Italian seal of quality assurance) blend in Carmignano since 1975, and the Chianti Classico regulations were recently reconfigured to allow up to 15 percent Cabernet, Merlot or Syrah. That high of a percentage completely alters the character of Sangiovese, effectively making it a mini Super Tuscan.
Travel over to Spain and we find historic Rioja producers like Marqués de Murrieta and Marqués de Riscal adding Cabernet to their high end bottlings of Dalmau and Baron de Chirel respectively. Elsewhere in Spain, Ribera del Duero has top producers like Hacienda Monasterio adding up to 30% Cab and Merlot to their Tinto Fino while Bodegas Arzuaga makes a Gran Reserva with 10% Cab/Merlot blended in. Is adding Cabernet and Merlot to a traditional Gran Reserve blasphemy? Even though these grapes were grandfathered in, Rioja has already gone down the slippery path to allow plantings of Chardonnay, will we be talking about Super-Rioja’s in a few years?
Even in California, winemakers cry foul when beautiful old vines of the all-American varietal Zinfandel are torn up and replanted with Cabernet Sauvignon to meet demand. I assume I don’t have to tell you how Cabernet has sunk its teeth deep into Chile, Argentina, Australia and South Africa, though as members of the new world, they are still developing regional distinction.
So what are we to make of Cabernet and Merlot spreading its roots around the world? First of all, Bordeaux, the spiritual home of Cab and Merlot, has long been the archetype for quality winemaking with a long, illustrious history. Winemakers’ passion leads them to emulate their favorite bottles. But even more importantly, let’s not forget that in Bordeaux, Cabernet is just one of the grapes in a blend.
Meanwhile, in Montalcino, winemakers are trying to crush the Cabernet controversy. Is no grape sacred?
LE DÛ’S CAB-FRIENDLY PICKS
Sur, Cabernet Sauvignon (Argentina) 2006
Tua Rita, Perlato Del Bosco (Italy) 2004
Written by Andy Shernoff 5/8/2008
After years of being banned in America, absinthe — the drink of choice among tortured artists like Van Gogh, Guy de Maupassant, Manet and Ernest Hemingway — was finally legalized for sale in the U.S. in 2007. It’s quickly gained a new following, showing up on cocktail menus everywhere from New York to San Francisco.
Spurred by the temperance movement, which considered it a mind-altering, addictive drink, absinthe was banned in 1912. However, contrary to legend and despite first-hand accounts from Oscar Wilde and Toulouse-Lautrec, it seems hysteria fueled the misconception that absinthe was a powerful intoxicant that drove men mad, threw them into epileptic fits and was the drink that spurred Van Gogh to slice off his ear.
The source of controversy is thujone, the active chemical in absinthe. Derived from wormwood, an herb prized for its medicinal qualities in the past, it is dangerous in extremely high dosages, known to cause convulsions in laboratory animals. The concentration of thujone found in absinthe, however, is many thousands of times lower than that given to the lab rats — only 10 mg/l in America and never more than 35mg/l in Europe. So what causes the hallucinations? The theory is that absinthe’s extremely high alcohol content, typically around 60 percent (and up to 72), creates problems for those that overindulge in this mystical beverage.
I recently tried the three absinthes we carry at Le Dû’s Wines: the Kübler, which tastes like a high-alcohol licorice stick; the Lucid Absinthe Supérieure, which has a smoother anise flavor; and my favorite, the St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte, the only one of the three produced in America. The St. George proved to be the most complex, with a powerful botanical influence along with clean, pure licorice flavors.
I recommend preparing absinthe using the traditional French ritual: place a sugar cube on a flat, perforated spoon set across the rim of a glass filled with a few ounces of absinthe. Slowly drip ice-cold water onto the sugar cube, which will gradually dissolve until you have a ratio of three to four parts water to one part absinthe. The sugar will cut any bitterness in the absinthe and bring out the botanicals.
Now that our romantic associations between absinthe and bohemian artists and writers have been smashed to bits (although not if Marilyn Manson, one of the men behind Mansinthe, can help it…), we can try and understand absinthe on its own terms. To play it safe, I suggest you keep all cutlery away from your ears when drinking absinthe.
JEAN-LUC LE DÛ’S FAVORITE ABSINTHES
St. George Spirits Absinthe Verte - $74.99
Lucid Absinthe Supérieure - $67.99
Kübler Absinthe - $56.99
Written by Andy Shernoff 5/8/2008
Though my days of competitive sports are pretty much over, I now have a substitute with my sommelier competition. Instead of preparing for the big game I now have to prepare for the big sommelier competition. I absolutely love it and have this amazing drive to be the best, though this is not always the case, because time and time again I get humbled no matter how well I do.
The wine service competition is where we separate the boys from the men. Judging you is a Master Sommelier (of which there are currently only 150 in the world) playing the role of the obnoxious customer, pestering you with questions like; what temperature is the cellar kept at or name the sparkling wine regions of the world, while you are trying to pour bubbly champagne into skinny flute glasses in one single motion without spilling a single drop, under the pressure of time. Remember, one slip up and you lose points!
Finally, and as far as I am concerned, the most challenging test of all is the blind tasting. In this exercise you have 25 minutes to analytically break down six wines. You have to describe the color, the nose; the palate and just like a detective you have to gather all your evidence and come up with a conclusion which is the vintage, region, and grape varietal. Talk about pressure!
To prepare for this difficult section I gather some of the top sommeliers in NYC who each bring a wine to Le Dû’s on Saturday mornings to practice blind tasting. Most of us have aspirations to become a Master Sommelier, but we truly enjoy the blind tasting process as well. To tell you the truth this is my favorite part of the week. I feel like a kid waiting to play my Saturday morning Little League game. On Friday evening my blood is boiling with adrenaline ready to face the challenge and see what wines these crazy, passionate sommeliers have decided to bring with them. This is my technique for studying for the demanding Master Sommelier competition. It is very difficult and challenging but in the end, completely gratifying as well.
Written by Yannick Benjamin 8/2/2007
Yesterday an old friend of mine stopped by the store carrying some bottles of older Burgundies in his satchel. A few months back while barrel tasting the 2005 vintage in Beaune, we had a spirited conversation about how well the 1996 white Burgundies are ageing. This was after all a vintage that was highly touted at first and is, in many cases, not delivering the goods a decade later.
Many people in the industry (including, at long last, some Burgundian vintners) believe that some of the whites were affected by bad batches of corks, tainted with a residue of peroxide, which on contact with the wine literally stripped its flavors away. A telltale sign of this occurrence are the cork themselves. Affected corks are white instead of the natural sandy, light brown. I’ve experienced this quite a few times over the past couple of years, the worst incident back in February when I opened my only bottle of the ultra-rare and expensive Corton-Charlemagne from Coche-Dury.
Another culprit for the early oxidation of some cuvées from this reputably good vintage was the over batonnage (the action of stirring the lees with the clear wine in barrels) used by many winemakers. Faced with grapes high in acid at harvest, lees stirring seemed like a logical move at the time, but one that may have let too much CO² into the barrels.
My friend was keen on showing me that not all white Burgundies were flawed in 1996 (I tend to think in absolutes) and brought over two bottles that proved to be wonderful. The first was a perfectly decent village Meursault “Les Tillets” from Patrick Javillier. While not overly complex the wine showed no sign of early maturation and still had excellent freshness to it. The second was a sensational Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru by Jean-Noel Gagnard. Full-bodied with a creamy texture and a long persistent finish, it was pure Batard! After tasting this great wine, it somehow made sense to me that in a year that produced wines high in acid, a Grand Cru such as Batard-Montrachet which traditionally produces some of the Cote de Beaune richest wines, would do well.
Just to further debunk preconceived notions about vintages, my friend also brought over a red Burgundy from a vintage considered god-awful for reds, 1992 - whites on the other end are quite delicious but should be drunk soon, and if you own wines from the following estates you’re in for a great treat - M.Niellon, L.Carillon, V. Leflaive. The Dominique Laurent, Chambolle-Musigny 1er Cru “Les Amoureuses” he opened for us was pure bliss. While light in color, it possessed wonderful aromas of wet earth mixed with spices and remnants of red fruit. A light decadent pleasure.
This just proved that in Burgundy, while there are great, good and not so good vintages, at the end of the day, the most important factor is the Vigneron!
Written by Jean-Luc Le Dû 7/2/2007
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