Last night Doc and I attended a tasting of Domaines Schlumberber wines at the new Morrells (900 Broadway, 20th St.) Doc had been to the new Morrells a few times before so he knew the bartender (who we will call Brunette) which can in handy during this unorganized tasting. I would say that 75% of the people didnt know what they were drinking and didnt really care either. Numerous people asked for a Riesling not knowing that there were many different ones being poured. When one guy asked Brunette for Riesling, Brunette said which one, he said the reserve.....Pretty funny how somebody assumes that the reserve has to be the best wine...they didnt have a reserve but he didnt care...The wines:
2002 Pinot Blac- ok $15 750ml
1999 Riesling Princes Abbes- ok $22 750ml
1998 Riesling Grand Cru Saering- better $23 750ml
1998 Riesling Grand Cru Kitterle- very good $31 750ml
1999 Pinot Gris Grand Cru Spiegel-not good, huge nose and taste of nail polish remover $32 750ml
2000 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Kessler-ok, Doc got lots of petrol out of it...$34 750ml
1998 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Christine- Fresh bottle that was very good $72 750ml
1997 Gewurztraminer Grand Cru Anne- Another fresh bottle, great nose, on the plate it was ok $75 375ml
Brunette was pouring many glasses of a sparkling Shiraz from McLaren Vale, so I asked for a small taste, it wasnt very good...
We ordered a glass of 2000 Chassagne Montrachet, Domaine Ramoet, $21. First bottle was probably open for one to many days so we asked for a new bottle. The fresh bottle was better but the wine was still nothing exciting. After all of these wines we were kinda hungry so we ordered yellowtail tuna to share which was excellent. Then we had a glass of 1996 Kracher Scheurebe Trockenbeerenauslese # 3...Yum..
Then to dinner at Bolo (23 East 22nd Street (between Broadway and Park Avenue South) where we had a glass of 2000 Alvaro Porlacios Les Terrasses while we looked over the wine list and waited for a table. Doc was in an adventurous mood and was eager to try something new while I was a little weary about being adventurous bc I know nothing about Spanish wines which the list is mostly composed of. I left the decision in Doc's hands and he did well, a bottle of 1985 Spring Mountain CS. The wine was decanted and a small taste was poured into our Riedel stems. The wine had an awesome nose that continued to develope over the course of the night. I gave it 93 ttepper points while Doc gave it 94pts...A great aged Cali cab...
We decided to order some tappas and then see what we were in the mood for as an entree. They were:
Saffron rice cake with shrimp, good
Artichoke heart with quail egg and salmon caviar, I liked this more than Doc, I believe he wanted more of an artichoke flavor which he loves.
Duck prosciutto on toasted tomato bread, this was good but it needed more prosciutto.
A pork, potato, and goat cheese skewer with smoked paprika, good
We really enjoy all of these so we decided to try some of the others...
Piquillo pepper with raw tuna salad, the pepper over powered the tuna, the tuna at Morrells was much better.
Spanish cheese with quince paste, very good
Lamb tenderloin with arugula and oven dried cherry tomatoes, very good
As an entree Doc had a roasted rabbit wrapped in serrano ham, with green peas, toasted coriander risotto and broccoli. I had a black pepper crusted angus sirloin with sherry vinegar steak sauce and yukon gold potatoes with Cabroles blue cheese. Both were excellent. We had some wine left in our glasses so we decided to go with a cheese plate. For $15 we got the biggest cheese plate that I have ever seen.
Mancheso, an aged sheeps milk cheese with a nutty flavor
Mahonsemicurado, a hard crumbly cheese made of cows milk
Cabroles, a great blue from sheeps milk
Torta del Casar, a soft sheeps milk cheese
Cabra al vino, a sweet and smooth goat cheese which is cured in red wine.
We had enough to eat but we were still up for a drink, so we headed across the street where I had a few beers and Doc had some Scotch. I was after 12 so we headed home...I missed my train by 3 minutes so I had to wait around Penn station for an hour which kinda sucked. I would recommend Bolo to anyone. Great food and a very good wine list, especially if you know your wines from Spain. Good to see you Doc, it was a great time...thanks |