(Crossposted to TNs)

Julia's Kitchen is the restaurant at Copia, the American Center for Wine, Food and the Arts, located in the City of Napa.

When first opened, the restaurant had its share of problems and never quite lived up to expectations. Last year the Patina Group took over the operation, and they and Executive Chef Victor Scargill have really brought things around. The room is spacious and comfortable. We started with:

1997 Marcassin Chardonnay Lorenzo Vineyard - no sediment in this bottle - pretty golden hue - lovely aromatics of lightly toasted nuts with undertones of dense Chardonnay fruit. Soft entry with smooth and rich mouthfeel - impeccably balanced, this is a wine that has shed whatever babyfat it may have had and now shows the patina of age. Past its window of enjoyment as a fruit-driven wine, it is tremendously pleasurable for its harmony, texture and luscious flavors - it’s in a league of its own.

I chose the Crispy Sweetbreads as a starter. The sweetbreads are trimmed and cut into small nuggets, then receive a light breading and are then deep-fried. They are served on a bed of sautéed wild mushrooms and lardons with a bit of wilted greens (parsley?) and a touch of a port wine reduction. They were indeed crispy and light, and paired nicely with the mushrooms. The dish provided all the pleasures of the main ingredient without any of the problems that can sometimes mar its enjoyment. Very nicely done.

A lobster bisque and a salad of Copia greens were equally well received by my companions. Our next wine was:

1997 Marcassin Pinot Noir Marcassin Vineyard - bright ruby red in the glass - very pretty aromatics of Pinot fruit that runs more to the cherry portion of the spectrum. The wine is pretty and balanced in the mouth with a touch of polished tannin on the very clean finish. The wine was not really disappointing, but I expected a bit more intensity and focus from this producer.

My next dish was a wonderful Duck Confit, served as a boneless thigh section on a bed of braised beans and wilted radicchio - it was pure pleasure. Sautéed to warm through and crisp the skin, the richness of the duck meat was perfectly complimented by the creamy texture of the beans and the touch of bitterness the radicchio provided. The confit itself was of the 'melt in your mouth' category - as good as any I've had in the Valley, and even better than the confit at Bouchon.

My companions ordered Lobster served on Roasted Spaghetti Squash, Pan Roasted Ribeye and a Halibut dish - the details of which I do not remember. All were received with enthusiasm. With these dishes we opened:

1985 Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon Napa - stood upright for several days and decanted off significant fine sediment. The aromatics were a bit muted, showing more of this wine's mineral and graphite character than pure fruit. But in the mouth? - Oh, my goodness!!! Layers of deep Cabernet fruit with added complexity of the mineral and graphite introduced in the nose. The wine is medium-full bodied with completely resolved tannins and a richness of flavor that belies the velvety, mouthfilling texture that levitates across the palate. Long, lingering, smooth follow. A wine that is at its absolute peak of enjoyment for my personal taste, and is easily among my top five red wine experiences. Extraordinary.

My personal schedule caused me to leave early, so I was unable to enjoy the cheese course and desserts my companions ordered.

The service was excellent - casual, but respectful; attentive without being intrusive. These folks have been very well trained.

I have nothing but praise for Julia's Kitchen - highly recommended.

We enjoyed our meal there in November. No wine as we had been tasting all day and I had to drive to SFO afterwards for our flight home.