TN: New Years Eve Paillard, Leflaive, Ampeau, Gosset NEW YEARS EVE - Robuchon (Tokyo) and a nearby bar (12-31-2005) For New Years Eve, we headed to Robuchon's Tokyo outpost with Cathryn's parents and her brother and sister-in-law. 1=2E Starting Out Amuse of apple pearls with vodka granit=E9e Ossetra caviar in a lobster gel=E9e with cauliflower cream *N.V. Bruno Paillard Champagne Ros=E9 Brut Premi=E8re Cuv=E9e - France, Champagne, Reims, Champagne* Light, only slightly more than salmon color, with elegant small mousse. Nose leads with light strawberries with a little apple underneath. With further time, a little chalky mineral and a mixed bouquet of flowers turn up. On the palate, it is similar with light berry fruit buoyed by great crisp acidity and a mineral streak. The slightest hint of structure shows up in the finish. This is beautifully light and elegant - almost evanescent except that the finish lingers and the pleasure lasts. Decidedly refined for a house pour! I like it. 2=2E And When the White Comes... Tuna tartare with red pepper and bergamote oil Foie gras on a bed of parmesan spelt risotto Crustac=E9s with amadai (Japanese sea bream-like fish) in saffron bouillon with just a touch of rouille There was great disappointment here, as there was a '90 Chave Hermitage Blanc on the list for $165. However, it had sold out and they had failed to update the list. Why is the steal of the list always gone when I get there??? *1999 Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet - France, Burgundy, C=F4te de Beaune, Puligny-Montrachet* Enticingly bright straw yellow. Nose immediately shows the oak, which takes a bit of time to step back and let a beautiful floral apple and lemon nose come forward. The nose combines bright, fresh wild stream stoniness and citrus acid with a prettiness to the fruit that promises a lot to come. This is still very young, as the beauty and stoniness take at least 20 minutes to come to the fore and are always threatening to hide behind the oak and apple fruit again. On the palate, a great richness that is absolutely fresh and stony bright in a way that only Puligny can be. A very young but enticing village effort that needs at least another five years to begin to show its best. Most producers should be proud to make a premi=E8re cru of this caliber. 3=2E And One More Round... Thin-sliced boeuf r=F4ti with a mille-feuille of gratin=E9ed potato buttorted cheeses (including Rocquefort, Epoisses, Comt=E9 on my plate) I was in charge of ordering wine but not of deciding whether we had a dessert wine, so there was nothing to go with the citron cr=E8me or the souffl=E9. *1989 Robert Ampeau & Fils Savigny-l=E8s-Beaune Les Lavieres 1er Cru - France, Burgundy, C=F4te de Beaune, Savigny-l=E8s-Beaune* Very light burgundy red, fading to orange at the rim. Decanted and served immediately, this was wide open for business. Out of the gate, the nose showed pretty aromas of purple flower, sweet cherry and raspberry, and pine forest floor. The palate still maintained good acidity, but had given up any semblance of tannin. There was a nice bit of sweet fruit up front, but it had lost a good bit of density. While the mid-palate didn't fall away, it was definitely more about flowery elegance and soft sweet fruit than about power or body. Showed a bit of breed and depth on a finish that was a little longer than expected and left a nice haunting violet-like scent. Would have been overmatched by a heavier preparation, but stood up well to the lighter beef dish and did a great job of working throughout the meal for the two non-white wine drinkers at the table. Enjoyable, pretty, and sneaky long on the finish. I suspect this never had a lot more body and concentration than it does now. Still, I'd rather drink this with food than any number of ostensibly "better" wines in their youth. 4=2E And Midnight Comes... We headed down the street to a bar to ring in the new year with... *N.V. Gosset Champagne Brut Grand Reserve - France, Champagne* A bright yellow-gold with small persistent mousse. From the beginning, this is very much a Champagne that is about celebration rather than food - a great choice for the midnight toast. Nose shows a bit of sweet vanilla, along with ripe apple, fig, and yeasty bread. Palate is round and creamy with very rich apple pie fruit enriched by mocha, apricot confit, and baking spice. Great density and richness, complexity, and hedonism. Again, seems more like a celebration wine than a food wine, but perfect for the moment. A new category of house wine for me - "toasting wine" - is likely to find this first up in the rotation. No need for a food review in a wine forum, but a few quick comments: (1) Food was excellent and beautifully executed, but lacked inspiration. (2) There were a few smudges on some serving pieces that just didn't match with the setting, price, and aspirations of the retaurant. (3) Service was oddly inconsistent. Terrible wine service (courses served unbidden before wine was ordered or aperitifs finished, list not up to date, sommelier had no idea about the wines on his list), but very attentive table service. They noticed my father-in-law was left-handed and reversed every setting for him after the amuse. Enjoyed it, but there are experiences that are much better in terms of both food and service for the same money in Tokyo. Posted from CellarTracker 
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