Thursday, March 04, 2004
The last two nights I've been out with friends from the TV media world who have a keen interest in wine. 808's Jean Marie Josselin and Roy's Evan Cruz, two of my best chef friends in town whipped up a bunch of off the menu items for us that complemented an array of wines. Between the dishes from the kitchen and the always ethereal Sushi that Roy's newest sushi mistress, Catherine cranks out, the wines were challenged by the flavors of all the dishes. I'd be remiss if I didn't recognize the servers too. Hank at Roy's keen table sense and helpfulness to newcomers to the UTC standout made my friends feel the sense of Ohana (family) while Didier, one of 808's French imports, made sure Jean Marie's creations were brought to the table in short order. San Diegans and visitor to our fine city, who have yet to take the trek to our two Hawaiian Island outposts really don't know what they are missing.
While Roy's has grown in size with the addition of the 75 seat private dining room, it still has the kitchen team that can crank out the dishes. Despite the departure due to promotion of Sushi wizard Lauren to Roy's Newport Beach location to open a Sushi bar there, the fresh fish and creations from Evan and Cat always makes for happy palates. Add in the attention to customers that Adam Flierl provides (there may not be a better front of the house operator in San Diego when it comes to customer relationships) and Roy's remains despite it's growth a must still go to location.
On the more intimate side, 808, now that Jean Marie Josselin has been in the kitchen, not the front of the house, is firing on all cylinders. Not since the departure of Doug Organ from Laurel and Wine Seller and Brasserie has San Diego had the good fortune to have a chef who range is as diverse as Josselin. His skills with fish means even with the WinePal's all time favorite chef David Abella off to guide all the Roy's locations nationwide away from us, that magical creations can still be found here in San Diego. Every morning either Josselin or his Sous Chef, Adrian, heads off to Chinois farms for fresh vegetables meaning the friendly rivalry between 808 and Arterra (the other Chinois daily buyer) results in my eating really healthy veggies on a regular basis. Josselin brings to San Diego a sense of modern French cooking, tasted most recently at places in Paris like Maceo, L'Atelier Berger, L'Atelier Maitre Albert (Guy Savoy's newest and most fun place) and L'Atelier Joel Roubouchon to San Diego. His skill at combinations, with Foie Gras, Shellfish, Lobster and more importantly, the high quality fresh fish he's finding from an array of purveyors is just startling. Of late, his Kobi beef dishes means the best steak at the Aventine title may be up for grabs !
1999 Weingut Salomon-Undhof Riesling Kremser Kogl
Austrian wines, which are only now just starting to get a following never cease to amaze me. Their dryness and concentration levels of fruit flavors rival the best of Alsace in France and being vinfied dry, seem to eclipse even some of the trocken style Mosel or Rhine wines from Germany. The most amazing aspect is their purity, which lets the fruit do the talking. This wine had flavors of lemon, peach and blood orange, and was a dynamic way to start a night of wine and fine friendship.
1995 Hauts du Montmirial Gigondas (Brusset) Rhone Valley, France
It was a toss up between the 1990 and the 1995, but since this was my last bottle of the 1995 and 1995 was a someone less age worthy year compared to the monumental 1990, I grabbed this before heading to Restaurant 808 for dinner. The wine has gone from being a big, brooding monster, into an elegant bottle. Originally, almost like an Aussie, the tannins had subsided and revealed layer upon layer of generous Syrah and Grenache fruit. White pepper, black pepper, Provencal herbs, blackberry, blueberry and cranberry, plus a hint of light strawberry flavor.
1991 Ridge Geyserville
Only 50 percent zin, but who's counting. An amazing concentration level of fruit and flavor, the wine is not nearly as big as the 1990, as it seems to be more elegant, with a longer finish. Blackberry, jammy, primal fruit flavors still abound. Very good, and likely still aging.
2001 David Hill Reserve Estate Pinot Noir Oregon
One of the more elegant Pinot Noir's I've tasted this year, the small lot producer who is beginning to secure national distribution has hit the mark for the second year in a row. Lots of Burgundian qualities in the wine. While the wine is not a fleshy monster, it is more in league with wines from Ponzi and Patricia Green, than Argyle and others from nearby. What is so good to me is it's lightness of palate weight, yet concentration of flavors.
2001 Robert Biale Black Chicken Napa Valley Zinfandel
The wine reminds me of old school Ridge Lytton Spring, as the richness, jammy fruit and thick, syrup like taste was just tremendous. Loads of black currant, fresh raspberries, tons of blueberry and pie crust, the wine is sensational now, and while one wants to age a wine like this, it's almost impossible to keep your hands off it.
Cheers,
Andy
While Roy's has grown in size with the addition of the 75 seat private dining room, it still has the kitchen team that can crank out the dishes. Despite the departure due to promotion of Sushi wizard Lauren to Roy's Newport Beach location to open a Sushi bar there, the fresh fish and creations from Evan and Cat always makes for happy palates. Add in the attention to customers that Adam Flierl provides (there may not be a better front of the house operator in San Diego when it comes to customer relationships) and Roy's remains despite it's growth a must still go to location.
On the more intimate side, 808, now that Jean Marie Josselin has been in the kitchen, not the front of the house, is firing on all cylinders. Not since the departure of Doug Organ from Laurel and Wine Seller and Brasserie has San Diego had the good fortune to have a chef who range is as diverse as Josselin. His skills with fish means even with the WinePal's all time favorite chef David Abella off to guide all the Roy's locations nationwide away from us, that magical creations can still be found here in San Diego. Every morning either Josselin or his Sous Chef, Adrian, heads off to Chinois farms for fresh vegetables meaning the friendly rivalry between 808 and Arterra (the other Chinois daily buyer) results in my eating really healthy veggies on a regular basis. Josselin brings to San Diego a sense of modern French cooking, tasted most recently at places in Paris like Maceo, L'Atelier Berger, L'Atelier Maitre Albert (Guy Savoy's newest and most fun place) and L'Atelier Joel Roubouchon to San Diego. His skill at combinations, with Foie Gras, Shellfish, Lobster and more importantly, the high quality fresh fish he's finding from an array of purveyors is just startling. Of late, his Kobi beef dishes means the best steak at the Aventine title may be up for grabs !
1999 Weingut Salomon-Undhof Riesling Kremser Kogl
Austrian wines, which are only now just starting to get a following never cease to amaze me. Their dryness and concentration levels of fruit flavors rival the best of Alsace in France and being vinfied dry, seem to eclipse even some of the trocken style Mosel or Rhine wines from Germany. The most amazing aspect is their purity, which lets the fruit do the talking. This wine had flavors of lemon, peach and blood orange, and was a dynamic way to start a night of wine and fine friendship.
1995 Hauts du Montmirial Gigondas (Brusset) Rhone Valley, France
It was a toss up between the 1990 and the 1995, but since this was my last bottle of the 1995 and 1995 was a someone less age worthy year compared to the monumental 1990, I grabbed this before heading to Restaurant 808 for dinner. The wine has gone from being a big, brooding monster, into an elegant bottle. Originally, almost like an Aussie, the tannins had subsided and revealed layer upon layer of generous Syrah and Grenache fruit. White pepper, black pepper, Provencal herbs, blackberry, blueberry and cranberry, plus a hint of light strawberry flavor.
1991 Ridge Geyserville
Only 50 percent zin, but who's counting. An amazing concentration level of fruit and flavor, the wine is not nearly as big as the 1990, as it seems to be more elegant, with a longer finish. Blackberry, jammy, primal fruit flavors still abound. Very good, and likely still aging.
2001 David Hill Reserve Estate Pinot Noir Oregon
One of the more elegant Pinot Noir's I've tasted this year, the small lot producer who is beginning to secure national distribution has hit the mark for the second year in a row. Lots of Burgundian qualities in the wine. While the wine is not a fleshy monster, it is more in league with wines from Ponzi and Patricia Green, than Argyle and others from nearby. What is so good to me is it's lightness of palate weight, yet concentration of flavors.
2001 Robert Biale Black Chicken Napa Valley Zinfandel
The wine reminds me of old school Ridge Lytton Spring, as the richness, jammy fruit and thick, syrup like taste was just tremendous. Loads of black currant, fresh raspberries, tons of blueberry and pie crust, the wine is sensational now, and while one wants to age a wine like this, it's almost impossible to keep your hands off it.
Cheers,
Andy
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