2005 Bordeaux with Tanzer &amp; Galloni

It’s easy to miss the entrance. The street number is
virtually completely hidden by scaffolding. Taped white paper notices on the
glass door entrance give the impression of a construction site rather than one
of New York’s most exclusive dining destinations. A freight elevator brings
guests upstairs, and the door opens into David Bouley’s Test Kitchen, a world
unto itself in New York City’s Tribeca district. The large loft space functions
as both an open kitchen and a small private dining room that is ideal for private events.&nbsp; 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956511070-Bouley+kitchen+-+Copy.JPG"> 

I had had many fabulous meals at the Test Kitchen, but this was
our first Vinous event in this space. For the occasion, my colleague Steve
Tanzer and I chose a dozen of our favorite 2005 Bordeaux for a retrospective
tasting and dinner designed to highlight some of the best wines of this
historic harvest at the ten-year mark, with an eye towards showcasing a
diversity of styles and terroirs. The wines were loosely grouped in flights of
two or three, mostly by theme, but the overall selection was largely about
enjoying the best the vintage has to offer. Chef David Bouley created a special
menu that highlighted the bounties of early fall. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956532598-Room+-+Copy.jpg">Everything is ready to
go in the Text Kitchen’s intimate dining room

Two thousand five is a magical vintage for Bordeaux. At the
time, 2005 was one of the richest and most powerful vintages ever seen. The
dry, warm season was tempered by a cool September that allowed the grapes to
ripen gradually while retaining considerable freshness. Today, ten years later,
the 2005s are just beginning to open up, something that comes as a surprise to
a number of people in the room who expected the wines to be much more backward
and closed. To be sure, this tasting and others around it make it clear the
best 2005s will drink well for decades, but it is also not a crime to start
dipping into some of these reds. All of the wines in this tasting were
purchased upon release from Morrell’s and stored in a
temperature-controlled cellar, which is so important when it comes to older
wines. The bottles were opened around 5pm, checked for flaws, and gently double
decanted to remove sediment. Wine Director Adrien Falcon and his team did a
fabulous job with service, in particular, keeping the wines at the
right temperature. 

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956564373-decanting+-+Copy.jpg">Wines are decanted
just prior to service

Reception

Chef’s Selection of Hors d’Oeuvres2005 Dom Pérignon

The 2005 Dom Pérignon is a gorgeous, refreshing Champagne to
drink as guests arrive and things get busy behind the burners. The allure and
interactivity of the Test Kitchen is simply unmatched in New York City. I
always feel like a real participant here, rather than simply a guest or host.
What a great space this is. 

Flight One

Porcini Flan with
Fresh Langoustine

2005 Clos L’Eglise

2005 La ConseillanteBoth Pomerols are incredibly delicious and open. The Clos
L’Eglise is quite racy, but the Conseillante is even more so. The Porcini Flan with Fresh Langoustine, a
Bouley signature, is fabulous in the way it marries so many layers of flavor
and texture.&nbsp;

Flight Two

Forager’s Treasure of Wild Mushrooms With&nbsp;Wild Quail and Wild Guinea Hen and&nbsp;White Truffles 2005 Cos d’Estournel 

2005 Léoville Las Cases

For many guests, the Cos d’Estournel is one of the
highlights of the night. How could it not be? The 2005 is open, expressive and
showing beautifully. The 2005 Léoville Las Cases is harder to enjoy today, as
it is clearly built for the future, but both Steve and I have it among our
favorites for the night. The Forager’s Treasure of Wild Mushrooms withWild Quail and Wild Guinea Hen and&nbsp;White Truffles&nbsp;signals the
arrival of fall, and also is a terrific pairing with these two Left Bank classics. &nbsp;<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447958201348-Mushrooms+-+Copy+-+Copy.JPG"> Plating the Forager’s Treasure of Wild Mushrooms With&nbsp;Wild Quail and Wild Guinea Hen and&nbsp;White Truffles Flight Three 

White Fallow Venison;
Raw Cacao, Shallots Braised in Red Wine, Rosemary

2005 Margaux

2006 Antinori Solaia (Mystery Wine)

2005 Mouton-Rothschild

The 2005 Margaux is another wine that is pure magic from the
minute it is opened. It is also a wine Steve and I have among our favorites of
the evening. The 2005 Mouton is darker and more brooding. Both will age well
for decades. Antinori’s 2006, served blind as a mystery wine, shows quite well,
even if these aren’t the best bottles I have tasted. Originally I
did not want to serve venison, as I thought the meat would be too gamy, but David
Bouley convinced me otherwise. What can I say?&nbsp;He was right, I was wrong.<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/multimedia/2005-bordeaux-with-stephen-tanzer-and-antonio-galloni-nov-2015"><img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956239679-Tanzer+Galloni.png"></a>

Multimedia: <a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/multimedia/2005-bordeaux-with-stephen-tanzer-and-antonio-galloni-nov-2015">Tanzer
&amp; Galloni compare notes on the wines</a>

Flight Four

Great Barrington
Organic Grass-fed Young Lamb, Organic Flageolets

2005 Haut-Brion

2005 Pape Clément

2005 La Mondotte

2005 Troplong-Mondot

Tasting the 2005 Haut-Brion and Pape Clément side by side is
fascinating, as they represent stylistic extremes. The Haut-Brion is classic,
while the Pape Clément is unabashedly modern. But there is a certain
universality in greatness, and both of these wines are simply stunning. The
Pape Clément will mature sooner than the Haut-Brion, but both wines show
beautifully on this night. The 2005 Mondotte and Troplong-Mondot, both from the
Saint-Emilion’s clay/limestone plateau, are powerhouses. The Mondotte is
impossibly closed, while the Troplong-Mondot is ripe, sensual and inviting.
David Bouley’s Great Barrington Organic Grass-fed Young Lamb is off the charts. What a dish!

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956281881-Bouley+-+Copy.jpg">

David Bouley getting ready
to plate the lamb

Flight Four

Chef’s Selection of
Mature Artisanal French Cheeses By Maitre Affineur Rodolphe le Meunier

2005 Pavie

2005 Angélus

2005 Cheval Blanc

In many ways, the best is saved for last. The three wines in
the closing flight are all magnificent. I have a weakness for the Cheval Blanc,
as it is super-refined, sensual and flat-out stunning. The Pavie and Angélus are
of course more powerful wines, but they aren’t too far behind. These are
especially fine bottles of the Pavie, which was more forward in a tasting a
week prior to this one, while the Angélus is the most tannic of the three, but
all of the wines in this flight are superb.

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447957170385-2005+bordeaux+with+a+twist+-+Copy.JPG"> 

A fabulous lineup of
2005 Bordeaux with a few twists&nbsp;

And now, it’s time to start thinking about tasting the 2006s
next year…

<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/wines?wine_filter%5Barticle_id%5D=1254&amp;sort%5Bdirection%5D=asc&amp;sort%5Bname%5D=id">View all the wines in
the order tasted</a><img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1447956683312-Corks+-+Copy.jpg"> 

You Might Also Enjoy<a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2014-bordeaux-it-ain-t-over-till-it-s-over-apr-2015">2014 Bordeaux: It Ain’t Over Till It’s Over</a> (AG) <a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/bordeaux-2013-walking-the-tightrope-apr-2014">2013 Bordeaux: Walking the Tightrope</a> (AG) <a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2007-2006-and-2005-bordeaux-may-2008">2007, 2006 and 2005 Bordeaux</a> (ST) <a target="_blank" href="http://vinous.com/articles/2006-2005-and-2004-bordeaux-may-2007">2006, 2005 and 2004 Bordeaux</a> (ST)-- Antonio Galloni

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