Emilia127 Gaysorn Tower, 1st FloorRatchadamri Rd, LumphiniPathum WanBangkok, Thailand&nbsp;

BY NEAL MARTIN |&nbsp;MAY 31, 2024The Food:

Bread
with olive oil and balsamic

Peeled
tomatoes with Stracciatella and rocket

Beef
tartare with toasted sourdough

Cavolo Nero soup

Black
squid ink tagliatelle with caviar

Sea
urchin tagliolini

Grilled
samekarei (shark turbot) 

Charcoal
grilled Porterhouse Ranger Valley steak 

Tiramisù
ice cream cake with brown butter waffle

The Wines:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>1999
 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echézeaux&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
 <td>NR</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1950 Mouton-Rothschild</td>
 <td>90</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1982 Mouton-Rothschild</td>
 <td>96</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1953 Mouton-Rothschild</td>
 <td>NR</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1959 Château Margaux</td>
 <td>93</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1995 Haut-Brion</td>
 <td>95</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1970 Latour</td>
 <td>NR</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1970 Etienne Guigal&nbsp; Côte-Rôtie La Mouline</td>
 <td>93</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>1999 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie</td>
 <td>97</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2009 Domaine van Berg Le Vin
 Le Plus Simplemenet</td>
 <td>91</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2006 Domaine Dujac
 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru</td>
 <td>92</td>
 </tr></tbody></table>

During
my stay in Thailand to attend my youngest brother’s wedding, I ensured there
was one night when I could catch up with a good friend and share a bottle (or
two). With my daughter Daisy in tow, I apologized in advance for the
conversation that would broach a range of thrilling topics such as the
difference between terre blanche and terre rouge, Brettanomyces
or best Clos-de-Bèze producer. If she thought Sixth Form common room chat was
inane, this would take it to a whole new level. I had some trepidation
introducing the 17-year-old to her inaugural wine dinner since I’ve long
espoused the view that wine connoisseurship, alongside golf, jazz and jumbo corduroys,
all indicators that one’s youth has ended, and it’s time to grow up. That is
why all the aforementioned should be put aside for your mid-thirties. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174551811-emilia+tomatos_copy.jpg">Peeled tomatoes with Stracciatella and rocketAs it
turns out, the first wine that she sips is a not-too-shabby 1999
Grands-Echézeaux from DRC with a 1982 Mouton-Rothschild chaser. Oenophiles would
jump up and down like Tom Cruise on Oprah’s sofa at the prospect… My daughter
is merely bemused by how normal people become irrationally animated about such
a banal thing as fermented grape juice. When asked for her opinion, she replied
that all the wines tasted the same. Before you protest, there’s a kernel of
truth in that. Hey, wouldn’t you have replied similarly at that age? I would. To
compensate for her vinous ennui, at least we were in the company of a
thoroughly entertaining and passionate group of Bangkok wine lovers, and the
food was exceptional. Indeed, walking around the huge outdoor Chatuchak market
the following day, we kept reliving various dishes. It was one of those dinners
whose caliber really sunk in the following day, and, come my year-end review,
expect to see Emilia in the top echelons of my restaurant experiences. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174580300-emilia+beef+tartar.JPG">Beef tartare with toasted sourdoughEmilia is
located in the heart of the capital, just outside one of the world’s largest
shopping malls. The restaurant looks pretty innocuous as you enter the Gaysorn
Tower arcade, which is not particularly large, with an open frontage. Nothing
says: This might well be the best Italian in Bangkok. Owner Son Wason
Vitanakorn presides over several restaurants specializing in different
cuisines, though remarkably, it is not the young entrepreneur’s primary vocation.
Emilia focuses on Italian cuisine with carefully sourced high-end ingredients.
What I really appreciate is that Emilia doesn’t overcomplicate things. Dishes didn’t
brag, and each was underlined with effortless quality. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174625851-emilia+soup_copy.jpg">Cavolo Nero&nbsp;soup 

A ten-course
menu was specially arranged for the dinner. The omens were good when the bowl
of bread arrived: gooey and flavorsome, heightened by the top-grade olive oil
and a slightly viscous balsamic. Hot on its heels came peeled red and green tomatoes
with Stracciatella and rocket, the tomatoes with just the right amount of
piquancy and the Stracciatella like a cloud of creamy goodness. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174658211-emilia+squid+ink.JPG">Black squid ink tagliatelle with caviarThe beef
tartare was moist and clearly sourced from the finest cattle, with just enough
fat content. A blob of caviar imparted salinity, while the bitter leaf salad
and the rectangle of toasted sourdough together made the perfect foil. The next
dish was introduced as kale soup. Kale? Hey, I’m not on some zero-calorie diet.
Fortunately, the Tuscan kale, or Cavolo Nero, was less bitter. Exquisitely
presented with the sour cream dotted into a tree-like pattern, every spoonful
was delicious.

The black
squid ink tagliatelle with caviar was one of the evening’s highlights. It just
looked the part: lucid greys with glistening tiny baubles of caviar atop. It
was perfectly balanced, the pasta al dente and the fact that there were just
three of four mouth-watering mouthfuls heightened the gustatory pleasure and
did not leave me feeling excessively full. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174691818-emilia+urchin_copy.JPG">Sea urchin tagliolini Perhaps the sea urchin tagliolini had an impossible task following that squid tagliatelle, and I might have served them the opposite way round. Urchin is subtle in flavor and can be easily overwhelmed. This was clearly sourced to a high specification and complemented the tagliolini, though it did not set off gustatory fireworks.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717175652138-emilia+turbot.JPG">Grilled samekarei (shark turbot)The 2.7kg samekarei, otherwise known as shark turbot, was presented whole to our table by our waiter before being portioned. This is less meaty and flakier than regular turbot, neutral in flavor. The best part is the crispy skin and the umami sensation around the head. Delicious. (Daisy reliably informs me that a bowl of Ragù pasta did the rounds, but I was too busy waffling on about the minutiae of the differences between terre rouge and terre blanche soils and missed out.) <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717175683784-emilia+steak_copy.jpg">Charcoal grilled Porterhouse Ranger Valley steak The
fish was immediately outshone by the stunning charcoal-grilled Porterhouse
Ranger Valley steak. Wow. This is some of the finest beef I’ve encountered
since I almost OD’d on Wagyu in Japan: perfect fatness and unbelievably tasty
in flavor. I tried it first without the balsamic sauce, thinking that it could
not be improved. I was wrong, and I could easily have devoured the entire
plate. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174794823-emilia+tiramisu_copy.JPG">Tiramisù ice cream cake with brown butter waffle 

To
finish, a stone-cold classic tiramisù ice cream cake with brown butter waffle.
It is Daisy’s favorite dessert, so she immediately got to work with her spoon. Asked
whether it is superior to her mum’s, she tactfully replied that they’re
different. Anyway, the one here is fabulous. Guests
generously bought their own wines for this dinner, and we were treated to some exceptional
bottles. This merry band of wine lovers, refreshingly with equal representation
from each gender, had coalesced during the pandemic and continue to meet
regularly and share contents from their cellars. The first bottle was the
aforementioned 1999 Grands-Echézeaux from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti,
which our host had opened the previous night at another dinner, so it was just
‘to see’. You could tell it was a great wine. However, it wasn’t an instance whereby
a wine was better the second day, and it was too oxidative. Maybe that’s why my
daughter did not react with euphoria. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174845019-emilia+bottle+line+up.JPG">Things
got going with a series of First Growths, including one that I had never tasted.
The 1950 Mouton-Rothschild comes from a halcyon era for the Fir…, sorry,
Second Growth when Baron Philippe was pulling out all the stops in what must
have seemed like a futile quest for promotion. It is a rather forgotten
vintage, more known on the Right Bank. This was a welcome surprise. In fact, I
mistook it for a nobler vintage. Decayed red fruit on the nose, antique bureau,
pencil shavings and cedar unfurl gradually, fully mature yet still vital. The
palate might be considered lightweight yet retains a fine-boned structure and light
grip. It shows beguiling balance with a classically styled and regal finish. All
it lacks is heft and density. While I would not entertain this vintage much
longer, it is not drying out and deserves applause. The 1982
Mouton-Rothschild, well, what is there left to say? A lot, actually,
because this wine is prone to variance between bottles. This one, bought a
decade ago, was a fine example that suggests it is reaching full maturity. There’s
plenty of dashing and glossy black fruit on the nose, with cedar, a touch of
brown spices, graphite and sage. It’s decadent but more evolved than others.
The palate is immense with body and girth, layers of slightly savory black
fruit that is almost viscous in texture, quintessential Claret yet with just a
suggestion of Mediterranean flair. Based on this bottle, I would be popping
corks now, but as I mentioned, the next could be more youthful and primal. The 1953
Mouton-Rothschild is a renowned growing season, though this was not the
best bottle. The 1959
Château Margaux is a splendid wine even if it lags behind its First Growth
peers. This example possesses a touch more fruit on the nose than previous ones,
redcurrant and strawberry, wilted rose petals and hints of Provençal herbs
unfurling in the glass, though there are no fireworks. The palate is very well
balanced with admirable precision, real weight and presence, and then it eases
back to a harmonious finish. The precocity of that season is tangible, though
it politely refuses to deliver the pizzazz and audacity you can find elsewhere.
The 1995 Haut-Brion is currently strutting its stuff: dark berry fruit,
Earl Grey tea and warm red brick flourish on the nose, classic yet vibrant and compelling.
The palate has reached its plateau after nigh 30 years, with finely embroidered
tannins, impressive fruit and weight, yet with First Growth’s signature
sophistication and charm on the svelte, slightly peppery, almost understated
finish. It knows it doesn’t have to do too much to impress you. Other bottles
included a 1961 L’Eglise-Clinet that I will blend into a write-up of
1961 Pomerols coming to a ‘screen’ near you soon and a corked 1970 Latour.
That particular vintage for Latour is like Russian roulette. The 1970
Côte-Rôtie La Mouline from Guigal is the oldest vintage I have
tasted. Because of its age and the fact that 1970 was not a great Rhône
vintage, I approached it with trepidation. Too old? Not in the slightest! Vestiges
of red fruit mixed with saddle leather, thyme, rooibos, rosemary and cracked
black pepper intermingle on the fully mature nose. The palate is not powerful
and might lack some grip, yet there is balance and poise. White pepper commingles
with sage, and a gentle but controlled crescendo reminds you that this comes
from serious terroir. I would not leave bottles too long, but I adored this
Rhône. The 1999 Côte-Rôtie from Domaine Jamet was one of the high
points of a dinner with plenty of them. This is reaching its plateau: layers of
melted red fruit on the nose, hickory, sage and wild fennel, beautifully
defined and intense, though never overpowering. The palate is quite full in the
mouth, yet its elegance and panache can’t be ignored. Extremely harmonious and
smooth on the finish, with just a dab of garrigues and bouquet garni on
the aftertaste, this is exquisite and reaffirms that Jamet might be my favorite
Rhône vigneron. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1717174882042-emilia+van+berg.JPG">There
were fewer bottles from Burgundy on this occasion, but I was privileged with an
elusive 2009 Le Vin Le Plus Simplement from Domaine Van Berg. Photographer
Bernard Van Berg migrated to the region with his wife Judith just after the
millennium. His goal, or more accurately, calling, was to make minuscule quantities
of wine that were not ‘natural’ in the commonly perceived sense of the word,
but practicing viticulture that was, quoting Van Berg himself, a ‘pact with
nature’. Based on the fringe of Meursault, some of his parcels were located on
the wrong side of the RN74, ergo some local winemakers scoffed at the idea of
producing top-end wine. He farmed just a couple of hectares. Many vines were
trained individually on their stakes with inter-row wild vegetation to maintain
natural biodiversity. He employed a horse rather than a tractor, tiny yields
(under 15hL/ha according to the label) and a small wooden press in his home,
matured without sulfur or filtration. He presaged the likes of Charles Lachaux
insofar that they share a stubborn-minded, obsessive nature on how things
should be done. Another comparison would be the extraordinarily high prices
that the wines sold for. I use the past tense because the couple sold their parcels
in 2017, and their fairytale story reached its denouement. This was the first
bottle that I tasted. Rarity and high prices are no prerequisites for greatness,
and admittedly, I had a bit of skepticism. However, I can’t deny that this is
quite delicious, with maraschino cherries, iodine and marmalade on the
beautifully defined nose. The palate has a confit-like sweetness, black
cherries and blood orange, fine tannins and an almost Gamay-like finish
(indeed, Van Berg cultivated the variety). Sold as a Vin de France because he
did not agree with the INAO’s rules and regulations, it is a delightful wine
that I’ll probably drink again. Finally,
the 2006 Charmes-Chambertin Grand Cru from Domaine Dujac is
lovely. Black cherries, hints of blood orange and a touch of wilted violets on
the nose are very well-defined. The palate is beautifully balanced with a crisp
line of acidity, quite “correct” and linear, perhaps more Mazoyères than
Charmes. It’s probably a notch up from my last bottle six years ago. 

This
was a wonderful evening centered around some of the best Italian dishes I’ve
eaten in a long while. Who knew that it would transpire, in all places, in
Bangkok? We enjoyed a stellar array of wines, and more importantly, the guests
really made it a memorable evening. Despite the caliber of fermented grape
juice, Daisy did not have a eureka moment and did not depart a wine-obsessed
oenophile. Thank God. She’s got the rest of her life to succumb to the wonders
and ridiculousness of fermented grape juice.© 2024, Vinous. No portion of this article may be copied, shared or re-distributed without prior consent from Vinous. Doing so is not only a violation of our copyright, but also threatens the survival of independent wine criticism.

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