<a target="_blank" href="https://www.levernois.com/fr/la-table-de-levernois.html">Hostellerie de Levernois</a><a target="_blank" href="https://www.levernois.com/fr/la-table-de-levernois.html">

</a>Rue du Golf

F-21200 Levernois

Tél. +33 3 80 24 73
58

BY ANTONIO GALLONI | JANUARY 24, 2020The Food:

Lobster Menu (Menu Hommard)

The Right Claw; Melon, Pickles, Jabugo Ham, ‘Fleur de Feu’
Tea Consommé (La Pince Droite; La Melonnière, Pickles, Lomo de Jabugo, un
Consommé au Thé, ‘Fleur de Feu’)

The Left Claw and Knuckle in Cannelloni; Multicolored
Tomatoes, Bouchot Mussels and Basil, Coral Jus with Ganshu Berries (La Pince
Gauche et L’Entre Pince en Cannelloni; Tomates Multicolores, Moules de Bouchot
et Basilic, Jus Coraille aux Baies de Ganshu)

The Tail with Red Pepper, Veal Croquette in Zucchini
Flowers, Chanterelles and Summer Truffles, Marjoram Sauce with Fallot Mustard (La
Queue au Poivre Rouge, Cromesquis de Veau en Fleur de Courgettes, Girolles et
Truffes d’Eté, Jus de Carapace à la Marjolaine et Moutarde Fallot)

Selection of Cheeses, Fresh and Aged (Les Plateaux de
Fromages Frais et Affinés)

Lemon Custard Cake (Gateâu au Citron)The Wines:<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>2016
 Domaine François Raveneau Chablis Valmur – Grand Cru</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">91</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2014 Domaine Hubert Lamy
 Saint-Aubin Derrière Chez Edouard Haute Densité – 1er Cru&nbsp;&nbsp;</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">94</td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>2014 Domaine Dujac
 Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes – 1er Cru</td>
 <td class="wysiwyg-text-align-right">93</td>
 </tr></tbody></table>

The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.levernois.com/fr/">Hostellerie de Levenois</a> is a striking Relais &amp;
Chateau property just outside Beaune. Although I have been to the Hostellerie’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.levernois.com/fr/le-bistrot-du-bord-de-l-eau.html">Bistrot du Bord de l'Eau</a> on numerous occasions, this was my first time eating
at the Restaurant Gastronomique, the fine dining restaurant on the estate.
Obviously, the restaurant is a bit more formal than the bistrot, but this is
Burgundy in the summer after all. The restaurant offers a number of menus and a
wine list with plenty of gems, both of which we pored over before sitting down
for supper. 

I was in town to celebrate a birthday (not mine) and attend
the annual <a target="_blank" href="http://www.musiqueetvin-closvougeot.com/">Musique &amp; Vin</a> classical musical festival co-chaired by Aubert de
Villaine and Bernard Hervet, which features an array of world-class musicians
and younger talents performing in some of the most stunning settings in
Burgundy, culminating with the grand finale in the courtyard of the Clos
Vougeot. I was thrilled for Vinous to be an event sponsor, as supporting the
arts has been a long-time passion.

Music has been a part of my life all the way back
to childhood. My grandfather gave me a classical guitar when I was a kid. I
wanted to play jazz and rock, but something obviously stuck. At Berklee, I
studied composition and conducting, which took me back to classical music in a
big way. Later I studied operatic singing with teachers from the New England
Conservatory and Boston University’s Opera Institute. Through a long series of
events which I won’t bore readers with here, I ended up working in Boston’s
financial services industry. One of the first things I did when I had a good
paycheck was set up a scholarship for young, aspiring singers at BU’s Opera
Institute. It was so great to get back to supporting the arts with Musique
&amp; Vin.<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1579899111490-IMG_2251_copy.jpg"> 

The Right Claw; Melon, Pickles, Jabugo Ham, ‘Fleur de
Feu’ Tea Consommé

Ordinarily, a lobster tasting menu is not something I would
order in Beaune, but every dish looked absolutely delicious, and I couldn’t
resist. I was not disappointed. Every course was simply divine. The combination
of lobster with summery vegetables and richer accents such as ham and truffles
worked beautifully throughout the menu.&nbsp;

Our first course featured the right claw of the lobster,
served in a tea consommé, with an assortment of melons, pickles and slices of
Jabugo ham. The interplay of sweet and salty, of lighter and richer flavors,
was so well done. If asked to make a list of my favorite wines, Raveneau
Chablis would be very close to the top. Sadly, prices have ascended into the
stratosphere and availability is tiny, so any time I see the wines on a list in
France, where prices are likely to be reasonable, I jump. The 2016 Chablis
Valmur is an attractive wine, but it is also a bit light in feel. On this
brutally warm summer day, that is not a terrible thing, but I expected more
depth and more Valmur texture. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1579899171985-IMG_2264_copy.jpg"> 

The Left Claw and Knuckle in Cannelloni; Multicolored
Tomatoes, Bouchot Mussels and Basil, Coral Jus with Ganshu Berries

The cannelloni stuffed with the left claw and knuckle meat
was divine. Mussels and coral jus brought out a whole range of briny flavors.
Lamy was a domaine I always looked forward to visiting back when I reviewed
Burgundy. Olivier Lamy coaxes so much character out of his wines. The 2014
Saint-Aubin Derrière Chez Edouard Haute Densité is flat-out gorgeous. I am not
a huge fan of decanting red wines, but increasingly I find it really helps
whites to blossom. That is certainly the case here. The Derrière Chez Edouard
Haute Densité, from a high-density plot right behind the winery, is a rich,
intensely phenolic, structured white dominated by earthy, mineral notes more
than the overt fruit that is often found in Saint-Aubins. I love its power and
resonance, both of which make it ideal for this menu. What a wine!<img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1579899183084-IMG_2282_copy.jpg"> 

The Tail with Red Pepper, Veal Croquette in Zucchini
Flowers, Chanterelles and Summer Truffles, Marjoram Sauce with Fallot Mustard

Peppery lobster tail with chanterelles and summer truffles.
What’s not to like? A rich, heady hedonistically pleasing dish, the main course
on this menu was a perfect foil for red Burgundy. Dujac’s 2014
Gevrey-Chambertin Aux Combottes is simply wonderful. For some reason, I don’t
buy the Combottes regularly. Tasting this bottle makes me wonder why. Lifted,
perfumed and sensual, with striking layers of dimension, the Combottes does
what only Pinot can do, and that is convey richness without weight. Captivating
and so inviting, the 2014 is fabulous on this night. <img alt="" src="https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.vinous.com/uploads%2F1579899200007-IMG_2319-copy.jpg"> 

We went relatively light with the cheese selection, but it
wasn’t easy, as so many of the options were so tempting. A specially ordered
lemon custard cake was a perfect, refreshing conclusion to dinner. I am not a
big fan of lemon desserts, so I went back to the wines, but the cake was
undeniably delicious. While everyone else enjoyed it, I had a last glass of the
Dujac. 

Eating in Beaune was once pretty tough. These days, visitors
will find a lot more options&nbsp;than just a few years ago. The Hostellerie’s Restaurant
Gastronomique is a terrific choice for readers who want a more relaxed
experience. A spacious room, verdant views&nbsp;and tables set far apart add to a feeling of serenity that is pretty relaxing for this city boy.

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