<a target="_blank" href="http://www.delposto.com/">Del Posto Ristorante</a>

85 10th Ave,

New York, NY 10011

Tel (212) 497-8090

February 2009

This was another great dinner at Del Posto. The central
theme of the evening was comparing different disgorgements of several iconic
Champagnes, although a number of other monumental wines were thrown in for good
measure. As always, it was an enriching experience to share these bottles with
friends who brought so much sheer passion to the conversation. Executive Chef
Mark Ladner created an incredible menu which paired with the wines beautifully.
I had a hard time picking favorites among his dishes as all of the courses
worked so well with the wines.

And as for the wines….they were drop-dead gorgeous, starting
with the 1959 Krug Vintage, which was simply great. Caramel, hazelnuts and ash
were some of the nuances that emerged from this explosive, creamy-textured
wine. The mousse was mostly resolved, but the wine’s overall balance was
exceptional. I was amazed by the 1969
Salon Le Mesnil. Served blind, even after 40 years it showed the signature
Salon focus and energy, with gorgeous elements of maturity, but no real signs
of fading. I have had the privilege, and I do mean privilege, of drinking Selosse’s 1990 Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs
several times over the last few months and it has never been anything less than
monumental. This was an extraordinarily pure, crystalline Champagne with
staggering richness as well as freshness. I went back and forth as to which of
the two disgorgements (October 1999,
August 1999) I preferred, but in the
end I just gave up and acknowledged that this singular wine is one of the most
towering, majestic wines I had ever had. Krug’s
1985 Vintage shimmered on the palate in a full-bodied, sensual style. The 1985 Krug Collection took things one
step further, with gorgeous complexity in the smoke, mint, mineral and ash
notes that developed around the fruit. It was a staggering bottle. Both of the
1985 Krug Champagnes were a match made in heaven with the lobster course.

We worked our way into the reds with an incredible bottle of
Guigal’s 1980 Côte Rôtie La Mouline.
This sensual, full-bodied wine flowed onto the palate with masses of dark ripe
fruit, leather and spices. The wine’s balance was simply awesome. I brought
along a few bottles of 1960s Red Label Riservas from Bruno Giacosa for the
occasion. The wines were brilliant; my only regret is not having tasted them
when they were young. The 1964
Barbaresco Riserva Speciale Santo Stefano is an early masterpiece from
Bruno Giacosa. The wine presented a gorgeous translucent color and a firm yet
well-integrated tannic spine. The aromas and flavors were classic Santo
Stefano, with an interplay of sweet spices and ripe fruit that was remarkable.
The 1967 Barbaresco Riserva Speciale
Asili was all flowers, mint and sweet ripe fruit in a soft, feminine
expression of Nebbiolo. Sweet, round and rich, the wine offered compelling
balance in a slightly more forward style than the 1964 Santo Stefano. This was
classic Asili at its finest. The flight closed with the 1967 Barolo Riserva Speciale Collina Rionda. This remains an
extraordinarily rich, powerful wine packed with dense fruit. The elegance and
delineation of the finest vintages (1971, 1978, 1982 and 1989) wasn't quite
there, but the wine showed plenty of the iron, mineral and dark fruit flavors
that are typical of Serralunga. I was amazed by the wine's integrity and sheer
balance. It was a pure pleasure to drink. Domaine
de la Romanée-Conti’s 1980 Romanée St. Vivant revealed striking aromatic
purity and grace, but it came across as definitely ready to drink.

A few more Champagnes rounded out the night in grand style.
The 1979 Krug Vintage was phenomenal
for its structure and freshness. A wine for the ages, it revealed tons of
perfumed fruit, with sweet notes of mint, flowers and spices that lingered on
the finish. Hard as it may be to believe, the 1979 Krug Collection was even better. This sumptuous, layered wine
showed surreal clarity and precision in a sensual, intense style that was
impossible to resist. It was a joyous and totally uplifting Champagne. I was
blown away by two bottles of the 1982
Clos des Goisses, both of which were profound. The August 2007 disgorgement was insanely fresh, with terrific purity
in its sweet fruit, smoke and minerals. The February 2007 disgorgement showed similar focus and purity, with a
touch more truffle and autumn leaves character. Both bottles were spellbinding.
These 1982 Clos des Goisses are wines I will never forget, they were truly
monumental.

Food:&nbsp;

Warm Lobster; Osetra Caviar &amp; Celery Root Spuma 

Sunchoke Crudo with Truffled Fonduta &amp; Walnut Gremolada 

Del Posto Agnolotti dal Plin with Parmigiano-Reggiano &amp;
Prosciutto di Parma 

Veal Chop with Grilled Tongue, Porcini &amp; Watercress
Salad 

Cheeses&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Assorted Desserts&nbsp;&nbsp; 

Honey Apple Strudel; Crispy Phyllo, Walnut Croquant, Caramel
Ice Cream

Wine:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 1959
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Krug Vintage
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1969
 </td>
 <td>
 Salon Le Mesnil
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1990
 </td>
 <td>
 Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (disgorged
 October 1999)
 </td>
 <td>
 98
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1990
 </td>
 <td>
 Jacques Selosse Grand Cru Blanc de Blancs (disgorged
 August 1999)
 </td>
 <td>
 98
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985
 </td>
 <td>
 Krug Vintage
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985
 </td>
 <td>
 Krug Collection
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1980
 </td>
 <td>
 Guigal Côte Rôtie La Mouline
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1964
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1967
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacosa Barbaresco Riserva Asili
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1967
 </td>
 <td>
 Giacosa Barolo Riserva Collina Rionda 
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1980
 </td>
 <td>
 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1979
 </td>
 <td>
 Krug Vintage
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1979
 </td>
 <td>
 Krug Collection
 </td>
 <td>
 98
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1982
 </td>
 <td>
 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses (disgorged August 2007)
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1982
 </td>
 <td>
 Philipponnat Clos des Goisses (disgorged February 2007)
 </td>
 <td>
 97</td></tr></tbody></table>

--Antonio Galloni

&nbsp;

Content

Engage

Vinous

Social