<a target="_blank" href="http://www.delposto.com/">Del Posto Ristorante</a> 

85 10th Ave,

New York, NY 10011

Tel (212) 497-8090

This was another delicious dinner at Del Posto. Executive
Chef Mark Ladner and his team did a fabulous job with this tasting menu. The
Wood-Grilled Lobster is one of the signature dishes at Del Posto, and it was
once again amazing on this night. In my opinion it is one of the very finest
dishes on the menu. The Stinco di Vitello was also sublime. The Risotto and
Pansotti were tasty, but if I have one critique of Del Posto it’s that the
portions can sometimes be on the small side. That wouldn’t be an issue in and
of itself, but with this many wines, a little more food wouldn’t bad a thing.

Two vintages of Krug Collection whetted the appetite nicely.
The 1985 Krug Collection is a
gorgeous wine to drink now. It is fully mature, soft and flat-out delicious.
Pretty notes of ash, smoke and truffle added complexity on the burnished
finish. I wouldn’t cellar bottles too much longer, but for now the 1985 remains
a beautiful Champagne. The 1989
Collection was quite a bit simpler than the 1985. Subtle layers of fruit
graced the feminine, lithe mousse.

The 1982 Mumm Rene
Lalou, from magnum, was
breathtakingly beautiful. Rich, smoky notes emerged gracefully from this vivid,
textured Champagne. The wine turned increasingly generous and creamy in the
glass, with hints of graphite and minerals that framed the finish. What a
bottle! I have had the privilege – and I do mean privilege – of drinking the 1975 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (2007
disgorgement) on many occasions and it has never been less than thrilling.
Generous layers of fruit flowed effortlessly to the kaleidoscopic, hugely
inviting finish. This was another great bottle. Krug’s 1981 Collection is another Champagne perfect for drinking
over the next few years. The 1981 was relatively understated, as has been my
experience with this vintage, but it showed beautifully in an understated
style. The bouquet alone was pristine.

I loved Trimbach’s
1990 Clos Ste. Hune. The 1990 is a huge Clos Ste. Hune, and clearly a bit
atypical, but I loved the sheer richness and opulence of the wine. This
dramatic wine impressed for its balance and captivating personality. It was
dazzling from start to finish.

The 1998 Guigal
Cȏte-Rȏtie La Landonne was a stunner. Impeccably layered, sweet and
voluptuous, it flowed with the essence of blueberry jam, leather, spices and
scorched earth. The wine’s inner perfume and overall sense of balance were
sublime. Chapoutier’s 1998 Ermitage Le
Pavillon was tight and structured. It revealed very little on this night. Domaine de la Romanée-Conti’s 2001
Echézeaux opened with a fragrant bouquet that melded into a seductive core
of fruit. Sweet spices were nicely layered into the finish. This is one of my
favorite wines from the Domaine for current drinking. The 1991 La Tâche was strikingly beautiful, even if this wasn’t the
very finest bottle I had ever tasted.

We finished with two legendary Piedmont wines that didn’t
quite live up to their promise. Unfortunately they were both from my cellar! So
it goes. Both the 1985 Barolo Monprivato
and 1978 Gaja Barbaresco have been
far better, and both bottles came from cases that have offered spectacular
bottles, but that was not the case on this night. The wines were outstanding,
but not profound.&nbsp;

Food:

Carne Cruda with Truffled Salsa, Parmigiano-Reggiano &amp;
King Oyster 

Ricotta Pansotti with Wild Asparagus &amp; Black Truffle 

Risotto alla Primavera

Wood-Grilled Lobster with Artichokes, Almonds &amp; Basils

Stinco di Vitello with Marjoram Spaetzle

Castelmagno

Stone Fruit Crostata with Champagne Vinegar Caramel &amp;
Vanilla Gelato

Wine:

<table>
 <tbody><tr>
 <td>
 1985
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Krug Collection
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1989
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Krug Collection
 </td>
 <td>
 92
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1982
 </td>
 <td>
 Mumm Rene Lalou (magnum)
 </td>
 <td>
 96
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1975
 </td>
 <td>
 Dom Pérignon Oenothèque (2007 disgorgement)
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1981
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Krug Collection
 </td>
 <td>
 92
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1990
 </td>
 <td>
 Trimbach Clos Ste. Hune
 </td>
 <td>
 98
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1998
 </td>
 <td>
 Guigal Cȏte-Rȏtie La Landonne
 </td>
 <td>
 97
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1998
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Chapoutier Ermitage
 Le Pavillon
 </td>
 <td>
 ?
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 2001
 </td>
 <td>
 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Echézeaux
 </td>
 <td>
 92
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1991
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Domaine de la
 Romanée-Conti La Tâche
 </td>
 <td>
 95
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1985
 </td>
 <td>
 &nbsp;Giuseppe Mascarello
 &amp; Figlio Barolo Monprivato
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
 <tr>
 <td>
 1978
 </td>
 <td>
 Gaja Barbaresco
 </td>
 <td>
 94
 </td>
 </tr>
</tbody></table>

&nbsp;--Antonio Galloni

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