<a target="_blank" href="http://le-bernardin.com/">Le
Bernardin</a>

155 West 51st Street

New York, NY 10019

Tel. +1 (212) 554-1515

&nbsp;

Wine:

2008&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Domaine Henri Germain et Fils
Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot – 1er Cru 90<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372343163513-LeBernardin3+vinous.jpg"> 

2010&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Roulot Meursault Tessons, Clos de Mon
Plaisir 93

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372343202774-LeBernardin4+vinous.jpg"> 1999&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Domaine Hubert Lignier Gevrey-Chambertin 92<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372343235310-LeBernardin5+vinous.jpg"> 

Food:

Scallop:
Flash Marinated Nantucket Bay Scallops, Lemongrass-Finger Lime Nage<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372343074560-LeBernardin1+vinous.jpg"> 

Lobster:
Baked Lobster ‘Goulash’; Light Potato Gnocchi, Braised Pearl Onions

<img alt="" src="https://allgrapes.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads%2F1372343113342-LeBernardin2+vinous.jpg"> Artisan
Cheeses (Not pictured)

Even
after all these years, Le Bernardin remains one of the culinary highlights of
New York City. Several recent lunches have all been fabulous. Chef/Owner Eric
Ripert has an uncanny ability to bring out extraordinary dimensions of depth
and flavor from his pristine raw materials. Briny and sweet at the same time,
the flash marinated Nantucket Bay Scallops taste like they just came out of the
ocean. Lemongrass and lime accents add a lovely sense of brightness. What a
gorgeous and delicious appetizer. Although the menu at Le Bernardin focuses on
fish and seafood there are a number of dishes that work beautifully with red
wine. The baked lobster ‘Goulash’, is rich in both texture and deep, paprika-inflected
flavors. A side of potato gnocchi is absolutely delicious.

Chef
Sommelier Aldo Sohm runs one of the finest wine programs in New York City. The
list is enormous, and comprehensive. In keeping with Le Bernardin’s formal
ambience, the focus is decidedly on the classics; namely white and red Burgundy
and <a target="_blank"></a>Bordeaux, with a nod to Sohm’s native Austria. Unless
you want to spend a half hour contemplating all of the choices, my suggestion
is to start with a glass of Champagne and ask for guidance, which is what I
usually do. Germain’s 2008
Chassagne-Montrachet Morgeot is rich and ample, very much in the style of
Morgeot. The brushstrokes are broad, with more emphasis on texture than
precision. As much as I enjoy the Morgeot, it is in my view a touch too burly
for the food at Le Bernardin. The 2010
Meursault Tessons, Clos de Mon Plaisir from Jean-Marc Roulot is flat out dazzling. Bright, floral and
beautifully delineated, the 2010 pairs with our dishes perfectly. Like all
truly great wines, the Tessons has more than enough class to be delicious on
its own. I especially admire the way the Tessons achieves both depth and
weightlessness. Underlying beams of minerality add energy and a gorgeous
element of focus. Although the 2010 is far too young to fully appreciate, it is
striking.

Towards
the end of lunch we are in the mood for a red, so I ask Sohm to pick something
out. He chooses Lignier’s 1999
Gevrey-Chambertin. I wish I could convey just how gorgeous the wine is.
Remarkably fresh and vibrant, the 1999 bursts from the glass with the sweetest
dark cherries, hard candy and flowers. At fourteen years of age, the 1999 is
just beginning to peak and shows no signs of fading whatsoever. This is a villages? I could drink the whole bottle
myself, to be honest. What a wine! And that is why Sohm is one of the world’s
best. He knows exactly what to pick for the occasion and guest. 

There
is no need for dessert. A few pieces of cheese and the last glass of this
utterly compelling Burgundy is the perfect way to wind down the afternoon.

--
Antonio Galloni

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