>>>07 Chateau du Puligny-Montrachet Bourgogne<<<
I agree, Love this wine.

Also into Sancerre Rose from Neveu and, of course, Billecart-Rose Champagne.

Sorry - I was at a symposium where he made that statement - and he makes it pointedly. He's having fun, doing science projects, but he doesn't make wine that he wants to drink - and having had it, I agree with him.

The wine maker himself says that he doesn't drink his own stuff - 'nuff said.

We are there weekly and I tell you it's even better - the food is standing toe to toe with the magnificent wine. The staff is caring and attentive.
No doubt - GO

Why not Lobel's? Shouldn't one go straight to the top?

Arnaldo Caprai - Hopefully Marco will be there as well - super nice guy.

Georg Breuer - the man himself passed away, and way too soon I might add. Have not had wines from this estate since then - they used to be GLORIOUS wines.

I do think she is selling books here. What I find unfortunate with articles like this, is that some of the more significant issues in the world of wine are neglected by the misdirection of name calling.

The issue of higher alcohol is multi-determined. That there is a measurable marketplace demand for it is true, but what is also true is that the commercial yeast strains, sold out of Dijon for the global market, are modified to withstand higher heat - and don't die off in greater alcohol. In Mr. Hunt's accurate >>“there is wine (~70%), good wine (20%), fine wine (9%) and great wine (1%),”<<
The 70% are beholden by price to this commercial strain. (Oz Clarke has more on this monopoly if I can find the citation). This stranglehold is a significant issue and one that should have made Mondo Vino.

Another issue, if I may condense posts made here, is what Eric Asimov names "Flavors of discovery vs. Flavors of recognition" and we oscillate between which one of these we are driven towards. Layer that with the recent brain research of Panksepp which shows that novelty is the precondition of enjoyment and the lens for which pleasure is considered becomes very long indeed.

California wine bashing is old sport – why this article is in a newspaper is beyond me. Perhaps the editor wanted to run a “Story of recognition”

>>The Colins ( in all their various manifestations and hyphenations)<<

That;s hysterical!

And I agree with you 100% - Marc's St. Aubin White is a stunner year after year.

I might as well pile on here. This genre (The Bistrot) is famous for a reason and this restaurant nails it so well. We have never had bad service there - and the food always satisfies. MMRuth mentioned the wines, and I think that the list is beautifully chosen - although being all French helps -
A truly satisfying place.

Ippudo is good - but not worth the struggle of the crowds to get in.
I ended up seated next to a salaryman and we both longed for Ichiran in Tokyo.

Well, they did ok with the grilled calamari and the veal. The mis-en-place with those plates was dreadful (looked like the got the tomatoes from the deli case at Stromboli) but the proteins were well handled.
Pastas priced the same as Babbo. How could you possibly justify that?

Just like eating in Italy on the weak dollar - this place is criminally expensive. The waiters should put on ski masks and draw guns when presenting the bill. ($10 for Pellegrino)

The food earns a C- overall. Some dishes B+ others simply poor. Service is adequate - although they insist on the 6 foot peppermill thing -

Avoid

I like every thing I've had there. I would certainly go for the geoduck sashimi at some point. If Doreen is there, she makes great recomendations

Cru and Veritas are your only real options for breadth and depth. Other restaurants mentioned are good in their niche - but nothing compares to Cru/Veritas with the nod going to Cru for Robert Bohr and Michel Courveaux (sp) as two of the most exceptionally gifted wine professionals around. Tim Kopec is also a heavy weight super star - but the edge to Cru for being able to deploy 2.

Ditto The Tamarind Marg!!!

This is the best version of it I know
http://www.canarino.com/

In a restaurant, if you can get them to twist a whole lemon and let that sit in the tea pot - it's miles better than just lemon in water

I based it on nothing more than watching them vanish from wine lists in Manhattan, where we do most of our dining. One sommelier at an American (as opposed to French/Italian) restaurant told me that it was a dead category for him. I heard similar rumblings in casual restaurant conversation - so my observation is far from scientific. If the numbers don't support me, then I am pleased to reframe as my opinion only.

Not surprised about the lack of Zins - their sales have plummeted over the past 5 years. I don't know why.

Yasuda can be better than a lot of Sushi in Tokyo, but it is not competitive with the top Sushi in Tokyo. The closest one can get to comparing is Masa - but that's a huge price commitment.

Is it just me, or is anyone else supremely annoyed by all of the "stories" and history lessons on wine lists? A growing problem in NYC for sure, and now, after perusing this one, I fear elsewhere.

(Although '82 Latour for $1600 is a steal. The wine is showing at auction for around $2800)

I second Billecart and Delamotte in the easy to find category. If '96 Lanson is available for $50 - do it. It's a monster wine though, will want food. Not for quaffing.

Many of those market forces are coming from within Valdobiaddene - especially those who would make Cartizze a DOCG.

I love this blog. This guy goes seriously in depth on so many levels that it is hard to keep up.

Same as above, we have it frequently and love it. Can veer towards gamy and dry. The first solved with copious amounts of black pepper. The second with Chianti, which is really harmonious with the cinghaile.

Compared to Kee's and JT - yes - I don't know the others. But the DeBauve & Gallais I have in my kitchen right now are superb.

The only thing better is getting these FedEx

http://www.spruengli.ch/index.php

My favorite Pigato is from Riccardo Bruna, his Russeghine vineyard. A wonderful glass of wine that usually sells for about $20/bottle retail in NYC. Goes well with artichokes, peas, asparagus and other early summer vegetables that can be problematic. A natural fit with most fin fish, oysters - depending on the prep. It is actually a wine I look forward to each summer.

Holy Cow - our fries did too - couldn't place it though.

This place is a disgrace - not only loud music, but on Sunday, filled with strollers and kids - everyone was serenaded to lots of inappropriate Prince. (And I love Prince, just not for the kiddies ya know?)
There was ZERO manager attention and the acne set working the line/register were lost.
Should have hoofed it over to Burger Joint.

For me there is Robert Chadderdon and no one else for France and Italy. When it comes to pedigree AND provenance - no one comes close.

I remember the fenugreek only -- we were in the middle of a tasting menu and were enjoying a Gruner, which I thought would be a slam dunk with the lobster. - The Burg really rocked my world, clearly I have never forgotten it.

As for traditional Lobster prep - I don't know that I have much experience. Mostly it's lobster rolls in ME!

I would have been in lock step with everyone here until a few years ago. I had spiced lobster at Jean Georges. The sommelier proposed and opened a Vosne Romanee 1er Suchots Arnoux. I thought he had gone mad - it remains one of the top 5 pairings of the past 10 years.