Friday
With the big weekend finally here for my good friend Mike's bachelor party we did what any self respecting hedonist of epicurean pursuits would do, go to San Francisco. After a slightly longer than expected drive, we arrived at the Hilton Union Square to check-in and get the festivities started. Before heading out for the evening we started things off on the right foot with a couple palate teasers to shake off the rust and ready us for the night ahead.
Sancerre Domaine Vacheron Rose 2008**
Classic bone-dry French rose, most likely Pinot Noir.
Vino Sapien Wine Company Grandaddy Grenache 2006**
Rich and ripe. A huge leap forward after the rose.
Walking into the hipster sushi fusion eatery of Mas Sake, your senses are attacked by the LA night club inspired red glow, flashy waitress', and loud dance music. But I will say one thing, the food was surprisingly good. We had a nice melange of eclectic sushi rolls delivered to our table; the fish was fresh, rolls were creative but not overdone, and price was right! (Thanks to a friendly connection).
GH Mumm & Cie Grand Cru Mumm de Cramant Blanc de Blancs NV***
Great verve on this 100% Chardonnay sparkler, went extremely well with the freshness of the fish.
Palmina Malvasia Bianca 2006**+
Wonderfully ripe lychee notes on the nose. The palate was mouth coating and a nice pairing with the slightly spicier food items.
Tablas Creek Roussanne 2005
Flawed: Volatile Acidity
Qupe Roussane Bien Nacido Hillside Select 2005**+
A bunch of new oak on this wine, but extremely well balanced and wonderfully aromatic.
Slipping out from dinner and back into our limo we are taken to a street corner sporting a mysterious line of people seemingly waiting for nothing. There was an unmarked door that they all seemed intent to penetrate, but why? Luckily, our fearless leader for the evening not only knew the answer to that question but was armed with the appropriate password and secret handshake to grant our entry. Under hushed tones and behind disguised doors leading to clandestine passageways and rooms we were hidden away for a trip back into the days of the speakeasy. Soon, it was time to leave the silence and turn the volume of this night up to a fever pitch. From hitting a Michael Jackson tribute band show to commemorate the anniversary of his death, to late night club activities, we went after it on the first night and took a big bite!
Saturday
After a leisurely start we took advantage of the absolutely perfect weather and walked down to the Ferry Building where they were having their weekly farmer's market. Walking into to a cornucopia of this magnitude was fairly overwhelming but with our great abilities in such matters, we managed just fine. I decided to begin with a North African cheese and herb pie, followed by a stop for some Tasty Salted Pig Parts and a Salumi Cone from Boccalone Salumeria, local fresh soft cow's milk cheese and seeded bread, multiple fresh fruit samples along the way, a handful of sweetwater mini's and kusshi oysters from Hog Island, an extended visit to the wine merchant for a few refreshments and to catch the end of the US World Cup Soccer match, and then a second Salumi Cone for good measure. Our wine interlude:
Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Rose 2009**
Typical dry Southern French Rose that softened with strawberries as it was open.
Donnhoff Estate Riesling 2007**
Pleasant and enjoyable, lacked the complexity of their vineyard designate classified bottlings, but still well made.
Luciano Landi Verdicchio Castelli de Jesi 2008**
Bright and crisp with an undertone of slightly more luscious stone fruits.
On our way back to the hotel we squeezed in a visit to the sky bar on the 39th floor of the Marriot Hotel for a cocktail and soak up the spectacular view of the city, looking towards the bay bridge. A short nap and then the group was ready for a big night at Michelin star restaurant Ame, in the St. Regis Hotel. Walking into a restaurant of this caliber while toting a case of wine can be a tricky maneuver, but with the right connection and a very friendly and talented Sommelier, it is much easier.
To begin, the chef sent out a fried oyster in an aioli that certainly awakened the senses and got dinner off on the right foot. Next came my first course which was, Sea Urchin Bruschetta with Lardo, Lemon and Sea Salt. This was an absolutely fantastic appetizer that was a true delight to eat. The savory lardo seemed to be melted over the rich and slightly sweet sea urchin, and all served on bite size toasted crostini. I followed that with the Crispy Soft Shell Crab on Potato Fondue with Bacon Chips, Maitake Mushrooms, Okra and Lemon Caper Beurre Blanc. The crab was lightly fried and with a spicy crunch, savory bacon and mushrooms, and finished with a refreshing and cleansing potato and lemon edge. Next came a special on this particular night, Rabbit Raviolo with farm fresh Peas and Carrots and shaved Pecorino cheese and Summer Truffle. The one large raviolo was stuffed with succulent rabbit and veggies cooked al-dente. Time for the house specialty, Broiled Sake Marinated Alaskan Black Cod and Shrimp Dumplings in Shiso Broth. Talk about melt in your mouth! Even though this is a fairly simple fish, the utter perfection of it's preparation made this a truly special dish. To finish I went with a warm Rhubarb Pie with Orange Flower Ice Cream. A little dolce was a requirement to appropriately cap this decadent evening of gastronomy.
The wines:
Jacquesson & Fils Champagne Cuvee 732***
The nose showed baked Rainer Cherry and brioche. The palate stayed bright with nice fruit and a hint of richness.
Domaine Guy Amoit & Fils Chassagne-Montrachet Premiere Cru Les Caillerets 2005 ***+
Intensely aromatic with wonderful layers on both the nose and the palate. The finish was persistent and pleased the palate for long after the initial taste. This is how Chardonnay should be.
Bouchard Pere & Fils Aloxe-Corton 2005***+
This wine took the longest to open up, but was very rewarding to those who had patience.
Calera Pinot Noir Ryan Vineyard 2006***
Deeper and darker than it's French counterparts, but the fruit was at a great point of ripeness and well balanced.
Domaine Meo-Camuzet Bourgogne Freres & Souers 2005***
Elegant and classic in profile.
Hospice de Beaune Premiere Cru Cuvee Hughes et Louis Betault 2003***+
A touch more age helped give this wine an extra dimension of complexity that helped this wine stand out.
Domaine de Montille Beaune Premiere Cru Le Sizies 2003
Flawed: corked
Domaine Bouchard Pere & Fils Premiere Cru Volnay Taillepiedes 2006****
Oh my! I was a huge fan of the fantastic fruit of this wine that showed straight out of the shoot. This was so amazing right away and as it opened up, started showing a deeper tone to it that made me want to see this bottle again in 5-10 years. My wine of the night.
Schubert Pinot Noir Marion's Vineyard, Wairapara, NZ 2007**+
Nice wine with a hugely different aroma and flavor profile than the other Pinot Noir on the table. Much brighter tones and herbal.
Bosquet des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape 2005***
Very nice richness of fruit and leather on the nose. The palate was savory smoked fruit, meat, and black licorice.
Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Kanzler Vineyard 2007**+
Another huge variation of Pinot Noir from the Burgundies enjoyed before getting to this point. The fruit was much sweeter and almost candied. Great size and length to this wine.
Qupe Syrah Bien Nacido Hillside Select 2006***
Great way to finish the night. This wine drinks well now, but has the concentration to last another 10 years. Inky dark and pure.
Enjoying such a wonderful array of wines, being served five courses of magnificent gourmet cuisine, and with such professionalism and generosity, it is easy to loose yourself in the four hours of utter bliss. This was truly a special experience for reasons both because of and bigger than great food and wine.
Sunday
For a weekend like this, you can't finish with a fizzle, you need a bang! So, we walked down to Yank Sing for some mind blowing dim sum. Getting there was especially colorful on this particular day, because of the San Francisco Pride parade working it's way up Market Street. Despite the entertaining fervor taking place, we were on a mission for dim sum. Within ten minutes of sitting down at Yank Sing we had already embraced the idea of yes. Why say no to so many amazing opportunities of deliciousness? Sitting outside on a perfect day and being stuffed to the gills with the best dim sum in San Francisco was the only way that we could have finished this spectacular weekend of food, wine and all around good times. We had done all that we could do, it was time to hit the road and return home with our bellies a little more robust than when we arrived and our memories much more rich.
Thank you for reading, Cheers!
0 Stars - No rating
1 Star (*) - Not of significant quality or interest
2 Stars (**) - A notable wine of legitimate interest
3 Stars (***) - Great wine that should be searched out
4 Stars (****) - Fantastic wine that should not be missed
5 Stars (*****) - An absolutely mind-bending wine - beg, borrow, or steal to get your hands on some of this amazing juice!
Disclaimer: This rating is based on my palate and at the given time when tasted and may differ from yours. Also, I may catch a bottle in a dumb phase or it just may not speak to me at that particular time.
