1788 cognac, 1875 wine on sale at Paris auction

By ANGELA DOLAND (AP)

A view of the cellar of La Tour d'Argent restaurant in Paris, Thursday Oct.15, 2009. Paris' landmark Tour d'Argent restaurant is cleaning out its 450,000-bottle winecellar _ one of the best in the world _ and putting 18,000 bottles up for auction in December, an event that has captured the imagination of French wine-lovers. The cellar of the Left Bank restaurant, known for pressed duck and spectacular views of Notre Dame, is a part of its history. A sign marks the spot where a brick wall was built in 1940 to hide the best bottles during the Nazi Occupation of World War II. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)

PARIS — Over the years, the chief sommelier had forgotten they were there. And when the four bottles of 1875 Armagnac Vieux were finally unearthed from the labyrinthine wine cellar this week, they were covered in a black fungus that looked like matted cat fur.

The landmark Tour d'Argent restaurant, which dates back to 1582, is cleaning out its 450,000-bottle wine cellar, considered one of the best and biggest in the world. It is putting 18,000 bottles up for auction in December, an event that has captured the imagination of French wine lovers.
The restaurant is selling mostly wine but also some very old spirits, like three bottles of a Clos du Griffier cognac from 1788, the year before the French Revolution, as well as the ancient Armagnac, valued at euro400-500 ($595-$743) a bottle. The fuzzy fungus is nothing to worry about — it thrives on the fumes of such spirits and is easily wiped away.

The restaurant wants to cut down on wines it has in multiple to vary and modernize its selection.
"You'll probably see, we've got too many bottles," jokes chief sommelier David Ridgway.
Unlocking a padlocked iron gate, the tuxedo-clad sommelier ushered visitors into the restaurant's underworld, where bottles are stacked floor to ceiling in a succession of caverns. Though everything is registered in a computer, there are occasional surprises, like the 1875 Armagnac, which Ridgway came across while looking for something else.

The wine cellar of the Left Bank restaurant, known for pressed duck and spectacular views of Notre Dame, is a part of its history. A sign marks the spot where a brick wall was built in 1940 to hide the best bottles during the Nazi occupation in World War II.

Visitors are offered sheepskin blankets for the chill: 14 degrees Celsius (57.2 Fahrenheit) this week, but dipping to 12 degrees Celsius (53.6 Fahrenheit) in winter.

"I like the wine to live a little bit of the seasons, even though it's temperature-controlled," said Ridgway, a Briton who has overseen the restaurant's wine menu since the early 1980s.

Times have changed since then, Ridgway says. Expensive jewelry or clothes no longer indicate what diners will pay for wine, and it's not taboo now for people to say what they want to spend. Still, he has to tread carefully: Propose a wine too inexpensive and some "people feel we have looked down on them, almost."
Estimated prices at the Dec. 7-8 sale by French auctioneer Piasa start at euro10 ($15) a bottle and go up to euro2,500-euro3,000 ($3,716-$4,459) for each 1788 Cognac, one of which will go to charity.
Among wines on sale are Chateau Lafite Rothschild (1970, 1982, 1997), Cheval Blanc (1928, 1949, 1966) and Chateau Margaux (1970, 1990). The total sale is expected to bring in around euro1 million ($1.5 million).
Buyers can rest assured the bottles aren't counterfeit — a major problem in the industry — because the restaurant bought them directly from vintners. As for the restaurant, the timing of the auction is right even as Europe struggles amid a global economic crisis.

"I'm sure there are some amazing treasures in that cellar, and it's a good time to sell because the wine auction market has really come storming back" after tanking during the early months of the financial crisis, said Michael Steinberger, Slate's wine columnist and author of "Au Revoir to All That: Food, Wine, and the End of France."

The restaurant, a family business, was once the summit of French gastronomy, attracting royalty, politicians and film stars. Each duck served comes with a certificate: U.S. President John F. Kennedy ate duck No. 245,200, while Mick Jagger feasted on No. 531,147 and Princess Grace of Monaco savored No. 496,516.
But recent years have brought setbacks. Longtime owner Claude Terrail died in 2006, and his 29-year-old son Andre now runs it. The restaurant, where a prix fixe lunch menu costs euro65 ($97) and a tasting menu at dinner goes for euro160 ($238), long held three Michelin stars but is now down to one.
The economic crisis has affected the restaurant's finances only "a bit," Terrail said, in part because of its name and diverse international clientele. While the kitchen was recently updated, the wine sale may fund more extensive renovations down the line.

The restaurant's name means "The Silver Tower" in French, and all the bottles for sale are stamped with the restaurant's insignia, a tiny tower.

On the Web:
http://www.piasa.auction.fr/UK/

Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Wine & Spirits Top 100 Recap

Wine &  Spirits Top 100
SF Design Center Galleria
October 14th, 2009

I was so engrossed in tasting, this is the only photo I took - just so I could remember the wine.

The annual Wine & Spirits Top 100 event sends many oenophiles into a frenzy – 100 fantastic international wineries pouring their best offerings until the waters run dry (literally)…what’s not to like? Being a self-proclaimed wine n00b and also being unable to afford 12-packs of Domaine de la Romanee Conti or Screaming Eagle, I was beyond excited to score a free ticket at work – plus, I heard they were pouring Krug and Cristal, and I decided this was probably a good time to see what all the fuss was about. (Squeee!)

The event was being held at the San Francisco Design Center Galleria, and for the first time, they were including a few up-and-coming Bay Area restaurants in the mix - totally exciting for someone who loves food (like moi).  Our tickets allowed us into the “public” portion of the event, which was a bit of a madhouse.  I'd highly recommend getting trade tickets if you can.  Arranged by wine type (Sparkling, Rich Whites, Floral Whites, Pinot Noir, Rhone Family, etc.), the booths were lined up all around the first and second floors of the Galleria, with the handful of restaurant booths interspersed within the winery tables, serving complementary foods. One of the wonderful things about this event was that many of the booths actually had the winemaker pouring – a great opportunity to talk about the wine and learn a little bit about the vineyards.

Even though you’re supposed to start with the sparkling and lighter whites and end with dessert wines, I kind of liked going all over the place (it keeps me from getting palate fatigue). I started with a glass of 2004 Iron Horse Green Valley Blanc de Blancs. Next up - a deviled egg with crab meat from Nettie's Crab Shack.  From there, we went all over - 2002 Louis Roederer Champagne Brut Cristal (and yes, it lives up to the hype), 2006 Calera – Mills Vineyard Pinot Noir (already a personal favorite), NV Krug Grand Cuvee (another fabulous sparkler!).

In between the wine tastings, we also managed to eat Hog Island Oyster Company Kumamoto and Sweetwater oysters, Hudson duck with toasted farro from RN74 (Michael Mina's new restaurant venture), braised pork belly from heaven's dog, and “pho” beef tacos from Kitchenette (seriously amazing). When we got to the second floor (Cabernet central), we tried some 2005 Ridge Santa Cruz Mountains Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon (holy tannins, Batman) and some Iberian wines – a 2005 CVNE/Contino Rioja Reserva caught my attention, paired with Gitane's “Bacon Bonbons” (a bacon wrapped prune stuffed with goat cheese) – perfection.  I also enjoyed flour + water's pumpkin soup - lovingly and carefully prepared, although it was the temperature of molten lava; one had to be careful not to burn their tastebuds off...probably not a smart idea for a wine tasting.

Back on the first floor, we wandered the Pinots again and ended up tasting a really fantastic wine from Drew Family Vineyards – their 2007 “Fog Eater” Anderson Valley Pinot Noir. After having Drew’s Pinot Noir, I wanted to try Flowers winery offerings…we had the 2006 Flowers Pinot Noir Sonoma Coast, Andreen-Gale. Not bad, but nothing to write home about. (Sorry, guys.) Last but not least, I ended the night with a tasting of Vilmart & Cie. 2000 Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Gastronome Premier Cru followed by the NV Brut Cuvee Rubis paired with milk chocolate from Brix Chocolates and a little huckleberry compote with goat cheese puree from Candy Bar.

All in all, an overwhelming yet awesome event. My only with is that it were less crowded so you had more time to really take your time and taste wines and take notes. But for a wine neophyte such as myself, it’s a great place to taste some of the big names without shelling out tons of cash. Totally looking forward to next year!

DRINK: Honig Vineyard & Winery

850 Rutherford Rd
Rutherford, CA 94573
(707) 963-5618
Appointment Only


A few months ago, I took a job that landed me in the wine industry. I'd always been curious about wine, especially living so close to Wine Country, but I was hesitant about getting into the whole food & wine scene in the Bay Area. One thing that has always turned me off about it (wine in particular) is the level of pretentiousness that seems to be rampant within the industry. Napa Valley is absolutely full of food & wine snobs, and I don't have the energy to feign knowledge of the origins of Zinfandel or to pretend to know what the hell "legs" are on my Merlot.

Have no fear, wine n00bs - Honig is the Anti-Snob.

At Honig, it's like being invited to someone's house - the tasting room feels just like a friend's kitchen, with a granite island and rustic wooden table. And your friend knows a lot about wine, and isn't going to make YOU feel bad for not knowing a damn thing. Honig specializes in two varietals - Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Honig even sells shirts that say "Friends don't let friends drink Chardonnay." Hilarious. "Honig" means "honey" in German, and if you forget that, you'll remember when you see the bee logo! The property is small, and the staff is equally little - it seems that many of them have been working there for years.

We showed up fairly late on Saturday afternoon without realizing they were appointment only, but David (aka The Guam Bomb) poured us some wine anyway, and didn't rush us out. We got to hear a little bit about the winery, their sustainable practices, about the winery's dogs, and actually ended up tasting their entire library of wines (the honey-colored 2004 Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc was wonderful if you like dessert wines, but they may not have any left by the time you read this!). We ended up meeting a couple from SF that shared the large inside table with the three of us, and David sat down with us and it basically ended up feeling more like a casual afternoon with old friends than wine tasting in Rutherford! (There are two seating areas - inside (photo above) and outside - a nice patio area with lots of shade for those warm Napa Valley days.)

A few tasting notes:

2007 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley - one of my favorite wines, easy to drink and perfect "introductory" wine for friends of mine who aren't really wine at all. I like that they use stainless steel, as it leaves the wine crisper and cleaner on the palate.

2008 Honig Sauvignon Blanc Napa Valley - very inexpensive and nice to have on hand as a casual drinking wine. Just like the 2007, very clean and easy to drink. Would go great with many Asian foods that lean towards the sour (like my mom's chicken adobo!).

2003 Honig Cabernet Sauvignon Bartolucci Vineyards - probably one of my absolute favorite Cabernet Sauvignons from Napa, but at $100 a bottle, I can't quite bring myself to buy it. The tannins have smoothed out quite nicely and the wine is still full bodied without being heavy on your palate.

2006 Honig Late Harvest Sauvignon Blanc - If you can't get your hands on the 2004 (and you probably can't), definitely invest in a bottle of the 2006. Totally worth it. A great dessert wine with subtle honey notes and a pretty golden hue.

Suffice to say, Honig is now one of my regular stops when I'm up in Napa Valley. Here's a little video of our friend (and now home-skillet) David talking about Honig. Isn't he a cutie?

SF BAY AREA Spotlight: Ad Hoc (Yountville)

Ad Hoc
476 Washington St
Yountville, CA 94599
(707) 944-2487

Open for dinner Thursday through Monday, $45 prix fixe menu (not including wine).
Beginning September 18, 2007, open daily


The Ad Hoc crew listens as Chef Dave Cruz goes over the evening's menu.
Photo courtesy of John Lee Pictures, http://www.johnleepictures.com



Original visit: June 6, 2007

And to think I almost said, "Count me out!" when my friend Grace invited me out to dinner at Ad Hoc.

Anything with Thomas Keller's name attached to it pretty much guarantees good food. I learned this from my (I think he might be gay) ex-boyfriend - his family is a big fan of The French Laundry and some of the biggest food snobs you will ever meet. You've heard of the Laundry and of Bouchon, perhaps you've heard of Per Se (in NYC). Led by Executive Chef Dave Cruz,....this small restaurant is another hit for Keller with its down-home yet sophisticated take on comfort food.

Interestingly, this restaurant was meant to be temporary (to be open only six months or so), as Keller intended on opening up a place that served burgers and wine. As Ad Hoc became increasingly popular, it was decided that it would become a permanent fixture on Washington Street (next to Bouchon and The French Laundry) and the burger place would open elsewhere. (I've heard rumors that this place will be opening in Santa Rosa soon.)

Back to Ad Hoc.

Walking in, it feels like you are having dinner at a friend's house - except your friend owns a classy, cleverly-lit, hardwood floored home in Wine Country with a giant dining room. The tables have large panels of silver on them that reflect the lighting onto the ceiling - it makes for an interesting shadow dance while people are reaching for food and moving their glasses around. (Tres artsy, no?) Everyone seems to be engrossed in conversation and nonchalantly sipping wine, a must have in this part of town. Wine list - not too long, with some great choices from all over the world AND from local Napa/Sonoma wineries. Tip: If your waiter suggests a wine pairing, if you have the funds, GO FOR IT. I had my first wine pairing epiphany here at Ad Hoc - more about that later.

Ad Hoc does the prix fixe thing - no muss, no fuss, no hemming and hawing over what you'll be having for dinner. And it's family style, so going in a group is great. Plus, if you run out of your main course, they will gladly serve you a second helping. The first night we dined, we started with hearts of romaine salad topped with pickled onions, walnuts, and slices of apple with a Roquefort dressing. It was not only delicious, but pretty too - the dressing was to die for. Next came the main course - fried chicken with green bean casserole and potatoes. The fried chicken was not greasy - it was juicy and flavorful (brined to perfection); the green beans were cooked al dente (not mushy like your run-of-the-mill green bean casserole); the potatoes were just right and seasoned with roasted garlic (yum!). Then came the cheese course - a very sharp Wisconsin cheddar served with sliced peach (or maybe it was nectarine) and orange blossom honey. And to top it all off...strawberry shortcake for dessert - a light and airy version of a timeless classic.

The friend who invited Grace and I to dinner spends a lot of time here - so when we walked in, it felt like we were VIPs. We got amazing service from our server, Nessim, and the rest of the Ad Hoc crew (it's the kind of service that flows with no interruption, you barely notice as your plates are switched out or your glasses are refilled). They were super attentive, professional, and even put up with our raucous group with a smile. The manager from Bouchon and even the great Thomas Keller himself stopped in this evening. I didn't even notice that our dinner took nearly four hours - we were having such a great time being pampered by the waitstaff that we could have stayed all night.

A month after my initial visit, I made reservations for eight at Ad Hoc for my birthday. Just when I thought it couldn't get any better than last time, we made another trip to Ad Hoc for my birthday last night, and had "Mar y Montana" - a delicious dish made with poussin (that's young chicken for those of you who don't know) and white shrimp. This time, I wasn't paying as much attention to the names of the courses, I just remember it was another sublime experience. Our server, Peter, recommended a wine for our cheese course that transitioned nicely into our dessert course, where we had a Mascarpone Mousse. And this is where I had my wine pairing ephiphany - the wine made the mousse taste like a smooth, rich chocolate. I'd never experienced wine pairing in action - where the wine brings out a flavor in the food, but this time, the entire table had that experience at the same time. It was amazing.

Go to Ad Hoc. Bring friends. Take your time eating and enjoy every single course, spring for some wine, and thank your servers before you go. It's worth every penny.