Story and photo by Bob Sacks
Summertime cries out for thirst-quenching white and rosé wines; certainly this summer’s oppressive heat and humidity, even more so, but die-hard wine drinkers will seek out a cool, air-conditioned restaurant, with great food and bring their wines, and for a few hours, forget the outside temperatures in order to enjoy rich, red wines, too. Such an evening recently found a group of local winos at the incomparable Belford Bistro, in Belford, enjoying a night of wine and food pairings. The talented Kurt Bomberger chef/owner pulled out all stops with our amazing menu.
An amuse bouche of Duck Confit, cherries, almonds, and a splash of balsamic vinegar, was paired with 2006 Pierre Péters Champagne Les Chétillons, a blanc de blanc from a small grower producer. The bubbles were small and the nose rather ungenerous; a bit of a disappointment.
We held the champagne through a delicious Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with cucumber, pickled pepper, and Pernod. Two California cult Chardonnays, 2011 Paul Lato Le Souvenir Sierre Madre Vineyard, and 2012 Aubert CIX, were served with Butter Poached Halibut, chanterelles, and brioche crostini, the intention being that their typical buttery flavor profile would be a perfect foil. The texture was there, but in both instances the fruit was buried under an avalanche of oak! We rushed open a 2005 Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne; far more elegant and balanced, it could have benefited from more air, as it was somewhat closed and short, but by evening’s end it had developed a complex nose and long finish.
Mixed reviews for the 2002 Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Taillepieds served with a gorgeous Seared Tuna, corn ginger puree (yum), baby watercress and black sesame seeds. Some tasters liked this lean, elegant, Burgundy, while others wanted a bigger wine for the dish.
One of our favorite courses was the Home-made, Fresh Farfalle Pasta with McCormack Farm plum tomato (just down the road) Pomodoro, eggplant, and pecorino romano. This wow-wow dish shared the table with 2004 Percarlo, a Sangiovese-based Tuscan wine, and 2004 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi, a nebbiolo-based Piedmont wine.
Summertime cries out for thirst-quenching white and rosé wines; certainly this summer’s oppressive heat and humidity, even more so, but die-hard wine drinkers will seek out a cool, air-conditioned restaurant, with great food and bring their wines, and for a few hours, forget the outside temperatures in order to enjoy rich, red wines, too. Such an evening recently found a group of local winos at the incomparable Belford Bistro, in Belford, enjoying a night of wine and food pairings. The talented Kurt Bomberger chef/owner pulled out all stops with our amazing menu.
An amuse bouche of Duck Confit, cherries, almonds, and a splash of balsamic vinegar, was paired with 2006 Pierre Péters Champagne Les Chétillons, a blanc de blanc from a small grower producer. The bubbles were small and the nose rather ungenerous; a bit of a disappointment.
We held the champagne through a delicious Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho with cucumber, pickled pepper, and Pernod. Two California cult Chardonnays, 2011 Paul Lato Le Souvenir Sierre Madre Vineyard, and 2012 Aubert CIX, were served with Butter Poached Halibut, chanterelles, and brioche crostini, the intention being that their typical buttery flavor profile would be a perfect foil. The texture was there, but in both instances the fruit was buried under an avalanche of oak! We rushed open a 2005 Bouchard Père & Fils Corton-Charlemagne; far more elegant and balanced, it could have benefited from more air, as it was somewhat closed and short, but by evening’s end it had developed a complex nose and long finish.
Mixed reviews for the 2002 Marquis D’Angerville Volnay Taillepieds served with a gorgeous Seared Tuna, corn ginger puree (yum), baby watercress and black sesame seeds. Some tasters liked this lean, elegant, Burgundy, while others wanted a bigger wine for the dish.
One of our favorite courses was the Home-made, Fresh Farfalle Pasta with McCormack Farm plum tomato (just down the road) Pomodoro, eggplant, and pecorino romano. This wow-wow dish shared the table with 2004 Percarlo, a Sangiovese-based Tuscan wine, and 2004 La Spinetta Barbaresco Starderi, a nebbiolo-based Piedmont wine.
Both were excellent, so it was more a matter of stylistic preference; the Percarlo richer and rounder, the Spinetta lighter and more perfumed.
A Pekin Duck Breast (not a typo – a breed of duck), with sweet red plums, organic broccoli, Cipollini onions, and a creamy truffled parsnip puree which was impossible to leave unfinished, was paired with 1982 and 1986 Ch Mouton Rothschild. The ’82, at peak maturity, was voted WOTN (wine of the night); soft but structured, fruit still intact, and secondary characteristics in nose and taste. The ’86 was quite good, but typical of the vintage, needing more years in the bottle to really shine. Will it ever reach the heights of the ’82 … it seems unlikely, at least in the next decade or two!
Another interesting contrast was between two hard-to-find California Cults: 2001 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS. The more restrained, Bordeaux-like style of the Harlan, versus the bigger, fruitier, and bolder Schrader. Paired with Short Ribs, purple potato puree, summer squash, and sage, they each had their fans, it just depended on palate preference.
A cheese course of Trois Saints: St. Antoine, St. Agur, St. Marks, was served with house-made condiments that showcased each selection, including a mustard fig which was sensational; this played host to two Châteauneuf-du-Papes: 2005 and 2007 Roger Sabon ‘Les Secret des Sabon.’ These were a let- down, and we were hard pressed to explain our lack of enthusiasm for two highly rated wines. Light and lacking concentration, unusual for Southern Rhone, Grenache based wines, they were not badly made, just unexciting.
The Peach Tarte Tatin was a truly exceptional way to end our meal. The thin, flaky crust supporting dead-ripe peaches, a sprinkle of toasted macadamia nuts, and a scoop of vanilla gelato, was crispy, cool, crunchy, tart, and sweet, all at the same time. 2001 Ch. Rieussec Sauternes was the ideal foil for this dish, with notes of apricot and peach, and a sweet, but not cloying finish. The only oddity with this wine was its advanced color. Most sweet Bordeaux dessert wines start out light in shade and develop a brownish- caramel color over many decades, yet this bottle and others of the same vintage show a deep and dark color. It did not taste old, just looked it!
A Pekin Duck Breast (not a typo – a breed of duck), with sweet red plums, organic broccoli, Cipollini onions, and a creamy truffled parsnip puree which was impossible to leave unfinished, was paired with 1982 and 1986 Ch Mouton Rothschild. The ’82, at peak maturity, was voted WOTN (wine of the night); soft but structured, fruit still intact, and secondary characteristics in nose and taste. The ’86 was quite good, but typical of the vintage, needing more years in the bottle to really shine. Will it ever reach the heights of the ’82 … it seems unlikely, at least in the next decade or two!
Another interesting contrast was between two hard-to-find California Cults: 2001 Harlan Estate Cabernet Sauvignon and 2007 Schrader Cabernet Sauvignon CCS. The more restrained, Bordeaux-like style of the Harlan, versus the bigger, fruitier, and bolder Schrader. Paired with Short Ribs, purple potato puree, summer squash, and sage, they each had their fans, it just depended on palate preference.
A cheese course of Trois Saints: St. Antoine, St. Agur, St. Marks, was served with house-made condiments that showcased each selection, including a mustard fig which was sensational; this played host to two Châteauneuf-du-Papes: 2005 and 2007 Roger Sabon ‘Les Secret des Sabon.’ These were a let- down, and we were hard pressed to explain our lack of enthusiasm for two highly rated wines. Light and lacking concentration, unusual for Southern Rhone, Grenache based wines, they were not badly made, just unexciting.
The Peach Tarte Tatin was a truly exceptional way to end our meal. The thin, flaky crust supporting dead-ripe peaches, a sprinkle of toasted macadamia nuts, and a scoop of vanilla gelato, was crispy, cool, crunchy, tart, and sweet, all at the same time. 2001 Ch. Rieussec Sauternes was the ideal foil for this dish, with notes of apricot and peach, and a sweet, but not cloying finish. The only oddity with this wine was its advanced color. Most sweet Bordeaux dessert wines start out light in shade and develop a brownish- caramel color over many decades, yet this bottle and others of the same vintage show a deep and dark color. It did not taste old, just looked it!
After a summer of endless whites and roses, it was a real treat to sit down to a tasting menu designed to complement some serious red wines in the middle of summer. Yes, the fall, with abundant game, is a great time for red, but we just couldn’t wait!
A Vôtre Santé.
Bob Sacks, wine aficionado, is part of the The Two River Times restaurant review team Bob & Bob.
