Dominus Dominates at V&A

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The line up.
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Chef Scott Hunnel drops by for a visit.
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Chef Aimee was generous with the caviar on two courses.
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Pretty presentation.
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The “eyebrow” chocolate always creeps me out.
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The course we never eat. James used to work at Eddie V’s.

 

It had been quite a while since we’d been to the Chef’s Table at Victoria and Albert’s, because Disney changed the reservation process to favor hotel guests, so it was fun join Ron and Bev there for dinner and wines last night. The room has been remodeled since our last visit, with nicer cabinetry and lighting. Most of the food was the same as our last visit to the Victoria Room, but there was a new veal dish served under a smoke-filled glass that was our favorite.

Chef Aimee is now running the kitchen, and several other chefs have also been promoted, and stopped by the table to introduce their dishes. Scott Hunnel dropped in to say hello. He’s now in charge of all 14 of the resort’s food outlets. Israel Perez provided the wine service.

The wines were poured in flights of two. The biggest surprise was how shut down the 1986 first growth Bordeaux were. This was the most expensive flight on the table, and the least interesting. I don’t know if they are just going through a “dumb” stage, or if this vinatge is over. There was still plenty of tannin, that’s for sure. But neither wine offered even a hint of fruit or other depth.

Perhaps less surprising was that the 1991 Dominus was the Wine of the Night. My last two bottles were corked, so it was a relief to revisit an old friend.

Menu

  • Cauliflower Panna Cotta with American Caviar
  • Roulade of Smoked Salmon and Alaskan King Crab
  • Alaskan Sablefish with Baby Bok Choy
  • New Zealand Langoustine with Nage Crema
  • Smoked Rohan Duck with Peaches and Celery Root
  • Marcho Farms Veal “En Croute”
  • Australian Kobe-Style Beef* with Roasted Garlic Potatoes
  • Selection of Cheese from the Market
  • Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta with Wild Strawberries
  • Peruvian Chocolate Crunch
  • Friandises

The Wines

2005 Compte (off the V&A wine list)
Green, creamy
92 pts

2000 Château Haut-Brion Blanc (Steve)
Wax, butter, evergreen, peppermint candy, honey
94 pts

2013  Pierre Yves Colin Morey Meursault Charmes (Ron)
Granite, lime, shell
92 pts

1959 Hospices de Beaune Beaune 1er Cru Cuvée Dames Hospitalieres Maison Leroy (Steve)
Exotic Asian spice nose, light bodied, long finish
94 pts

1969 Leroy Grand Echezeaux (Ron)
Somewhat soapy nose
92 pts

1986 Château Mouton Rothschild (Steve)
Closed, tight
92 pts

1986 Chateau Lafite (Ron)
Lead pencil, mint
94 pts

1966 La Mission Haut Brion (Ron)
Really elegant, wood, soy, tobacco, dusty, menthol
96 pts

1991 Dominus Estate Napanook Vineyard (Steve)
Licorice, coffee, great structure, coffee finish, open for business but with years to go
98 pts

1997 Chateau d’Yquem (Ron)
apricot, honey, not quite enough acid or secondary aromas
92 pts

War Paint at the Goodman Theatre

WarPaint

Last night Dani and I saw War Paint at the Goodman Theatre. It’s an excellent show starring Patti LuPone and Christine Ebersole about the rivalry between Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden. It opened in Chicago a couple of months ago, and we were lucky that it extended its run by two weeks allowing me to grab two front row seats of what was a sold out house.

The show is presumably in tryouts for a Broadway run, because the sets and lighting were quite extraordinary, and couldn’t possibly have been paid for with the revenues from a limited run at the Goodman.

The central cast of four characters were all Tony nominees, and the stars had four Tonys between them, so the talent was top notch.

I really liked the score, which has many songs, all very accessible, some quite complex, and which was rendered by the largest pit orchestra I’ve heard in some time.

As with most shows in tryouts, changes are being made. I understand 20 minutes has been cut already, which was a good thing because the show was the right length.

The problem the show faces is that the two main characters, Helena Rubenstein and Elizabeth Arden⏤who are on separate sides of the stage almost continuously for the whole show⏤never actually met in real life. The show invents a scene at the end where they do meet, and it works surprisingly well. However the number at the end of the first act sets up the idea that they think maybe they should meet, and another almost 30 years elapses before that last scene. That’s a long time to wait for the payoff. I would probably cut that number from the end of Act 1, and find something to cut from Act 2 to speed it along, perhaps the number with the two costars, which didn’t really advance the story.

I would probably cut that number from the end of Act 1, and also find something to cut from Act 2 to speed it along, perhaps the number with the two costars, which didn’t really advance the story. I’m sure it’s difficult to decide what to cut when you have so much good material, and such great talent performing it.

Although makeup isn’t a topic that interests me, The show is really about starting with nothing and creating a successful business. The show’s challenge will be to find a way to connect with a mass audience, as younger people have never heard of the two women who were literally the first female titans of industry.

Summer Champagne Crush

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This trip to Chicago was organized around two events, the first of which was the Hart David Hart Annual Summer Champagne Tasting. It was held at The Ivy, a popular wedding venue in River North.

I guess the original intent was to have the tasting in the courtyard, which would have been quite pleasant. Unfortunately, Chicago weather didn’t cooperate, and the temperature was in the mid-nineties. As a result, the ill-advised decision was made to hold the event inside, in a rabbit warren of small spaces. The air conditioning–what little there was–simply couldn’t handle the task, and the rooms were soon over a hundred degrees. Even on ice, the Champagne couldn’t be kept cold. And the spaces were so small that it became impossible to even squeeze from one room to the next. A thoroughly unpleasant event.

Dani and I resolved to quickly try only the most noteworthy offerings and beat a swift retreat. My notes are limited to only numerical ratings, because any comments about blends or production were lost to the din of too many people in too small a space. We were in and out in about 30 minutes.

The event did reinforce my preference for yeasty vintage Champagnes with moderate acid levels and some pinot noir in the blend. Surprisingly, the Taittinger wines ended up being our favorite group.

The wines we tasted:

(this first batch was particularly warm)
NV Krug, Rosé ($240) 96 pts
2008 Moet & Chandon, Grand Vintage Rose ($85) 90 pts
2004 Dom Pérignon Rose ($320) 92 pts
1998 Dom Pérignon Brut, P2 ($275) 98 pts

2004 Dom Ruinart, Brut Blanc de Blancs ($155) 87 pts
2006 Veuve Clicquot, La Grande Dame Brut ($160) 91 pts

NV Billecart-Salmon, Brut Reserve (magnum $100) 89 pts
NV Billecart-Salmon, Brut Sous Bois ($70) 91 pts
NV Billecart-Salmon, Brut Rosé (magnum $160) 90 pts
NV Billecart-Salmon, Blanc de Blancs Brut ($165) 94 pts
NV Billecart-Salmon, Extra Brut ($70) 88 pts

NV Taittinger, La Francaise Brut ($55) 92 pts
NV Taittinger, Brut Cuvee Prestige Rose ($75) 97 pts
NV Taittinger, Prélude Grands Crus ($80) 95 pts
NV Taittinger, Les Folies de la Marquetterie (pinot noir) ($80) 96 pts
2006 Taittinger, Comtes de Champagne Blanc de Blancs (4165) 99 pts

Wines we couldn’t get to:

1995 Charles Heidsieck, Blanc des Millénaires
2000 Charles Heidsieck, Brut
2000 Maurice Vessell, Brut Grand Cru, Millésime
2002 Piper-Heidsieck, Brut Cuvée Rare
2004 Delamotte Blanc de Blancs
2005 Philipponnat, Clos des Goisses
2006 Piper-Heidsieck, Brut
2009 Thierry Fluteau, Cuvée Prestige, Côte des Bar
NV André Clouet, Grand Réserve Brut Grand Cru
NV Armand de Brignac, Brut Gold
NV Bollinger, Rosé
NV Canard-Duchêne Charles VIII, Blanc de Noirs
NV Charles Heidsieck, Brut Réserve
NV Michel Arnould Brut Réserve, Grand Cru
NV Paul Bara, Brut Réserve Grand Cru
NV Paul Déthune, Bru Rosé Grand Cru
NV Pierre Gimonet & Fils, Blanc de Blancs Brut, 1er Cru
NV Piper-Heidsieck, Brut
NV R. Pouillon & Fils, Blanc de Blancs Brut
NV Ruinart, Brut Blanc de Blancs
NV Thiénot, Rosé