Backstage at La Paulée

Wine:

1962	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche (jeroboam)	97
1962	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée-Conti (jeroboam)	97
1971	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St.Vivant (jeroboam)	93
1971	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche (jeroboam)	96
1962	Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares (magnum)	96
1985	Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares (magnum)	96
1990	Domaine Georges Roumier Bonnes Mares (magnum)	98
1986	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet	92
1986	Domaine Ramonet Montrachet	97

The best seat at La Paulée isn’t at one of the tastings or dinners that grace the calendar during this weekend-long celebration of the wines of Burgundy, rather it is backstage at the main event Gala Dinner. Hundreds of the rarest Burgundies, many in large formats, are carefully opened, decanted and tasted in this inner sanctum that is strictly off limits to visitors. Poor weather forced me to move my flight up or risk being stranded in San Francisco. I ended up missing the Gala Dinner, but luckily I was able to sneak backstage before leaving to taste a number of mind-bending wines.

Perhaps because of my early training in music and theater, I have always had an attraction to the behind the scenes goings on, and this was no exception. It’s hard to fully capture the scope and breadth of the wines being staged for the Gala Dinner. Imagine a collection of the rarest Burgundies on the planet in large, almost unthinkable quantities, and that’s a start. Then there are the large formats. Lots of them. The collection of wines being prepared for my table alone was awe-inspiring. I was fortunate enough to taste a number of wines as they were being opened by all star-team of sommeliers headed by Robert Bohr, Richard Betts and Bobby Stuckey. The atmosphere was electric.

Large formats are very difficult to open and serve properly, especially mature Burgundy because of its often delicate nature. The wine must be gently siphoned into a decanter through gravity without disturbing the sediment. It is an operation that requires extraordinary skill and concentration under any circumstances, especially so when many other bottles are waiting to be opened and guests start getting thirsty. I stood next to Bohr as he expertly opened bottle after bottle with no problems whatsoever. My job was quality control. Tough assignment, but someone had to do it.

The 1962 La Tâche from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti was superb. I could have gone home at this point and been utterly thrilled. Sweet spices, licorice and soft, subtle fruit came together in an incredibly appealing Burgundy of the highest level. The 1962 Romanée-Conti showed more depth and firmness, along with incredible staying power on the palate. This was the second jeroboam of this wine I have tasted in the last year. The 1962 Romanée-Conti remains a reference point wine. On this night it was deeply moving.

The 1971 Romanée St.Vivant was the most fragile of these four wines from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The bouquet was haunting and totally beguiling. This was a touch less interesting on the palate, but the aromatics alone were extraordinary. The 1971 La Tâche was initially rather firm, but then began to open up nicely in the glass. Unfortunately I didn’t have the time to follow it over several hours as I would have liked, but fellow tasters reported the wine fleshed out beautifully over the course of the dinner. Based on what I was able to observe over a few minutes, I am not surprised. It isn’t every day I taste four jeroboams from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, but I hope this won’t be the last.

Three magnums of Roumier’s Bonnes Mares were special. As expected, the 1962 was the most delicate of the group. Here, too, the aromatics were particularly alluring and beautifully delineated. I would have enjoyed the 1962 more a little earlier in its life, but everything was in perfect balance in this magical elixir. The color, integrity of the fruit and length were all phenomenal. The 1985 was an especially great example of this wine laced with endless perfumed fruit and a totally compelling personality. Frankly, it was hard to spit. Once again, I noted how well magnums of the 1985 have aged. I was completely unprepared for the sheer beauty of the 1990. What a fabulous wine! A burst of gloriously ripe, red fruit exploded from the glass, followed by a never ending array of spices and flowers that melded together seamlessly in an extraordinary display of sheer class. This was a fabulous bottle in every way.

Two 1986 Montrachets provided fascinating contrasts. The Domaine de la Romanée-Conti impressed for its intensity and depth, but I gave an edge to the Ramonet for its sheer energy, minerality and vibrancy, all of which elevate it to the pantheon of immortal, heroic wines.

I barely made my flight back to New York, but the rush was well worth the effort, as the wines I tasted will remain with me forever.

Food:

Galantine de Crustacés aux Truffes Noires

Sole à la Ciboulette

Caille Farcie à la Truffe

Filet de Veau Rôti aux Noix, Estragon, Confir de Radis Rose et Noir

Sélection de Fromages Artisanaux

Assortiment de Chocolats, Gâteaux et Mignardises

--Antonio Galloni