Del Posto Ristorante

85 10th Ave,

New York, NY 10011

tel (212) 497-8090

This was another fabulous dinner at Del Posto, where I do many of my tastings because wine service is so exceptional. We were treated to a wonderful, delicious meal full of highlights. The pastas at Del Posto are always terrific, as they were once again on this evening. The Caramelle with Robiola in particular were superb. I also adored the Wood-Grilled Lobster; easily one of the finest dishes being served in New York City today. The food was very much the equal of the wines on the table, and that is the highest compliment I can possibly pay considering the legendary wines we were privileged to drink. As always, Del Posto’s staff did a fabulous job in meeting all of our needs with regards to service of both food and wine, far from an easy task with this group.

This was my first taste of the 2005 Montrachet from Domaine de la Romanée-Conti. The 2005 is a big, explosive Montrachet layered with luscious fruit. It is a spectacularly rich, intense wine that needs time to come together. Stylistically, though, it was a little too much for my taste. Perhaps the wine will settle down a bit in the coming years.

This bottle of Krug’s MV Rosé is believed to be a 1984 or 1985 disgorgement. It is an understated, pretty wine laced with ethereal fruit, crushed flowers and sweet spices. I prefer the Krug Rosé at an earlier stage of its development, but there is no question this is a lovely bottle. The MV Private Cuvée, believed to be from the 1970s, is unbelievably vivid, with gorgeous detail and integrity in its fruit, not to mention fabulous overall balance. I don’t think too many of today’s Grand Cuvées – the modern-day version of this wine – will age this well, but I would love to be wrong on that point. Nevertheless, this is a stunning, deeply moving bottle. I am probably the only person in the room who thinks the 1996 Krug Vintage is slightly corked. Some of my friends find great pleasure in this wine, but I can’t get to the same place. No such problems with the 1959 Krug Vintage, however, which is simply fabulous. I am amazed by the freshness, nuance and flat-out harmony of the wine as it takes shape in the glass. The clarity of the finish is phenomenal. The 1989 Krug Collection is consistent with all of my previous experiences with the wine. This is a pretty, understated Collection with burnished, advanced flavors and a soft texture. It is best enjoyed sooner rather than later.

Leroy’s 1966 Grands-Echézeaux is an exotic wine laced with star anise, sweet spices and orange peel. It is a touch fragile at this stage, but still quite beautiful, long and pure. The 1966 Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echézeaux is a towering Burgundy. Incredibly powerful and explosive, it shows fabulous class and pedigree from start to finish. This is a majestic wine by any measure. The 1966 La Tâche is prettier in its bouquet than it is on the palate, where oxidative notes have begun to appear. The 1966 is a touch dry on the finish, and is probably best enjoyed over the near-term.

The 1971 La Tâche is quite a bit more virile and powerful than the 1966. This is a particularly expressive bottle with notable intensity and a long, pure finish. The 1971 Romanée St. Vivant is another wine that has entered its twilight. Pretty notes of cedar, tobacco and spices emerge from this fading Burgundy. To be fair, others enjoyed this wine more than I did. Having tasted several bottles recently, in my view the 1971 RSV is on the cusp of being over the hill.

The 1971 Guigal La Mouline is fabulous. It shows marvelous integrity, with layers of expressive fruit that caress the palate from start to finish. Hints of tar and smoke add further shades of dimension on the close. Amazingly, the 1971 comes across as having plenty of life ahead. The 1985 La Mouline is less impressive than the 1971. It shows plenty of dark fruit but comes across as somewhat one-dimensional. Unfortunately, this isn’t a great bottle.

A corked bottle of Giacosa’s 1978 Barolo Riserva Villero was a heartbreaker. We fared better with his 1985 Barbaresco Riserva Santo Stefano, which was excellent, but not monumental. The glories of this night clearly belonged to a handful of great wines from Krug and DRC.

Food:

Roasted Autumn Vegetables with Robiola Sformato & Truffled Hazelnuts

Lidia's Jota with Espresso and White Truffles

Chestnut Ravioli with Partridge Ragu

Caramelle with Robiola

Wood-Grilled Lobster with Artichokes, Almonds & Basils

Seared Duck Breast, Apician Spices, Savor alla Francescana & Lovage

Wine:

2005	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Montrachet	94
MV	Krug Rosé	92
MV	Krug Private Cuvée	96
1966	Krug Vintage	?
1959	Krug Vintage	96
1989	Krug Collection	92
1966	Maison Leroy Grands-Echézeaux	95
1966	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Grands-Echézeaux	97
1966	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche	93
1971	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti La Tâche	96
1971	Domaine de la Romanée-Conti Romanée St. Vivant	93
1971	Guigal Cȏte-Rȏtie La Mouline	96
1985	Guigal Cȏte-Rȏtie La Mouline	93
1978	Giacosa Barolo Riserva Villero	?
1985	Giacosa Barolo Riserva Santo Stefano	96

--Antonio Galloni