Wine Raconteur

Fore Family Vineyards - Pinot Noir - Carneros - Napa Valley 2006

Score: 16.25/20 Concluded by my 5element tasting notes.

Opulent flavors stimulate the whole palate. It has a great structure of fruits sweetness without being tasting overriped. Nuances of earth & dried flower overshadowed by the luscious fruits, boysenberries, currants. Quite punchy at the beginning but developed momentum afterwards. It need couple of years to settle down.
Finish is long & wild.

Fruits from a single vineyard in Carneros, Stewart vineyard. 18 months in barrels, 60% new french oak. Picked on 9/22/06 at 25.2 brix.
215 cases produced.

1) Chateau Prieuré Marquet - Bordeaux Superieur

Score: 10/20 Concluded by my actual tasting notes.

Enough of fruits like cherry, core of blackberry. Mid palate has nothing more to give, kind of hollow. Finish is short, lack complexity overall.

100% Merlot. AOC is Cotes de Bordeaux

2) Chateau Clarke - Listrac - Medoc 2006

Score: 17.25/20 Concluded by my actual tasting notes.

There is something I like about this wine even though it is a bit unsettled and wild. Unlike many other wine, this is at least saying something. The Tannins of this wine is monsterous, way too soon to be out of the barrel for tasting some people might think. I honestly don’t think it is necessarily a bad thing. I love it, Tannins is the skeleton of a wine. Young age without it, I wouldn’t call it a fine wine.
Anyway, I like this wine, it has a bright future. Take sometimes to mellow out the anger. It will blossom, be patient. Lets say 8-10 yrs.
The texture in my mouth felt like being sucked into a vacuum cleaner, the Dyson one :->

Roland Thévenin - Monthélie - 2005

Score: 15/20
Nose of cut hay, green wood, elegant, kind of tight. Hint of rose petals, progressive tannins texture has a nice feel. Finish with good amount of minerals & cherries. However, lacks depth from beginning. overall tight but good balance.
It requires some cellar time like 5,6 years.

1) Domaine de la Vougeraie - Charmes Chambertin - Les Mazoyeres 2004


Score: 18.5/20 Concluded by my 5 element tasting method
Vivacious fruits of red currants, fig , strawberries jams. Rounded tannins showing the opulence quality. well defined minerals & tones of pepper. Finish is like a tail of peacock, colorful & youthful. Eager to see how it develops after 6 -8 years time.
The Mazoyere climat is about 18 hectares facing east from an elevation of 260m.

2) Camille Giroud - Latriciere-Chambertin 2006


Score: 16.25/20 Concluded by my 5 element tasting method.
Effortless power driven by the concentration of fruits, like, red currant, raspberries. an overtone of band-aid or pharmuetic appeared on back palate, a bit restraint. Finish is long & vibrant cherries notes, very focus.
The wine is from the 7.3 hectares of Grand cru,lies at the southen end of Gevrey Chambertin, at the border with Morey st. Denis. The soil is a crumbly mixture of clay & silt and limestone.

Charles Viénot - Hospices de Beaune - Corton - Grand Cru 2006


Score: 16.5/20 Concluded by my 5 element tasting method
Faint of wood on the nose, well positioned acidity brings good balance. revealing accent of new leather in mid palate and morello cherries. evolving into more earth. It is tight but got some backbones. Finish is bright but some viscosity. It will ease out in 3-5 years

Comté Armand - Clos des Epeneaux 1er cru - Pommard -2006


Score: 16.25/20 Concluded by my actual tasting notes.
Rustic, sheer minerals. bit shy at beginning. Tremendous amount of blackberries and spice in mid palate. Very firm tannins. Solid finish. Seems has a lot hiding. Wait for 5,6 years at least.
The 5 hectares of Clos Epeneaux is one of the greatest vineyard in Burgundy. For vinification purposes, the vineyard is separated into 4 different parcels, determined by the vine age( from 22 to 66 years)
The wine-maker is the young star, B. Leroux

J.F Mugnier - Nuits-St-Georges - Clos des Fourches 2006


Score: 13.5/20
Very ripe fruits suggest blackberries, figs, sweet clove, faint of licorice in mid palate. Not elegant, kind of bourgeois . Trace of oakiness. Tannins are there but very rough. Kind of dull on the finish.

Patrick Javillier - Savigny les Beaune - Les Serpentieres 2006


Score: 17.75/20 Concluded by my actual tasting notes
Dusty strawberries underneath the spring damp earth. Hidden minerals intermixing with roasted nuts. Flavors are smooth and complex. Finish with cherry tone & terroir driven aromas.
This 12 hectares of parcel is composed of rich brown clay soils. This domaine has only 0.7 hectare of vines and they 30 years old.
This Domaine is one of the most reliable producer in Burgundy.

Domain Gérard Mugneret - Vosne Romanée - 2006


Score 16.75/20 Concluded by my actual tasting notes.
Very focus raspberry, bright fruits. Hint of cherries. minerals, a dynamic finish with layers of subtleties.
Still pretty tight, needs more time.
This wine coming from a 2.58hectare parcel of old vines (50yrs) The soil is limestone with pebbles, well drained clay.

Domaine du Comté Ligner Belair - La Colombiere - Vosne Romanée


Breathtaking panoply of fruits, coffee beans, cedar, star anise. intense earth , dried flowers, hint of Vetiver. Super refine. Finish with clove, pepper. Sleek tannins provide the ability for the long haul. This wine gave real emotional impact.
This wine coming from the Domaine’s 0.78 hectare of parcel, old vines of 60-70 years of age. Limestone & pebbles soil.

Domaine Sylvain Cathiard - 1er cru Aux Reignots - Vosne Romanee 2004


Score: 18.25/20
Intoxicating earth, oakmoss, surrounded by minerals. impeccable balance of acidity. full of life & vigour. Truly brought me euphoria. Velvety density with lots of charm. Amber & Truffle earth subside on back of my palate. Finish is significant and surreal. Be patient, this wine will be a killer in 6-8 year time.
The Aux Reignots is a 1.62 hectare of premier cru, just uphill of La Romanee and Romane conti. elevation of 280-320m. well drained sandy soil , clay limestone mixture. Considered to be one of the greatest vineyard in Burgundy.

Poliziano 2005 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano


Score: 16.5/20 Concluded by my 5 element tasting method.
The wine is 85% of Prugnolo gentile, 15% Colorino,Canaiolo & Merlot
Soil type of soft clay

Alter Ego 2001


Score: 12/20 concluded by my actual tasting notes.
Nose: Lots of force with creme de casis, tosty oak, undertone of cedar, faint of smoking tar.
Palate: (attack) Opulent black fruits (mid-palate) powerful ripe fruits with good deal of acidity. Lacks of grip, not much tannins. Disappointing from mid palate onward. Start to show weakness.
Texture: good mouth feel but lacks backbone.
Finish: short

Alter Ego 2004

Score: 15.25/20 concluded by my actual tasting notes.
Nose: Quite earthy, cedar, dried plum & clove.
Palate: (attack) surprisingly well balance, vibrant fruits (mid-palate) good amount of Tannins & well tuned acidity. Blackberries and minerals mingle around. Looking for more depth, though.
Texture: well integrated Tannins. elegant.
Finish: excellent balance with decent finish. I couldn’t expect more since its a 2nd label.

Atler Ego 2005

Score: 14.5/20 concluded by my actual tasting notes.
Nose: spice , ripe red berries with layer of violet, hints of oak, intriguing nutty aroma
Palate: (attack) concentrated berries, (mid-palate) bright tone of citrus, orange yet supple. sign of tannins show a good support. although the alcohol a bit high. Requires sometimes to develop
Texture: Still some rough edges need to be smoothened.
Finish: Minerals on the finish, subtle bright fruits, good length.

Bazaar is a contemporary Spanish tapas place in the SLS Hotel in West Hollywood. Menu & concept were created by the man, people called, the ambassador of Spanish food & culture, Jose Andre. He who had worked for the high acclaimed chef, Adria Ferran, now resided in the US, owns a numbers of restaurants in the Nation. His style of cooking has a lot of influence by Adria Ferran. His recent collaboration with SLS Hotel helps to develop his new concept of restaurant.
I was a bit skeptic at the beginning about the concept in LA. I had been to many of the celebrity Chef’s restaurant in LA which mostly I had disappointment. Mostly, they are more of a hype and the usual scene of seeing or be seen.
However, Bazaar turned out to be one of my favorite restaurant in LA. I like creativity , however, a lot of chefs neglect the importance of the real meaning of cooking which is deliver tasty dishes. The reason I like the restaurant is that I got the flavors of the ingredients. The Jamon Iberico Bellota are the best you can find from any spanish restaurant in the west coast. The menu also offers traditional style of Tapas for people offended by Olives in a liquid or cotton candies types of ideas of food.
Overall the dinning experience is casual , relaxing, enjoyable. Normally, after savory dishes, they will move you to the dessert bar to sit down and enjoy their great selection of fine desserts. The restaurant is (again) designed by the Philip Stark, extravagant and eye-candied.
Anyway, lets go thru of what I had …..

1) Cocktail: Cotten candy Martini
Before the pour…

After the pour…

2) The Bellota fed Jamon Iberico

3) Not your everyday Caprese

4) Sautee Cauliflower couscous

5) Tuna ceviche avocado roll

6) watermelon tomato skewers

7) Sea Urchin steamed buns

8) Cotton candied Foie Gras

9) Brussels sprout leaves, lemon puree, grapes, Lemon air on top

10) Jicama wrapped guacamole with micro cilantro

11) Japanese taco, grilled eel, shiso, wasabi, chicharron

12) Just shrimp cocktail.

Recess time in the mirrored restroom

13) Japanese eggplant , honey dashi, dry bonito

14) Rossejat, paella style pasta, shrimp

This dish was the least I like.

15) Braised veal cheeks, orange

16) Croquetas de pollo, chicken fritters

17) 1st dessert: Coconut-Berries-Lime, Albert Adria

18) 2nd dessert: passion fruits Nitro coconut floating lsland

Delicious !

A digital display photo slide show by the entrance.

The bar area

Dessert bar