I had an extraordinary experience last month. I was invited to a special wine dinner at Spruce restaurant in San Francisco and oh my, was it an amazing evening! Spruce is a product of those gastro-geniuses who created the Village Pub and Pizza Antica. This restaurant is truly a labor of love, as over three years passed between lease-signing and opening night, though I must say the décor, the food, and of course the wine list were certainly worth the wait.
Our evening started with Champagne: a beautiful 1990 Alain Robert, Clos de Mesnil Blancs de Blanc; an incredibly perfumed Champagne with hints of white flower, hazelnut, and spicy ginger. On the palate, this wine was even more enticing with the richness and fullness of the 1990 vintage, combined with extraordinary vivacity and elegance.
The first course of seared veal sweetbreads, (one of my favorite dishes), with pancetta, lentils, and glazed apples was perfectly married with a 1993 Coche-Dury Corton-Charlemagne from magnum. It had beautiful fruit, retaining its youth with none of the “baby fat.” Fantastic elegance and creaminess encompassed the palate from first sip to last, as did length and acidity, which balanced the richness of the sweetbreads.
With the main course, a choice of either Poached Halibut, Savoy spinach, caramelized fennel, and Maitake mushrooms; or Honey-Lacquered Duck Breast, cinnamon-dusted foie gras, and plum gastric. Though I ordered the duck, I can attest to the expert preparation of both, as we were all sharing. Accompanying these exquisite dishes were a 1970 Château Pétrus ($2,299) and a 1970 Château Trotanoy from magnum. It was a wonderful comparison: both from magnum, both 100% Merlot, both owned and managed by the same family, and both from my favorite vintage, 1970. They were still very much the rich and vibrant wines that I remembered. The Pétrus had essence of sour cherry preserves and dark chocolate on the palate, with great acidity and length. It was a impressive and powerful ’70. The Trotanoy had a hint of herbaceousness and an almost baked bean taste, (molasses, spice, sugar, and pork), on the palate. The longer it was in the glass, the more elegant it became. Both of these chateaus excelled in 1970, and were the perfect foil for the duck with red berry fruits, mocha, and smoked meat.
After the main course, a delectable selection of artisan cheeses was paired with a 1970 Domaine de la Romanée Conti La Tâche. Though the glass showed just a hint of bricking at the rim, the wine was not a bit oxidized. Great nose with just a bit of that barnyard aroma found in so many ultra-traditional and older Burgundies. On the palate, there was lots of fresh strawberry and mint, as well as a whisper of leather. Elegant and beautiful as it lingered both in the glass and in the mouth, the length dissipated only after several minutes.
And the pièce de résistance was, obviously, the dessert course: Stone Fruit Bruschetta with vanilla olive oil and lemon verbena ice cream paired with an old German Riesling, a 1937 Staatsweingut Kiedricher Gräfenberg Trockenbeerenauslese. This is from one of the premier vineyards in Germany’s Rheingau region. Though it is 100% Riesling, the color was dark apricot to almost medium ruby red. It had aromas of coffee, mocha, and orange marmalade. I do enjoy Sauternes, Ports, and Tokays, but the concentration and richness of this TBA was immeasurably better than any 1937 made outside Germany. The acidity was so intense and the texture so luscious that the flavors lingered on my palate for at least 15 minutes. I left a little in my glass for another hour to check its progress. Wow! It was just as intense and vibrant an hour later as it had been in the beginning. There is certainly something to be said for the provenance of a wine. I knew exactly where that bottle had laid from the time it was first bottled until it was opened at Spruce almost 70 years later.
It was almost too much when the 1979 Diebolt-Vallois à Cramant arrived; almost, but not quite. The Champagne was a stunning medium/dark golden color with a fine mousse. Though it had reached full maturity, it was not a bit tired. Both in the glass and on the palate, what struck me most was the combination of apple pie, tart green apples, cinnamon and nutmeg spice, and delightful creaminess.
These pairings made for an unforgettable evening, showcasing the incredible possibilites when the best in food and wine are enjoyed together.