David McDuff

<ol><li>Bacharacher Kloster Furstental Riesling Sekt Brut 2001: Year in and year out, this is one of the most special wines we sell at Moore Brothers. Made in the Champagne method, including riddling by hand courtesy of Jochen Ratzenberger himself, this single vineyard sparkling Riesling spends five years on its lees before disgorgement. Always a clear expression of both site and vintage, it’s a wonderful pairing with oysters and other shellfish and makes a splendid aperitif. The 2001 vintage is drinking wonderfully, crisp, completely dry, showing a very fine mousse and brimming with lightly toasty notes of apple and peach. The Kloster Furstental einzellage is located one valley to the south of Ratzenberger’s primary property. Its soil base is richer in loam than to the north, its rows are more widely spaced and its orientation opens it to the winds blowing along the river. All of these factors combine to make it a dry site with very strong vines, ideal for production of perfectly healthy fruit. Botrytis does not occur here and grapes can hang long on the vine, in some vintages into February. Jochen makes only two wines from the Kloster Furstental – Sekt (from an early picking) and Eiswein. <li>Bacharacher Riesling Kabinett trocken 2003: Ratzenberger’s village wines, produced only at the Kabinett trocken and QbA levels and labeled simply as Bacharacher with no vineyard designation, come from a cross-section of all three vineyards on the main property, usually dominated by fruit from Wolfshöhle. The warm, dry growing conditions of the 2003 vintage lend a creamier than typical structure to this bottling. The stoniness of all of the estate’s wines is present, soft yet dry, with hints of apricot on the palate. Jochen prefers this wine with fresh water trout caught in the streams near his home. Try it at home with any mild to medium flavored fish. <li>Steeger St. Jost Riesling Spätlese trocken 2002: Looking back on my notes from a visit to Weingut Ratzenberger in February 2004, we tasted this very wine shortly after bottling. Three years on, it’s developing wonderfully. Spätlesen trocken, late picked wines fermented to total dryness, give a more intense, vinous flavor profile than that found in earlier harvests and lesser degrees of dryness. That vinosity shows itself aromatically, with intense scents of minerals, peach and lime zest and greater body in the mouth. These elements, combined with textures resulting from a higher-acid vintage, make this a great choice for pairing with oilier fish such as salmon or with game birds. The St. Jost vineyard, with its high elevation and soil base of slate, clay and sand, is ideal for this style. The only other wines made there are a Kabinett halbtrocken and a Großes Gewächs. <li>Steeger St. Jost Riesling Kabinett halbtrocken 2003: The tasting order selected by Jochen surprised me here, as I would have expected to taste this before the Spätlese trocken. No matter, the wine is delicious. Very delicate and gentle, it shows crystal clear flavors of peaches and canned pineapple melded to soft yet refreshing acidity. This is incredibly versatile with lighter foods of all kinds, makes a wonderful aperitif and would hold its own with a wide range of modestly seasoned Asian cuisine. <li>Bacharacher Posten Riesling Spätlese halbtrocken 2002: Now the order begins to make sense, a clear progression from trocken to halbtrocken and on to sweeter styles. The aromas of this wine are the most intensely mineral yet, showing hints of what many refer to as petrol married to rich tones of apricot and a lush, persistent and lively mouth feel. Full body, lively acidity and a nuance of sweetness make this suitable for pairing with fatty birds and rich sauces. Posten’s proximity to the Rhein and its somewhat sheltered position, both contributing to light morning fog, make it an ideal site for the production of late harvest and botrytis effected styles. From here hail most of the Auslesen, Beerenauslesen and Trockenbeerenauslesen produced by Ratzenberger. <li>Bacharacher Riesling Kabinett 2003: Not yet for sale, this was tasted from a sample bottle. It reminded me instantly of the 1998 Bacharacher lieblich wines. Soft and broad across the palate, its transparent flavors of white peach and slate, subtle acidity and very low alcohol (8%) make this a classic aperitif style. I’m already looking forward to its availability. <li>Kloster Furstental Riesling Eiswein 2002: Back to the vineyard where the tasting began, this time with the showstopper. Real, handmade, farm grown Eiswein is a rarity in Germany. Some producers, depending on their vineyard sites, might only produce three or four bottlings per decade. Because of the special characteristics of Kloster Furstental though, Ratzenberger is able to make Eiswein, albeit in tiny quantities, in most years. Sporting 250 grams of residual sugar and 20 grams of acidity, this is pure nectar, unctuous, tooth coating yet still balanced. Subtler aromas but much more intense flavors emerge than in the earlier pickings – lemon and lime oils, kumquat, papaya, passion fruit and orange blossom honey. Its best possible serving scenario is straight up. If you must eat, pair it with a slice of good foie gras. But please, please don’t serve it with sweets; at $135 for a half-bottle, it would be the epitome of waste.</ol> The full text of the article accompanying these notes can be found here: The Rieslings of Weingut Ratzenberger

#6) A good glass of Moscato d'Asti. Why eat fruit for breakfast when you can drink it? And at 5 or 6% abv, it's unlikely to throw a wrench into the works for the remainder of the day.

Since I've just contributed to taking this thread a bit off topic, I'll do my best to bring it back around. I enjoyed a damn good meal at Osteria on Easter Sunday. Here are some of the specifics of the meal: ----- After listening to the fairly extensive list of daily specials, we opted to work mostly from the regular menu, though it was tough to pass up the Easter special of stuffed spring lamb. My wife opted for an Antipasto and Primo combination; I went with a Primo and Secondo. Here’s what we ordered: - Wood grilled octopus, cured lemon, potato and chives (antipasto) - Candele with wild boar bolognese (primo) - Capon tortellini with sage brown butter (special primo) - “Casoeula” braised pork ribs and sausage with cabbage and soft polenta (secondo) The clear standout was the wood grilled octopus. Nearly whole (headless) baby octopi, incredibly tender and flavorful, were paired with well-chosen flavor enhancers: slivers of preserved lemon, perfectly firm little cubes of potato and quality olive oil. The boar Bolognese served over candele – long, extruded pasta (think of extraordinarily lengthy ziti) – was comforting and hearty, only lightly influenced by tomato, much more highly informed by slow cooking and mellow seasoning. If there was any disappointment to be found, it was in the slightly under-seasoned tortellini. The pasta component was supremely delicate, as was the mild, tender capon filling. The aroma of ample, rich butter rose from the plate but its color and flavors were still on the fresh side, lacking the nutty depth of a well-browned butter sauce. And for me, the sage element was just a little too subtle. The braised pork ribs, offering a perfect balance between the heartiness of braising and the slightly lighter ingredients of encroaching spring, were done to fall-off-the-bone perfection. The rustic sausage, like all of the cured meats on the menu save the Prosciutto di Parma, is made in-house. ----- The above is an excerpt from a longer piece describing the entire dining experience, Easter at Osteria.

Not to worry, mate. Real men definitely drink rosé. This is starting to get off topic but if you like the Chiaretto and the Calissanne, you should also try "Cuvée le Chataignier" from Domaine de la Citadelle. Good juice.

I'm inclined to concur with most of the respondents above, V. If the staff had never fessed up to any awareness of the bag, it would have been your loss. Since they did admit to finding it, saving it for you and then "losing it," I think it became their responsibility -- ethically if not legally. The tough question will be how to place a value upon not just the hardware but also its contents in the event that you do not have a backup. That part may just fall back on the original owner.... Bonne chance!

Talula's is now up and running with private dinners, held after market hours, at their chef's table. Reservations can be made for a solid party of eight or ten. I'd hate to be accused of supposed shilling again, so if you're interested in the details of the eight course dinner I enjoyed there this past Saturday, you can read them -- and see photos of most of the dishes -- in my own editorial space. Besides, it's a bit on the long side to post here.

I've enjoyed the food at Silk Cuisine, on Lancaster Avenue in Bryn Mawr, for years. The seasoning level can be a bit tame but the ingredients, execution and menu depth are all pretty solid. And BYOB never hurts.

It was a good meal and a good deal indeed. I see that the plating changed over the course of the evening though... (Excuse the image quality. Taken with a cell phone.)

Chilly but not ice cold should be the order of the day. Serving PX at a cool temperature will help temper its tendency towards being cloying in its texture and sweetness. Serve a young, straightforward PX quite cold. For the older vintages you have lined up, I would back off of the chill just a bit so as not to shock the palate or mute the aromas. Exact temperature? That I can't provide in stone, though I would think somewhere in the high 40's up to around 50 degrees F would be about right.

David, If you're up for the short trek into West Philly/University City, I've recently had two great meals at Marigold Kitchen. Reservations can be made on-line, the atmosphere is casual/elegant, it's BYOB and the food's right on. You can check out details of my most recent trip here.

It's true. Aimee Olexy and Bryan Sikora, original proprietors of Philadelphia's beloved Django, have finally opened their new gourmet food shop in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania. To clarify, it's not a restaurant. Rather, it is a gourmet food destination -- something all too lacking in the nether lands of Chester County -- specializing in seasonal, fresh, local prepared foods and a high quality selection of produce and packaged goods. Before I go too much further, let's take a moment to clarify some spelling questions.... The shop: Talula's Table (not Tallulah, Tellulah, etc.) The chef: Bryan (yes, with a y) Sikora The shopkeeper: Aimee (one i, two e's, no y) Olexy I took the drive out to Kennett this past Friday, March 2, to check out their first night of opening to the public as part of the town's First Friday Art Stroll. Talula's was definitely the main draw of the evening, with a solid crowd of local supporters and curious passersby stopping in to sample the wares and get a feel for the shop. The doorway opens into a communal café seating area, visible from the store front, followed by a coffee/espresso bar and cashier area. Flanking the left and right walls of the long space are various display areas showcasing the current stock of provisions: on the left, shelves of artisinal dried pastas, coffee, teas, oils and canned goods; on the right, refrigerators and display cases of sweets, house-made fresh pastas, condiments and prepared meals, pastries, and local dairy and produce items. The real excitement, given Bryan's skills as a chef and Aimee's reputation as one of the areas foremost cheese mongers, lies dead ahead across the rear wall of the shop. There you'll find Aimee's currently modest but very well selected array of cheeses and olives as well as Bryan's entrées of the day and in-house cured and smoked meats. To round out their efforts, the owners have brought in Claire Shears as full-time pâtissier and sweat-equity partner. Claire, who Bryan met while working at nearby Sovana Bistro, will be offering a full line of pastry, ranging from croissants and muffins tailored to the coffee bar crowd to a more elaborate array of desserts. All bread will also be baked in-house. Already off to a promising start, as the shop's customer base grows and as its group of local purveyors matures and deepens, Talula's promises to be both a daily boon to the locals of Kennett as well as a destination for foodies from the entire southeastern Pennsylvania and northern Delaware region. Talula's Table http://www.talulastable.com 102 West State Street Kennett Square, PA 19348 610-444-8255 Open every day. You can also view this post on my new blog.

Talula's Table is now open. Why not check out the details on my new blog.

A quick top-ten, in no particular order: - G.D. Vajra, Dolcetto d'Alba "Coste e Fossati" 2004 - Domaine Jean-Pierre Diconne, Auxey Duresses blanc "Vieilles Vignes" 2002 - Clos Roche Blanche, Touraine Côt 2002 - Weingut Keller, Rheinhessen, Westhofener Kirchspiel Riesling Kabinett 2003 - Peter Michael, Knights Valley "Les Pavots" 1995 - François Chidaine, Montlouis-sur-Loire "Les Choisilles" 2000 - Alzinger, Wachau, Loibner Loibenberg Riesling Smaragd 2001 - Luigi Baudana, Barolo "Ceretta Piani" 1996 - Georges Trichard, Saint-Amour "Domaine des Pierres" 2005 - Château Laffitte-Teston, Madiran "Vieilles Vignes" 2000

All screw cap jokes aside, yes, I've seen this happen on more than one occasion. The thing that always amazed me is that the wine made it all the way from the winery in Italy (they've always been Italian wines, btw), on and off trucks, in and out of a container, in and out of the hold of a ship, in and out of warehouses, etc., without spilling a drop. Maybe that's why the Italians tend to use upright rather than flat boxes...

Jon, I'll second most of Jackal10's comments. If stored correctly, 30 years for an Auslese, assuming it's from a good producer, should be no problem. I recently enjoyed a 1966 Spatlese, from Weingut Ratzenberger in Bacharach-Steeg, that was still fresh and vibrant. Indeed, 76 was a good but also hot year. You should expect the wine to be fully developed and quite round. I'd recommend it most of all by itself. Scallops would indeed be a good pairing though I'd steer away from biscuits or anything sweet or starchy in general.

For good burgers and mussels and a great Belgian beer list, Monks is a good lunch spot (16th and Spruce on 16th). For a more elegant setting and more interesting food, Matyson is a good bet (on 19th just south of Market) and it's BYO if you're up for a little vino with lunch. Just up the street from RTM, Vietnam Palace (11th just south of Vine) puts out pretty respectable Vietnamese food at pretty reasonable prices.

This may be old news by now but... I headed to Blue in Green on Sansom Street for my favorite pancakes in the city this past Sunday and found it gone. It's been replaced by a rather uninspiring looking sushi joint.

I'll throw my two cents in as well for Hana, Carmine's and Sang Kee Asian Bistro. On the other hand, and no offense meant to Phungi, I would avoid Fellini's like the plague. I had one of the worst dining experiences of all time there: bad service and horrible food. If you want to take things up a notch, the most obvious choices within a short drive from Ardmore would be Savona in Gulph Mills or Georges (as in Perrier) in Wayne/Strafford. Both are definitely more formal than any of the options mentioned thus far but still stop just short of being tie/jacket required. I have not eaten at either, though, in a good three or four years so I can't vouch for their current menus.

If you don't want to open them both, my first vote -- as above -- would go to the Barbaresco.

Katie, I have to admit that sometimes my notekeeping takes a back seat to the spirit of the moment. In other words, I don't have a detailed recollection of the wines. The standouts were a fantastic Riesling Smaragd from Prager, a vibrant Blaufrankisch from the Burgenland and one of many stickies enjoyed on the trip from Alois Kracher. The rest, I'm afraid, is a distant blur....

Len, My wife and I enjoyed a special occasion meal at Palais Coburg in September. It was fantastic and certainly the most polished and cutting-edge meal of the trip. We opted for the "Menu Surprise" with wine pairings (all Austrian) selected by the sommelier. I happen to have asked our waiter for a copy of the menu; he obliged with the English version. Here it is....

As white truffles hail from Piemonte and calf's liver dishes are part of its culinary tradition, I would strongly suggest any number of Piemontese wines. If your budget allows, a Barolo or Barbaresco of some age would be lovely; wines from 1989 and 1990 have been reentering the market from reputable producers of late, 1996, 1998 and 1999 options might be easier to find. If working with a more modest budget, look for one of the more special but traditional cuvees of Dolcetto such as G.D. (Aldo) Vajra's Dolcetto d'Alba "Coste & Fossati."

Though it's been quite a while since I went looking, options for Ethiopian or Eritrean cooking in Manhattan always seemed rather lacking.

Um... not to be a pain, Mary, but why would I have something in my pantry that I wouldn't want to eat??? In all seriousness though, I am having a terribly hard time coming up with anything that is both a possible pantry item and a desirable scent/taste in wine that I wouldn't be open to eating.

As I would happily imbibe all of the spices on your list, I must state the somewhat obvious: barnyard, baby!