Mark Sommelier

Palena is closed on Sundays.

On the menu at Michel Rostaing's Bistro D'a Coté in Paris is Poulet de Bresse en Deux Services. The breast garni is served first, then the dark meat. Voila! Oh, yeah....... it was delicous.

I want to add that the regular lunch menu at Galileo is the best fine dining deal in town. Last year I had a totally satisfying veal chop Milanese - pounded thin, breaded and pan fried - for $16. Where else can you get a whole veal chop for $16. That's what they cost raw at Whole Foods.

a statement like THAT with no follow up...!?! this merits a bemused gallic expression and a "quoi?" i want to guess: was it your pal? you know, ena? oh come on guys and gals. this is humor. i can hear you laughing... OK, Dude, here's the follow-up: The WHOLE FREAKIN' BAR WAS EGULLETERS TONIGHT! It was unplanned, unrehearsed and totally fun. Derek was sweating bullets, though. That burger is awesome.

Finishing dinner with friends one night in a Chinese restaurant, I asked the waitress for a brandy stinger. She returns with what was obviously brandy and green creme de menthe ( the two together make an icky color), garnished with a little paper umbrella.

The King Family wines are very good, as are Michael Schap's (King's winemaker). His most amazing and delicious wine is his late harvest cabernet franc (vinified dry).

Condrieu should be drunk within 2 years of the vintage.

My personal opinion is that if you are going to drink viognier, it should be from Condrieu. There is viognier being made by most wineries in Virginia now, in addition to California. They are completely different animals. California viognier impresses me as too fat, oily and oaky. Most good Condrieu has no oak. La Doriane is one of the exceptions. For delicious, delicate Condrieu try Georges Vernay "Terrasses de l'Empire", Domaine Pichot, Domaine Boissonet. The regular bottling of Guigal Condrieu varies quite a bit from year to year. 2000 was definitely sweeter than 99.

Take a look: http://www.winespectator.com/Wine/Daily/Ne...45,2561,00.html The weak dollar and the Iraq war are given as two causes.

it's really not the same, mark. but this discussion has been hashed out time and time again on egullet and countless other places and always ends up the same exact way. so i'll let you continue to gouge me as i step back a bit from this discussion. Tommy, You know my famous line: "I could sell you the wine for half price if I could serve it to you in a paper cup on a bare table."

i think the average wine drinker *does* understand that people are making money on wine and that it doesn't magically go from grape to glass. but the issue at work here, i think, is that i can get the same product in my home town at 100 Main Street for 8 dollars, and next door at 102 Main Street for 28 dollars. Tommy, The same is true of the steak you buy for $12 at the market and $35 at 102 Main Street.

You're not old enough to go there, sonny.

the average person can't get wine from any other source down that chain. so it's generally restaurants, and retail. and that's why people compare and kick. That's true, Tommy. But average joe wine drinker should understand that wine doesn't come out of thin air. There is a distribution network that makes lots 'o money on this under the auspices of our government. Why do you think Two Buck Chuck costs $3.49 on the East coast?

In Northern Calif retail is double wholesale. In Washington, DC, retail is wholesale X 1.5. The point I was making is that the retailer buys from the wholesaler who buys from the supplier who buys from the importer (in the case of foreign wines) who buys from the broker who buys from the winery. All of these guys mark up the wine, but it is only the restaurateur who gets kicked for marking up wine. Why is that?

A great purveyor of lobster and specialty fish: http://www.browne-trading.com/

Not to change the subject, but you do know that "retail price" is roughly 400% more than what the wine costs at the source.

Keep the book. It is handy for phone numbers and addresses.

Chinatown is open late. In Georgetown, aside from Bistro Français, Pied Bistro is open till 3, Five Guys is open till 2. In Foggy Bottom, Marshall's West End serves till 11 or 12 on Sunday. In Dupont, aside from Sette, Childe Harolde serves till 1. El Tamarindo is open late in Adams-Morgan.

A place here in DC calls their happy hour special "Funky Sushi".

I had a wonderful chilled sweet corn soup recently at Charlie Palmer Steak that was delicious after we added a little salt. It had an airy lobster flan in the middle of it, so those of you who won't eat seafood would probably not like it. Citronelle is currently serving a vichysoisse with leak foam and potato croutons that I like very much. I like cold soup, too.

These are all wines that I have never heard of on the East Coast. Carolyn, do you know if they are distributed?

Domaine Jo Pithon for Savennieres, Didier Dageuneau in Pouilly-sur-Loire, Christophe Baumard for Savenierres and Quarts de Chaume, Domaine Huet in Vouvray, Caves Bruneau-Dupuy in St. Nicolas de Bourgeuil. Chateau de Nozet in Sancerre.

Try Marhsall's at 26th and L for casual dining after the show. Somehow, I don't don't think you'll like Sequoia or McFadden's for food. David Greggory sometimes serves the bar menu late (21st and M). A quick cab to Dupont gives you Sette (Connecticut and R) and Bistrot du Coin (Connecticut and S). Bistro Français in Georgetown is open till 2.

Here are the instructions for Nectar: Have drinks at the bar first. Order at least 3 food courses Mandatory: order cheese course Different desserts all around. Try not to eat too much of the tasty bread. Ask for tall glasses for the water.

Don't cry. I was recently offered 1945 Mouton Rothschild for $9700 a bottle from Mahler-Besse + my distributor. That is a wholesale price.