[Wilfrid1]

We had never been to anything like this before, and curiosity got the better of us. A long weekend on South Beach, with a steady stream of food and wine tastings. To be honest, I expect it to be tacky and a bit silly, but there were certainly highlights. Please understand that wandering around for four days, being served a small plate every five minutes, does not lend itself to detailed food reporting. But there are some random pictures, although none that I can find from the Veuve Clicquot orgy.

Sorry, that should read Veuve Clicquot "Bubble Bath" - essentially an occasion to find out how much of the yellow label one can possibly drink, with the added attraction of it being served by models in orange bikinis (or speedos, if you will), in the aquatic garden of the Setai Hotel.

Here's someone else's picture from one of these events:



and this, from the hotel's site, was the setting:



Hard to take very seriously, but champagne and bikinis do not quickly pall. One downside was service in plastic flutes, although with an open bar for several hundred people, one could see why. Another was that hors d'oeuvres were withheld, for some reason, until around midnight. They were thankfully hearty: large grilled shrimp, spring rolls, impossibly sticky chicken drumsticks dunked in a tomatoey sauce. We made our excuses as the salsa and mambo soundtrack segued into disco and the crowd started dancing...

Next entry will be classier, and feature my Beloved's camera-work.

[Wilfrid1]

The gustatory highlight of this trip, by some margin, was the opportunity to taste a vertical of Haut-Brion under the direction of the chateau's MD, Prince Robert of Luxembourg, and its third generation head wine-maker, Philippa Delmas. I have tasted vintages of La Mission before, but this was my first session with the tete de cuvee.

H.R.H.:



M. Delmas:



The tasting was also the bargain of the trip: something over $100 to explore a series of wines fetching in some cases several hundred dollars the bottle. The reds were tasted in pairs:

2002, 2001

The '02, in particular, has a long way to go, as one would expect. There was a crack in the door of the '01; still tannic, but with some detectable soft fruit. A higher proportion of Merlot in the blend, said M. Delmas.

1999, 1998

The '99 had some sweet fruit which lingered, and some interesting secondary flavors which I found hard to pinpoint - my note says "mint?", but I think the emphasis is on the "?". The '98 was the first wine of the tasting to really show itself - cigar, especially sweet cigar or pipe tobacco on the nose; full bodied in the mouth; bacony fruit; medium-long finish. But keep it another ten years, said M. Delmas.

1996, 1995

A contrasting pair, the '96 blend favoring cabernet, the '95 merlot. The former showed a noticeably long finish; more bacon and tobacco. At some point, M. Delmas was asked what he could detect in the bouquet of these wines...Pause...deep sniff..."Just about everything."

1990, 1985

It was at this point that I was spoiled for ever drinking red wine again. The 1990 was astonishing: I scribbled "tobacco, wooden boxes, licorice, chocolate, full fruit, very long finish". M. Delmas described it as "classic". No spitting. The 1985 I found less accessible, still tannic, still presenting almost as a young wine; but grassy meadows, berries, cinnamon, leather (it says here).

But they still managed to produce a big finish: two of the tiny production Haut-Brion whites - more or less 60% semillon to 40% sauvignon blanc; a pain to produce - barely a glass of juice from each vine - aged like reds, and described by M. Delmas as "dry Sauternes".

2003, 2001

The older wine had notable acidity: pears, citrus and the good kind of cat's piss. The '03 was the knockout - like no other white I've drunk: add honey, melons, and a creamy finish which seemed to go on for hours. $400+ of wonderful.

Some costly debris:




We encountered the makers again at the Wine Spectator Best of the Best, offering delicious pours of La Mission. I asked Prince Robert (a most affable man with an accent he agreed was British public school) why the chateau troubled itself with events like these. Surely they'd sell out their wines in any case, at almost any price. He agreed they didn't have to do it; he regarded the exercise not so much as promotion, more an after-sales service for customers, an opportunity for them to meet the makers and discuss the product. Incidentally, the Prince also addressed the question of screw-top bottles (see this thread). It's something which has been considered, but the main obstacle is not feasibility but consumer resistance at the high end.

My Beloved charmed the Prince into accepting the MF URL, so everyone sit up straight. Nice wine.

[nuxvomica]

Wilfrid, on Mar 6 2007, 09:38 PM, said:

The '99 had some sweet fruit which lingered, and some interesting secondary flavors which I found hard to pinpoint - my note says "mint?", but I think the emphasis is on the "?".

eucalyptus?


sounds like a really interesting tasting, esp. the whites. keep the VC girls in bikinis, gimme some '90 HB!

[fentona]

Wilfrid, on Mar 6 2007, 10:41 AM, said:

Sorry, that should read Veuve Clicquot "Bubble Bath" - essentially an occasion to find out how much of the yellow label one can possibly drink, with the added attraction of it being served by models in orange bikinis (or speedos, if you will), in the aquatic garden of the Setai Hotel.

And yet, all your pictures are of middle-aged Luxembourgian guys. Quel dommage...

[Wilfrid1]

You can tell I didn't take them, right? Will be posting at least one bubbly-bearing nymph later today.

[Wilfrid1]

After dropping off sundry gift bags at the hotel, and freshening up, we headed for the American Airlines arena, home of the Miami Heat, for Wine Spectator's "Best of the Best". I thought this might be an expensive bear-pit, especially when we saw a crowd of - must have been - seven or eight hundred people gathering on the entrance steps. Forunately, we had arrived a little earlier, and were among the first to enter, pick up wine glasses, and head for the tastings.

In fact, it turned out to be a well-organized event in a surprisingly apt venue. It was confined to the hospitality suite tier of the arena, each of around thirty suites temporarily housing a handful of guest chefs and wineries. You made your slow circuit, stopping to nibble and drink. In fact, we made two circuits. Why not?

New York chefs were very strongly represented. Immediately upon entering, we were passed a light salmon appetizer by Tom Valenti. We didn't get pictures of everyone, but we did congratulate David Chang on his two star review for Ssam Bar, and gave a neighborly hello to Gabrielle Hamilton of Prune. I wasn't taking notes: Chef David was handing out, from memory, some nice raw scallops; I already mentioned on the Prune thread the sweetly candied pork belly.

We also spoke to Christian Delouvrier, currently based in Miami, opening a branch of Manhattan's La Goulue. Anita Loos was serving a delicious torchon of monkfish liver topped with raw crab.

One drawback of the evening; after an afternoon of Haut-Brion, my palate was receiving every other red wine as a vulgar fruit-bomb. A little unfair on the producers, but - other than stopping by the La Mission Haut-Brion table, it became a champagne evening - Louis Roederer and Lanson between bites.

And then suddenly, it's Nobu-san passing out sushi:



He also seemed to be all over town promoting Rado wristwatches.



Floyd Cardoz of Tabla plied us with mildly spiced short ribs.



And then, halfway around the circuit, you pass through a maze of white curtains and find yourself in the Pure Lounge. I was too shy, of course, to address the gauze-clad models, shimmering around with bottles of Dom Perignon, but my Beloved ascertained that Pure is a Vegas nightclub now opening in Miami. She also interviewed two police officers, who looked like they were on the assignment of their lives (an understandable presence, as late in the evening this section was getting loud and loaded). Who else should we find there, but Alfred Portale, offering some little Asian-accented bites (okay, getting a little hazy...).



The Pure Lounge boasted several champagne bars, the busiest being Dom Perignon, where two representatives of the house were popping and pouring the '98 as fast as they could. I took the opportunity to compare it with the '96 "Celebris" by Gosset, which I found I preferred. A terrific glass, in fact, full-bodied, clean, with a long finish; next to it, the DP seemed a little astringent. I have a feeling some Pommery was tasted here too, just to be polite to the young lady pouring it.

A long evening. Andrew Carmellini was displaying some rich desserts, but I couldn't face them. My only complaint about the night was the cheese. Wisconsin Cheese. Not so good.

[rancho_gordo]

Wilfrid, on Mar 7 2007, 08:02 AM, said:

Who else should we find there, but Alfred Portale, offering some little Asian-accented bites (okay, getting a little hazy...).

I don't mean to change the subject but his Simple Pleasures is a great book, only he looks very scary and intense. Here he looks more like a normal guy.

[Wilfrid1]

My Beloved gave him no chance to put on his game face.

[Wilfrid1]

Okay, let's have a bubbly-bearing nymph, for goodness' sake!



A Perrier-Jouet nymph, to be exact, in a most impractical toga.

The occasion: the Publix Grand Tasting, a day-time event under a series of vast marquees on Miami Beach. You get to develop sunstroke and coat your feet with sand on the way in, so it's kind of casual. In fact, it's more the Food Network-fan end of the festival, and the first thing you pass are a series of stages hosting cooking demonstrations and celebrity chats. But not only are you tripping over Paula Deen and Bobby Flay every five minutes, you also - apparently - have to keep stopping and greeting Spanish-language TV celebrities. I am sorry I couldn't remember El Gordo's real name, but he does answer to El Gordo. And does anyone know who the "Heart Boys" are?

I did linger at a chat with Nigella Lawson, and took the opportunity to remind her of her twenty-five year old Spectator restaurant column - thus establishing that I was English, could read, and had some idea of her age.

"Oh...that's a long time ago..."



The tasting took place in the two biggest marquees - crowded, noisy and a bit of a blur. We picked up a truffled something with a quail's egg on top from local hero Norman Van Aken. A resemblance to Kevin Spacey?



We also came across David Bouley, newly opened in Miami of course, working very hard at making foie gras/truffled brioche sandwiches.




Champagne alternated with sherry.



And then some more foie gras buns.



I am out of notes. I know there were oysters, Montecillo Reservas, Brugal rum - several different rums, in fact - Shula's steakhouse steak, some French cheese thank god, good carnitas from Lario's (Gloria Estefan's local hotspot), a champagne cocktail bar where I met a woman dressed as a bee, and...well...oh yes, I somehow finished the afternoon on Sierra Nevada pale ale. Champagne makes you thirsty.

Any questions?

[balex]

Hmmm Haut Brion 1990. My father served me some of this last time I went round for dinner. Very nice indeed. None of the '89? That still needs another decade or two.

[Wilfrid1]

My father was more of a Blue Nun man.

[bloviatrix]

Nigella's looking awfully ripe.

[beachfan]

Wilfrid, on Mar 7 2007, 09:51 AM, said:

I did linger at a chat with Nigella Lawson, and took the opportunity to remind her of her twenty-five year old Spectator restaurant column - thus establishing that I was English, could read, and had some idea of her age.

"Oh...that's a long time ago..."

Any questions?

I hate to bust your bubble Wilf, but I think you only established your mammarocentric personality.

[omnivorette]

bloviatrix, on Mar 7 2007, 10:41 PM, said:

Nigella's looking awfully ripe.

Azoy lang vel ikh leben, I should be so ripe.

[Suzanne F]