Drinking the Kool-Aid
The title of this blog refers to The Cult of Cults Dinner last night at the Campanile Clubhouse, not to the fairly astounding grouping of 23 red wines (and 7 more) that were poured. I am exhausted.

David Griffith says it's not the wine that kills you at these dinners, it's the food. He has an uncanny nose and correctly "guessed" most of the wines, which were served "Blind-ish:
Marc Abrams hair was there, having switched allegiance from the Mets to the Yankees to the Jets to the Giants to the Brooklyn Dodgers. (Why is it that the only people who read my too-infrequent blogs find something objectionable in them? I have been censored and censured, but I won't bore you with the details here.)
Jordan Posell and David Rauch were both savoring their last hurrah before new babies arrive, one scheduled for delivery on the night of the next meeting of this esteemed group.

There was so much wine it had to be broken up in to A and B flights. With the possible exception of the 02 Modicum, a wine made in partnership with the French Laundry's Thomas Keller, everything was of tip-top quality. These wines are so hard to get, come in such small quantities, and at such high prices, it's like they almost don't exist at all. It was quite a treat to see so many of them at one table. Bravo to Steve Elzer who put it all together and brought almost a case of these gems.

Assorted Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, Tray Passed Hors d'Oeuvres
96 Dom Perignon

Leek and Bacon Tart served with crème fraiche and fine herbs
02 Marcassin Vineyard Chardonnay (RP 99)
02 Sine Qua Non Whisperin E (RP 95)
02 Scholium Sylphs (N/R)
03 Maldonado Reserve Chardonnay (N/R)

Sauteed Trenne, beef bolognese (not again!)
03 Scarecrow (RP 98) 04 Maybach Materium (N/R)
02 Modicum (N/R)
03 Vice Versa (RP 90)
02 Hundred Acre (RP 98)
03 Buccella (RP 95)
04 Keeber

Braised Beef Short Rib, blue foot mushrooms, peppercorn cream
00 Shafer Hillside (RP 99)
01 Foley Cabernet (RP 99)
01 Pride Reserve (RP 99)
01 Switchback Ridge (RP 98)
01 Araujo (RP 97)

Grilled Rack of Lamb with shell bean ragout, salsa rustica
82 Grace
00 Harlan Estate (RP 91)
00 Colgin Cariad (RP 94)
04 Bryant (RP 95-97)
92 Colgin Herb Lamb Vineyard (RP 96)
93 Harlan Estate (RP 95)
94 Diamond Creek Lake Vineyard
95 Shafer Hillside Select (RP 99)

Pear Tatin with Mascarpone Creme
Araujo Grappa (just gross, but you practically have to take it, and the soap, and the olive oil, if you want to keep your allocation up for the wine. The "Tyranny of the list.")
01 Sine Qua Non Straw Man
- posted by Jeff Smith @ 8:16 AM