DINNER IN ARAI - French Restaurant at the Resort (12/27/2005)

Tired kids, ski-fatigued adults, very slow service...and a wine list
with about five red choices and five white choices. One of those order
the wine before the food and hope situations. It was amde easier by the
fact that the choices were pretty obvious. The fact that most of the
table ordered foie gras, then duck or beef didn't hurt either!

*2001 Chteau Montus Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Sec - France, Southwest
France, Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh*

Lightish straw yellow, even to the rim. Nose shows the presence (not
overwhelming) of some sweet new oak and of rich fig and apricot fruit.
The richer fruits are buoyed by brighter apple and kumquat notes, along
with a little candied nut as well. Palate is completely dry despite the
sweetish presentation of the nose. A moderate amount of acid keeps
everything in balance as the rich stone fruit and honey palate turns
into chanterelle on the slightly oak-spiced finish. A great
accompaniment to my wife's foie gras and to my pork terrine, this
does less well with my main of sole in a lemon cream sauce. Made in a
modern style with a dose of new oak that might normally put me off,
this is still a great choice with foie type dishes as the fruit has
enough richness and body to balance the oak. My first experience with
this and I will be going back for more.

*2002 Domaine Parent Pommard - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune,
Pommard*

Deepish burgundy red, clear but not particularly bright. As this was
served much, much too cold, the nose was almost non-existent when it
was first poured. After warming up, it shows sweet cherry, meaty
shiitake mushroom, and earth on the nose. The palate is a little rough
on entry and exit, but has a nice burly core of thick-skinned cherries
and deep sweet plums. Finish is only of moderate length, but combines
coffee spice with more meaty cherry. A little rustic and little rough,
but pleasing with the duck and steak ordered around the table. Comes
off like an old, old-style Pommard minus the sun in the sack or mystery
mix from the Rhone. My first experience with this domaine. I won't be
buying them for the cellar, but they're a new reasonable choice for
restaurant lists.
Other than with my fish, these turned out to be good matches. The
Parent definitely needs to duck or beef to smooth its rough edges. Who
would have thought I would discover Pacherenc on a ten-item list in a
restaurant in the middle of Niigata prefecture? Even a blind
squirrel...

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