WTN: RN74 in San Francisco

• N.V. Mark Hebrart Champagne - France, Champagne (4/3/2011)
  One of the fruitiest rosé Champagnes I've had, really lovely, moderate dosage but not heavy at all. Very Good+.
  
• 2009 Guy Bossard Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Expression de Granite Domaine De L'Ecu - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (4/3/2011)
  Good Muscadet, but there's no reason to drink this when Pépiere is the same price. Good+.
  
• 1985 Huët Vouvray Moelleux Clos du Bourg - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray (4/3/2011)
  My first Huët moelleux, with foie gras terrine, but I wasn't that impressed. It was well balanced, but I didn't get much sense of either botrytis or typical aged chenin aromas. Good+.
  

RN74 (named after the highway through Burgundy) is the restaurant I was hoping Bacar would be. Excellent food with excellent wine, as you can see by all of the above selections, available by the glass! Overseen by Raj Parr (of the recent pinot noir kerfuffle) it is a hard core wine geek list. Even the "New World" selections are Old World in style, and they have stuff like Tissot pinot noir from Jura that are really out there. Just as an example, the other two Champagnes on the list were by Egly-Ouriet and Pierre Peters. Most importantly, everything is kept chilled under gas in excellent condition, and you can get a half glass for half price. Our server knew a lot about the wines and the dishes, which is important because the menu often does not describe all the components that are important for pairing. I was highly impressed with the whole experience. Definitely consider going on a Sunday evening, when it is much slower and they have a $39 prix fixe with three courses (no choices). I added on the terrine of foie gras, which was superb. I'd call it buttery smooth, but even butter has a perceptible macroscopic grain structure!

[David M. Bueker]

Thanks for the notes.

I've tried a few Bossard wines, and like you have not been bowled over. I'll stick to Pepiere and Luneau-Papin.

I can imagine that the Huet was too young.

I've tried a few Bossard wines, and like you have not been bowled over. I'll stick to Pepiere and Luneau-Papin.

Things have been shaky in recent years for Bossard as he has been trying to sell the winery and apparently wasn't always putting his best into the wines. I heard 09 was a return to form, but maybe not. However before all this mess began there was a serious argument about whether he was the best (if not one of the few best) producers in Muscadet.

I can imagine that the Huet was too young.

Perhaps. Although I think the 1985 was not the most successful vintage here. I forget the details but I've had it a few times as it shows up at reasonable prices, most likely because it was not the most successful vintage here.

[David M. Bueker]

I can imagine that the Huet was too young.

Perhaps. Although I think the 1985 was not the most successful vintage here. I forget the details but I've had it a few times as it shows up at reasonable prices, most likely because it was not the most successful vintage here.

Salil opened a different '85 Huet at Thanksgiving that did not impress, so your explanation makes some sense.

I've got 1 bottle of the '85 Le Mont Moelleux, its a good wine but by Huet standards not a great one. Don't think it was a top year for sweet wines (though a few years ago I had a killer '85 sec, forget which bottling).

I hope to get to RN74 one day, I've met the chef (Jason) a few times. He actually did some winemaking as well under the tutelage of Abe S.

Thanks for notes

I hope to get to RN74 one day, I've met the chef (Jason) a few times. He actually did some winemaking as well under the tutelage of Abe S.

You and me both, Dale, before Jaybert forgets who I am or moves on.

Mark Lipton

No time like the present, gentlemen. We were there from 5:30 to 7:30 this Sunday and it was only a third full. We were doted on.

I did have one second thought: there are no pedestrian wines on the list, so what are people who like pedestrian wines supposed to drink? I checked the bottle list, and RN74 just plain does not carry the Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label. Talk about making a statement without saying a word...

As for the Huët, I note that it's available for $75, which seems maybe too cheap to be really good for a wine of that age. I was still in heaven with the terrine, though.

List sounds great.
I think the Huet is probably quite a decent value at $75-85. And if I saw on a btg list I'd almost certainly go for it. But one can find the '89 (great vintage for Huet) Moelleux for about $100-120, the 1ere Tries for a bit more, so if I was going to buy I'd probably spend the extra.