Montrachet: A Tribute
Montrachet, the great wine restaurant in Tribeca, closed last year and although there is some hope that it may re-open some day, the signs are not good. On May 11 and 12 Zachy's will sell half of its cellar at auction; wine lovers will enjoy the descriptions of the lots and the various tributes to the restaurant itself.
Copies of the catalogs are online here.
Eric Asimov published a very moving tribute to the restaurant and its importance in making the United States a more wine friendly place;
Asimov's blog is here.
Extract:
Back then, wine and sommeliers were both feared and ridiculed. In the American imagination, they were imperious and condescending, and French restaurants were formal and haughty. But Nieporent, who had a vision for Tribeca when it was a grim and forbidding district, along with Danny Meyer, initiated a new American style that combined casual dining with high-level French cooking. Their triumph is obvious all over the country, not only in the great restaurants that have gotten rid of tablecloths, ties and jackets but in the great wine lists that we now take for granted. In the process, French cooking techniques have been thoroughly absorbed by every great American chef. People who talk about the decline of French restaurants and the rise of Italian really ought to take another look. French restaurants are alive and thriving in the United States, only they are now called American.
When Montrachet opened, it offered a 60-bottle selection on its list, which was printed on every menu. It was Daniel Johnnes, the restaurant’s sommelier, who built the wine list into one of the greatest of the world. In the process, Daniel became the rare sommelier who was also the public face of a restaurant. His wine dinners attracted collectors from all over the country, and he made Montrachet a New York destination for some of Burgundy’s greatest producers. He also trained some great sommeliers, like Tim Kopec at Veritas, and created a model wine program.
When Daniel left Montrachet in the summer of 2005, it was clear that Montrachet would not last much longer. But really, I think Montrachet was killed by 9/11. It lost such a significant portion of its business that it could not recover, though it lingered for another five years.
***
I have many fond memories of Montrachet; and it was a very important part of my journey through the wine world. As an example, here is my report of a wine dinner held at Montrachet on October 15, 2001.
I spent the day and evening in New York City on business and pleasure for the first time since September 11. I had gone in several times soon after the attack on various volunteer missions, but this was to be a "normal" New York day. In many ways it was … but with some real differences.
I started at the Met Life building (the old Pan Am building on 42nd Street), and took over 35 minutes to get through security. New Jersey does not require a photo id; it is best to carry a passport or other official photographic id, although my Costco card worked today.
I got off at the 52nd floor and was totally baffled by the view from the waiting room. I had visited these offices a dozen times over the years, but this time there was a large bridge dominating the view. I ran through the New York bridges - George Washington, Triboro, Brooklyn, Throgs Neck … and concluded it was the Whitestone … until I realized after a couple of minutes that I was looking south and that for the first time in a quarter century one could see the Verrazano stretching from Brooklyn to Staten Island.
Our meeting was punctuated by a lawyer describing how the Met Life building shook as the first jet passed overhead on its way south on the 11th.
Afterwards, I walked the two miles south to Montrachet in Tribeca, passing a five block line of people waiting to visit the Empire State Building. Dozens of bulletin boards contained photos and descriptions of people missing in the attack. Pedestrians were very polite - it was a little hard to predict when people would stop and let others through - my in your face attacking walking style didn't work very well, and I found myself using woodland hiking techniques. Cops were wonderfully polite, and people were treating them like heroes, rather than ignoring them as in years gone by.
As I got closer to Montrachet, the wind blew up a bit from the south east and as I got to Tribeca, there was a distinct odor of burnt plastic and an under layer of cinder block. (I wondered as I wrote these notes whether it affected my ability to taste during the dinner; interestingly, the food was delicious, but I'm not sure I did justice to the wine.)
Jancis Robinson was a bubbly and funny as ever; she was insightful on the differences between Bordeaux and Burgundy winemakers. In Burgundy, they all had dirty hands - the wine usually has earthy notes and the winemakers are "closer to the ground". Visits are less formal - and the Mercedes is hidden in the garage. [She did refuse to discuss the book in any detail - food and wine was the focus tonight.]
As the evening wore on, I realized my cab would be too early, and I went out to the bar to postpone its arrival for an hour. Ed Koch, the former mayor, was dining with two other people, and on a whim I said hello as I went back into the dining room. Koch looked a little puzzled, but said hello in a friendly way. (My only other personal contact with Koch was a bit remote; he spent five minutes talking with my daughter Kathrine years ago between acts at an off Broadway show.)
A half hour later, I decided to try to find the score of the Yankee/Oakland game and talked to the folks at the bar. They told me Bernard Sun, who was pouring at our dinner, was wired and would have the score. This time as I passed, Koch noticed me and beamed: "Hello. It's great to see you again." (I was a little taken aback, but stopped and chatted for a minute with my new found friend.)
As I left at the end of the evening, Daniel was generous enough to give me a second copy of the wine atlas, Jancis was nice enough to sign both copies, one for me and one for a friend, and Bernard and I hugged each other with joy at the Yankee score.
My cab was slightly delayed, and a National Guard's man and a cop and I watched a part of the game on a TV they had hooked up to the cigarette lighter in the Hummer. Both were wonderfully welcoming, again throwing me a little off balance. New York City seemed an unusually warm and welcoming place.
The cabbie arrived, we went around a couple of local streets, and arrived at an entrance to the Holland Tunnel. It had been open for about 30 minutes for the first time since the 11th, and a very officious Guards man refused us entrance. He insisted that we use another entrance, even though there were no other cars anywhere in sight. "This entrance is reserved for emergency vehicles only."
That led to a 30 minute diatribe by the cabbie - ineffectual rules enforced by power hungry petty officials with senior officials out for political glory was the gist of it. It was good to see that New York City hasn't lost all of its bearings.
***
Here are my notes on the dinner and the wines that were served, which demonstrate the glories that once were common at Montrachet:
Jancis Robinson has been on a tour promoting her new book (co-authored with Hugh Johnson), The World Atlas of Wine , 5th edition, and Daniel Johnnes took advantage of her presence in New York to feature her at a Burgundy dinner at Montrachet in Tribeca. In the event, she seemed a bit travel fatigued, and the wines were not showing at their best (some possible reasons may appear below in the narrative part of this report).
All of the food was absolutely delicious, and the wines matched the various dishes perfectly, even if they did not show particularly well on their own.
NV A. R. Lenoble Champagne Brut Reserve Champagne France. Steely, ice cold, tiny, tiny bubbles, intense fruity aroma, taste and long finish. A delight. 5*.
Warm Shellfish Salad with Haricot Verts and Fingerling Potatoes.
1996 René and Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Les Forêts Burgundy France. Very pale color; lovely intense aroma that went on and on; lovely purity of flavor; quite tart, but well balanced and a long finish. 4*. [Robinson thought the wine was in a "trough" - closed down and not showing well. She thought it needed another five years before it would show well.]
1996 René and Vincent Dauvissat Chablis Les Clos Burgundy France. Light yellow color; restrain aroma; concentrated tastes, but quite restrained; long finish. Needs time. 3*. [Robinson said the wine was really closed, but would, she thought, eventually develop into a greater wine than the Les Forêts. She had an interesting tasting phrase to describe Chablis - "wet stones" - and darned if I didn't understand what she meant.]
Pan Roasted Scottish Salmon with Autumn Vegetables.
1995 Domaine Comte Lafon Meursault-Perrières Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. This was a very controversial wine tonight; I was in the adoring minority. Pale red color; lovely aroma of forest leaves in October and mineral notes, deep and intense; somewhat restrained tastes of nuts and earthen tones; long finish, beautifully balanced and structured. 4*. [Robinson was philosophic: opulent, leaves, no teenager temper tantrums yet, restrained, not Chardonnay, but "wine from a place".]
1993 Domaine Comte Lafon Meursault-Perrières Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Pale yellow color; restrained aroma and tastes, needs time. 2*. [Robinson: lovely but drink soon; this was a mean, bad vintage. We both agreed that this wine went beautifully with the food - an almost perfect match.]
1990 Pierre Morey Meursault-Perrières Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Disappointing aroma and taste, awkward, unbalanced, didn't get better over time despite some early promise. 2*. [Robinson also found it disappointing and awkward and "jagged" and "musky".]
1988 Pierre Morey Meursault-Perrières Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Pleasant aroma, a bit of vanillin, a little clunky to my taste. 2*+. [Robinson: Charming, fuller and more even than the 1990; drinking quite well tonight.]
1986 Pierre Morey Meursault-Perrières Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. [Advertised, but both bottles were corked and not served. 1*.]
Stuffed Saddle of Lamb, Chanterelles, Swiss Chard.
Note: there was a consensus that all three D'Angervilles were very young.
1995 Marquis D'Angerville Volnay Taillepieds Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Magnum. Dark purple color; medium hue; lovely aromas of berries and black spices; very good berry and spices; long finish. This wine took over an hour to open fully, but it was very rewarding. 3*+. [Robinson: young and tart - needs more bottle time.]
1993 Marquis D'Angerville Volnay Taillepieds Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Magnum. Similar color to the 1995, a bit more acidic, concentrated, opened ok over time. 3*. [Robinson: Concentrated, lively, youthful, needs time.]
1990 Marquis D'Angerville Volnay Taillepieds Côte de Beaune Burgundy France. Rich aromas and tastes, long finish, lovely to my taste although many did not care for it. 3*. [Robinson: Not fresh, although it is rich and long lasting.]
Assortment of Cheese.
1988 Domaine G. Roumier Bonnes Mares Côtes du Nuits Burgundy France. Johannes said that this was a special cuvee from Vieilles Vignes, not indicated on the label, but very rare and unusual. Rich and complex, an impression of sweetness, floral and developed nicely. 3*. [Robinson: lavender notes.]
1983 Domaine G. Roumier Bonnes Mares Côtes du Nuits Burgundy France. Magnum. Deep red color; deep hue, browning just a bit, excellent aroma of berries, herbs, spices and leather; good tastes of berries and spice, hints of earth and leaves, long finish. 3*+. [Robinson: Not a great vintage, a bit earthy, rich and sweet, not sickly, violets, rich, drying a bit at the end.]
1971 Comtes Georges De Vogüé Musigny Côte de Nuits Burgundy France. The reason to drink Burgundy; as Wilde put it, there is no obligation to express the inexpressible. 5*. [Robinson: absolutely lovely, quintessential aromas of mushrooms and mulched leaves, light, delicate, very sweet, not a large wine, but this one proves that a wine does not need to be large to be great, leaves an impression of sadness. "The beauty of Burgundy is that one does not need a brain to appreciate it."]
Gateaux Aux Fruits de Saison.
***
I'll miss Montrachet, and probably shed a tear or two as I read the auction catalogs. But Daniel Johnnes still holds court at Daniel, and Drew Nieporent is endlessly innovative. The best may yet to be.
Regards, Bob