Past Issues:
Drinks with Les Dames, feb/mar 2007
Wine Skinny Managing Editor Robyn Tinsley
is a member of Les Dames d'Escoffier, an
international organization of women in the
food, beverage and hospitality professions.
Les Dames (or LDEI)
is a great community-based group that offers
a supportive network to its members and
participates in local educational and philanthropic
efforts like the LDEI
Civic Agriculture & Garden Initiative.
These are also some women who can really
get into a wine tasting, if you know what
we mean! Each issue, we'll bring
you the results of a Drinks with Les Dames
tasting -- what they liked, what they didn't,
food pairing ideas, and more.
The Houston Dames recently gathered at
Mark's
American Cuisine, one of Houston's hands-down
best restaurants, for food, drink and a
"meeting." (Kind of like when
the boss has a "meeting" on the
golf course...) I toted along some appropriately
titled wines to sample -- the Mas de la
Dames wines from Provence!
 But
first a word about the food. Spectacular.
Also, Scrumptious. And Superb, while I'm
at it. The reception nibbles alone were
memorable, from the Thai crab & shrimp
fritters to the florettes of smoked salmon
and sesame-crusted ahi, the Dames pounced
on every tray that passed as if we'd never
had such delicious morsels before.
But it was the quenelle of cauliflower
and roasted garlic flan with Avruga caviar
that was the stuff of dreams. Served in
individual spoons (cool spoons, too, that
we all coveted), the quenelle was a mouthful
of contrasts -- the earthiness of the cauliflower
puree, the slight sweetness of the caramelized
garlic, the smooth cream, the briny bite
of the caviar -- it may have been the best
one-biter I've ever had.
The dinner went on from there, kicking
off with a lobster and cornmeal crusted
clam starter served with a salad of chayote
squash, pears and roasted beets. Light,
flavorful, great textures, delish!
Then came a lovely galantine of locally-raised
chicken, filled with alba truffle mousse
and served with wild mushrooms in an aromatic
consommé.Comfort food elevated
to Chef Mark Cox's standards!
After a flavorful ribeye with potato croquettes
and root vegetables, the meal finished up
with a luscious dessert from Pastry Chef
Gi Young Kim. A swoon-inducing gateaux
of pumpkin mousse with poached pears
and a pear and rum caramel. Paired with
a glass of Muscat de Beaumes de Venise (thanks
to Wine Director Emily Resling) it was heavenly!
There is simply no other restaurant in
town that takes as much care and pride in
selecting the best of the best ingredients,
presenting them to maximize their natural
flavors, and avoiding the pitfalls of overdone,
overwrought food. The wine list is interesting
and well-priced, and the service is excellent.
If you've never been, make plans now!
Mark's
American Cuisine
1658 Westheimer Road
Houston, Texas 77006
Phone 713.523.3800
As mentioned, I brought along a few wines
from the south of France to sample with
the ladies. Mas
de la Dame, or “farm of the women”
is owned by Anne Poniatowski and Caroline
Missoffe who, together with consultant Jean-Luc
Colombo, a longtime Rhone Valley winemaker,
have made it their mission to redefine the
potential of the 16th century wine estate.
For over 30 years, grapes for Mas de la
Dame wines have been grown and vinified
using only natural processes, entitling
them to be certified as AGRICULTURE BIOLOGIQUE
(organic) by Qualite France.
We tasted through the range, including
a crisp rose, delicious whites and earthy
reds. And although we didn't love the Cuvee
La Gourmande -- tasted too pruney -- we
really enjoyed the others. Here are our
notes:
($14). Fresh, crushed strawberry aromas
and flavors are accented with lavender and
fennel. Tastes like Provence to us! Ready
to drink now.
($18). A blend of 80% Vermentino (known
as "Rolle" in Provence) and 20%
Clairette, this offered fresh hay, pear
and wildflower honey notes that mingled
on a smooth, ripe finish. Ready to drink
now.
($36). A tasting
favorite, this blend of Semillon (80%) and
Clairette was rich and complex, with honeysuckle,
tropical fruit, light citrus, cream and
toast flavors that lingered on the full,
rich finish. Ready to drink now and over
the next couple of years.
($26). A blend of Syrah (60%) and Cabernet
Sauvignon (40%), this one offered appealing,
medium-bodied black currant, blackberry,
anise, black pepper and toasty oak that
linger nicely on the generous finish. Ready
to drink now and over the next couple of
years.
($33). Classic Rhone
flavors here, with concentrated black currant,
black cherry, loads of warm baking spices,
sweet tobacco and vanillin oak, this Grenache
(90%) and Syrah (10%) blend paired nicely
with both the roasted chicken and the beef
-- and would work equally well with autumnal
game. Long, rich finish includes a dash
of fig. Ready to drink now and over the
next three or four years.
|
