RisqueSommelier.com

ZD 2005 Chardonnay, California

Risqué has been a long time partaker in ZD Wines, Napa productions. Their typical bright fruity styles have always delivered deliciously complex palate pleasers. This releases grapes were sourced from other than just Napa, also Monterey and Santa Barbara counties and then uniquely cold fermented in toasted American oak barrels.

This light golden succulence is bright with the nose of chardonnay fruit and baked apple. It’s medium body liquid is punctuated with crisp green apple and pineapple acidity and balanced with bold tannic toasted vanilla oak in the mouth right through the clean and lingering finish.

It is NOT where this wine is now, although quite pleasant, but where it will be in five to seven years. The acidity and structured tannins in this chardonnay will make it a rarity among this varietal… one that will truly improve with age almost guaranteed to soften into complex delicious toast, dried fruits and wild honey.

Risqué is drinking half now and has squirreled away the other half of this case into his cellar and anxiously awaits the fruits of his patience.

13.5% Alcohol ($30)

“Drinking good wine with good food in good company is one of life’s most civilized pleasures.”

        — Michael Broadbent

Far Niente 2004 Estate Bottled Cabernet Sauvignon, Oakville

While leisurely dining with a favorite Lush on delicious Greek cuisine, Risqué was again feeling juicy for something delectable to accompany his grilled salmon with smoked artichoke and caper lemon cream sauce and perusing the wine list spied a care free amore!. Far Niente… Italian for without a care”… perfect for an alfresco evening.

The long purple stained cork yielded to the force of the screw and released a shimmering liquid, inky purple to the rim. The viscous liquid thick with complex and delightful aromas… surged with dark fruit, rich concentrated cassis and blackberries swirling with old fashioned licorice, chocolate, vanilla, tobacco and earth. After lingering for quite some time over the sensuous nose, Risqué anxiously laid the fine glass rim to his lips and carefully, almost sacredly partook of the divine contents. The opulent silky texture of this treasure is coated with layers of succulent wild blackberries and ripe black cherries, black currant and spicy oak. The luxuriously rich fruit, balanced against perfectly structured tannins, succumbs to a lengthy afterglow again plump with black cherries and spice.

Careful tendered by winemaker Stephanie Putnam for this cuvee of 86% Cabernet Sauvignon and similar remaining parts of Petit Verdot, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, all caressed in French oak barrels for 17 months, has borne a rare and stellar Cabernet Sauvignon with only 9200 cases produced. Although drinking delicious now (with about an hour open)… this opulent treasure will only layer with complex sophistication over the next decade.

Risqué’s evening had become perfect… nothing more could have been more complete. The evening slipped away into glowing moonlight, cool breezes, delicious company, an incredible repast and two bottles of liquid decadence… can ones life be more care free?

Dolce Far Niente!

14.5% Alcohol ($120)

Stevee Postman, Photographer and Photo Shop Artist

Hallucinogenic and mesmerizing is the effect of Stevee Postman’s work on Risqué. Stevee’s works exude an elevated consciousness, an Eastern enlightened sense with a spiritual sensuality at their core. The delicious work, “Pitcher Boy”, embodies the essence of his series… Incarnation

Risqué is captivated by the playful use of Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarraceniaceae Purplosa) with it’s sensual, almost primal, erotic shapes and venous mapped leaves all for it’s carnivorous trappings juxtaposed the almost prayerful inked nude male firmly gripping their imaginatively fiery stems.

Stevee shares… “My art explores the mystery of life and nature through its interconnectedness to spirit. That is what my art is about. I like to blend technology with the organic in ways that communicate these mysteries through a kind of techno-paganism. My creative process is a sort of prayer for me, an offering.”

The sensuous work of Stevee Postman leaves Risqué entranced and offering his sacred vessel for any libation poured from such!!!

Oh Pitcher Boy!!!

Château Malescot St. Exupery,Margaux 1996, France

Risqué was swimming with favorite luches at a regualr juice bar and playing their way through several lovely beverages. The French darling Donnie, wine boy extraordinaire, twisted Risqué’s ever so flexible arm into indulging in a 1996 Malescot St. Exupery Margaux (and you know how much Risqué adores French anything!). Risqué found it FABULOUS!

Risqué had a flashback!!! Cherry Cough Drops were always necissitated by Childhoold coughs! Suddenly, Risqué felt the need to look to the left and cough… but in a good way!

The color, a rich dark raspberry red with medium body erected a nose of Cherry cough syrup and eucalyptus. In Risqué’s mouth, huge delicious ripe cherry and delish dark fruit was tempered with toasty oak, soft supple tannins, sarsaparilla, licorice and a hint of mineral. The glorious tannins will survive (like Gloria Gaynor) 10-20 years in you cellar. The wine is tight as Risqué’s favorite boyfriend’s arse and needs to be open for 6-8 hours in you best Baccarat decanter.

So… when swimming in you local wine juice bar… flirt with the very cute French wine boy extraordinaire… and have him twist your ever so flexible “arm”… and Risqué hopes to hear back on your best recommendation.

Alcohol: 12.5% ($200)

DOMAINE LEFLAIVE 2004 PULIGNY MONTRACHET

Dining with two gorgeous Lushs at a favorite haunt… Katsuya in Brentwood Los Angeles, Risqué aggressively sucked down two over-the-top exotic Leeche Martinis… Delish! As the astounding lineup of Sushi began to arrive to the table, Risqué was of course perusing the wine list for an accompaniment with just a little less alcohol. Risqué spied the Domaine Leflaive Puligny Montrachet and adoring cocks… especially the two golden roosters on the label of any Leflaive offering, ordered a pair…

The lovely Pale yellow liquid glistens with a slight green tinge and has a light body. The nose is curious and sophisticated with smoky toasted sesame seed, lime and musky florals with straw and vanilla oak. In Risqué’s mouth this juicy Montrachet (100% Chardonnay) is nicely balanced, fruity with the impression of sweetness but dry and lean. The palate is bathed with more smoke and lime and heightened with tart peach, dried herbs and a long finish of wet stones.

The astounding lineup of Sushi included only the freshest; Scallop Sashimi, Stuffed Lobster, Rock Shrimp Tempura, Uni , Unagi kabayaki, Baked Miso Black Cod, Cajun Style Halibut Cheek, Kobe Beef Filet with Foie Gras, Toro Sashimi. A decadent feast and the Domaine Leflaive paired perfectly with every delectable morsel as they ordered then another pair… and then another pair (of cocks). Risqué adores Katsuya for its sophisticated spare atmosphere, over-the-top COCKtails, their extraordinary Sushi and the regular glitterati clientele! Who doesn’t love sharing the wine of six golden cocks during a marvelous evening?

Très Risqué!

13% Alcohol (Restaurant: $140)

Risqué recently had the privilege and pleasure (loves both!) of an evening out with some of Risqué’s favorite Oenophile s!, Tim McNally and Brenda Maitland (stellar wine pedigrees). Tim and Brenda OWN New Orleans! They know everyone and just about everything about the charming Parish where Risqué originally met them at Chef John Besh’s August Restaurant (www.rest-august.com), but that’s another story. This night they were in West Hollywood and headed out! Risqué’s car picked up his guests at the Four Seasons Beverly Hills sipping Perrier Jouet Grand Brut as they sped up Doheny towards our initial destination… Lucques on Melrose.

The Perrier Jouet Grand Brut NV is a delightful Medium bodied pale straw colored champagne with a fine mousse and effervescence perfumed with crisp citrus and ripe pear and faint with floral and “mushroomy” notes. Lush in the mouth it yielded balanced fruit and acidity with green apple, toast and lemon curd lingering. $40

Arriving Lucques, Risqué’s lushes settled at their cozy and accommodating bar. Little did Risqué know he was in for a wonderful new experience that now regularly dots his cocktail consuming landscape. After they had worked their way through another fine glass of Champagne, again another NV (non vintage) but delicious as well… Lucien Albrecht Cremant D’Alsase Brut…

The LA Brut was wonderfully that …100% Pinot Blanc de Blanc loaded with yeasty toasted Brioche, delicate candied citrus peel complimenting the delicate straw color. The effervescence is a fine bead, soft mousse and expresses a balanced luxurious creamy mouth feel. $20

…the conversation turned to the “Museum of the American Cocktail” in New Orleans (www.museumoftheamericancocktail.org/) and a famous NOLA origin cocktail… the French 75. Soon Risqué was slurping on equal parts fresh lemon juice, originally Cognac or more recently Dry Gin (Risqué uses Grey Goose Vodka), a sugar cube and a high end Champagne toper. The cocktail is named after the French 75mm artillery guns used in WWI known for their incredible “kick”. Risqué’s new favorite cocktail and favorite new line… “Oh my! What a large cannon you have…”

“Here’s to the corkscrew - a useful key to unlock the storehouse of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the gate of pleasant folly.”      — W.E.P. French

Chateau Mont-Redon 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape

Risqué loves all things French… French food… French Designers… French men… French Kissing… and French wine… especially Rhone wines and Chateauneuf du Pape are really on Risqué’s “Must Acquire More List”! This summer Risqué’s luscious lush friends have managed to consume an entire case of this elegant treasure. This bottle packs quite the reward and drinks like a bottle at triple the price.

It is the pure distilled essence of Chateauneuf. It is a symphony with a prelude of gorgeous smoky garnet color swelling to a luscious round nose, perfumed with high notes of opulent fruit, spice and sensual warm leather. In the mouth, it’s soft and supple, the Grenache is an Aria of cherry and kirsch, rich with provincial herbs. The finale is punctuated with plenty of sophisticated tannins and just enough fresh acidity to balance the lush fruity finish of this divine opus.

Although it is showing nicely right now… a little age will do this treasure well. However, if like Risqué … you decide to savor its decadence now…this liquid deserves your gentle touch… deprive the chilled bottle of its cork and spill the music into your best decanter for about an hour, then… luxuriate!

14% Alcohol $30

Benoit Prevot, Artist, Illustrator Extraordinaire

Benoit often muses with “Pourquoi dessiner?” Why draw? Why??? Because Risqué adores Benoit Prevot’s classy, sophisticated, playfully imp’ish and naughty sense of humor and style.

Benoit Prévot is a french illustrator whose passion comes through in his gay erotic work… passion for expressing himself though his drawings. Passion for the Art Deco style and for the fading expression of gentry and masculine glamour. Ben, as known to Risqué , has recently completed a feature gay comic, “Angel Face”, situated in the 1920’s and is currently working on the sequel.

Benoit’s gentleman is wholly consumed by his own fantasy. His liquid imaginings are perfectly blended with the wine to create an existential orgy of thought.

One wonders if Benoit has been at some of the Vin fueled parties where Risqué ended up splashing around with a bunch of naked men!

Risqué says “Voulez vous coucher avec Benot ce soir” in his sensuous boudoir at www.benoitprevot.com.