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2001 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe

This week, Risqué is luxuriating with all the uber rich, the Russians and a gaggle of Gay men in the charming city of Aspen Colorado during Aspen Gay Ski Week. Besides the thousands of gorgeous men, there are droves of amazing opportunities for fine dining and of course, extraordinary wine. Risqué dined with some of is favorite Lushes, 25 to be exact, at a magnifico ristorante, L’Hosteria. Its lovely Italian fare and welcoming ambiance are unmatched in Aspen and has a very impressive wine list boasting a broad range of prominent and boutique Italian, French and American wine offerings.

Risqué perused the wine list and at the recommendation of the suave Italian owner chose an enticing 2001 Barolo Riserva Bricco Boschis Vigna San Giuseppe to delight his guests. The owner offered his impression that the San Giuseppe is “a combination of old and new styles” blending the best of old world and new world.

In the glass, the wine was Ruby Red with a powerful intense nose of ripe black cherries, licorice, tobacco and nuances of sarsaparilla. The mouth is layered with rich black cherry, intoxicating smoke, rich exotic spice and a whisper of green bell pepper all with a luxurious mouth feel and lush finish.

Risqué enjoyed Giuseppe with a delightful hand chopped prime steak tartar and a wonderful veal saltimbocca while the Lushes gorged themselves in their selected entrees they reveled in two 1.5 ml large format bottles. Risqué does not refer to them as “Lushes” for no apparent reason.

Botte Piccola Fa Vino Buono… “A small cask makes good wine”

Alcohol 14.5% ($75)

Risqué was in Phoenix, Arizona for a visit with one of his luscious lushes doing the Wine Bar tour in Phoenix and Scottsdale and had the delicious fortune of finding a diaphanous and sophisticated Bistro… Cheuvront. Risqué and lushes noshed on their delicious Sizzled Gnocchi in Sage Brown Butter, the Salad Caprese with Oven Roasted Tomato Confit and Basil. Risqué luxuriated in the Certified Angus Fillet, Medium Rare, of Course, with Roasted Garlic and Balsamic Demi Glace. His lushes dined on the succulent Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breast accompanied by Ricotta Gnocchi and Wilted Arugula and Lemon Caper Buerre Blanc Sauce. But the wine… a regular favorite…

2002 Cain Five…a delicious Napa Cuvee in the Bordeaux style of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. This enticing beauty is smooth, round, full-bodied and exactly the way Risqué likes it… quite firm. It seduces with a nose of succulent plums and a noticeable note of mineral. It initiates your tongue with mocha and vanilla and yields to rich cassis balanced against silky tannins and reclines into a seemingly never ending finish… ASTOUNDING!

Next time, when in Phoenix darling lushes… find a way to be diaphanously sumptuous and slip into Cheuvront for some deliciousness.

14.7% Alcohol ($125)

Dining with dear and adorable friends…they had the luxury of having to be nowhere and the time to just revel in each others company. Risqué adores the precious opportunities to linger over an elegant repast of conversation, cuisine and some inspiring vino. In this case, two delicious bottles of 2005 Au Bon Climat, “La Bauge Au Dessus”Santa Maria Valley .

“La Bauge Au Dessus” translates to the decadent party up above… how appropriate for a wine that paired perfectly with our MIXED choices for the evening. It’s light smoky bacon and spice in the nose was perfect to carry the grilled Sockeye Salmon, the acidity and fruit balanced the decadent Tomato, Asparagus and Cheese Stack Salad. Soft but persistent plum fruit slides along gracefully on the palate with marked acidity. Add a nice touch of framboise and wet stone in the finish and this becomes a quite quaffable yet complex Pinot.

The “Party up above” certainly delivered however Risqué was a little disappointed that the evening didn’t end with Victor and some “real” chains!

13.5% Alcohol

Restaurant Price: $70 Retail: $25

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…”

O’Brien Estate 2005 Seduction Meritage

Risqué must share this story although the real focus is the wine, the Restaurant truly bares mentioning as well.  Risqué and some of his favorite lushes were dining at Copleys, in Palm Springs California, an amazing fresco semi-patio style but very cozy California Cuisine restaurant (former Cary Grant Estate).  While devouring their decadent Herb Roasted Lamb Rack (all the herbs are grown on site!), Risqué and entourage were giving themselves over to the gentle ravages of a delicious seduction.  Risqué knows what you’re thinking.. but this Seduction is a brilliant Meritage produced by O’Brien Estates.

This single vineyard luscious muscular Napa Bordeaux’esque blend of Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot hales from the Oak Knoll District. It is luscious royal purple to the very edge and comes on strong with huge plum, blue and blackberry fruit and spice.  Rich and silky tannins support a structure seduced with toasty French oak and the finish is an afterglow bathed in a lingering Vanilla and pencil shavings.

Take some gentle time with this and let it open for about an hour before surrendering to it’s seduction.   You can lay your hands on this gorgeous libation directly at…   www.seductionwine.com.  Make sure to click on the {Equality CA} Button when ordering as 20% of sales go to Equality California… so drink your way to fair and better future!!!!   

The O’Brien’s are lovely people…. Please let them know Risqué sent you!!!

($40)

Risqué Sommelier …Just a little Gay! is a Wine Interest style BLOG site targeting the Gay consumer that goes far beyond the basic “Wine Critique” into detail riche experiences in Wine, Cuisine, Travel, Luxury Goods, Art and Music… all with a little lighthearted Risqué mischief!!!