Dinner at Spago Beverly Hills

The flagship restaurant of Wolfgang Puck's culinary empire, Spago Beverly Hills, is among the greatest dining establishments in the world. We were honored to be invited to a birthday celebration for our dear friend. Our party of eight was seated in an elegantly-appointed private room, where we were treated to a multi-course dining adventure that was created by Executive Chef Ari Rosenson and Chef de Cuisine Areg Avanessian.

Spago Beverly Hills is also a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner, with a 3,000-selection list overseen by Wine Director Eric Denq. Our dining experience included wine pairings that were selected by Sommelier Matthew Dulle. The intellectually-stimulating wines were perfectly matched to virtually every dish. The food and beverage service was impressively choreographed and virtually flawless!

The evening began with several delectable bites, all pairing well with the Billiot Brut Rosé.

Clockwise from upper left: Tart of beef tartare topped with rosettes of smoked labneh, duck liver on brioche topped with a pickled cherry, shrimp toast



Comte cheese topped with Iberico ham



Wagyu beef croquette

• NV H. Billiot Fils Champagne Grand Cru Brut Rosé 92 Points

  France, Champagne, Champagne Grand Cru

  This deep pink-colored Champagne was tasted from a bottle that had been disgorged during the month of September 2021. Pinot Noir-dominant (approximately 75%) and comprised entirely of Ambonnay Grand Cru fruit, it flaunts an lively small bead and an intense aromatic profile of strawberries, orange zest, lemon verbena, bread dough and wet stones. Medium-bodied and with lively acids, it delivers flavors in line with the aromas. Mouth-filling and energetic on the mid-palate, it concludes with a medium-to-long, saline-laden finish. This terrific non-vintage rosé should be at its best over the next 3-4 years. Drink now-2028.

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Served with smoke salmon and Kaluga caviar, this dish also paired nicely with the Billiot Champagne.



Added to the table at this point was a delicious assortment of hearth-baked breads. These included buckwheat baguettes, multi-seed & onion carta di musica and caraway Parker house rolls, served with cultured Vermont butter, Za'atar and cauliflower hummus.

Served with umeboshi, smoked trout and fresh wasabi, this dish was paired with sake, which was a terrific choice!

• NV Mana 1751 True Vision Yamahai Tokubetsu Junmai Muroko Genshu 91 Points

  Japan, Chūbu, Fukui

  Limpid and with minimal color, this Fukui sake was made from 100% Gohyakumangoku rice. Offering savory aromas and flavors of cardamom, poppy seed, nutmeg, smoke and tarragon, it is a full-bodied, fresh, bone dry brew with well-integrated alcohol and a solid mid-palate. Concluding with a lengthy finish that has a nutty "bite" at the end, this is a well-crafted beverage that paired beautifully with smoked trout.

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This dish included Maine lobster, saffron and toasted breadcrumbs. Pairing wine with asparagus is notoriously difficult, but the Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner was the perfect companion.

• 2020 Bernhard Ott Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Ried Spiegel 93 Points

  Austria, Niederösterreich, Wagram

  Bernhard Ott's 2020 Grüner Veltliner 1ÖTW Ried Spiegel was fermented and aged for approximately nine months in a single, once previously used 50-hectoliter Stockinger French oak vat. Bottled under screwcap, it is immediately clean and expressive, without reductive notes. The aromatic profile offers an array of citrus and white peach fruit that is accented with jasmine and savory herbal notes. Medium-bodied, off-dry, seamlessly alcoholic (13%) and with lively acids, it delivers flavors mirroring the nose and stays solid on the mid-palate. Lengthy and crisp on the back end, this is a terrific Grüner that should have substantial longevity. Drink now-2034.

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This impeccably prepared dish included shaved black summer truffle and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. The Dönnhoff Riesling was just what the doctor ordered!

• 2002 Dönnhoff Niederhäuser Hermannshöhle Riesling Spätlese 94 Points

  Germany, Nahe

  Sampled from a well-cellared bottle, this 22-year-old, medium-to-deep golden Riesling offers a gorgeous bouquet of blood oranges, white peaches, lemon verbena, honey and meringue, all dusted with a hint of diesel. Medium-bodied and only slightly sweet, it delivers flavors congruent with the aromas, buttressed with vibrant acidity. The wine's modest 8.5% alcohol lurks quietly while the flavors build on the layered mid-palate. Long and mineral-laden on the back end, this is a beautiful wine that will easily go another decade. Drink now-2034.

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Served with grilled asparagus, sauce pimentón and wild ramps, this perfectly cooked fish was moist and intensely flavorful. The Boxler Pinot Gris possessed the acidity to make the flavors pop.

• 2016 Albert Boxler Pinot Gris Brand 93 Points

  France, Alsace, Alsace Grand Cru

  Medium golden in color, this foudre-vinified Pinot Gris offers a seductive nose of lime zest, Anjou pears, crushed rocks, honeysuckle and nutmeg. Medium-bodied, bone dry, racy, seamlessly alcoholic (14%) and with only a hint of wood, it delivers flavors congruent with the aromas. Dense in the middle, it concludes with a lengthy, saline-infused finish. Pairing beautifully with Alaskan halibut, this is a food-friendly white that should continue to provide pleasure throughout the remainder of this decade. Drink now-2030.

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Served with Bing cherries, grilled leeks and baby carrots, this flawlessly-seared duck was absolutely scrumptious. Although the Les Cailloux was a bit elderly, it still was a worthy partner to the dish.

• 2001 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape 88 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  The 2001 iteration of Les Cailloux is a blend of 80% old vine Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah, aged in a combination of neutral French oak barrels, foudres and demi-muids. Now at 23 years of age, it has a medium garnet robe and shows bricking at the rim. There is still a core of red fruit, but it plays second fiddle to Provençal herbs, pipe tobacco, loamy earth, aged leather and walnuts. Medium-bodied, medium in acidity and with well-integrated alcohol (14%), it stays solid in the middle but the fruit fades on the medium-length finish. This particular well-cellared bottle is showing its age, suggesting that it is time to consume whatever remains in the cellar. Drink now.

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This soft, aged cheese was served with mostarda della notte, chestnut honey and walnuts. The Germanier Amigne Vétroz was an excellent choice as a partner.

• 2021 Jean-René Germanier Amigne Vétroz 92 Points

  Switzerland, Valais, Vétroz

  Fermented in stainless steel and precluded from malolactic conversion, Jean-René Germanier's 2021 Amigne de Vétroz (Two Bees) is a light golden, intensely aromatic wine, with scents of Mandarin oranges, quince, nectarines, wet stones, coriander seed and dried herbs. Medium-to-full-bodied, off-dry, crisply acidic and with well-integrated alcohol (listed as 14%), it delivers flavors mirroring the aromas. Adding notes of allspice and saline that are pervasive on the dense mid-palate, it concludes with a lengthy, energetic finish. This is an impressive white that paired beautifully with Brillat-Savarin cheese. Drink now-2035.

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Our evening concluded with multiple heavenly desserts, all creatively crafted by Pastry Chef Della Gossett. Among the decadent dishes were:

Dark chocolate soufflé, with whipped creme fraiche and vanilla gelato




Kaiserschmarrn, with Harry's Berries gaviota strawberries, strawberry sorbet, golden raisins and candied almonds



Custard soufflé



Chocolate bar filled with three different cremes and served with vanilla gelato



Accompanying the desserts was the Damilano Barolo Chinato, which had the sweetness and acidic backbone to fill the bill.

• NV Damilano Barolo Chinato 93 Points

  Italy, Piedmont, Langhe, Barolo Chinato

  This non-vintage fortified digestif carries a lot identifier of L21/211/312. Deep garnet in color, it is effusive of dark plums, candied orange peel, cardamom, juniper, clove and bay leaf. Full-bodied, viscous, moderately tannic and quite sweet, it has just the right amount of vibrant acidity to offset the sugar. The alcohol (16%) stays in check when served close to cellar temperature, making for a beautifully balanced dessert wine with good mid-palate density and an impressively long finish. Drink now-2040.

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Our wonderful evening at Spago will forever be embedded in our memories. We are immensely grateful to the "birthday girl" for including us in the food and wine extravaganza!