04 May The Evolution of Expression: A Los Angeles Dinner Showcased The Ageworthy Wines of Domaine André Brunel

Representing the Eighth generation of Domaine André Brunel—one of the oldest family-owned wineries in Châteauneuf-du-Pape—winemaker Fabrice Brunel traveled to Los Angeles in late February to showcase three vintages of André Brunel Les Cailloux at a dinner hosted by Gwen Butcher Shop & Restaurant. The vertical tasting provided an opportunity to see how the wine evolves over time as well as to compare the vintages, while the food pairings were designed to showcase them in their best light. “As it is already an absolute pleasure to taste a vertical of a beautifully balanced wine like André Brunel’s Les Cailloux,” explained Louise Jordan, DipWSET and director of communications for Quintessential, the importer of Domaine André Brunel, “I was inspired to [ask the chef to] take the tasting one step further by highlighting the ‘evolution of age’ in the food paired with the wines,” namely three differently aged beef cuts.

I wrote about this incredible dinner for April/May 2023 Issue of The Somm Journal.

We were greeted that evening with a lovely glass of André Brunel Cotes du Rhone La Becassonne 2021.

We then sat down and began the dinner with Wagyu Tartare with whiskey barrel aged fish sauce, mushroom escabeche, and lavash, paired with the André Brunel Vin de Pays de Mediterranee Grenache 2020 and the André Brunel Cotes du Rhone Cuvee Est-Ouest 2019. And then it was time for the unique food and wine pairing experience.

There were three vintages of André Brunel Les Cailloux – 2015, 2010, and 2005.

And there were three meat dishes served side by side. We had New York Strip with roasted seasonal vegetables, Smoked Brisket with smoked potato espuma, and 30 Day Dry Aged Ribeye with truffle butter.

It was fun to try each of the wines with each cut of meat. And in the end, the intended pairings of the New York Strip with the 2015, the Smoked Brisket with the 2010, and the 30 Day Dry Aged Ribeye with the 2005, were spot on!

The final course was a Creamy Cheese Plate that was paired with the André Brunel Les Caillous 2019, a luxurious white Chateauneuf-du-Pape.

Read about this incredible dinner and the food pairings with the three vintages of Les Cailloux in the April/May 2023 Issue of The Somm Journal.