What Paul Pacult’s Pouring

While the libation emphasis is, with full justification, placed on the mint julep, the customary bourbon-andmint Derby Day quaff, the joys of straight bourbon whiskey, taken neat, shouldn’t be cast aside like a day-old Racing Form. Superpremium bourbons are multifaceted distillates, woven with intricate networks of textures, aromas and complex tastes. Like edgy purebred horses, they require patience and room to run. Saddle up.

Embedded deep in the enticing fragrance are aromatic echoes of dried sage and thyme, wood resin, and dark honey. Placed in new oak barrels in the spring of 1993 and bottled last year, this slinky, satiny bourbon is buttery, rich, raisiny and caramellike. Simply put, the best Old Forester offered in the last 20 years. A clinic on what makes American whiskey so special. (out of a possible five)

Made from Muscat of Alexandria grapes that thrive in the nutrient-rich earth and hot climate of southeast Oz, sensuous Lexia oozes with lush, tropical aromas, especially papaya, honeysuckle, orange blossom and passion fruit. The ripe, slightly spicy flavor of green melon and mango tops off the experience in style. Affordable dessertwine heaven.

Hailing from the Four Star Tuscan vintage of 2001, Lodola Nuova is a beautifully crafted blend of 90 percent sangiovese and 10 percent merlot grapes, all of which were harvested by hand. The fathomless prune- and leather-like perfume is accentuated by the dry flavors of black raisins and dates. Calls for well-marbled flank steak, grilled to medium juiciness.

DIG your spoon into chef John Sundstrom’s frozen Meyer lemon parfait at LARK and you’ll be rewarded with

refreshing bursts of light, citrus-infused air. Firmer than a mousse, but not as cold as ice cream, the ethereal dessert sits in a cold bowl surrounded by lemon jus and crisp Langues de Chat wafers. More tart than sweet, its puckering clean taste lingers; exactly what you’re craving on a warm evening.—Alia Akkam
LARK, 926 12TH AVENUE, SEATTLE;
206-323-5275; http://www.larkseattle.com/

 

RHAPSODY IN ’CUE

There’s nothing like a full rack of ribs at Andy Nelson’s Southern Pit Barbecue, undoubtedly the best barbecue in the Baltimore- Washington area. Join the Swine Social Club and receive e-mail about—what else?— barbecue. Don’t show up right before closing time—they sell out what they’ve cooked for the day. In the fall they have a buffet for “Monday Night Football.”—Peter Westcott

ANDY NELSON’S SOUTHERN PIT BARBECUE,
1107 YORK ROAD, COCKEYSVILLE, MARYLAND;
410-527-1226; http://www.andynelsonsbbq.com/

WHERE’S THE BEST BARBECUE? E-mail: TrueCue@delta-sky.com

 

 

It might seem strange that it took an Englishman to teach Parisians about wine bars, but in 1980, when Mark

Williamson opened Willi’s, he introduced the concept of serving château-bottled wines by the glass. And it seems he was onto something—26 years later Willi’s is still thriving, serving great modern bistro food along with an interesting, eclectic and constantly rotating selection of wines by the glass. If you’re lucky, he may still have some St-Joseph, Les Oliviers 2004, Domaine Gonon, a luscious, rich, fruity white Rhône—or ask Willi, a.k.a. Mark, for his personal recommendation. —Nick Passmore
WILLI’S WINE BAR, 13, RUE-DES PETITS-CHAMPS, PARIS; 33-1-42-61-0509; www.williswinebar.com

 

 

 

 

 

MIGUEL TORRES SANTA DIGNA 2005 CABERNET SAUVIGNON ROSE, CHILE ($10)

The food pairing possibilities with this intensely strawberrylike Chilean rosé boggle me widdo head. Those who think that rosés are girly-man wines will be in for a shock when they’re bowled over by this wine’s jackhammer fruit concentration and 14.1 percent alcohol strength. I keep envisioning hot pastrami on seeded rye, dripping with country Dijon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LANGLOIS-CHÂTEAU CHÂTEAU DE FONTAINE-AUDON 2004 SANCERRE BLANC, FRANCE ($24)

The tongue-on-slate sauvignon blancs produced in France’s Loire Valley district of Sancerre are renowned— and beloved—for their minerally personalities. It’s this earthy, stone-dry quality that makes them so ideal for shellfish companionship. One of only four châteaux in Sancerre, Langlois- Château is a perennial winner. And 2004 glistens.