Pastis

Pastis 

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

I’m your host Robert Tas along with Alexis Rogers, Wine Educator and  Restaurant Sommelier

Hi Alexis, thanks for being back with us on another episode of CorkRules, - a podcast where we help simplify and demystify the wine lists at some of your favorite restaurants. We talk with certified sommeliers and wine professionals who point out interesting bottles, classic food and wine pairings, hidden gems,  value wines, or splurge wines that will take your dining experience over the top.

AR: Always a pleasure, Robert. Happy for the opportunity to talk about the legendary Pastis.

RT:  Pastis is one of those famous NY restaurants that even non-New Yorkers know about - not least because it was featured prominently in an episode of Sex and the City when a character, frustrated that she couldn't get a table complained that “10,000 restaurants in NY and everyone is at Pastis”. That’s not fiction though! This stylish, golden-lit oyster bar was the place to see and be seen by actresses, models, fashion designers and artists from 1999 until it closed its doors in 2014. It was revived 5 years later and has fully reclaimed its fashionable prestige in the Meatpacking District. Serving a traditional French menu, Pastis has an exclusively French Wine List to match. Alexis, let’s talk French Wine!

AR: Robert, there are a few things I like doing more. As a 2022 French Wine Scholar Candidate, it’s kind of ALL I talk about these days. To begin I thought we’d really lean into the theme and start off with their famous Escargot in garlic parsley butter and pair that with a bottle of lush, creamy, elegant Meursault Chardonnay from Burgundy. The list here at Pastis offers two options.

RT : So here is where a lot of people get tripped up on a wine list. They have narrowed it down to what variety they’d like and from where, but if there are multiple options, how do you pick?

AR: My tactic is sort of like the dichotomous key concept - asking gradually more specific “this or that” questions all the way down until you get your answer. So we already know we want Meursault - and we want Mersault because the wines from here are full-bodied and rich to match the buttery escargot. So now we have other factors to consider and price is usually the next one - especially because we know that Burgundian price tags can get really crazy. The 2 bottles offered at Pastis are nearly the exact same price, so now we look to producers. Our first bottle is from Domaine de Montille This is not only one of Burgundy’s finest producers, but it’s in the running for one of France’s best. They have connections to winemaking in the region going back to the 1750s. Solid option. The second producer is Jean-Michel Gaunoux. While lesser well known, the family has still been making wine in Burgundy for 150 years and has received acclaim from several important wine critics. So, with 2 great producers at the same price, it looks like our choice will come down to vintage. The Montille is a 2018 and the Gaunoux is a 2017. 2017 is rated a bit higher and that extra year of aging is going to help those flavors develop a little bit more. So my choice is the 2017 Jean Michel Gaunoux Meursault.

RT: I like the method! And that sounds like it’s going to be a great bottle! While famous for their buttery escargot and icy oysters, the real culinary legends at Pastis are the steak sandwich with gruyere and their steak frites, living permanently on everybody’s Must-Try list. What are we pairing with either of these?

AR: There are so many options here but I think Bordeaux is the most obvious, Bordelain price range is the stuff of legend. A good percentage of the world’s most expensive bottles hail from this highly influential region. The first question with Bordeaux is which “bank” - and no, I don't mean which bank to rob in order to afford them. All bottles of Bordeaux are blends but the wines from the Left Bank of the river system are based on Cabernet Sauvignon and those from the Right Bank are based on Merlot and Cabernet Franc. For our meal, and out of my own personal preference, I’m going to go with the Right Bank. I’ve selected a glass of Chateau des Laurets 2015 from St Emilion. Again we see that dependable 2015 vintage - a classic vintage in St Emilion. This Merlot and Cab Franc blend would be a fantastic pairing whether you go the route of the sandwich or the frites.

RT: Nothing better than a juicy steak and a glass of Bordeaux! It’s one of those classic pairings that even wine beginners know. So, Alexis - you and I are talking about French wine and you haven't mentioned Champagne yet… I feel like you pick a bottle of champagne in almost every episode we have you on…

AR: Haha, well that’s only because I’m saving the best for last! For me, a meal isn't complete until a sweet treat is served. Dinner is usually just an excuse for me to have dessert. Here at Pastis, the profiteroles are the obvious choice. These delicious cream puffs are served with bittersweet chocolate and vaNULLla ice cream. Champagne just feels right here. While browsing the list, my eyes alighted upon the Billecart- Salmon Brut Rose and I stopped looking. This bottle is the gold standard for Rose Champagne, not to mention the favorite of most sommeliers. While not inexpensive by any means - usually found for around $200 or so on restaurants lists, this beautiful wine drinks wayyyy above its price tag. Billecart Salmon is the longest single, family-owned Champagne house dating back to 1818. Their vivid, crystalline red berry and citrus notes and the superfine persistent mousse are a result of a technique pioneered by the house in the 1950s called cold settling. The result of which is an astonishingly bright, pure wine. Absolutely beautiful at any point in the meal, and a near-universal pairing, Rose Champagne is always for the win and this really is the best one. In my humble opinion, that is.

RT: With all those accolades and all that praise, I’ll have to pick up a bottle! Or better yet, head over to Pastis and enjoy it with the in crowd. Thank you Alexis for sharing your obvious passion for the wines of France and helping us out with the list at Pastis! To our audience, Thank you all for joining us here on Corkrules.

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We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime,

please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists wherever you get your podcasts.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

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