Larchmont's Priciest Wine Bottle: Can You Afford It?

Where is that most expensive vintage hiding? It may go against the grain for many these days, looking for the most expensive wine in town during these recessionary times when 'value' is the codeword. But there is an argument to be made for finding value at a high price. Wine connoisseurs, collectors and retailers would not put a price on an exquisite bottle of fine wine; it's like comparing costume jewelry to a real diamond, or for cooks substituting margarine for butter. But that was our plan, and it conjured up some interesting facts and surprises along the way.

Wine shops offer the most variety; it is their business to cover as much ground as possible at a cross-section of price points. Their mark-ups can also be much less than that bottle of wine on a restaurant wine list. Mark ups at restaurants can sometimes exceed 100 percent or more depending on what the market can bear. There was a time (and some still subscribe to this practice) that high profile restaurants kept a few bottles of 'trophy' wine stored away 'just for show'. Of course, you never know when a big spender on a splurge would walk in and relieve them of the inventory. In the restaurant's behalf though, they have a lot of overhead to cover and these profits are most important. However wine lists at restaurants, like restaurant websites, are not always maintained very well and go out of date. So during this survey when I asked if all the bottles on the wine list were in stock: some said yes, and some hesitated. Be sure to check ahead for availability...

Should I dare divulge the location of the most expensive bottle of wine in a Larchmont restaurant right up front? Why not? We can start saving up for it now. It is a bottle of rare 'Pingus' 2005 produced by the noted Danish winemaker Peter Sisseck from age old vines in the Ribera del Duero landscape in the La Horra area of Spain and it is on the the wine list at $1,000 per bottle at Espana Wine & Tapas Bar, 147 Larchmont Ave. (914-833-1331; www.espanatapas.com), Chef Patrio Azner's ode to the  fine food and wines of Spain. I've always believed that the wines of Spain have been historically underappreciated (even though it is the world's third largest wine producing country) but that has changed along with the culinary explosion and innovation coming out of there. Espana's Spain-centric wine list was one of the most interesting having received a coveted '2009 Award of Excellence' from Wine Spectator. It breaks down the wines by regions and went on to list such upscale vintages as: 'Gran Selection' 1994 priced at $320 per bottle; from Toro, "Termanthio" 2005 for $278; from Galicia, 'El Pecado' 2005 via Raul Perez at $158; and 'Contador' 2004 from La Rioja priced at $480.

An extraordinary selection of high-end wines can also be found at Lusardi's, 1885 Palmer Ave. (914-834-5555; www.lusardislarchmont.com) where owner Mario Fava and general manager Gregory Galli have been sating their high-profile crowd with modern Italian cuisine for more than 15 years. Most of their award winning list is upper end with bottles from Italy and California, but the most expensive wines are part of Lusardi's special Reserve Selection. Bottles from Italy include: Merlot Tenuta Dell'Ornellaia "Masseto" 2005 from Toscana, the most expensive on the list for $550 per bottle; a Bertani Amarone 1976 from Veneto, $350; Sassicaia Tenuto San Guido 2005 for $350 per bottle; Ornellaia Lodovico Antinori 2006 via Tuscana priced at $325; and two Caliornia wines: Diamond Creek Cabernet Sauvignon 'Volanic Hill' 2000, $275 per bottle; and Lewis Cellars Cabernet Reserve 2003 listed at $295.

Chef/proprietor Matthew Karp has brought a lot of talent to Plates, 121 Myrtle Blvd. (914-834-1244; www.platesonthepark.com). His American-global specialties have achieved quite a following. He also maintains one of the most extensive wine lists in the county, featuring domestic and international vintages at all price points. On the high end there are such bottles as: a red Colgini, "Cariad" Napa Valley, Cal. 1999 going for $500 a bottle; Bond 'Melbury' Oakville Napa Valley 2003 cabernet at $455; Hundred Acre, "Kayli Morgan Vinyard" Howell Mt., Cal. 2005 at $465 per bottle; a Merus, Napa Valley 2003, $374; a Leroy, Pommard Burgundy France 1991 at $324, and an Italian Borgogno, Barolo Riserva Piemonte 1985 priced at $250. 

Believe it or not, when I perused the wine list at Tequila Sunrise, 145 Larchmont Ave. (914-834-6378; www.tequilasunriselarchmont.com) I did not expect the handful of high end bottles I found in their limited selection. Diners don't usually associate fine wine with Mexican food but the truth is when paired correctly wine can enhance the entire meal. Upscale offerings here included: Opus One 2000 Meritage (Napa) priced at $222; a Robert Mondavi Reserve 2003 for $170; and a Quintessa 1997 Maritage (Napa) for $150.

When restaurateur Claudio Gottardo first opened Globe Bar & Grill, 1879 Palmer Ave. (914-833-8600; www.globegrill.com) back in 1993, much of the early excitement surrounding the upbeat multi-roomed premises centered around the modern American/Italian menu and his giant fully-stocked enclosed wine storage cabinets that take up a long wall from front to rear. The wine list has been toned down a bit since then. A recent reading of the surprisingly limited wine selection included such high-end vintages as: St. Emillion Grand Cru, Chateau Quinalt Bordeaux 1999, priced at $128 per bottle; Merlot, Lamaione Toscana 1999 at $110; and a Brunello Di Montalcino, Col D'orcia 'Montalcino' 2003 at $110.

Vittorio Scarpa's Sardegna, 154 Larchmont Ave. (914-833-3399; www.sardegnany.com), serves up a lovely travelogue of dishes from his native Island of Sardinia off the western coast of Italy along with tasty regional Italian specialties. His wine list does offer up several high end vintages: there's a Barolo, Prunotto Piemonte at $105; Amarone, Allegrini Veneto for $149 per bottle; and from Sardinia a Turriga Argiolas for $149.

La Riserva Trattoria, 2382 Boston Post Road (914-834-5584; www.lariservarestaurant.com) has been serving the classics of Italian cuisine for 35 years now with Chef/proprietor Michael Vivolo at the helm. His wine list offers a few upscale vintages including: a Barolo 'Sarmassa' Marchesi di Barolo (Piemonte) for $99; and an Amarone, Bertani (Veneto) at $170 per bottle.

Marcello Rugova, general manager of La Sala Ristorante, 2047 Boston Post Road (914-833-7900; www.ristorantelasala.com), runs a genteel dining room recalling fine dining of days gone by and his Italian-Continental menu can be quite good, drawing an upscale crowd for quite some time now. Yet the handsome wine storage cabinets lining the dining room entrance to the kitchen are stocked with modestly priced vintages. There is a Chianti Riserva Ducale Gold 2004 for $80; an Amarone Masi 2005 for $80; and a Brunello di Montalcino 2003 for $95. I suspect there are a few hidden vintages held here, but I could not determine exactly. The restaurant is now tied with highly regarded La Fontanella in Pelham, which is also a high profile dining venue.

Larchmont wine shops

Along with the restaurant survey, I visited a number of Larchmont wine shops hunting for that most expensive bottle of wine -- and I will divulge the source right up front. To my surprise, tiny Tangiers Fine Wines & Spirits, 18A Chatsworth Ave. (914-630-0119; www.tangiersfinewines.com) held the biggest liquid bounty. Owner James DeThomas directed me to a locked cabinet and inside were such formidable vintages as: Chateau Yquem Sauterns 1961 priced at a whopping $1,200 per bottle (James told me they had several bottles in stock); a Montrachet Grand Cru (Latour) 2005, priced at $700; down to an Amarone (Bertani) 2000 all Valpolicella going for $150 per bottle. I could not help but notice the quotation of the day (in relation to my wine quest) written on the specials blackboard: "Young men think old men are fools; but old men know young men are fools," Truman Capote.

Nancy Heinbockel's Post Wine & Spirits, 2112 Boston Post Road (914-834-2134; www.postwineonline.com) was doing a brisk Sunday early afternoon business when I walked in (many wine shops are open Sundays now) and as I surveyed the room I did find some exceptional vintages in the high end range: a French 2002 Chateau Haut Brion Pessac-Leognan priced at $349.99; an Italian Brunello di Montalcino 2004 going for $160; California Opus One 2006 at $187.99 per bottle; and one called Hundred Acre 2006 Cabernet from Napa priced at $299.99. Love those .99s added to the prices here. Nice shop and apparently quite popular.

At Le Wine Shop, 1945 Palmer Ave. (914-833-9666; www.lewineshop.com) owner Etienne Tougot's  inventory breaks down to 2/3 French vintages and 1/3 international. While I explored the shelves, manager Jean-Noel, a former restaurateur himself, explained that at this shop $150 seemed to be the medium price point. Though I almost scooped up a bottle of Talbot 2006 going for $45.95, I did find such high end vintages as: Drouhin 2004 Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru Burgundy for $174.75; a Spanish Vega Sicilia 2002 Tinto 'Valbuena' #5 from the Ribera area going for $155; Heitz Cellar 2001 Napa Cabernet (Martha's V) priced at $150; 'Fortis' Pine Ridge 2003 Pessac-Leognan Bordeaux priced at $550; and a 2003 Ducru Beaucaillou Saint Julien Bordeaux for $250. Le Wine Shop has another store in Greenwich, CT.

Jerry Schott has been operating Winetasters, 100 Chatsworth Ave. (914-834-0800), for 25 years and is known for his Saturday wine tastings held from 3-6 p.m. He confided that much of what is selling is on the lower value end, but that does not mean the customer is always getting the best wine for the buck. In this shop prices peaked at $120 for a bottle of Beringer Private Reserve 2004; and went south to Cakebread Cellars Cabernet 2006 for $95; and an Italian Damilano Barolo Cannubi 2004 selling for $79.99. According to Schott, many high end bottles of wine are much more accessible now and can be ordered within 24-48 hours.

Addendum: You may have noticed that I did not include specialty wines like champagne and ports, many of which fall into the luxury realm. And in case you are wondering, I did not do a taste test of any of the wines mentioned above. But do let us know if you have the pleasure...

Morris Gut is a restaurant consultant and former restaurant trade magazine editor. He has been tracking and writing about the food and dining scene in greater Westchester for more than 25 years. He can be reached at: 914-235-6591. E-mail: gutreactions@optonline.net