Gordon Ramsay At the London - New York

Here it is, the night after Halloween, and we couldn't ask for better weather to hop on the train and head to Manhattan to celebrate our anniversary, albeit a few days late. But with busy schedules, it made perfect sense to save a special celebration for a weekend night!

Tonight we are dining at Gordon Ramsay At the London. We are both huge fans of Chef Ramsay, and we have wanted to dine here for months. I originially wanted to bring Zelda here for her birthday, but I had no idea that you have to book 2 months in advance, to the day. That being said, I made our reservation first thing on the morning of September 1st, and here we are.

Upon arriving at The London, you will see the bar and restaurant "Maze," also ran by Gordon on the right hand side. We were greatest by the hostess when we walked in, who immediately sent us to the host stand on the left. Upon looking around, Maze is a more laid back restaurant and bar, compared to the more formal dining that is in the main dining room. There was all sorts of attire, ranging from nice dresses and suits, to more casual blue jeans.

We were led to the back of the room left, and brought to a glass door, and upon opening this door, it revealed a gorgeous dining room. Gorgeous chairs with table settings with white linen and very nice china plates. Everything sitting perfectly, and everything uniformly spaced, from the placement of the napkins, to the placement of the silverware, to the wine glasses, water glasses, etc. Everything was set with a masterful precision, and I am sure that they would not settle for anything less.

Other things that I noticed was their gorgeous climate controlled cellar in the back of the restaurant on the way to the kitchen. This cellar is done in stainless steel and glass, with wire racking stacked nearly 15 feet tall. You can see this plain as day upon entry, and it is a gorgeous view! As we sat, we see a gorgeous Champagne cart being rolled around the dining room, with many different types of Champagne being poured. A few moments later, a cheese cart containing at least 25 different blocks of cheese rolled by, that looked like absolute heaven! YUM!

More to come when I get more time!

2005 Kosta Browne Pinot Noir Koplen Vineyard

Purchased off the winelist at Gordon Ramsay "At the London." Over-inflated price, but what do you expect. One, it is Gordon Ramsay's Restaurant. Two, it is New York City. And Three, it is Kosta Browne. Regardless, it was our anniversary celebration, and worth every penny.

Popped and poured from the bottle, this wine immediately showed a gorgeous garnet/ruby color in the glass. The nose of the Koplen is absolutely intoxicating, and absolutely Kosta Browne! Tons of dark berries: blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, jammy raspberry, and a hint of spice. This is a wine that I can sit and smell all night long.

On the palate, this wine is singing, which was kind of surprising. Regardless, this is a HUGE wine! When I say HUGE, I mean massive! I really expected this wine to be tight, and needing more time in the glass. I also expected a little more heat and alcohol on this wine, but not the case! This wine will however, still benefit from a few more years in the bottle or a nice splash decant.

Gorgeous silky smooth feel on the palate with more black fruits shining through again....dark raspberry, black cherry, a hint of color, and the slightest bit of earthyness. Wow this wine is amazing, and it just kept opening up with more time in the glass. The finish on the wine lingers forever, making it a pure joy to drink.

The 2005 Koplen is in contention for my personal wine of the year! 95 points, and a perfect example of why I love pinot noir! Happy Anniversary Zelda!