Dressler & Wines of the Jura

I recently met up with my wine school friends for dinner in Brooklyn at Dressler in Williamsburg.  It's a Michelin-starred restaurant that up until recently had Polo Dobkin as their executive chef.  I used to work with his mom (awwwwwweeee) and remember when he first opened the restaurant.  He just left after 7 years on the job.  I cannot believe it's taken me this long to finally eat there.

Dressler

Frank Bruni gave the restaurant two stars in The New York Times in 2006.  Despite Polo leaving, his presence on the plate was still felt and dinner was delicious and fun.

It was swank inside with a moderately low noise level.  The service was very attentive, though not burdening and overenthusiastic.

My friend, Billy, order a wine from the Jura.  What and where is Jura?  It's a wine region in eastern France between Burgundy and Switzerland.  They grow  local varieties, primarily Savignin (which is usually blended with chardonnay), dark skinned and perfumey Ploussard.  This red is very rarely deep colored, rather soft and smooth.  Then there is an even rarer grape, called Trousseau.  It is a deeper red found in the north in Arbois and usually sold in the varietal form.  Sparkling is also produced here, called Cremant de Jura.  Burgundian grapes -- chardonnay and pinot noir can be found in the Jura.  The Champ Divin is made from the pinot noir grape.  The red wines here are a dark rose color, never the deep red color that we're accustomed to seeing in a bottle.

Champ Divin Pinot Noir

For dinner I ordered the crispy baby artichokes and the scallops with celery root puree.  Lisa had the pork loin and Billy had the duck breast.  Despite the varied menu choices, we all agreed that the Jura wine was an agreeable and pleasant choice that accompanied our dishes well.  It was medium bodied with fruity flavors of red cherries and red plums with some earthiness to it.  There was structure to the wine even though the tannins were light.  It was an agreeable choice.  Did it rock my world?  No, the food did and the wine went along for the ride.

Wine is meant to be drunk with food after all.  A lot of wines these days are made more for the show of a reviewer who will grant points to the label.  It's a make or break situation that can mean profit or doom to a wine.  It takes guts to make a wine meant for both, like this one.


Links:
www.champdivin.com
www.dresslernyc.com