Rare Wines and Rare Steaks At David Burke's Primehouse
David Burke's Primehouse: Hot on the heels of Gene & Georgetti's recent rare wine news, another downtown steakhouse is beefing up its wine program with a nod towards exclusivity. David Burke's Primehouse is implementing its new "Cellar Glass Pour Program," a nifty incentive that affords diners and oenophiles a foray into rare wine experiences not often available at steakhouses, at least not without spiraling into bankruptcy. Using technology that allows sommeliers and serves to access wine without pulling the cork, rare and prestigious wines are instantly made more accessible, providing the perfect rich foil for the beefy riches splayed across the food menu.
David Burke's Primehouse
David Burke's Primehouse sommelier Matthew Bills utilizes the coravin, a piece of technology that enables him to pour wines without opening the bottle. It preserves the integrity of the wine and allows it to continue aging while still providing guests with 3 oz. or 6 oz. pours of the restaurant's rarest, most esteemed wines. Mind blown? Dubbed the "Cellar Glass Pour Program," Bills and his team have reserved the most elite varietals and vintages for guests, providing a decadent sip of vino to pair with their steak. Seeing as the bottles listed in the pour program are typically only sold by the bottle (for several hundred dollars, mind you), this new incentive provides a splash of divine flavor without the pricey commitment to a full bottle.
A few options in the program include the 1975 Chateau Cantemerie, one of the world's greatest fifth-growth Bordeauxs. With ample notes of violets, red fruits, and earthy mushrooms, it pairs particularly well with any of Primehouse's dry-aged steaks. There's also the 1988 Chateau d'Yquem, a gingery, honeycomby, and floral libation that matches seamlessly with some of the restaurant's more indulgent fare, like foie gras or duck egg creme brulee (!). Then there's one of Napa Valley's finest, the 1997 Fisher Coach Insignia, an appetizer-friendly wine rife with notes of chocolate, cinnamon, and blackberries.
- Matt Kirouac