Las Vegas, Part I

Shane’s and Jen’s notes

We took a rather unusual trip to Las Vegas: we did just about everything but gamble. We stayed in a spa room at the Excalibur and took in all the sights and attractions the casinos have to offer. We went to the Mirage and saw the white tigers and the dolphin habitat. We even got to see a baby dolphin at the birthing pool. We also saw the shark reef at Mandalay Bay which had many impressive species of fish and mammals including translucent jellyfish, gigantic turtles, a petting pool filled with rays and a shark whose teeth are visible even when its mouth is closed. We rode the roller coaster at New York, New York (it is scarier than it looks) and went on the motion simulator ride at the Luxor. We saw Jubilee at Ballys and it was the best Vegas show we have seen. Naturally, the bountiful nudity had no influence on Shane’s opinion.

Our main focus on this trip was to find the best wine on the strip. We did our due diligence and chose four wine bars to visit. Three out of the four were excellent. The really great thing about a trip to Vegas is that it inspires you to indulge. We bought many wines that we would not have ordinarily bought and fortunately, were richly rewarded. We drank several epic wines, several that were close to epic as well as a variety of really good wines. We did not take any tasting notes so this is more a review of the wine bars rather than of the wine we tasted.

Napoleon in Paris Las Vegas

The Paris Las Vegas website mentions that Napoleon offers over 100 Champagnes. We sat down and asked for a wine list and were stunned to see less than a dozen Champagnes on the list. Where were the hundred Champagnes? Maybe they rotate the selection and have a hundred total but only offer a few at a time. Regardless, the magical 100 appears to be a blatant deception. To make matters worse, the atmosphere was horrible. Some guy was blasting away on a piano playing bad pop tunes and making lame jokes. People in the bar were singing along and shouting cheers. Even tucked away in a corner, it was too loud and boisterous to enjoy a drink. This is not the right atmosphere for a French-themed Champagne bar. The French would be appalled. We walked out without ordering anything.

Petrossian in Bellagio

We really enjoyed this bar. Like everything in the Bellagio, this bar exudes class. The wine list is very nice and as the name implies, they serve caviar. We had a bottle of Rotari Brut from Italy and a plate of smoked salmon topped with caviar. Everything from the wine to the food to the service was exceptional. It was one of the highlights of the trip. Our only disappointment came when we tried to go there again on Friday. Half of the tables were empty but had “reserved” signs on them, and we were unable to find a seat. I suppose they were reserved for hotel guests but should a bar really be reserving tables?

The Wine Cellar at the Rio

This was an excellent wine bar/shop. The wine shop had a nice selection and included a wine museum with a Chateau d’Yquem vertical stretching back over 150 years. There was also a bottle of 1800 Madeira from Thomas Jefferson’s collection with a handwritten label. The wine bar offers over 20 flights and many of them are very interesting (and very expensive). That said, you seldom see flights of Bordeaux, which is what Jen had, or such big names as Krug Champagne or Silver Oak by the glass, so the price of admission on these offerings may well be worth it. Jen had the Bordeaux flight, which included a 1990 Pauillac, and two Margaux that were fun to compare. Shane’s flight featured 10, 20 and 30 year tawny Ports by Dow, his favorite house. Shane found it very interesting tasting these side by side and his enjoyment increased with each 10 year increment. The 30 year had flavors bordering on ephemeral, and he wishes that a 40 year had been included. After our flights, we retired to an over stuffed couch with glasses of wines and a cheese plate featuring two artisanal cheddar cheeses and a manchego. Jen had the Twenty Rows Merlot, which she remembered fondly and still loved. Shane had the Foley Pinot, which was not quite the style for his palate. The cheese plate, however, was great all-around. Our only complaint is that despite being far below the casino floor, the rather loud music from the casino wafts in and is a little annoying.

55 Degrees at the Mandalay Bay

55 Degrees is the clear winner – this is the best wine bar on the strip. The selection in the wine shop is outstanding. They even have a Cheval Blanc and a Richebourg. We drank at the wine bar on three separate occasions and had great wine and great service each time. The décor is very modern and they do play music a bit loudly but it all seems to go together. The wine staff is very knowledgeable, and we really enjoyed talking to them. Some of the memorable wines that we drank included a Pedro Ximenez Sherry, a German Eiswein and a Vouvray. One night, the staff even let us have a sip of a 1998 Rochioli East Block Pinot. It was stunning (Shane did think it was slightly past its peak while Jen thought it was at its peak). On our last night in Vegas, we dropped by for a half bottle of Champagne. We told them we were leaving, and they invited us to join them for a glass of 1998 Veuve Clicquot. How could we refuse? It was magnificent. It had great acidity and the very intense citrus flavors. We both prefer it to the 1996 Dom Perignon which is quite a bit more expensive. On our next trip to Vegas, we may be staying at Mandalay Bay so that we can be closer to 55 Degrees.

A Magical Donnhoff

We bought a bottle of 2005 Donnhoff Oberhauser Leistenberg Kabinett (from 55 Degrees) to drink while enjoying the spa tub in our room. Shane has delayed buying a Donnhoff because they are expensive when compared to other German Rieslings. For this reason, he was really hoping that he would not like it. He was very disappointed as we both agreed that the Donnhoff was stunning. It had great acidity and spectacular, bright citrus flavors. We have had Rieslings as flavorful but none that have combined the intensity of flavors with crisp acidity. The finish was very long. It is definitely one of the best German Rieslings we have tasted.