Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/6221
january–february 2010 / the tasting panel / 37 It was the 2009 arrival of the Georges Duboeuf Beaujo- lais Nouveau that first drew us to Paris Las Vegas. This vintage has been heralded by wine writers and industry professionals as one of the best ever. The Georges Duboeuf 2008 Fleurie Flower label (SRP $16) is a royal crimson stunner that offers up aromas of an exotic spring garden of purple flowers: lavender, violets and irises. Red fruit streams through in an array of straw- berry and currants. Fresh and lively, the Georges Duboeuf 2008 Saint-Amour Flower label (SRP $15) is truly a saint of love when it comes to food pairing, thanks to its striking acidity, streamlined texture and a heart of raspberry. At Paris Las Vegas, there was no lack of audience for the festivities, which included a celebrity grape stomp (the fountains spurted wine-colored water for days!), tastings and unique Beaujo- lais Nouveau pairings at eateries such as the Eiffel Tower Restaurant, Mon Ami Gabi and Les Artistes Steakhouse. With the New Year upon us, the Beaujolais Nouveau may be long gone, but Duboeuf's Beaujolais crus—the real gems of the appellation—remain hearty matches for this season's cuisine. It was our task to taste and tell, visiting the chefs and sommeliers at one of our favorite stomping grounds on the Strip. The Cru Crew The 2008 Georges Duboeuf crus of Beaujolais are "gems," according to Duboeuf himself. We agree. From the heady aromas of fruit and flower to a fuller, denser body style than prior vintages (thanks to smaller yields), the ten crus—all made from the Gamay grape—are named after the areas where the grapes are grown: Brouilly, Chénas, Chiroubles, Côte-de-Brouilly, Fleurie, Juliénas, Morgon, Moulin-à- Vent, Régnié and Saint-Amour. The Georges Duboeuf crus are recognized by their flower labels. Inside Paris Las Vegas "It's been an interesting year, with all the challenges at our high-end restau- rants," says Kurtess Mortensen, Paris Las Vegas Assistant Executive Chef. "Larger ticket prices and smaller audi- ences motivated us to become more innovative in '09 and looking now into 2010. We will continue to rely on fresh- ness and quality in our ingredients, but step it up in creativity." That meant changing Les Artistes, a classic steakhouse, by adding special touches such as new cooking tech- niques. "Sous-vide is one of the latest techniques; we took shrimp cocktail, vacuum-sealed it with fresh horseradish and poached it in the bag." French for "under vacuum," sous- vide cooking maintains the integrity of ingredients by heating them for an ex- tended period at relatively low tempera- VEGaS