The renown and trendy Melrose strip that runs between Fairfax and La Brea avenues has quietly become a wine drinker's destination with a collection of unique restaurant/wine bars that offer different experiences in different price ranges. This week: Cellar 55.
Overall, Cellar 55 is a casual spot with solid affordable wines and an Italian-Amerian fusion menu.
Wines by the glass: 14 / $8 - $11
Wines by the bottle: 53 / $25 - $100 (and 1 bottle of Dom Perignon priced at $249)
One of the great things about a city like Los Angeles is you can go whatever speed you wish. In the early to late afternoon you may have Cellar 55 virtually to yourself, but you will want to make reservations for dinner because they are usually booked solid. In addition, Cellar 55 has outdoor tables on the street for great Melrose people watching, a back patio, and live "regularly scheduled" piano music.
The Cellar 55 wine list is noteworthy, though the number of wines they offer by the glass could be increased. With just one or two selections per category, choices by the glass are limited to fourteen (14) total wines: six (6) reds, four (4) whites, two (2) dessert wines, one (1) rose, and one (1) sparkling.
It was an extremely hot day, perfect for white wine, so the tasting began with the 2009 Momo Sauvignon Blanc (New Zealand > Marlborough) paired with the shrimp bucket, which was as big and messy as it sounds. Highly recommended. Sauvignon Blancs from this region can almost always be found on a good wine list and tend to be characterized by lemon grass. This one was softer than most and had more fruit than grassy flavors.
Next, the 2008 Sean Minor Pinot Noir (USA > California > Sonoma County > Carneros). Dark in color, popping with cherry, and medium bodied, this Pinot was perfect with the seemingly bottomless bucket of spicy shrimp. Sonoma County produces California's best Charonnays and Pinot Noirs, and the terroir in Carneros is special enough to warrant it's own American Viticulture Appellation (AVA) designation.
On the main stage, the Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvigon (USA > California > Sonoma County) with the baby lamb chops, which were perfectly cooked and served on a sinful bed of porcini mushroom rissoto. The Louis Martini Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley or Sonoma County) is a high quality but inexpensive wine popular on Los Angeles wine lists right now and is normally a good bet.
The best for last: There is only one sparkling wine available by the glass but it turned out to be the hightlight of the day. The NV Castillo Perelada Brut Reserva Cava (Spain > Catalonia > Emporda > Perelada) paired with purple yam ice cream. I repeat: purple yam ice cream. Spainish Cava is always a fraction of the price of French Champagne and often times just as good. Cava is made in the traditional Champagne-style method and is a blend of three Spanish grapes -- Macabeo, Parellada, Xarel-lo -- with a little Chardonnay sometimes thrown in for balance and complexity. Emporda is a wine growing region north of Barcelona.
Notable bottles include the 2009 Bodegas La Cana Albarino (Spain > Galicia > Rias Baixas), 2007 Hanzel Chardonnay (USA > California > Sonoma Coast), the Etude Cabernet Sauvigon (USA > California > Napa Valley), and the 2008 La Fortuna Rosso di Montalcino (Italy > Tuscany > Montalcino).
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