Famed Louis XIII
cognac tops the
ultimate dinnerThe precious brandy winds up
a luxurious dinner at La Mer
They say that each decanter of Remy Martin Louis XIII Grand Campagne Cognac is so precisely crafted that the stopper won't fall out even if you turn the bottle upside down.
Don't try it, though. The cognac cops will getcha.
Louis XIII is so precious that if you spill some you don't wipe it up, you send for a straw.
A 1.5 ounce taste costs something like $150 at your average bar -- or rather, your above-average bar, which is where you're more likely to find it. A 750 ml bottle goes for upward of $1,300.
How to show off such a substance? La Mer at the Halekulani is offering this ultimate cognac in the company of the most 'luxe ingredients -- foie gras, abalone, escargot and langoustines, to mention just part of the nine-course extravaganza.
BETTY SHIMABUKURO / BETTY@STARBULLETIN.COM
A scoop of sorbet flavored with Louis XIII cognac serves as a palate-cleanser between courses.
Louis XIII Ultimate Dinners are offered nationwide at very select restaurants to raise cash for James Beard Foundation scholarships for aspiring chefs. Last year, 74 restaurants sold more than 5,000 dinners. Donations -- per-dinner contributions from Remy Martin -- totaled $19,000. La Mer, the only Hawaii restaurant participating, sold 602 dinners. Since October the restaurant has been trying to top that figure and perhaps lead the nation (it finished second last year).
The Louis XIII dinner runs through Dec. 30, making it the ultimate gift idea for someone who appreciates the finer things. Price tag is $150 -- which includes a half-pour of the precious cognac.
As for that cognac -- what's the big deal, anyway?
"The flavor of Louis is so rich," begins David Gochros, wine educator and Hawaii state manager for Remy Amerique. "You take a sip and it will last a looong time."
And that's only the half of it. Louis XIII is a blend of fine brandies made from grapes grown in Grande Campagne, a region of France known for superior quality. Cognac as a whole is aged at least three years, but Louis XIII luxuriates in its oak barrels for 40 to 100 years.
The cellar master who creates the blend rarely samples the end product, Gochros says. "He's not going to taste it, his son's not going to taste it. His grandson is the guy to taste it."
The cognac's exclusivity extends to its container, a hand-blown Baccarat crystal decanter that has its own ancient history.
According to Remy Martin, the original bottle was carried into battle in 1569 during the Catholic-Protestant wars in France. It was unearthed 300 years later at the Jarnac battlefield and acquired by Remy Martin -- the man, not the company -- who replicated the design to create decanters for his finest cognacs.
Empty decanters, with their distinctive fleur-de-lis design, are a valuable commodity in themselves. A few are posted on eBay now, with bids running at $100 and up. Gochros says this means bars and restaurants must decide how to dispense with the empties.
Sometimes the decanter goes to the server who sold the final pour, sometimes to the one who sold the most out of a particular bottle. Or there might be a lottery. "Sometimes just a greedy manager takes it," Gochros says.
All's fair in war, after all, and this is a bottle with a battlefield history.
BETTY SHIMABUKURO / BETTY@STARBULLETIN.COM
The Louis XIII decanter is made of Baccarat crystal.
Ultimate affair
The Louis XIII Ultimate Dinner Program benefits James Beard Foundation scholarships.Served: Through Dec. 30
Place: La Mer, Halekulani Hotel
Menu: Includes Sautéed Duck Liver, Thinly Sliced Abalone with Mirin and Lime, Potato Croustade with Escargots, Black Rice Risotto with Langoustine, Roasted Crispy Skin Moi, Milk-Fed Veal Medallion with Roquefort
Cost: $150, including a taste of Remy Martin Grande Champagne Cognac
Call: 923-2311
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