Grand Sichuan is one of the finest BYOs in the city, if only because German Rieslings are my favorite wine. The residual sugar and intensity of flavors on German wine are a perfect match to the spicy cuisine (and you can eat a feast without spending more than $40 per person). Only downside: you should bring your own stems. Their glasses are pretty small.

A small gathering of friends descended on the Grand Sichuan in Chelsea last night for pork soup dumplings, smoked tea duck (multiple orders), cucumber with garlic, spicy beef, chicken with pumpkin, beef with spicy green pepper, and a bunch more. Here’s what we drank:

Pierre Peters, ‘Cuvée Spéciale’ Blanc de Blancs Brut 1998 (Champagne), $NA, 12% abv
Just as you start your day with coffee, I support starting your evening with bubbles. This wine was showing loads of yeasty brioche notes with some bruised apple in the background. Very creamy on the palate.


F.X. Pichler, Dürnsteiner Hollerin Riesling Smaragd 2007 (Wachau), $60, 13% abv

I had a sip of this after the bubbly and tried it again later, but, as to be expected, it didn’t show well after the German wines. On first sip this was classic Austrian Riesling: medium (+) intensity lean citrus and a truck-full of minerals. Dry on the palate with juicy acidity and a long finish.

Dr. R. Weil, Kiedricher Wasseros Riesling Auslese 1976 (Rheingau), $NA, 10% abv?

Oh, how I love old German Rieslings! And this was a special treat. There was seepage from the cork, but I find this usually means nothing for a German wine. Intense aromas of tropical and exotic fruits meet wet stones and honey and stone fruits and a touch of petrol. The acidity still keeps this wine very fresh and it still has a long life ahead of it.

Wegeler, Bernkasteler Doctor Riesling Spätlese 2001 (Mosel), $30, 10% abv

This one displayed more primary citrus aromas, florally apricot, peaches and minerals with a lot of zing (maybe a CO2 prickle?) on the palate.

Mönchhof, Erdener Prälat Riesling Auslese 2007 (Mosel), $40, 10% abv?

Youngest German wine in the set still displayed an impressive amount of pretty aromatics: peaches, pears, honeysuckle, and minerals. Off-dry on the palate and a long finish. Really drinking well right now.

Somebody’s Niersteiner Pettental Riesling Beerenauslese 1976 (Rheinhessen), $NA, 8% abv

Oy. You can imagine by the end of the night, note-taking gets a little fuzzy. I failed to write down this name of the producers, thinking I had it captured on the pic (sorry, lesson learned). My friend had purchased a bunch of 1976 German Rieslings at auction from producers neither of us had ever heard of. On to the wine: popped & poured, the wine was showing nothing but botrytis (i.e., new plastic shower curtain) at first but within 10 minutes the mangoes, honey, and pineapple came out to play. Beautiful, silky texture on the palate and a medium-long finish. Not the richest or the most intense BA I’ve ever encountered, but it was a wonderful dessert to go with our lame-advice fortune cookies.