Il Vino d'Enrico Bernardo

A new one-star restaurant in Paris where the menu has no mention of food! Wine reigns supreme.

What a wonderful concept!! Linda visited me from Nashville and I reserved a table at the new one-star restaurant, Il Vino for us. Enrico Bernardo is the Meilleur Sommelier du Monde of 2008 and has opened his own restaurant in Paris.

We were eager to see the menu and when it was presented to us, we were confused. No mention of food on the entire menu!! Just a list of wonderful wines by the glass. When the maître d'hotel comes to take your order, you tell him which wine tempts you and then you learn what dish will be prepared to go with that.

Linda and I both chose the Nuits St George which was served chilled. It married with a lovely dish of fresh cheese-stuffed ravioli. For the main courses, I had duck with a wonderful Barbera D'Asti, and Linda had a dish of St. Pierre and fresh green asparagus, married with a glass of the best Condrieu I have ever tasted: so flowery, complex and full.

If you do not want any wine, that is ok too and they will tell you about the dishes. There are two dégustations: one à l'aveugle (blind tasting), and the other featuring wines from all over the world in four courses with their appropriate foods.

Linda rarely drinks but joined the party and had two glasses of wine. By the time we got to dessert, we were sufficiently high as to opt out of a wine with (my) chocolate-caramel gateau and Linda's orange crèpe dessert.