Local Wine Events

Mar 3 – Chef’s Tasting Dinner with Sommelier’s Paired Old Wine Selections: We have dug deep into our cellar to find some older wines for this evening’s repast.  We make every effort to ensure that our inventory of old wines is of sound quality and good provenance. Please understand that our older wines often present qualities that are vastly different from their current release counterpoints- elegance, subtlety, complexity- the hallmarks of a mature wine. In addition, slight variation from one bottle to the next is not an unexpected occurrence.  Dinner and one glass each of the selected wines are $170.00 per person, plus tax and gratuity (Tasting Notes from cellartracker.com).  This dinner needs a minimum of 6 attendees to open the wines.

Aperitif: Gougére; Gruyere Cheese Pastry

1999 Rosell Boher, Grand Cuvée Millésimée, Mendoza, Argentina (Sparkling Wine)

Appetizer: Peaky Toe Crab Cake with Benton’s Bacon Stingers

Lemon Scented Aioli and Smoked Pepper Paint

1999 Artadi Vinas de Gain, Rioja Spain

Appetizer: Homemade Gnocchi Soufflé with Parmesan Cream and Fresh Herbs

Fresh Organic Herbed Bread with Local Creamery Butter

1997 Caprili Brunello di Montalcino Riserva, Tuscany, Italy

Tasted by kfinsrud on 7/13/2011 & rated 91 points: Ruby red color with a bit darker core. Smell of earthy tones, crushed cherries, licorice and a bit of cassis. After some while hint of tobacco. Taste confirms this and the length is medium. Tannins present at the end and not fully mature yet. Good acidity and concentrated fruit. A bit rustic style, but I liked this a lot.  

Salad: Fresh Spring Greens with Fried Almond Goat Brie, Candied Pecans and Shallots with Los Villares Sweet Pedro Ximenez Vinaigrette (aged 25 years), Spain

Intermezzo: Zinfandel and Rose Petal Sorbet

Entrée: Grilled Painted Hills Organic Beef Tenderloin

with Cracked Black Peppercorns and Gorgonzola Butter

Potatoes Anna

Roasted Winter Vegetables

1997 Beaulieu Vineyard Cabernet sauvignon, Georges de Latour, Private Reserve,

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley

Tasted by Stirling on 11/28/2011 & rated 95 points: Just getting better and better. Structured like a Bordeaux, but possessing that almost sweet CA fruit. Terrific complexity with notes of cedar and minerals poking up between layers of cassis and black cherry. Definitely in its drinking window but could easily last another decade. This is very sophisticated. 

Dessert: Almond Tart

1998 Chateau Rieussec, Grand Cru Sauternes, France

Tasted by redders on 11/7/2011 & rated 93 points:  Deep orange color typical Rieussec. Nose plenty of botrytis barley sugar laced with minerals. Powerful palate but sweetness and notifying pitched perfectly for an elegant fresh finish 

Fresh Brewed Coffee or Herb Teas

Please let us know of dietary restrictions at least 48 hours in advance. Our cancellation policy for these dinners is 4 days as we must schedule purchases from local farmers.