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OCTOBER 13, 2022
FRENCH FEAST
AUGUST 30, 2022
CHAMPAGNE AND CHARDONNAY
JUNE 23, 2022
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE VERTICAL
APRIL 28, 2022
3 DECADES OF PAUILLAC WINE DINNER
2012 Gimmonet Special Blanc de Blanc
2011 Chassagne Montrachet “Les Vergers” (JM Pillot)
2017 Chassagne Montrachet “Les Vergers” (JM Pillot)
2000 Carruades de Lafite
1986 Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande
1995 Chateau Pontet Canet
1983 Chateau Rieussec
The Menu
1st Course Charcuterie platter (olives, duck rillette, chevre, comte, GF crackers)
2nd Course Mushroom and Asparagus risotto with seared scallops
Entrée French Onion Beef Shortribs, served over polenta
Lyonnaise potatoes, roasted broccolini
Dessert Tarta de Santiago
On April 28, we kicked off our Vintage Vino wine dinners with a fabulous evening of great food and great wines. The evening was also a very successful night raising money for Our Neighbors’ Table. We appreciate the generosity of our guests!
All the wines we enjoyed were showing exceptionally well. I think that decanting really helps these mature wines to show their best. I decanted the white burgundies about 60 minutes and the Pauillac reds about 90 minutes before serving. The 2012 Gimonnet Special Club Brut which started our evening had an aromatic nose and was excellent with a very nice charcuterie board. We then tried 2 premier cru white burgundies, the 2011 and 2017 vintages of Chassagne Montrachets “Les Vergers” from JMPillot. Both wines were delicious with a clear preference in the group for the 2011. The wines paired beautifully with a wild mushroom and asparagus risotto with grilled scallops that Ree and guest chef Eva Mrak-Blumberg prepared. )
Our 3 red wines from Pauillac were all delicious and very different. The 2000 Carruades de Lafite had a beautifully aromatic bouquet and was very smooth and elegant. The 1995 Chateau Pontet Canet, rich and fruity, was felt to be the best match for our delicious entrée of beef short ribs served over polenta with grilled broccolini and potatoes Lyonnaise. The 1986 Chateau Pichon de Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, the group choice among the 3 red wines, was firm and nuanced in both nose and flavor. If you have any 1986 Pichon Lalande in your cellar, you don’t have to worry that this 36 year-old is getting tired – it was singing on tune, with plenty of time to go!
We finished up the night with a dessert wine, the 1983 Chateau Rieussec perfectly paired with a Tarta De Santiago Almond Cake, gluten free and low sugar with fresh berries and whipped cream. And was this a pairing! The almond cake was scrumptious and the Rieussec was stunningly good - an incredible, deep amber color, honeyed bouquet and a rich, nuanced flavor that just kept going. The group’s favorite wine of the night!
Overall, this was a terrific start to our Vintage Vino dinner series and our guests were very enthusiastic about the wonderful experience of pairing up properly-aged great wines and sumptuous foods to go along.