Well, after too long of a delay I am back to blogging and back to attending things like wine dinners. The hiatus on wine dinners can be blamed on the extended period when Brad worked evenings but even since then it seems that when the menu looked good we already had other plans or when we were available the menu did not appeal. Finally the stars aligned and we were both available and found the menu to be appealing.
There were a couple things we noted right away after having been "gone so long". First, there was a different vendor involved which was really nice to see after having been exposed to the same vendor over and over during previous dinners. And the dinner was not as excessively crowded as when we used to attend but still had a decent crowd. I would guess that maybe the new has worn off and since they are offering these dinners virtually every month the "packed house attendance" is being spread out over the greater number of opportunities.
The vendor for the November dinner was Wines D'Italia and the hostess was very pleasant. I am afraid; however, that we were not huge fans of the wines presented overall. Of course we are not huge fans of Merlot (even before the emphasis Sideways reference to Merlot) and the reds offered were all Merlot blends.
In case you did not know, most wine dinner pairings are created by the vendor bringing the wines to the chef and managers and then the chef works to create dishes to best complement the wines. Having said that it should be obvious that if you do not think the meal matches well with the wine then that could be either the chef's fault or just a very challenging wine to pair. However, if you don't like the wine and find that you don't really care for the dish either it is more likely a reflection of the chef trying to bring out something nice in the wine and I would not fault the chef for a dish I disliked in this kind of situation. I can fault the chef or kitchen staff for poor execution - more on that later.
Antipasto Freddo - Walnut Gorgonzola Bruschetta
Candied walnut and Gorgonzola bruschetta with a port-cranberry reduction.
Featured Wine: Nobilvite White - Trebbiano, Malvasia and Chardonnay Blend
This was our favorite of the wines, very light, crisp with a clear citrus flavor that was mildly sweet. The bruschetta was wonderful and paired nicely and I in particular loved the port-cranberry reduction mixed with the gorgonzola cheese.
Insalata - Grilled Prosciutto Wrapped Romaine
Grilled prosciutto wrapped hearts of Romaine with a citrus vinaigrette and shaved Grana Padana cheese.
Featured Wine: Innato - Trebbiano, Malvasia and Chardonnay Blend
This wine contained the same trio of grapes as the first wine in different ratios. I thought it was a bit flat tasting and was not as sweet; however, most at our table preferred this wine to the first one. The salad was nicely grilled and very pleasant to eat.
Primo - Baked Lobster Ravioli
Baked lobster ravioli with shiitake mushrooms and vanilla butter sauce.
Featured Wine: Vigne del Borgo - Sauvignon Blanc
I detected strong mineral flavors in this wine, almost earthly and it was very light. I am not a fan of Sauvignon Blancs but thought this was pretty good in comparison to others of the type. The dish had the potential to be my favorite food item of the night but the ravioli was too crunchy like it had dried out during baking. In fact, Brad with his braces could not eat this pasta due to the texture. The sauce on this dish was fantastic. Note here my earlier comment about execution and me wondering if this sat out too long or "baked" longer than it should have.
Pesce - Maple Glazed Scallops
Maple glazed scallops with mashed sweet potatoes and spiced corn purée.
Featured Wine: Rudestro - Merlot Sauvignon Blend
Thus begins the Merlots and when wines transitioned from being likable to dis-likable to my tastes. It was very light with tannins but tasted mostly like Merlot. I thought this was one of the best dishes served of the night, scallops cooked perfectly, but did not care for the wine with it at all.
Secondo - Herb Espresso Filet
Herb and espresso rubbed filet with a cabernet porcini demi-glace, truffle mashed potatoes and grilled asparagus.
Featured Wine: Barriano - Merlot Cabernet Blend
This wine was 35% Cabernet and 65% Merlot. I thought it had a slight sour taste, was smokey and light. The steak was cooked perfectly but seemed like it had tons of pepper on it which could have been my taste buds reacting to the spice of the dish before. Normally I enjoy a peppery steak but maybe this was too much back to back for me but as a heat/spice lover I think I just needed a strong red to pair with it. Would have loved to have had an Old Vine Zinfandel or a bold Cabernet.
Dolce - Roasted Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Homemade roasted pumpkin bread pudding with spiced crème fraiche.
Featured Wine: Bludigaia - Sangiovese Merlot Blend
The final wine was very tart (again I thought it was sour tasting), dry and a tad fizzy. The dessert was fantastic. This was the one recipe I asked about when the kitchen staff got to visit the tables at the end of the meal. Once again I learn that the secret to excellent bread pudding is using brioche bread.
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