I am putting on a dinner for some mushroom freaks next Wednesday night. I have put together the menu with the Chef and now I need to pick the wines.

Suggestions please

Quote:

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CONNOISSEUR WINE DINNER
~A Mushroom Freak’s Delight!~
April 5, 2006

Hors d’oeuvres
Shiitake Mushroom Won Ton with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Fresh Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Puff Pastry Filled with Mushroom Duxell
WINE ?

COURSE ONE
CREAM OF MARSALA MUSHROOM
Fresh Crimini Mushrooms, Marsala Wine & Cream
WINE ?


COURSE TWO
PAN SEARED ALASKAN HALIBUT
Sauteed Monterey Mushroom, Butter & Dry White Wine
WINE ?


COURSE THREE
GRILLED PORTOBELO MUSHROOM CROWN
Organic Jacob’s Tarragon and Cabernet Verjus Bearnaise
WINE ?


COURSE FOUR
ROASTED PROVINI VEAL CHOP ALA CHANTERELLE
Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms, Virgin Olive Oil,
Fresh Thyme, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, Deglazed with Red Wine
Polenta Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas
WINE ?


COURSE FIVE
SPICED CHANTERELLE ROULADE
Ice Box Cake with Chanterelle Puree
WINE ?

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TIA.

Get thee some Pinot Noirs!

Perhaps a Tuscan blend with the veal., but not the "I wanna be a Cali Cab" kind. Terrabianco Campaccio '01 is always nice, and should bring out the flavor of the shrooms rather well.

CONNOISSEUR WINE DINNER
~A Mushroom Freak’s Delight!~
April 5, 2006

Hors d’oeuvres
Shiitake Mushroom Won Ton with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Fresh Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Puff Pastry Filled with Mushroom Duxell
If still wine is desired then I'd go with a Viognier.

COURSE ONE
CREAM OF MARSALA MUSHROOM
Fresh Crimini Mushrooms, Marsala Wine & Cream
Marsala is the easy cop out match here.


COURSE TWO
PAN SEARED ALASKAN HALIBUT
Sauteed Monterey Mushroom (I know Monterey Mushroom the vendor but am not familiar with a Monterey Mushroom per se), Butter & Dry White Wine
Vouvray, Chablis, White Burgundy, mature, balanced California Chard


COURSE THREE
GRILLED PORTOBELO MUSHROOM CROWN
Organic Jacob’s Tarragon and Cabernet Verjus Bearnaise
A lighter styled, high acid Burgundy


COURSE FOUR
ROASTED PROVINI VEAL CHOP ALA CHANTERELLE
Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms, Virgin Olive Oil,
Fresh Thyme, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, Deglazed with Red Wine
Polenta Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas
If you can subsitute porcini (aka cepes) for the chanterelle then I'd go with a Brunello. If not virtually any medium bodied red would go fine.


COURSE FIVE
SPICED CHANTERELLE ROULADE
Ice Box Cake with Chanterelle Puree
Since this is your event David I'd go with a slightly over the hill Sauternes/Barsac.

Quote:

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Hors d’oeuvres
Shiitake Mushroom Won Ton with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Fresh Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Puff Pastry Filled with Mushroom Duxell
If still wine is desired then I'd go with a Viognier.

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I guess I should add that this is a "foodie" event and the guys are not nescessarily "wine savy". Their first drinks will be a triple martini .

Typically we start with a sparkler.

They're in a rut imo with that orange-label Veuve (+-$35) stuff (which I don't particularly care for [so I'm spoiled]). I had a taste of a Gloria Ferrer Sonoma Brut ($14) and it wasn't half bad. I mean $14, WTF! I ain't gonna pull out no Dom for this group. Has anyone tasted through these Gloria Ferrer sparkling wines?

Talk to me 'bout Marsala. I haven't seen any for drinking since the early 1970s. And then it was very sweet. Is there something out there?

I was thinking of a light Syrah or Shiraz. Maybe even a Rose. The problem with the Rose is it wants to be cold. I would think a Syrah at room temp would be better with a hot soup.

How about the Kosta Browne Rose of Pinot. Anyone out there tasted it?

david - for the soup i'd go for an amontillado sherry

for cheap sparkler... bring or get some roederer nv brut. 18$, and it's pretty quaffable.

unless you want to spend 35-40 for something like bollinger sc.

kosta browne rose of pinot is pretty heavy. feels like a heavy chard on the palate, tastes like strawberries, red cherry and a touch of cream.

syrah would not be a good pairing with the soup. your best bets are either marsala or sherry.

If Marsala does it want to be dry or sweet?

Any specific recommendation? How much should I spend.
Search "Marsala" on Parker and there are "no matches".

If I choose a Marsala or Sherry what glass do I use and how large a pour should it be?

Does Madeira fit in anywhere here?

I'm not surprised you're not finding Parker hits on Marsala. IIRC, Marsala is a fortified wine and never (rarely?) even a solera, let alone vintage wine.

You might be on the right track with a good dry sherry or madiera. Typically, they're served in very small upright glasses. Often the acidity is so high, anything more than 1/2 an ounce overwhelms.

On the other hand, I'd might be tempted to try a white rhone like Beaucastel with the soup just for sh*ts and giggles, because I could and haven't tried it before with a dish like this......and curious if it might work.....

Marsala is a DOC wine from Sicily (i.e. in and about the town of Marsala on the western edge of the island). Its usually fortified (fine and superiore). Best version is Vergine which is dry and if labeled stravecchio then it has received at least 10 years aging in a solera system. Best producers are De Bartoli and Florio both of which make a number of unfortified Marsalas. Lots of dry vintage dated wines are made in Marsala as well but are not labeled as such. Donnafugata is in Marsala and makes a number of very fine dry vintage dated wines especially their top line Nero d'Avola called Milleunanotte. David if we ever get A16 on calendar we'll pull the cork on one while we are there.

I am purposefully not reading others' posts first, once I do, I may have more/different suggestions...--

CONNOISSEUR WINE DINNER
~A Mushroom Freak’s Delight!~
April 5, 2006

Hors d’oeuvres
Shiitake Mushroom Won Ton with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Fresh Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Puff Pastry Filled with Mushroom Duxell
WINE ?

-- Earthy Champagne, Chablis or white CdP


COURSE ONE
CREAM OF MARSALA MUSHROOM
Fresh Crimini Mushrooms, Marsala Wine & Cream
WINE ?

-- Earthy Champagne or Chablis


COURSE TWO
PAN SEARED ALASKAN HALIBUT
Sauteed Monterey Mushroom, Butter & Dry White Wine
WINE ?

-- International-styled White Burgundy or CA Chard. Many Meursault Les Charmes and Corton Charlemagne are coming to mind -- as are Peter Michael and Aubert Chards.


COURSE THREE
GRILLED PORTOBELO MUSHROOM CROWN
Organic Jacob’s Tarragon and Cabernet Verjus Bearnaise
WINE ?

-- Sonoma Coast or Russian River Pinot


COURSE FOUR
ROASTED PROVINI VEAL CHOP ALA CHANTERELLE
Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms, Virgin Olive Oil,
Fresh Thyme, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, Deglazed with Red Wine
Polenta Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas
WINE ?

-- Ideally, aged Northern Rhone. Younger Cote Rotie can still be excellent. Barolo would also be an excellent choice.


COURSE FIVE
SPICED CHANTERELLE ROULADE
Ice Box Cake with Chanterelle Puree
WINE ?

-- No suggestion.

So far these are the suggestions.
What I am "leaning toward" is in red.

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Hors d’oeuvres
Shiitake Mushroom Won Ton with Sweet & Sour Dipping Sauce
Fresh Dungeness Crab Stuffed Mushroom Caps
Puff Pastry Filled with Mushroom Duxell

Viognier.
Earthy Champagne.
Chablis.
White CdP.
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COURSE ONE
CREAM OF MARSALA MUSHROOM
Fresh Crimini Mushrooms, Marsala Wine & Cream

Marsala.
Amontillado sherry.
Rhone like Beaucastel.
Earthy Champagne.
Chablis.
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COURSE TWO
PAN SEARED ALASKAN HALIBUT
Sauteed Monterey Mushroom, Butter & Dry White Wine

Vouvray.
Chablis.
White Burgundy.
Meursault Les Charmes.
Corton Charlemagne.
CA Chard like Peter Michael and Aubert Chards.

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COURSE THREE
GRILLED PORTOBELO MUSHROOM CROWN
Organic Jacob’s Tarragon and Cabernet Verjus Bearnaise

A lighter styled, high acid Burgundy.
Sonoma Coast or Russian River Pinot.
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COURSE FOUR
ROASTED PROVINI VEAL CHOP ALA CHANTERELLE
Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms, Virgin Olive Oil,
Fresh Thyme, Black Pepper & Sea Salt, Deglazed with Red Wine
Polenta Parmesan and Sugar Snap Peas

Tuscan blend Campaccio '01.
Any medium bodied red.
Aged Northern Rhone.
Younger Cote Rotie.
Barolo.
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COURSE FIVE
SPICED CHANTERELLE ROULADE
Ice Box Cake with Chanterelle Puree

Slightly over the hill Sauternes/Barsac.
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