Ok here is my recap. We have uploaded photos to Ofoto, anyone can PM me w/ an e-mail address and I'll send them. I've asked Rev to see if we can post them here on VC too.

Corkage, Mrs C, Travel Rep, Mrs Travel, Dinwiddie, Fred, Swill (but no Swill hottie) and JohnnyB were in attendance.

It started out ominous with JohnnyB breaking a magnum of 97 Beringer PR in his condo. It ended up all fine with JohnnyB getting a midnite Booty call from his girl (Nicole tod me today why you bailed on us you dog).

The menu and wine-up:

Bollinger Special Cuvee Champagne NV as a toast to all
Cooks wine: Krug Grand Cuvee (compliments of JohnnyB) The cooks traditionally get their own bottle of wine for the kitchen.

First Course

Rockfish Tartare, Oyster Cream, American Paddlefish Caviar, Garlic Crouton
1995 Veuve Clicquot Ponsardin, Champagne
Jeez, a nice champagne and great pairing with the rockfish

Second Course

Giant Shrimp, Georgia Speckled Grits with Roasted Red Peppers, Shrimp Jus
2001 Sine Qua Non “Albino”, California
Jonhny busted 2 bottles out for the Cru (and literally busted the Beringer). A fantastic wine and superb paring

Third Course

Dijon Glazed Venison Tenderloin, Duck Prosciutto, Wild Mushroom Ragout
1988 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
I forgot to put the duck on the plate, but it wasn't meant to be I guess. My personal favorite dish of the night making its first appearance anywhere. Sometimes I do cook of the fly without a recipe and this was one. The Mondavi was smooth, definitely peaked a couple fo years ago but still pleasureable.

Fourth Course

DC Crü’s Favorite Cheeses
Too many to remember but Fred brought this Roaring 40s Bleu Cheese that absolutely rocked. I served the sliced duck prociutto with the cheeses and I guess that's the way it was supposed to happen.

2000 Rochioli Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
2002 ROAR Rosella's Vineyard Pinot Noir, California
2001 Clarendon Hills Hickenbotham Grenache, Australia
All of the wines were fantastic. Good fruit on the PN and the grenache was tops.

Fifth Course

Milk Chocolate Caramel Crème Brulee
1993 Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Hungary
99 Dm Brossard Quarts de Chaumes, Loire
Mrs. Corkage made her dessert debut with this wonderful decadent dish. The Tokaji is a favorite.

I opened a 99 V. Girardin Volnay Clos de Chenes (?) and the Cru retired to deck to smoke some cubans.

All in all, great company and fun night.

Best thing is today, my 14 year old daughter took it upon herself to wash 40+ wine glasses by hand. Damn, you all need to get one of her if you don't have one.

JohnnyB did a great job as sous chef along with Swill. Swill kept the dishwasher running so there no clean up at the end, and Fred kept the wine flowing. Great pics too!

Sounds like a fantastic evening, Corkage. Very sorry to have missed it. Incoming PM for the ofoto link.

AHHHHHH!!!!

Are you kidding me? I missed THAT?!

Seriously, that sounds like an awesome time! I wish I could have been there. Unfortunately, I was taking care of L who is getting over the flu (that fatal strain, no less!) We still had a little wine, but we pushed back our Palena reservations to next weekend. (Good thing we moved the DC Cru get together to during the week! )

Did you have a WOTN? Have you posted TN's? I'm really interested in all the wines that were poured, but I'm particularly interested in a TN on the SQN.

see y'all soon,

a

TJ and Whiner...

Lemme tell ya...you guys missed quite the evening. Corkage's recap doesn't do justice to the event. The food and presentations were supurb, Corkage, Swill and JohnnyB ran the evening like clockwork. And then the wines...no one took tasting notes that I recall, but the good wines were too numerous. My WOTN was the Sine Qua Non Albino, followed by the Clarendon Hills Grenache. We all went home fat and happy. It'll be very difficult to top this offline...even in a restaurant!

T-Rep

It was an evening to remember. The company was tops, and as Swill said, he wasn't going to offend anyone for at least an hour, and nobody did (for at least an hour, just kidding). I want to thank him for picking me up and taking me to the METRO.

Corkage and Nicole have an absolutely lovely home (my first visit) and I am envious of that wine cellar. Nice kids too, thought I didn't get to talk to them as they were quickly shooed out of sight for the evening.

The food, however, was the star. Difficult to do considering the wines that accompanied it. I have been to very few restaurants in my life that made a better meal or presented it as well. The venison was sublime, the shrimp and grits beautiful and very tasty, but the duck prosciutto (which Vince cured himself) was the topper. Paired with the blue cheese (or any of the cheeses) it was absolutely to die for. I have to get some of that cheese, and if it ever comes on the market Corkage's Special Duck Prosciutto is going to put Dean and DeLuca out of business. And what nobody mentioned was that Corkage produced an ablsolutely stunning looking rockfish for travel rep since he doesn't eat meat. I'm not sure but it certainly looked like it would have easily graced any great restaurant's menu.

The wines, to say the least, were superb. I wish I had taken notes, but we were enjoying the meal much to much at the time to think of something as simple as notetaking. I especially liked the 1988 Mondavi Reserve, ripe and full, with flavors of cherry and currants. Just a hint of oak with a slight hint of licorace. Lovely. But the wine of the night for me was the 2001 Sine Qua Non Albino, which considering that I do not usually drink or prefer white wines, was amazing. And that is the best way to describe the wine, amazing. The color of golden straw, it had the nose of flowers, with melon and lychee flavors. Long, long finish. It was absolutely perfect with the shrimp and grits. Held it's own against the red pepper in the grits and perfectly counterpointed the dish. Funny looking bottle though. JohnnyB has again shown why I envy his cellar. Thank you so much for bringing it and I'm sorry about the Beringer, and the corked stuff too. But this was perfect. (I wondered why you booked out so early, but now that I know why, I understand and thanks again for the wine, glad the call didn't come before dinner)

I really enjoyed the Rochioli and the Clarendon Hills Hickenbotham and the chance to taste them without having to open the two of each I have at home. Both were wonderful wines that complemented the cheeses very well. I brought the ROAR so I won't comment other than to say that I'm glad I have a little more.

The dessert, a chocolate creme brulee was excellent and the Tokaji complemented it perfectly as did the Volnay.

Cigars on the deck to finish the evening, along with some tall tales and brags made everything perfect.

What an absolutely great menu! Makes tonight's roast chicken seem like something out of Taco Bell.

Din:

Great recap. Yes, I forgot to note that Corkage made me a separate third course. When the rest of the table had an outrageous tenderloin of venison, I had miso sake marinated rockfish over baby bok choy in a mussaman curry broth. It was amazing!!!

I think that Corkage has another profession in the works if he ever wants to give up his day job...

T-Rep

trep, I mentioned the rockfish, I just didn't describe it since I didn't notice that you let anyone else except Sandra taste it.

Great evening wasn't it?

Din...

Sorry that I bogarted the rockfish...it was gooood!

Quite the evening...

Wow-ser. What a great evening you folks had. Woo-hoo! I am sitting here drooling like a happy fat cat just reading the descriptions....

I've dubed this evening my first Corkage Eat-a-Thon!

Seriously awesome meal so I shall recap highlights:

My Course of the night was....
Dijon Glazed Venison Tenderloin, Duck Prosciutto, Wild Mushroom Ragout
The Morrells in this absolutely ROCKED! Unbelievable. Venison was perfectly gilled! which if you've ever grilled deer before there is a fine line between prefect and ruined. The only thing I wanted was some crusty farm bread to sop up the remaining sauce, but that would have been quite un-cooth.

My Wine of the night was....
2001 Sine Qua Non “Albino”
This was soooo good! So much body with no over powering oak, oozing ripe green fruit!

My Cheese of the night was....
Roaring Forties Blue, Austrailia
I'm blown away with this stuff, can't get enough. Thank god I'm not lactose intolerant

My Cigar of the night was.....
I smoked a cigar??? Ohhhh yeah the Cubanos. mmmm good.

My party foul of the night was.....
Swill spilling Albino on Dinwiddie. Your lucky we like you Swill becuase men have been killed for less.

Secondary wines of the night were in order....
1993 Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos, Hungary
1988 Robert Mondavi Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa
2000 Rochioli Vineyards Estate Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley


and oh yeah my Prosciutto of the night was.......THE DUCK!

Gracias mi Amigo, Corkage

I sent pictures via Ofoto to those that I have e-mail addreses for. I PM'd you if I didn't have an e-mail address. I hope to get pics posted here on VC over the next coupld of days but I have to figure out how to zip them


I forgot: The 86 Lynch bages was corked (again!) Last bottle.
We also drank a 99 Dm Brossard(?) Quarts de Chaumes, as dessert wine for the Loire.

Lets do it again soon, maybe TJ will come to play next time.

I wasn't upset with Swill spilling the wine on my arm since I was able to suck it out of the cloth.

Sounds like it was a fantastic event. JohnnyB, how did you find your way to the place anyway?
Would love to see the pictures - PM me the link, Corkage.

Jaimetown.....thanks for your initial reply to my frantic call....if I may qoute you after I said my full name..."Who are you?" Very nice. Fortunately I did a random online search and the first number I called was him.

The food was impeccable...thanks to the chef. I am starting to worry that as word spreads throughout the land a seat at the table will become increasingly hard to obtain. I 'd like to get on the reserved mailing list with a guaranteed allocation for future events please.

As for the wine, no comment on the wine of the night as it would be self serving. Wait, I think that comment was as well. All of the wine was fantastic. Even the SQN on DW's right shoulder.

I want to get on the seat allocation list too. Maybe I should send flowers to Nicole to get her on my side.

Now that I know where it is, I won't have to ask Swill to pick me up at the METRO. (It was an hour and 20 minute ride back home due to the lateness of the hour and the construction on the red line.)