A group of us got together for a Northern Rhone (mostly) Night dinner this weekend. Great company, great food (in spite of the hail storm that knocked out the power in the afternoon before we all gathered) and great wine. Thanks so much from the Crü from the WS Board for allowing an unrepentent VCer attend. As we were standing around the grill finishing off the beef and the appetizers we finished off a 2005 Francois Blanchard "Violoncelite" Cab Franc. We started with a really garlicy gazpacho and paired it with: NV Jacquesson Brut Champagne Cuvee No. 732 and a 1996 Lanson Gold Label Brut Champagne We moved to a strawberry/almond salad with a poppy seed dressing and mini crabcakes paired with: 1996 Grans-Fassian Riesling Auslese Piesporter Goldtropfchen and a 2003 Christoffel Riesling Auslese ** Treppchen As pancetta wrapped asparagus started coming off the grill, we started into the cheese plate with which we enjoyed a 1983 Delas Hermitage Marquise de la Tourette Dinner of a grilled beef loin in a shallot/shiitake port reduction sauce, mixed roast potatoes, and a delicious truffled orzo followed with two flights consisting of: Flight #1 1998 Guigal Cote-Rotie Brune et Blonde 1995 Chapoutier Saint-Joseph Les Granits 1995 Rostaing Cote-Rotie La Landonne Flight #2 1997 Jean-Michel Gerin Cote-Rotie Les Grandes Places 1999 Fortis Cote-Rotie 2000 Ogier Cote-Rotie We continued with a couple of Hermitages 2000 Guigal Hermitage (corked unfortunately) 2001 Domaine Belle Hermitage For dessert we continued with crustini and stilton and a soft rind proprietary cheese from Cowgirl Creamery. We then had a wonderful La Bete Noir with a raspberry sauce to enjoy with a 1983 Cockburn Vintage Port. Coffee to finish ensured that we all made it home safe and sound. |