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The Kitchen
July 2012 Wine Flight and Menu
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Arrival Wine
2008 Argyle Sparkling Wine, Brut, Willamette Valley
$14.00 glass / $50.00 bottle
This sparkling wine comes out of northern Oregon, but you could swear it was from northern France. Using traditional Champagne techniques such as sur lie aging for three years, this blend of about two-thirds Pinot Noir and one-third Chardonnay is superbly balanced with mild bready aromas along with fresh pears, white peaches and Mandarin orange. It’s creamy mousse delivers more fruit flavors with poached pears, crisp apple, Meyer lemon and freshly sliced orange along with honeysuckle and mineral notes. Rated 90 points by Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate.
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First Course
Fried Green Tomato, Summer Vegetables,
Small Greens, Fresh Mozzarella
and Pork Trotter Beignet
To be paired with
2009 Baurel Grüner Veltliner, Stein an Rain Vineyard, “Federspiel”, Wachau, Austria
$10.00 glass / $36.00 bottle
Grüner Veltliner has something that few other wines possess: the ability to pair with vegetables. Whether the vegetables are cooked or raw, Grüner Veltliner shines! The 2009 Baurel “Federspiel” is a fine example of this. Its peppery aromas accompanied by slate, flower petals and green give way to an oily textured wine with flavors of lime zest, lime juice, a medley of fresh Asian herbs and spicy Arugula. Matched with our first course of fried green tomatoes, summer vegetables and pork this should prove delightful.
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Second Course
“Paella” with Maine Lobster, Frogs Legs,
Chorizo, Crayfish Bouillabaisse
and Béarnaise
To be paired with
2010 Freeman Pinot Noir, Russian River Valley
$18.00 glass / $70.00 bottle
Our version of Paella is loaded with a variety of flavors. Pinot Noir is not only delicious, but it is a versatile wine that can match those flavors wonderfully. I have selected the 2010 Freeman from the Russian River Valley. Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar (91 points): “Vivid ruby-red. Suave oak spices accent cherry and black raspberry on the perfumed nose. Creamy, sweet and silky, with sappy cherry preserve and dark berry flavors joined by persistent cinnamon and mocha notes on the finish. This is delicious right now.” Sourced from a few high quality sites throughout the Russian River Valley, the heart and soul of this wine comes from the Keefer Ranch in Green Valley.
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Intermezzo
Sushi • Sashimi • Crudo
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Third Course
Wild Salmon with Scallops, Pasta,
Chervil, Baby Dill, Carrot
and Blood Orange Butter
To be paired with
2010 Benovia Chardonnay, Russian River Valley
$15.00 glass / $56.00 bottle
Much as a food course has many parts that contribute to the whole, so it is with this Chardonnay. The grapes are sourced from several small vineyard sites throughout the Russian River Valley. The resulting wine is described by the winemaker: “aromas of lemon custard, white peach and Asian pear. The lively aromatics are followed by equally intense flavors and an elegant finish. Fourteen months of French oak aging added hints of vanilla bean, roasted hazelnut and baking spice to this intriguing and complex wine.” A critical review adds: “Pungent, expressive aromas of Meyer lemon, pear, fig and vanilla, with a gingery accent adding vivacity. Sappy, penetrating citrus and floral flavors are given a refreshingly bitter edge by notes of pear skin and peach pit, with a late note of white pepper adding bite. A smoky nuance comes up on the finish, which shows very good clarity and length.”
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Fourth Course
Prime Beef Tenderloin with Potatoes,
Mushrooms and Bone Marrow
To be paired with
2009 Pride Mountain Vineyards Merlot, Napa and Sonoma Counties
$21.00 glass / $80.00 bottle
This Merlot delivers! When our staff tasted this wine, we had this to say about it: It has aromas of abundant ripe black cherries and plums, rich dark chocolate and earthy mushrooms. On the palate there is a soft and silky entry with black cherry, boysenberry and black plums accented with mint and lavender. This wine gains structure from fine-grained chocolate flavored tannins. The finish is long and juicy. In a word: yummy! Whether paired with our beef course or just by itself, we are sure you are going to love it.
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Dessert
Tres Leches Cake, Market Berries
and Peach-Chevre Ice Cream with Peach Leaf Sabayon
and Chocolate Lace Tuille
To be paired with
2009 Royal Tokaji, “Mád Cuvée”, Hungary
$18.00 glass / $36.00 [375ml.] bottle
Made from traditional Tokaji grape varieties hand-harvested late in the season, this wine is abundantly floral and honeyed on the nose, it is deeply concentrated on the palate, with layers of luscious figs and peaches, accented by lanolin and beeswax. It is creamy and unctuous on the tongue, yet clean and fresh on the finish, with orange-inflected acidity that lingers. The Wine Spectator rated 90 points: "A medium-sweet, racy white, offering dried apricot, candied orange peel and grapefruit notes. Juicy acidity keeps the finish moving, with hints of anise and wild flowers.
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July 2012
Demonstration Dinner
Presented by Chefs Nancy Zimmer, Randall Selland
and Chef de Cuisine Noah Zonca
Fried Green Tomato, Summer Vegetables,
Small Greens, Fresh Mozzarella
and Pork Trotter Beignet
“Paella” with Maine Lobster, Frogs Legs,
Chorizo, Crayfish Bouillabaisse
and Béarnaise
Sushi • Sashimi • Crudo
Wild Salmon with Scallops, Pasta,
Chervil, Baby Dill, Carrot
and Blood Orange Butter
Prime Beef Tenderloin with Potatoes,
Mushrooms and Bone Marrow
Tres Leches Cake, Market Berries
and Peach-Chevre Ice Cream with Peach Leaf Sabayon
and Chocolate Lace Tuille
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