Year-End Dinner

     Thursday November 15, 2012

Reservations Closed
Course Pairing / Description Wine
Pork Course Butter Cracker Crumbed Pork Tenderloin Sauteed Arugula, Crispy Potato Pancake And Charred Tomato Fondue
The Relative Red opens with focused aromas of leather and spices with subtle hints of strawberry and burnt tar. The big, dense mid-palate features sweet and spicy fruit, soft tannins, and deep, dark, rich tones. The wine finishes with a beautiful structure. The fruit for Relative Red comes from locations throughout California, including Lodi, Napa Valley, and Knights Valley. "The 2009 Relative Red, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, and Syrah, opens with focused aromas of leather and spices with subtle hints of strawberry and burnt tar. The big, dense mid-palate features sweet and spicy fruit, soft tannins, and deep, dark, rich tones. The wine finishes with a beautiful structure." – Winery Relative Red pairs well with barbeque foods and beef dishes. 		Joel Gott Relative Red 2009
Hors D' Oeuvres Cream Of Sweet Corn And Bacon Spoons Thick Cut Pepper Bacon Smoked Salmon And Osetra Caviar Canape Mustard Aioli And Wheatberry Bread Round
A full-bodied Chenin that harmoniously balances ripe fruit with delicate oak nuances. These organically farmed grapes from 35 year old un-irrigated vines were hand harvested and lightly pressed. Natural fermentation with indigenous yeast, with 70% fermented for 9 months in French oak of which 20% was new. It flaunts a rich, luscious mouthfeel, with flavors of melon and tropical fruit enhanced by complex mineral notes and hints of spice. Extended lees contact imparts an alluring honeycomb character. "A strong toasty streak lines the essence of the beautiful Chenin Blanc, adding character to the apple and pear fruit core. The mouthfeel is full and rich without being overdone thanks to the balanced acidity, while nuances of sweet spice, pie crust and wood-grilled Red Delicious all linger well into the long finish." 92 points Wine Advocate. 90 points & “# 65 Best Buy” Wine Enthusiast’s Top 100 best buys. 		Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc 2010
Appetizer Course Crispy Onion And Dill Fried Oysters Sesame Marinated Seaweed And Lemon-Tahini Aioli
A cold, wet winter in 2009 allowed for the lovely, even budding of the vineyards during spring, and the warm, sunny days that followed in summer resulted in great flavor and color development in the berries. Full fruit flavors and soft tannins, together with good aromatics and ideal acidity, made 2010 an excellent vintage. A ripe, medium to full-bodied and well-balanced wine, with hints of flint, beautiful mineral notes and excellent oak integration. Apricot and orange-peel aromas are followed by flavors of almond and marzipan. The grapes were selectively hand-harvested from the vineyard of decomposed granite soils at an altitude of 300-450m, and were whole-bunch pressed very slowly and gently. After 24 hours cold settling in stainless steel tanks, the juice was drained off into 40% new and 60% 2nd-fill Burgundian barrels for natural fermentation and maturation. Bi-weekly stirring was exercised to enhance the extraction of flavor and aromatics, and to aid the process of natural malolactic fermentation. After 12 months, the wine was racked from the barrel for stabilization and bottling. Robert Parker Rating Aug. 2011 - 88 Points 		Rustenberg Chardonnay 2010
Poultry Course Cola Braised Chicken Thigh Blackberry And Black Tea "Barbecue" With Fried Manchego And Onion Potato Croquettes
This 100% Tempranillo has a strikingly aromatic nose that offers a pungent array of fruit with a saturated ruby color, floral and herbal scents. Sweet cherry-vanilla and cola flavors coat the palate and are enlivened by juicy acidity. Supple tannins gain strength on the finish, which strongly repeats the cola and floral qualities. Grapes for this wine come from a 72-acre vineyard called "Finca Los Juncares," which was planted in 1957. After very careful vineyard selections, the best vines of Tempranillo grapes are hand-harvested in small boxes to prevent bruising. Malolactic fermentation occurs in barrel, and the wine is aged in new French oak barrels for 14 months and then bottled unfiltered. This single vineyard-designated wine has plenty of red cherries, blueberries, mulberries and red raisins, depicting grapes pushed to full ripeness without going beyond the boundary into excessive over ripeness. The oak character is relatively elegant with toasty, coffee hints only, and the balanced wine shows some lingering length as well. Drink now or in the next five or so years. 		Volver Tempranillo 2010
Main Course Rosemary And Thyme Crusted Beef Hanger Steak Sweet Onion And Red Wine Reduction, Grilled Asparagus And Spiced Red Pepper Coulis
This 100% Monastrell is a dark purple, cherry, plum, blackberry, vanilla and mocha on the nose, sweet and smoky black fruit on the attack followed by coriander, baking soda and hints of spice, velvety smooth finish with dark fruits overwhelming the acidity. Jumilla is an area that extends over the north of the region of Murcia in the Castile-La Mancha region characterized by wide valleys and plateaus in the presence of mountains. It is a transition zone between the Mediterranean coastal area and the high central plateau of Castile-La Mancha, and so the heights of the vineyards vary between 400 and 800 m. The climate is continental arid (long hot summers and cold winters), tempered by the closeness of the Mediterranean Sea. The soils are generally dark, lime bearing and sometimes with a hard lime crust. They are permeable and have good moisture retaining properties, which allows the vines to survive during periods of prolonged drought. They are quite sandy, allowing good aeration, have a high pH value and are low in salinity. “Aromas of black raspberry, colas, oak spices and black tea. Musky and penetrating, offering spicy red and dark berry flavors that shows a suave blend of richness and vivacity. Fine-grained tannins add grip to the long smoky finish.” 91 International Wine Cellar. 		Bodegas Juan Gil Monastrella Red 2010