Hartford Family Winery (Limited Seating) High-End Tasting Dinner
Reservations Closed
| Course | Pairing / Description | Wine |
|---|---|---|
| Hors D' Oeuvres |
Floribbean Seafood Station:
Grilled Oysters with Papaya Mignonette
Chilled Cocktail Crab Claws with Key Lime Cocktail Sauce
Sesame Breaded Jumbo Shrimp Swords with Sweet Peri Peri Glaze
Blue Crab Beignets with She Crab Sauce And Mascarpone
The Russian River Valley is named as such due to its proximity to the Russian River, the river itself named for the Russian fur traders who came down from Alaska in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Russian River is agricultural land. While there is a focus on wine, beyond the vineyards are many small, family-owned farms cultivating everything from cattle to Christmas trees. The Hartford Court Russian River Valley Chardonnay comes from a collection of small vineyards located throughout the Russian River Valley AVA. These vineyards are a combination of the Estate properties such as Fog Dance, Arrendell and Bloomfield, as well as a handful of neighboring vineyards, located in the heart of the Russian River Valley. The sites express the essence of the Russian River Valley by showcasing the best of the sub-regions within the AVA: • Middle Reach – Ripe fruits, honeysuckle and jasmine characters. • Green Valley – Citrus, lemon drop candy and green apple aromas and flavors. • Laguna Ridge – Baked apple and pear, layered texture, crystallized ginger finish. Each sub-region brings complexity and character to the final blend. This Russian River Valley Chardonnay offers subtle aromas of jasmine flower, citrus oil, ripe apple and pear. The elegant aromatics are complimented by fresh kiwi, lemon drop and Pippin apple flavors. The fruit focused mid-palate is followed by subtle mineral notes and a hint of crystallized ginger in the finish. |
Hartford Court Chardonnay Russian River Valley 2014
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| Appetizer Course |
Hazelnut & Herbs Du Provence Crusted Chicken (Wine And Bacon Braised Brussels Sprouts, Tangelo-Chardonnay Butter Sauce)
The Stone Côte Vineyard is a small vineyard block within the well-known Durell Vineyard, which sits upon an ancient riverbed at the southern end of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyard’s topography has been shaped by the river’s flow through volcanic and sedimentary rock on its way to the San Pablo Bay. Tumbled and water-worn river rocks now litter the landscape and very little topsoil remains. The nutritionally challenged soils force the vines to search deeply for nutrients and water and the stressed vines yield very small clusters with intense varietal flavors. Climatically, this vineyard site is characterized by relatively cool daytime temperatures and maritime breezes, which marry with the low-fertility soils to create an ideal site for growing Chardonnay. The wine’s flinty aromas and mineral-laden finish are a reflection of this vineyard’s terroir. This single-vineyard bottling from one of Hartford’s most famous estate owned vineyards offers aromas of white peach, spiced pears, hazelnuts and crushed rocks. Stone fruit, nectarine and tangelo flavors are counter balanced with a textural finish, reminiscent of stones and minerals. |
Hartford Court Chardonnay Stone Cote 2012
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| Risotto Course |
Wild Mushroom & Arugula Risotto (Trio of Pinot Braised Wild Mushrooms, Peppery Arugula, Oven Dried Tomatoes and Red Wine Reduction)
MacLean’s Block, named after Don and Jennifer Hartford’s son, was planted in 2000 when MacLean was just three years old. MacLean loves the vineyard site and its surrounding forest that is home to cougars, bobcats, wild turkeys and red tailed hawks. It is an estate-owned vineyard, nestled near redwood groves on a beautiful north-eastern facing slope, near the small town of Occidental. Scenic views of the Russian River Valley, Mount St. Helena and Geyser Peak make MacLean’s block one of the most beautiful vineyard locations in all of Sonoma County. The site is planted to Dijon 667 and 777 selections on Goldridge fine sandy loam soils. There is a true sense of the forest that surrounds the vineyard that carries through into this compelling expression of Russian River Valley Pinot Noir. Dark cherry and concentrated blackberry, cedar and forest floor aromas are complimented by a broad and pliant texture and a mocha-spice finish. Focused layers bitter cherry, minerals and slate provide this well-structured wine a wonderful combination of drinkability and ageabilty. |
Hartford Court Pinot Noir MacLean's Block 2012
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| Beef Course |
Fennell Seed and Black Pepper Roasted Beef Tenderloin (Nutmeg Bechamel Whipped Potatoes, Baby Broccolini, Pinot Reduction and Goat Cheese Crumbles)
Land’s Edge Pinot Noir is sourced from vineyards located at the ‘Land’s Edge’ of the Sonoma Coast AVA. The vineyards are driven by a maritime influence, producing a small but concentrated crop of Pinot Noir that is harvested in late September through mid-October. The foggy coastal climate preserves natural acidity in the grapes and helps delineate the purity of fruit flavors and expression of the unique coastal terroir in this wine. Balanced acidity, layers of complexity and firm tannins will allow for long and graceful aging of Land’s Edge Vineyards Pinot Noir. The nose leads with black cherry and black raspberry, balanced with aromas of crushed quartz and dried rose petal. The layered flavors of dark berries, licorice and dried flowers lead to a mid-palate with elegant and polished texture. The wine ends with a lingering mocha and mineral finish. |
Hartford Court Pinot Noir Land's Edge 2013
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| Dessert Course |
Gingerbread & Cranberry Croissant Pudding
Over 100 years old, the Highwire Vineyard takes its name from the vineyard’s trellising systems: half of the parcel is head trained and half is trained on a high wire trellis strung between each vine. This trellising method was devised by vineyard owner Lloyd Chelli to permit greater sun exposure and promote even ripening. Both sections of the vineyard are harvested separately and evaluated individually before selecting the best lots to ensure consistency in style of the incredibly unique Highwire Vineyard Zinfandel. The Chelli family cares deeply for the old vines behind their home. Their dedicated approach to farming is reflected in the character of the wine produced from their vineyard. Cool nights in the Russian River Valley help to keep bright acidity while double sorting removes less ripe berries and raisins, giving a fresh fruit focus. Consistently distinctive cracked white pepper nuances differentiate the Highwire single-vineyard Zinfandel from Hartford’s other Zinfandel bottlings. Concentrated licorice, blackberry and boysenberry fruit aromas and flavors are another signature of this vineyard each year and complement the dark chocolate and sappy dark fruit nuances that linger in the youthful finish. |
Hartford Zinfandel Highwire Vineyard 2013
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