Carte Blanche Wines High-End (Limited Seating) Tasting Dinner

     Thursday May 11, 2017

Reservations Closed
Course Pairing / Description Wine
Appetizer Station Sesame & Cilantro Crusted Jumbo Shrimp Skewers (Sesame and Soy Catsup); 24 Hour Wine Braised Beef Rib Sliders (Petite Potato Bun, Baby Arugula, Garlic-Onion Jam); Grilled Polenta, Portobello & Asparagus Napoleon (Roasted Poblano Pepper and Lime Aioli with Micro Herbs)
The 2013 Carte Blanche Proprietary White is a Bordeaux Blanc inspired blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Micro-climate and terroir were selected from Knights Valley’s Blau Vineyards for 68% Sauvignon Blanc and Alexander Valley’s De Lorimier Vineyard for 32% Semillon. Higher elevations and cooler climates allow for slow ripening, coaxing a full range of flavors that result in this vibrant and full-bodied white wine. A lively nose of honeydew melon, white flowers, emerge Meyer lemon and white peaches. The attack shows lemon zest, pear, and stone fruits. Balanced acidity lifts a generous mid-palate, accentuating lemon zest, wet stones, and lanolin. The wine delivers these aromas to a clean long finish. 200 Cases Produced.
Carte Blanche Proprietary White 2013
Appetizer Station Sesame & Cilantro Crusted Jumbo Shrimp Skewers (Sesame and Soy Catsup); 24 Hour Wine Braised Beef Rib Sliders (Petite Potato Bun, Baby Arugula, Garlic-Onion Jam); Grilled Polenta, Portobello & Asparagus Napoleon (Roasted Poblano Pepper and Lime Aioli with Micro Herbs)
The 2013 Carte Blanche Proprietary Red Wine is a Right-Bank inspired blend of 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc, 9% Petite Verdot and 4% Malbec. Select vineyards and blocks were chosen and farmed specifically to attain a dense, rich wine framed by delicate fine-grained tannins. Beckstoffer’s Orchard Vineyard Merlot offers a plump & full mid-palate while providing ample nuance. Beckstoffer’s Missouri Hopper Cabernet Sauvignon in Oakville provides a full spectrum of rich and dark fruit, while ToKalon Cabernet Franc offers nuances of mocha, tobacco and bittersweet chocolate. The nose reveals violets atop red currant, blue and dark fruits intermingling with earthy cassis and green peppercorn. A full mid-palate, outlined in silky tannins, opens with time to fresh blackberry, macerated cherry, well-aged sweet cigar wrapper, and grilled poblano pepper, all culminating in a marathon finish. 200 Cases Produced.
Carte Blanche Proprietary Red 2013
Salad Course Grilled Baby Romaine & Seared Diver Scallop (Roasted Hazelnuts, Buttery Brioche Cracklins, Creamy Garlic-Lemon and Basil Vinaigrette, Charred Tear Drop Tomatoes and Micro Amarynth)
The 2013 Carte Blanche Chardonnay showcases beautiful Burgundian structure with ample mid-palate richness and length. The staggering Nobles Ranch sits just above the cloud line, soaking up the Pacific influence with enough sunlight to ripen slowly. Ther goal is to manage acid structure and ripeness well before the grapes are ever picked. The 2013 Chardonnay is full of bright fruit and savory notes. Bosc Pear, lemon curd, fresh brioche and oyster shell mingle on the nose. The palate entry is silky and focused, with firm tannins that highlight piecrust, Meyer lemon, brioche and crème brulee, while the broad mid-palate leads to a clean and persistent finish. 300 Cases Produced.
Carte Blanche Chardonnay 2013
Pork Course Duet of Candied Pinot Cured Bacon & Pork Carnitas (Roasted Blood Orange and Pinot BBQ Sauce, Charred White Corn, Sweet Potato-Leek Hash and Cinnamon Salt Dusted Green Beans)
A noble grape from a noble place - the latest and final edition to the Carte Blanche portfolio, the site for our 2013 Pinot Noir, Nobles Ranch Vineyard sits high on a rocky coastal range, taking in much of what the Pacific Ocean and sun have to offer. Gold Ridge soils atop ancient seabed & volcanic sub-soils and precise farming yield brilliant small berries of depth, complexity and structure. The 2013 Pinot Noir leaps from the glass, showing bright Bing cherry, tangerine oil, and hints of cedar. Needing ample time to open, it reveals bright juniper berry, cherry, black tea, and dried thyme across a broad mid-palate. Rich and silky, the finish is a tightly run race between each element on display. 250 Cases Produced.
Carte Blanche Pinot Noir 2013
Beef Course Cast Iron Pan Seared Hanger Steak (Roasted Sweet Pepper and Parsley Chimmichuri, Bacon Fat and Boursin Potato Puree, Charred Brussels Sprouts Brochette)
The 2013 Carte Blanche Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon showcases Oakville’s Missouri Hopper Vineyard owned by Andy Beckstoffer. 95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Petite Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Dark and brooding, the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon is loaded with power, it begs for air and patience, showing black currant, black cherry, and freshly crushed cassis berry as it gradually opens. A dense core layered with personality – black and red currant emerge along with cocoa, graphite, and undertones of aged tobacco leaf. 500 Cases Produced.
Carte Blanche Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
Dessert Course Charred Trio of Citrus & Vanilla Bean Crème Brûlée (Roasted Peach and White Chocolate Spring Roll, Caramelized Turbinado Sugar and Toasted Almonds with Tangerine-Cardomon Gastrique)
The 2013 Sandstone Seven is reminiscent of the great white wines of the southern Rhone, consisting of 40% Viognier, 40% Marsanne, and 20% Roussanne. A wine which certainly speaks of its place, Alder Springs Vineyard lies seven miles from the Pacific coast in Mendocino and sits on well drained ancient sandstone slopes. Three blocks rest at elevations ranging from 1700 feet to 2700 feet. The coastal range offers the perfect blend of maritime influence and daytime sun exposure. The climate, coupled with Stuart Bewley’s farming practices led to putting this wine together. Stu’s attention to detail has been termed bonsai farming, treating each cluster as if it were the entire vineyard, thus yielding small, complex and intensely flavored berries. Stuart Bewley’s dedication and hard work in the vineyard allows this vintage to really shine. A lively nose of white lily, honeysuckle, and crushed granite leaps from the glass. Super silky on the palate; pear, orange blossom, quince and almond coat the palate with wonderful tannin structure and acidity. Lanolin and crushed granite linger on the lengthy finish. 170 cases produced.
Carte Blanche Sandstone Seven White Blend 2013