July 2006

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Friday, July 14, 2006, Wines for the Summer Time. Capriccio Grill, at the Peabody Orlando; Guest Speaker Brandon Snyder of Premier Beverage; Chef Jared Gross.

It was a fantastic evening with great company, excellent wine and perfect food parings! The reception began at 6:30 PM in the bar area of Capriccio Grill at the Peabody Orlando, enjoying Altanuta Pinot Grigio 2004 (Italy). Made by the estate of Josef Brigl, this brisk and refreshing white owes much of its character to its heritage (wine has been produced here since 1309!) as well as to its high altitude vineyards in the Alto Adige. In fact the name of the brand comes from a combination of 'high' (alto in Italian) and 'estate' (tenuta). Fermented and aged in stainless steel only, aromas are floral and citrus paving the way for a palate impression of green apple, pear and a sprightly and balanced lemon acidity. Pears well with fish and other seafood (including sushi), it is also perfect by itself as a light aperitif. This wine retails between $12-19.

My First Course was a Fava Beans and Purple Potato Salad, Watercress, Littleneck Clams, Blood Orange and Oregano Vinaigrette. If nothing else, this was an absolutely beautiful presentation (that happened to taste great too). The purple potatoes, green Fava Beans and Watercress surrounded by the orange vinaigrette and four Littleneck Clams was a feast for the eyes as well as the taste buds! This was paired with Camelot Highlands Chardonnay 2004 (Kendall-Jackson, though this is written in very small print on the bottle) with tropical flavors (pineapple, mango, and papaya) with a creamy lush rich palate. Notes of cinnamon, candied lime and vanilla crème brûlé created an appealing and lingering sensation. Highland Estate wines showcase Kendall-Jackson’s estate properties located on mountains, ridges, hillsides and benchlands in cool coastal California vineyards. Highly allocated, each label has a pictorial representation of the estate vineyard from which the fruit was sourced. In this series, it is all about terroir. The combination of soil, elevation and climate on each estate is a key contributor to the wine's powerful style. This wine retails between $25-28 and was rated in December 2005 by Wine Advocate an 89-91.

Second Course was Pheasant Two Ways: -Seared Breast with a Hazelnut Cous Cous Salad and Blackberry Bar-B-Que: -Pheasant Confit with a Smoked Salmon Wonton and Cream Cheese Fondue. This was paired with Artezin Zinfandel 2004 (Hess Group). Just writing this, the flavors are firing off in my head, Chef Gross had a winner with this pairing! This Zinfandel elicits aromas of jammy blackberries interlaced (perfect for the Blackberry Bar-B-Que on the Pheasant Breast) with spicy nuances including black pepper, cassis, and cloves. Flavors follow through with black cherry and exotic spices (which was perfect with the Confit) while the mouth feel is full and rich with a hint of chocolate on the plush finish. Some fun history on this: The Hess Group is famous for their art collections, which are open to the public. When creating this Zin, they added "Art" to the vine... ARTEZIN. For over a century, some of the best Zinfandel was made from classic old Italian field blends. This tradition was forgotten. In the past 25 years of California's winemaking renaissance, this challenging grape has humbled many a winemaker. True to its history, Artezin has captured the essence of these traditional practices by blending grapes from distinct vineyards to create true varietal character. Hess believes there is elegance and complexity inherent in this varietal and thus have handcrafted Artezin. A wine that expresses its place and possesses concentrated varietal fruit while retaining liveliness, elegance, and complexity. Artezin is a true representation of Zinfandel and a must try. This wine retails between $12-19.

The Third Course was Buffalo Tenderloin, Eggplant Parmesan with a Basil Infused Balsamic Reduction. This was paired with Liberty School Syrah 2004 (Treana Vineyards, Central California). First the food... If you have never tried Buffalo, I strongly suggest it! Normally I do not like game meats, but the flavors here were outstanding. Buffalo (Bison) is a red meat that is 97% lean and virtually no cholesterol. The Liberty School Syrah has a beautiful deep red with a violet hue. Its up-front fruit aromas, flavors of mulberry and blueberry, are complimented by full notes of exotic spice and cigar tobacco. The wine has a robust mineral backbone (Paso Robles has a high limestone content in the soil) with well-integrated, silky tannins that finish through the length of the palate. It was an excellent choice for pairing with game. This wine retails between $12-19.

Fourth Course: Caramelized Apple, Walnuts and Dried Fruit wrapped in a crispy phyllo, served with Vanilla Gelato (ice Cream) paired with Dow's Tawny Porto, Aged Ten Years. What can I say? This was a perfect end to a fantastic meal! Not too sweet, but enough to settle the meal. Dow's Tawny port is aged in wooden barrels, exposing it to gradual oxidation and evaporation, causing its color to mellow to a golden-brown after roughly ten years "in wood." Often Tawny Ports have pronounced "nutty" flavors. Tawny port without an indication of age is a basic blend of wood aged port. Aged tawny port is a blend of several vintages, with the average years "in wood" stated on the label: 10, 15, 20, and 30 years are common. Tawny ports from a single vintage are called Colheitas (pronounced col-YATE-ah, meaning harvest or vintage). Tawny and Colheita ports are always ready to drink when released and do not typically benefit from aging in bottle, although they will not degrade either. Because it has already been exposed to oxygen, an open bottle of tawny resists oxidation the longest of all ports.

After some coffee, conversation and letting the meal settle, I was on my way home. Brandon from Premier Beverage did a great job selecting the Wines for the Summer Time and Chef Jared Gross truly outdid himself on the pairings. With the nuances of all the flavors, I can't imagine changing one thing from this meal!

~Nicholas Olivieri, Co-Director Tasters Guild Orlando