Wine and Evolution Part IV: Wine and Food
by Warren Richard
And now we get to the last part of our series on expert winemaking----wine and food pairing. Whether it's the Sunday barbeque or a four-course dinner party with special friends, pairing the right wine with food makes for a memorable and enjoyable occasion. In my experience, the wines themselves become topics of conversation. However, the critical piece is choosing the right wine to pair with food, and the right wine must also be a quality wine. To complete our journey, therefore, we decided to attend a winemaker's dinner that also completed our experiences with the wine making process at Gray Ghost Vineyards. This particular event took place at the Marriott Ranch on March 25, 2006, and we anxious to see which of Gray Ghost's award-winning wines were paired with the menu items.
The first course featured various cheeses served with the Victorian White. Of interest to me was the perfect match between the stilton cheese and the Victorian White. The Victorian White is a stainless steel Chardonnay, and it is a refreshing a wine with citrusy notes that complemented the various cheeses quite nicely. Eventually, we all took our seats at the dinner table, and we were treated to a delightful evening of exquisite cuisine and fine wine.
The second course was of interest to me, the Louisiana native. Featured here was spicy andouille sausage with lentils. This dish would have delighted my Cajun grandmother, and she would have been particularly pleased with the pairing---the 2005 Gewurztraminer. Aromatic and spicy, the Gerwurztraminer demands to be noticed, and this pairing was truly unique. I took note of this pairing and served it at one of my own dinner parties; both the dish and the Gray Ghost Gerwurztraminer won rave reviews. For Gray Ghost, their 2005 proved to be an international success, and awards included a Grand Star Award in the Lone Star International Wine Competition.
We reluctantly finished our second course, but we knew that the third course with wine was on the way. The third wine was Gray Ghost's Victorian Red, and this rose-style wine proved to be yet another crowd pleaser. Now we know that the word "rose" conjures images of the sickly-sweet, sickly-pink White Zinfandel; however, Gray Ghost's Victorian Red resurrects the reputation of roses once enjoyed before the hot-tub '70s. This gold-medal winner is a semi-dry wine and a blend of Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay; the chef paired the Victorian Red with red beet salad and fried Irish cheddar cheese on spring greens. The Victorian Red's bright fruit flavors complemented the earthy beets and spicy greens quite well.
As we lingered over the Victorian Red, we anxiously awaited the fourth course, and this, indeed, was heartiest dish served that evening. This course included pecan crusted beef tenderloin with juniper jus, bleu cheese scalloped potatoes, and creamed spinach; its partner was the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the marriage made in heaven. Another multiple medal winner, this Bordeaux-styled Cabernet brought to this course a full-bodied feel and velvety finish. Cherry and tobacco flavors was the ultimate pairing with this hearty course; in particular, the bridge ingredients that included juniper, bleu cheese, and mascarpone accentuated the berry and currant flavors exhibited by the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.
By now we had reached the end of our evening, but we were treated to one more delight. Apple Pound Cake was the dessert course, and this was paired with the outstanding Adieu. The Adieu is Gray Ghost's late-harvest Vidal Blanc, and it has earned Gray Ghost three consecutive Best of the East Awards. The 2005 Adieu has already earned two gold medals as well as numerous silver and bronze medals from various international competitions. This was certainly the sweetest wine we had that evening, and its apricot flavors and honey-like texture provides a dessert in itself.
By the end of the evening, we had reached the end of our trek, and we had more questions to our original question. Well-made wines are evidenced by their ability to complement well-prepared foods. Bridge ingredients provide essential links to wines that are expertly crafted, and we were able to attest to this fact at the winemaker's dinner. Several of the wines that we enjoyed that evening were new releases by Gray Ghost, and the international awards garnered by Gray Ghost were earned after this dinner. We suspect that the acclaimed Gewurztraminer has already sold out. As of this writing, the Kellerts have cut the ribbon that opened their new tasting room, and they will celebrate their twelfth anniversary on July 8-9. We thoroughly enjoyed the educational experiences that we received, and we appreciate the time that Al, Cheryl, and Amy spent with us to prepare these articles. We have already signed up to harvest this fall!
And now we get to the last part of our series on expert winemaking----wine and food pairing. Whether it's the Sunday barbeque or a four-course dinner party with special friends, pairing the right wine with food makes for a memorable and enjoyable occasion. In my experience, the wines themselves become topics of conversation. However, the critical piece is choosing the right wine to pair with food, and the right wine must also be a quality wine. To complete our journey, therefore, we decided to attend a winemaker's dinner that also completed our experiences with the wine making process at Gray Ghost Vineyards. This particular event took place at the Marriott Ranch on March 25, 2006, and we anxious to see which of Gray Ghost's award-winning wines were paired with the menu items.
The first course featured various cheeses served with the Victorian White. Of interest to me was the perfect match between the stilton cheese and the Victorian White. The Victorian White is a stainless steel Chardonnay, and it is a refreshing a wine with citrusy notes that complemented the various cheeses quite nicely. Eventually, we all took our seats at the dinner table, and we were treated to a delightful evening of exquisite cuisine and fine wine.
The second course was of interest to me, the Louisiana native. Featured here was spicy andouille sausage with lentils. This dish would have delighted my Cajun grandmother, and she would have been particularly pleased with the pairing---the 2005 Gewurztraminer. Aromatic and spicy, the Gerwurztraminer demands to be noticed, and this pairing was truly unique. I took note of this pairing and served it at one of my own dinner parties; both the dish and the Gray Ghost Gerwurztraminer won rave reviews. For Gray Ghost, their 2005 proved to be an international success, and awards included a Grand Star Award in the Lone Star International Wine Competition.
We reluctantly finished our second course, but we knew that the third course with wine was on the way. The third wine was Gray Ghost's Victorian Red, and this rose-style wine proved to be yet another crowd pleaser. Now we know that the word "rose" conjures images of the sickly-sweet, sickly-pink White Zinfandel; however, Gray Ghost's Victorian Red resurrects the reputation of roses once enjoyed before the hot-tub '70s. This gold-medal winner is a semi-dry wine and a blend of Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay; the chef paired the Victorian Red with red beet salad and fried Irish cheddar cheese on spring greens. The Victorian Red's bright fruit flavors complemented the earthy beets and spicy greens quite well.
As we lingered over the Victorian Red, we anxiously awaited the fourth course, and this, indeed, was heartiest dish served that evening. This course included pecan crusted beef tenderloin with juniper jus, bleu cheese scalloped potatoes, and creamed spinach; its partner was the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was the marriage made in heaven. Another multiple medal winner, this Bordeaux-styled Cabernet brought to this course a full-bodied feel and velvety finish. Cherry and tobacco flavors was the ultimate pairing with this hearty course; in particular, the bridge ingredients that included juniper, bleu cheese, and mascarpone accentuated the berry and currant flavors exhibited by the 2003 Cabernet Sauvignon.
By now we had reached the end of our evening, but we were treated to one more delight. Apple Pound Cake was the dessert course, and this was paired with the outstanding Adieu. The Adieu is Gray Ghost's late-harvest Vidal Blanc, and it has earned Gray Ghost three consecutive Best of the East Awards. The 2005 Adieu has already earned two gold medals as well as numerous silver and bronze medals from various international competitions. This was certainly the sweetest wine we had that evening, and its apricot flavors and honey-like texture provides a dessert in itself.
By the end of the evening, we had reached the end of our trek, and we had more questions to our original question. Well-made wines are evidenced by their ability to complement well-prepared foods. Bridge ingredients provide essential links to wines that are expertly crafted, and we were able to attest to this fact at the winemaker's dinner. Several of the wines that we enjoyed that evening were new releases by Gray Ghost, and the international awards garnered by Gray Ghost were earned after this dinner. We suspect that the acclaimed Gewurztraminer has already sold out. As of this writing, the Kellerts have cut the ribbon that opened their new tasting room, and they will celebrate their twelfth anniversary on July 8-9. We thoroughly enjoyed the educational experiences that we received, and we appreciate the time that Al, Cheryl, and Amy spent with us to prepare these articles. We have already signed up to harvest this fall!