Dinner Party Wines

Saturday evening we had some friends over for dinner. Because October is Virginia Wine Month we decided to serve Virginia wines. Warren, of course, was the chef and also selected the wines for the meal.

We started with a salad course. It was a tossed green salad with a Dijon vinaigrette dressing. Warren selected the 2016 Rose from 50 West Vineyards as the wine to pair with the salad. Everyone thought it was the perfect pairing for the salad. The rose was was made with Sangiovese. It was crisp and refreshing.

The main course consisted of a healthy portion of filet mignon, parmesan oven roasted potatoes, and grilled squash. Warren selected the 2010 Meritage from Pollak Vineyards. Warren decided it needed to be decanted. 2010 was a big year for reds and while it’s been many years since it’s release, the Meritage was still pretty big and needed some air. We decanted it for more than an hour before serving. It ended up being a perfect pairing. It’s a blend of 41% Cabernet Franc, 41% Merlot, 18% Petit Verdot. This estate grown Bordeaux blend won the 2013 Monticello Cup. Warren noted concentrated fruit aromas with hints of anise and tobacco that led to flavors of black cherry, blackberry, and spice. Nice tannins too. He noted a subtle vanilla note at the end to boot. It was delicious!

So what have you been enjoying for Virginia Wine Month? Let us know! If you happen to visit either 50 West Vineyards or Pollak Vineyards please tell them Virginia Wine Time sent you!

October Is Virginia Wine Month!

Virginia Wine Month logoOctober is Virginia Wine Month! Wineries and restaurants that serve Virginia wine will be having activities all month to help celebrate Virginia Wine Month. To help you plan your month, here are a few resources to look into. There are lots of activities for you to participate!

Nancy and Rick from Virginia Wine In My Pocket has put together “31 Days of Virginia Wine” to help you celebrate and enjoy Virginia Wine all month. Check out their ideas!

Virginia.org has put together a list of events happening at Virginia wineries for almost every day of the month. Check out their list and plan to attend some events!

Virginiawine.org also has a long list of winery happenings for the whole month of October. Check out their list and plan your celebration of Virginia Wine Month!

Be sure to follow us on Twitter and Facebook and check back on the blog to see what we will be doing for Virginia Wine Month. We’ll be Tweeting and Facebooking our winery visits as well as the different Virginia wines we’ll be enjoying this month. Happy Virginia Wine Month!

Hay-Adams and Virginia Wine Month

vwm25smallTHE HAY-ADAMS PRESENTS A FALL WINE DINNER WITH BARBOURSVILLE VINEYARD

The historic hotel will host a Wine Dinner with one of Virginia’s premier vineyards

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Hay-Adams, one of the world’s leading luxury hotels, is pleased to announce that on Thursday, October 24, 2013 it will host a Five-Course Wine Dinner in partnership with Barboursville Vineyard. The Hay-Adams Chef Jaime Montes de Oca, Jr. will pair signature Lafayette Restaurant dishes with Barboursville’s featured wines presented by Barboursville Winemaker Luca Paschina.

Montes de Oca’s creations for this special evening include First Course: Marinated Salsify, Pickled Mousseron Mushroom, Warm Baby Pullet Egg paired with Vermentino 2012, Barboursville’s newest varietal from the original 2012 award-winning vintage; Second Course: Wild Rock Fish, Smoked Potato Mousse, Watercress, Caviar paired with Viognier 2012, a generous concentration of subtropical aromas; Third Course: Crispy Sweetbreads, Kabocha Squash, Brown Butter Cider Sauce paired with Cabernet Franc 2011, a light-bodied, fully aromatic varietal; Fourth Course: Vaudavan Spiced Lamb Chop, Roasted Cauliflower, Almond, Dry Cranberries, Natural Jus paired with Octagon 2009, a complex, subtly spiced red blend; and Dessert: Poached Pear, Sweet Gorgonzola Ice Cream, Candied Walnuts paired with Malvaxia Passito 2007.

The collaboration of Montes de Oca and Paschina will provide both a delicious and entertaining evening. Born and raised in New York City, Montes de Oca is a 1990 graduate of The Art Institute in New York and has held posts at many highly regarded establishments as well as worked with celebrated chefs, such as Jean-Georges Vongerichten, Laurent Manrique and George Mendes. Piedmont-born, third-generation winemaker Paschina has earned many accolades while at the helm of Barboursville since 1990, including 2002 Wine Person of the Year. His creation and the hallmark of Barboursville is its most honored red wine, Octagon, which is among the wines served at this dinner.

For reservations for The Hay-Adams and Barboursville Vineyard Wine Dinner at The Hay-Adams Lafayette Restaurant on Thursday, October 24 at 6:30 p.m., please call Mina Aiken at 202.220.4825 by October 17. Cost is $160 per person inclusive of tax and gratuity. Limited seating.

Media Contact: Sherry Moeller, MoKi Media, sherry.moeller@mokimedia.com, 301-807-0910.

About The Hay-Adams

Located at Sixteenth and H Streets at Lafayette Park across from the White House, The Hay-Adams is Washington’s finest luxury hotel and one of the most historic and celebrated properties in the world. The Hotel offers 145 rooms and suites, many with White House views. It has won numerous awards for its impeccable service and is a member of The Leading Hotels of the World, an exclusive group of discriminating luxury hotels worldwide. For more information, visit www.hayadams.com and follow The Hay-Adams on Facebook, www.facebook.com/TheHayAdams and Twitter, @HayAdamsHotel.

About Barboursville Vineyard

Founded in 1976 by Gianni Zonin, patriarch of a seventh-generation Italian wine family, Barboursville Vineyard is known for its estate-grown fruit and minimal intervention cellar. The 900-acre Barboursville estate is nestled along the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains outside Charlottesville, Virginia with its historic 1814 Barbour mansion designed by Thomas Jefferson. www.barboursvillewine.com