New Years Eve 2010

It is due time for me to elaborate on a evening that I shared with my very dear friends, it was a night of pure enjoyment, over-indulgence and complete bliss! When the usual suspects gather for food and wine, we have a tendency to always go over board as you will soon see. We usually treat each night that we spend together filled with lots of laughter, great wine and carefully thought out food preparation. This night being that it is New Years Eve we decided to do our usual but add a few more courses and do the best of the best and we all eagerly obliged, need I say more! We all gather with love and grace by our host Scott and Lynn King at their beautiful home in Olivenhain. Lynn prepared a menu that Daniel Boulud would praise and Eric Ripert would be proud of. Each couple was assigned their course by Lynn, which we prepared at our home in advance with the best and freshest ingredients. We were all responsible for pairing our course with an amazing bottle of wine, that we would be very proud to share with our friends. Hence, a night the heavens embraced the beauty of fresh produce, organic fed animals and well cured for vines that producers pick with the greatest care.

We all put our hearts into each course and had a very memorable night!

We started the evening promptly at 7pm with several bottles of Champagne; Ruinart, Blanc de Blanc, one of Champagne's oldest houses founded in 1792. The bottle is a replica of a 18th century model, the grapes are made from Grand and Premier Cru Chardonnay grapes. This is my favorite Champagne and holds so many special memories dear to my heart. Beautiful pale golden yellow in appearance; soft nose with citrus fruit and lavender; to the palate, beautiful structure, apricots and nectarines, perfect balance, beautiful. Next we popped a 1996 Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame, the prestige cuevee ofVeuve Clicquot Ponsardin . This was an amazing bottle of Champagne, Peter and I made sure we kept it very close to us until it was completely gone! The blend on this wine is predominately Pinot Noir grapes. This wine is rich with honey and vanilla custard, beautifully structured with a long finish, pure elegance.

We moved into the dining room where we enjoyed this lovely menu that Lynn carefully put together like a master piece;

Oysters Rockefeller
Jericho Canyon 2008, JVC, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley
What an amazing Sauvignon Blanc this was, our first pairing of the night and it blew everyone away. This Producer had a long history of selling their grapes originally to Ramey, Chateau Montelena and Rudd Estate. This wine had tropical flesh, honeydew melon, bright and a very clean, delicate finish.

Cornell Caught Salmon Three Ways (fresh Salmon caught in Alaska by the chef)
King Estate 2008, Pinot Gris Signature Collection, Oregon
Another delicious gem like Oregon only does with Pinot Gris; pears, peaches, mineral and a crisp long finish, wonderful.

Cod with Mussels, Chorizo, Fried Croutons and a Saffron Mayonnaise
Weingart 2007 Bopparder Hamm Ohlenberg, Riesling Spatlese Trocken Gutsabfullung; Riesling is the great white wine in Germany, they do it the best and it is always delicious. This wine was dry, austere, orange notes with a sweet, long finish.

Lobster Mac N Cheese
Mi Sueno 2006 Chardonnay, Pugash Vineyard, Sonoma Mountain
this wine was wonderful, Mi Sueno means "My Dream" in Spanish. Rolando Herrera the owner and wine maker of this beautiful wine which I really loved, I came home and purchased a few bottles..heavy body, complex, round and luscious, beautifully balanced with a lovely finish.

We decided to take a little break and of course we paired this with something as well;
Shafer 2004, Relentless, Napa Valley
John and Dough Shafer, a father son team produce exceptional wines and are always awarded the highest accolades by wine enthusiast every year. This wine is made up of predominately Syrah grapes with a small percentage of Petite Sirah. Dark purple to the eye; with black berries, plums and figs to the nose. To the palate very round, complex with a hint of spice to the long and concentrated finish. This is a big, bold, beautiful and perfectly structured wine. We all enjoyed it and again Peter and I made sure it was well taken care of.

Pork Tenderloin with Caramelized Pears and a Pear-Brandy Cream Sauce
Gary Pisoni 2006, Pinot Noir "Pisoni Estate Vineyard", Santa Lucia Highlands
100% Pinot Noir, the most complex and compelling Pinot Noir, made in very small lots, Gary Pisoni believes wine is made in the vineyard. I must say this wine went considerably fast, after enjoying a small pour, I went for more and all the bottles were consumed. Brilliant cherry red in color, lovely nose of current, and a rich black fruit perfume, a wonderful sit and smell; rich palate, long finish lingered as smooth a velvet. Must go see Peter and Steph for more!

Toast at Midnight

Spiced Muscovy Duck Breast with Roasted Grapes and Cavello Nero with White Truffle Polenta
Chateau Grand Corbin, 1970 Grand Cru, Saint-Emilion
a beautifully aged bordeaux. Deep ruby red clear, the nose was medium open, scents of prunes and ripe cherries, tobacco and cedar. Tannins integrating well with the flavours, fresh acidity gives good intensity to a soft balanced bordeaux. Extremely lovely and very elegant.

Brown Estate Zinfandel Braised Beef Short Ribs with Tawny Port Wine Reduction, Oyster Mushrooms and Crab Potatoes
Pax 2004, Syrah, Cuvee Keltie, North Coast Sonoma
Deep ruby red in color, voluptuous nose with masses of black and red fruit with notes of chocolate. The fruit had great strength to balance with the acidity and perfectly round complex structure of this incredible wine. We sipped on this wine well into the dessert and into the night.

Red Velvet Cupcakes
Fresh Fruit
More wine

This was an over the top night, with great chefs, delicious wine and lots of laughs. Thank you for hosting another epic night Kings.....