Tatnuck Booksellers Dr. Bob Ouellette No,
this is not a typo error. Tatnuck Booksellers had their first wine dinner this
evening and coming from someone who has had a long history of frequenting
dinners of this sort, this was an evening that was a huge success. What
made this so enjoyable was the appearance of their new head chef, John Rovezzi,
lately of the well-known Harrington Farms in Princeton. Some of the readers will
remember the name Rovezzi that once graced Main St. in Worcester. This
was an initial attempt for Larry Abramoff and his lovely wife, Gloria, the
energetic owners of this thriving restaurant-bookstore to join the ranks of wine
dinner sponsors. A simple announcement in the newspaper caught my attention; and
always looking for new avenues, my wife and I quickly made reservations even
without knowing the menu and featured wines. Were we surprised ? I am happy to
describe the dinner and wines featuring Chateau Ste Michelle from Washington
State. Appetizer-
Wild mushroom turnover made of crispy buttery phylo dough with a tarragon beurre
blanc. Originally, this offering was to be accompanied by Chateau Ste Michelle
Sauvignon Blanc. But our Stimson Lane State Manager, the lovely and gracious
Anna Zadrima substituted a Ste Michelle Syrah 2000 (My rating 91)….Now we were
talking ! Obviously, the buttery phylo turnover stuffed with wild mushrooms
needed the backbone of the syrah. Great chocolate, spice, currants, and even a
hint of tobacco kept us asking for refills. At approximately $13-14 this is one
wine you have to run out to your favorite wine store to fill a niche in your
cellar. The
ever-present salad came next. Baby frisse greens tossed in lemon poppy
vinaigrette around grilled sea scallops. Even if I do not like wine with salads
in general, we did have a Columbia Crest Semillon-Chardonnay 2000 (87) Taken by
itself; I liked the wine, which added some sweetness to the dry chardonnay--
more typical of Washington State. Have I changed my mind about wine and salads?
No. Entrée-
Pomegrante glazed rack of lamb served with sweet mashed potatoes, baby carrots
and beets. Now came the red wine, a Grand Estate Merlot 99 (90)…. Big
chocolate mouthful of wine with dark berry fruit, soft tannins and a general
mellowness and viscosity that made it the perfect match to the lamb that we
enjoyed above all. Dessert-
Fresh baked shortbread biscuits submerged under fresh blackberries, raspberries,
and strawberries embellished at the corners with dollops of lemon curd with
whipped cream. Wine: White Johannisberg Ste Michelle 98 (89) Great wine but
better off by itself…. a generous sweet introduction that led to a slight
metallic taste that I associate with this type of wine finally filling the mouth
with peaches and balancing acidity. Again a wine that I strongly believe is much
better appreciated alone on a nice summer afternoon. Now that you have relished the food and tasted the wine with me, let me add one more note and that is the price for the evening…. $45 all-inclusive. I bet you’re saying to yourself “I really missed a good deal” One further note and that is my recommendations for Chateau Ste Michelle. Formerly, this estate had two portfolios: Chateau Ste Michelle and Columbia Crest. In order to strengthen the offerings, the management has now blended the best of each vineyard into what they call Grand Estate Reds and Whites. Kudos for this action that resulted in this exciting and pleasing combination. I’m heading also to my wine store for additions to my cellar. Prices for these wines: Reserves $25+(MSRP-Mass. State Retail Price) and Grand Estates $10-$13 (MSRP. Keep
an eye out for future Tatnuck dinners. They are not to be missed.
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