by Julian Schultz
julian@oxfordwineroom.com
Never mind John
Wayne’s “True Grit” movie heroics. Admire, instead, Webster House owner
Chris Liazos’ true grit to promote wine dinners in mid-summer when so many
palateers are thought to be off the town.
Yes, Chris is true grit machismo all right to risk the expense and
embarrassment of possibly a sparse attendance by continuing wine dinners in July
and August.
I say, shame on the timorous, craven, feckless restaurateurs who, eyes averted and crouching defensively, cowardly slink away from promoting wine and food dinners until after Labor Day, thus abandoning thirsty and hungry palateers in the lonely desert of parched misery, bereft of fine wine and compatible food.
“Not here at The Webster House!” Says Chris, snorting derisively.
“We’re committed to gourmet dinners with fine wines and innovative matching
dishes on a monthly Wednesday evening schedule throughout the year, at our
popular $65 price, including tax and tip.
Happily surpassing Chris’ expectations, 40 palateers attended the
mid-June wine dinner to taste six premium Italian wines with a five-course
matching dinner. The Webster House successfully competed with high school
graduations, romantic June weddings, sunny-weather-for-a-change golf games, and
funds saved for pending vacations.
The dinner, as usual, was superb. We were treated to Portobello mushroom
over mozzarella over crusted toast; tender sauteed giant shrimps – generous
extras offered -- with moist seasoned risotto mounds; boneless skinless chicken
breast over fettuccini; seared filet of medium rare beef with fresh white
asparagus spears and baked polenta, flavored with Chianti reduction sauce;
zabaglione gelato dessert; and freshly brewed coffee.
The six wines – and with the exception of only one wine -- all are
priced at under $10, at O’Hara’s Discount Liquors, 402 W. Boylston St.,
Worcester, when purchased in six-bottle mix or match quantity. Call Jim O’Hara
Vasiliadis, the Irish Greek owner of O’Hara’s at 508-853-1919.
So what was there not to love here? Nothing! Enthusiastic sustained,
standing applause for chefs Frank Quartrone and Tom Couillard and waitstaff of
ever obliging Paul Woupio and Sean Maynard attested to the success of the dinner
and evidenced our pleasure.
Listening intently to serious and insightful comments about the wines and
their food matchups from Dr. Bob Ouellette, I was wishing we had some wine
novices and first-timers at our table to enable them to further their educations
about dining with wine. Likewise, Rudi Wine Distributors’ Domenic Mercurio
discussed his imported Italian wines, giving us considerable information about
their grapes composition, growing conditions, flavors, and geography.
So I repeat: Attend wine dinners where knowledgeable pros like Dr. Bob,
Domenic, and the Irish Greek from O’Hara’s Discount Liquors, Jim Vasiliadis,
discuss the wine and food pairings. By keeping your ears open, your mouth
closed, your brain concentrating, you, too, will soon converse confidently with
your more experienced peers.
Now to the action of the dinner. The six wines -- three whites and three
reds – were expertly paired with the food, complementing the flavors of the
varied dishes, seasonings and sauces. All
the wines were lush-fruited with balancing fruit acids, the reds additionally
with soft but firm tannins; all finished smooth in the swallow and stayed
moderately long to long in the aftertaste.
I loved everything, but at dinners end I was asked for my preference.
After minutes of perplexed and indecisive reflection, I said I opted for the
giant-sized slice of Portobello mushroom over the equally large slab of
mozzarella. I admitted sheepishly my reason was a matter of economics and
practicality -- didn’t need to buy food, didn’t need to prepare dinner for
the succeeding two evenings: mushroom/mozzarella was so large, so tasty, so
filling that it necessitated my happily having to take home most of the
succeeding chicken and beef courses.
As we entered the upstairs function room, we were handed a zesty, crisp,
clean, refreshing Bixio Sparkling Wine of the prosecco grape – and
refills…and refills for the unquenchable tipplers among us. This innocuous,
unpretentious, pedestrian sparkler is a satisfying prelude to elaborate dinners
where premium wines will be poured. The price is very right at $7.99, when mixed
or matched with the five other wines.
The appetizer, the gargantuan mushroom/mozzarella/toasted crostini, drew
raves from the tables as to its size and flavor, and the culinary artistry of
its preparation and presentation.
The
matching Fellini Pinot Bianco-Chardonnay 2001, $7.99, a 125/100 price value,
crisp, clean and dry with aromas and flavors of pears, pineapple, fresh green
grass, vanilla and toast, could not have been a better accompaniment to the dish
that was ringed with leafy arugula and radicchio and topped with parsley and
chopped roasted red peppers. When asked for my opinion, I said it was an
excellent value…but not a Burgundy. Then again, I added, when can you buy a
Burgundy chardonnay for under $8? Nonetheless, it’s a fine wine, the low price
– perhaps off-putting to wine-snobbish label and price hunters --
notwithstanding.
The “serious” part of the evening -- the dinner part, the gourmet/gormands
part —began with entrée #1, a savory shrimp risotto, Venice style: two giant
sauteed shrimps…and extras, two mounds of seasoned steamed rice, tiny sliced
mushrooms, scallion and chopped roasted red peppers.
Paired
with Corte Fiorita Pinot Grigio 2002, $6.39, the already exquisite shrimp dish
flavors were enhanced by the mild, dry wine’s earthy, floral nose and tastes
of green apples, pears, lemongrass, citrus with subtle hints of vanilla and
grapefruit; silky texture and smooth swallow. Albeit its short-to-moderate
length aftertaste, the $6.39 astounding low price merited my rating of 150/100
price value.
I sensed the challenge to my capacity when entrée #2 was served by
waiter Sean Maynard with proud and flamboyant flourish: generous-sized steamed
chicken breast over generous underpinning of buttered fettuccini prepared with
spinach, sage, bacon bits (turkey bacon for me and others so desiring),
and sauce of chicken reduction.
Perfect wine consort was Tramonto Dolectto d’Alba 1999, $9.99, loaded with
complex flavors of crushed berries, raspberries, plums, and hints of leather;
light-bodied, clean, and nicely balanced with fruit acids and soft tannins, the
dolcetto finished delightfully with a lingering farewell. This wine of Italy’s
Piedmont region belongs in the collection of serious Italian wine aficionados,
especially those who revel in buying first-rate wines at bargain prices.
My take-home chicken/fettuccini course of much larger portion than what I
consumed at the restaurant was every bit as delicious and tender with my white
Dry Creek 2002 Fume Blanc.
Entrée #3: Now came challenge to capacity full force: two sumptuous
slices of the Tuscany style seared filet of beef with the white asparagus,
polenta, shallots, Chianti sauce, and beef stock reduction. I managed two
delicious bites and, undone capacity-wise, I asked waiter Paul Woupio to
containerize the balance. Two evenings later, heated in the microwave, paired
with Pirramimma Shiraz 1997, the twin slices were…well, were…ethereal!
It’s probably as close to heaven as I’ll ever get.
Poggiole
Volpi Baccarossa 2000, $15.99, and Massapicus Primitivo 1999, $9.59, were
properly poured for comparison before the beef was served. With initial sips
both wines generated considerable enthusiastic comment from around the room.
A
quick sight, a quick sniff, a thoughtful savor, a concentrated swallow, a
determination of the wines’ length and Dr. Bob, at our table, immediately
announced his order for both wines. Bob’s reputation as a wine palateer
of black belt caliber influenced indecisive diners in the room to do likewise.
About
the Primitivo: Some wine scholars assert the “cuttings” (pieces of the root
stock) were brought to California and planted by Italian wine growers and were
named Zinfandel. Other enology researchers aver zinfandel is a product of the
Balkans.) My notes: “aromas and flavors of blackberry, raspberry, plums,
cherries, full-bodied and balanced with zesty fruit acids, black pepper,
polished tannins and kiss of mint and vanilla
– a meaty mouthful of a simply delicious wine!” For me, the best
wine and best buy of the wine dinner!
My
notes on the Baccarossa, a blend of 50 percent each of montepulciano and merlot
grapes: “refined elegance; a super wine of earthy “rustic” accent; soft,
velvety, fleshy; big fruit of juicy plums, ripe black cherries,
outdoors-seasoned oak, nuances of cedar, leather and tobacco; complex for a
comparatively young red wine; a different taste experience…but a damn good
wine that will only get better with age!”
Yes,
although my bulging belly was abustin’ with food (blame it on the
Portobello/mozzarella appetizer, which did much more than just whet the
appetite for me!), I was not about to forgo Helena Liazos’ zabaglione gelato
dessert. Although my breathing was labored from satiation, I was determined to
manage the dessert and, eyes closed, I dreamily luxuriated over the composition
of chocolate shavings, topping “Italian custard” ice cream, raspberries and
sweet cookie.
“Helena
Liazos -- head up, shoulders back! -- I confer upon you the non-existent Schultz
Medal of Honor for great dessert preparation!”
Wine
Pick: Trinchero Cabernet Sauvignon 1999, around $10. This delicious,
compassionately priced cab is lush with assertive cherry, blackcurrant and cedar
aromas and flavors; rich on the palate, smooth in the swallow, and lingering the
aftertaste here is a wine worthy of serious attention.
Wine
Pick: Stephen Ross Wine Cellars Dante Dusi Vineyard Zinfandel 2000, around $21.
Taste a premier representation of the classic zin with aromas and flavors
reminiscent of berry and spice varieties. Full-bodied and balanced with pepper,
acids and soft tannins, this superior zin finishes smoothly with layered and
lingering ripe tastes.
Wine
Pick: Robert Mondavi Napa Chardonnay 2001, around $22. This chard shows
off…but everything! Complex notes of mineral and oak spice weave through rich
pear and apple aromas and flavors underlaid with nuances of vanilla and
butterscotch; assertive and lingering with firm 14.1 percent alcohol during and
after the swallow; masterly crafted for prestigious wine dining.
Wine
Pick: Dry Creek Fume Blanc 2002, around $13. Enjoy fresh aromas of hay and
citrus, followed by flavors of grapefruit and lemon grass. Vivacious acidity
balances rich fruit, leading to a clean, crisp, smooth, refreshing swallow and
persistency.
Email Comments to Julian at:
julian@oxfordwineroom.com