Gluttonous Gastronomes Gather at the Sonoma

by Julian Schultz
   julian@oxfordwineroom.com

            

                  Every time I depart a Sonoma Restaurant gourmet wine dinner, I tell the king of chefs/restaurateur/mine host Bill Brady that he can’t possibly surpass the excellence of the current dinner with future wine dinners. Bill nods, smiles mischievously and says softly, “Just wait and see.” 

            I searched my files of old columns about wine dinners at the Sonoma, nine that I had attended. Yes, in each column I wrote that the most recent wine dinner was unsurpassable. And yes, I was wrong: Each wine dinner of gourmet prepared foods and impeccably compatible wines afforded greater pleasure than the previous one for this hedonist (pleasure seeker, lives for pleasure) me. 

(Hmm, “hedonist,”-- let me see now: I plan to use my old Worcester Wine Society Hedonic Rating Scale – pleasure the criterion -- to rate the wines of this dinner. So don’t expect the usual classroom report card ratings, which always reflect my academic – nah! -- my dearly beloved late Lillian’s consistent summa cum laude grades. Only she never got the A-minuses in my ratings– horrors that she ever would!

             This Sonoma gourmet dinner showcased seven magnificent wines in the Corterra portfolio of boutique, hands-on-produced wines. These were successfully paired with the proper food to heighten our pleasure. 

             I felt like the gluttonous King Henry VIII, sipping, supping and reveling: The Corterra distributorship and the Sonoma Restaurant at route 31, Princeton, combined talents to produce a seven-wine, six-course extravaganza for 48 appreciative gastronomes. Top-drawer wines were generously poured – refills, too; three of the six food courses were entrée-size portions.

           Only an ingrate would moan that there was too much to sip and sup of what was too good. (So I was an ingrate in the wee-wee early morning hours after I had overloaded my kidneys with sips of the available refills and had busted my belly with sups of what was (groan!) too palatable.

 After his daily phone call to check on me, Dr. Bob Ouellette said sorrowfully in a shaking-of-his-head-resignation, “Oh, Julian, I’m afraid you will never learn.” I promised him that henceforth I would have restaurateurs serve me half-portions at future dinners; the other halves to take home. I mean it…I mean, I mean it! I mean to exercise my willpower of steel that boasts it can resist everything and anything but temptation. 

Don Cook, Corterra’s articulate and knowledgeable New England Territory Manager, after noticing my Chevaliers du Tastevin medallion on my sports jacket, said, “Our affiliated wineries don’t pretend they are making Burgundy. They don’t apply Burgundy viti- or viniculture techniques, not all of which find favor with all oenophiles. To assume that we can achieve in California what Burgundy’s wine growers do in France with its variation of climate, soils, vines, requires a larger leap of faith and risk than what we’re willing, or think necessary, to take. Conversely our unique “terroir” enables winemakers here to grow world-class wines.” 

             No dispute from me: Hartford Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2001, $25, that we tasted wouldn’t be confused with a Burgundy Chambertin, Corton or Pommard; and, although I am a vine stock be-noggined Chevalier du Tastevin Burgundy wines disciple, I did not denigrate the Hartford or lament about it because it did not approximate the style the aforementioned “Cru” classified Burgundies.  

Hartford Pinot Noir is, however, a helluva good wine! And at $25 the bottle costs considerably less than Burgundies of the pinot noir grape!! I will discuss it in the context of the tender, herb/onion creamed, succulent sauced Norwegian salmon with which it was so successfully paired. 

To further the Hartford Pinot Noir discussion: There are reputed enologists who contend that the West Coast pinot noir grape is a clone of the gamay grape, which, they say, accounts for the Beaujolais Cru Classé-like characteristics of its wines. The Hartford this evening offered assertive lush-fruited flavors of raspberries, boysenberries, candied cherries and was beautifully balanced with sweet spices, lively acids and soft tannins. Another taster said she discerned citrus peel, plum, cherries, and raspberry-strawberries with a hint of oak. Although delicious in the glass, Hartford does not contain the unique Burgundy pinot noir aromas and flavors of barnyard, leather, game, smoke, tar, prunes – to name some of the more relevant descriptors that apply to Burgundy.

 The Hartford winemaker says this about his wine: “Aromas of vine-ripened raspberry with blackberry and allspice are followed by candied cherries, wild berries, cinnamon and nutmeg. The complex aromas and mouthfeel are knit together by centered acidity and a long complex finish.” He adds, “We combine twenty-first century techniques with centuries old winemaking traditions of Burgundy to produce our world class wine.” Ronn Wiegand M.S. M.W. lauds it as a “Best Buy”: “stunning quality, full-bodied, fleshy, very long on the palate with layers of complexity and intense fruitiness.”

 Getting back to the order of the service: Five hors d’oeuvres and Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay 2001, $19, and Stonestreet Merlot Sonoma County 2000, $45, were passed around and poured around by the well-trained waitstaff fleet of maitre d’ Ann Marie Nelson, Scott Wedge, Robert Reinhart, Kyrill Schabert, Terry Lewandowski and my dear, dear Debbie Trapasso – my interpreter of some of Brady’s abstruse menu descriptors taken from the ancient Swahili. 

Reception first course with five hors d’oeuvres: flaky pastry wrapped around ricotta cheese and curried apple; roasted squash with applewood smoked bacon and Asiago cheese pinwheels; sesame seed pan seared sea scallops with Brady’s closely-guarded secret sauce; poached oriental chicken dumplings with oriental dipping sauce; toasted bread rounds with char-grilled loin of ostrich and moderately spiced tomato sauce.

  Between making notes for this column, I looked around….Not one single person limited her/him self to one hors d’oeuvre of each! I must have put away at least 12, tasting them with the aforementioned Cambria Katherine’s Vineyard Chardonnay and Stonestreet Merlot Sonoma County.

 Chardonnay notes: “soft pears nose; palate: grapefruit/lemonade, pineapple, citrus, subtle vanilla and spice; lively fruit acids, wood smack of eight months oak aging; chard complements the five hors d’oeuvres.”  Hedonic 20-point rating scale: Like it, 15 points (14 – 17 range) -- good nose, developed fruited crisp flavors, smooth swallow, moderately long aftertaste; a sound, well-made wine.

Merlot notes: “soft, need deep-sniff nose; palate: big plum, cherry, chocolate, sweet toast; balanced with soft tannin, fruit acids, 16 months in French oak accent; persistent aftertaste.” Blend: 84 percent merlot, 11 cabernet sauvignon, 5 cabernet franc. Hedonic rating: Love it, 18 points (18 - 20 range) – complex, fruited, chewy, full-flavored swallow, lively acid matching lush fruit and alcohol.

 Second course: Stonestreet’s “Upper Barn” Alexander Mountain/Valley Chardonnay 1999, $40, and Sonoma County Chardonnay 2000, $24, accompanied a cream of pumpkin soup – creamy thick puree containing pumpkin pieces, vegetable stock, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, allspice, maple syrup, salt, white pepper and heavy cream.

 The wines presented a challenge to the palateers: Which chardonnay went better with the soup and which wine received more contribution from the soup? A puzzlement because I constantly changed my perception of the wines! Both were aces with the soup and toasted edible pumpkin seeds on the dish -- perhaps an edge to the “Upper Barn.” After having eaten my 12 hors d’oeuvres and finished the soup to the very last spoonful, I now felt like a gluttonous Henry IX.

 “Upper Barn” notes: “smoke, oranges, steely mineral-y nose; palate: citrus, apples, pears, varied sweet piquant spices; perfect fruit/acid balance, creamy fruited swallow, long smooth aftertaste.” Hedonic rating: Love it, 18½ points – glittering color, complex extended nose, big mature flavors, velvety swallow; beautiful solid chardonnay.

Sonoma County notes: “assertive pineapple, subtle hazelnut, lemon/lime nose; palate: pineapple, baked apple, easy citrus, maybe tangerine; balance and finish similar to ‘Upper Barn’.” Hedonic rating: Love it, 18 points -- certainly not much less pleasing than “Upper Barn”, if I am to nitpick.

 Third course: Gorgonzola and prosciutto-stuffed roasted sweet fleshy figs (dried shaved aged beef for me) were prepared with white balsamic vinegar and finished with a sauce made from Rubio 12-year-old aged balsamic vinegar; vegetables variety completed the toothsome dish. I avidly finished everything on the plate.

 Consorting wine: Cambria Tepusquet Vineyard Syrah 2000, $19. “Nose: boysenberry, blackberry, oak, black pepper, hint of olives; nose transfers to palate with added flavors of deep berries cassis, plum, black pepper and spice; rough swallow and tannic edge, however, indicates aging needed.” Hedonic rating: Like it, 16 points – good sound wine needs time to soften roughness and stabilize balance; should be gangbusters with pleasure in three to five years. Groan! Now I felt like gluttonous Henry X from over-indulgence.

 Fourth course: French style prepared Norwegian fillet of salmon with mouthwatering moist tenderness and flavors of chopped mushrooms, onions and shallots in thick crème, wrapped in puff pastry with an herbed/onion cream sauce, topped with finely chopped almonds. Sensational! The tender textured salmon lusciously picked up the flavors of its seasoned cream sauce and fruited wine accompaniment. If I were to die from overeating, I wouldn’t forgo this course, but would continue to eat it all the way to heaven. I felt really like a gluttonous Henry XI now.

The previously discussed Hartford Sonoma County Pinot Noir 2001, $24, which I ecstatically sipped, gracefully escorted- and successfully joined the salmon. Hedonic rating of salmon and wine: Love it, 18½ points – complexity from lush fruited red wine in combination with rich savory fish, seasoned to complement. The wine: altogether with well-knit pinot noir’s best attributes; appropriate to varietal and age.

  Palate cleanser of sweet grape granite in sparkling water, served before the lusty dry cabernet sauvignons to follow, was unneeded; sparkling water with sugarless cranberry juice splash would have sufficed.

 How would the swallow surfeited, stomach stuffed, thrilled trenchermen  -- gormands now, our having exceeded the refined parameters of la-de-da genteel gourmet dining  -- cope with the grand roasted baron of beef, prepared au bleu and medium rare and – yes! blue -- to finish the dinner? And with two powerhouse cabernet sauvignon wines to sip yet? Would our palates be jaded or still be sensitive to the fine artistry of Brady’s imaginatively and innovatively cooked food?

 For many – most of us – it was a happy dilemma. Courageously…we would go the extra mile (s) and tackle it with devil- and diet-may-care gusto- and salivate over the unusual colorful beef presentation. Undaunted…we would sniff and sip and try to savor each expensive cabernet sauvignon, our bloated kidneys notwithstanding.

 Fifth course: Now followed the filled platter of butter-tender, juicy roast beef accompanied by roasted and caramelized parsnip, onion, carrot and celery, coated with Dijon mustard, Japanese breadcrumbs and gently seasoned with salt and pepper, finished in a delicious roasted shallot meat-based brown sauce. Wow! I did it! I did it! I shouldn’t have. I should have taken home two-thirds of it. The mind was willing, the flesh was weak, the willpower – what willpower? I was a happy, albeit stomach was protruding; truly I felt like a gluttonous Henry XII.

The wines: 1997Cabernet Sauvignons: Stonestreet Christopher’s Vineyard, $79, and Legacy Estate Bottled Alexander Valley, $59.

 Notes on the Stonestreet, 95.5 percent cabernet sauvignon, 3 merlot, 1½ cabernet franc: “still young, shy nose; deeply flavored, needs age to elevate its sub-surface flavors of boysen- and raspberries, cherries, spice, with nuances of chocolate and mineral; lush texture and imposing mouthfeel; its youth with noticeable tannins and fruit acids present slight rough imbalance, which age should more than correct.” Hedonic rating for current drinking: Like it – 17½ points, helped by the roughness-compensating robust beef’s seasoned flavors. In five years it should merit the top Love it, 20, rating.

The Legacy, 58 percent cabernet sauvignon, 27 merlot, 17 cabernet franc: “impressive depth with mature voluptuous complex aromas of varied berries, cedar, tobacco, coffee, black pepper, some mocha (chocolate maybe) and mineral; nose delivers its all to palate; nicely balanced with all cab attributes; finishes soft, smooth, and lingers long after the swallow.” Rating: Love it with a passion -- a perfect 20!

 I was happy Dr. Bob Ouellette, my concerned friend and dining conscience, was unavoidably committed elsewhere and couldn’t order Debbie Trepasso not to serve the dessert to me: pumpkin cheesecake bomb atop a hazelnut disk. So I found room enough in my now tumescent tummy to eat it…all – and the surrounding chocolate truffles, too! Light as a feather – mousse-like texture and exquisitely delicious – the dessert generated murmurs of exuberance from surrounding tables.  Calorie-infused, regret-ridden, I felt like a roly-poly, black belt gluttonous Henry XIII!

 The poured Viognier late harvest dessert wine, unavailable in Massachusetts, was anti-climactic. So my wandered willpower returned, and with grand flourish it and I waved it off.

            In summary: The wine dinner, expectedly, was superb as usual. The wines were outstanding, albeit more expensive than the wines commonly served at wine dinners locally.

 The Hedonic Scale: We rate by the pleasure a wine affords on a scale of Hate it, 0 – 3; Dislike it, 4 – 7; Acceptable, 8 – 13; Like it, 14 – 17; 18 – 20, Love it. Appropriate descriptors for sight, smell, savor, swallow and balance are listed to help justify the ratings.

 Kudos to Don Cook, Corterra Wines’ rep, who discussed the wines with articulation and clarity. Congratulations to the knights of the kitchen: Michael Connelly, chef; Richie Questello, sous chef; Dennis Brown and Marshall de Forest. Thanks for a celestial dinner guys!

Wine Pick: Victor Hugo wines never disappoint: Opulence 1998, $22.49, a meritage blend of 45 percent merlot, 32 cabernet franc, 19 cabernet sauvignon and 4 petit verdot, aims at the palate and unerringly strikes again. It greets the adventurous palateer with big fruit flavors of berries and plums, touches of black pepper, cedar, chocolate and mint; balanced with fruit acids, soft texture, gentle tannins; smooth swallow, persistent aftertaste. So who needs Bordeaux at over twice the price?

 Wine Pick: Errazuriz Merlot Reserva from Chile 1999, $25. Blend: 80 percent merlot, 20 cabernet sauvignon, it’s a big wine with layered ripe fruit of assertive berry varieties and spice varieties; 12 months oak aging imparts complex vanilla bean character, sweet wood and soft tannins to the Merlot Reservas; silky on the palate, the merlot follows a smooth swallow into a lengthy aftertaste. Infant complexity now will mature into full-blown Bordeaux rival, causing oenophiles to compare quality and price. Savvy buyers will go South America, not France, for wine pleasure and dollar savings.