Clarence Dillon Wines

Vintners tasting dinners begin at 7:00 p.m., sharp. Doors open for registration and hors d'oeuvres reception at 6:30 p.m.

     Thursday January 16, 2025

Reservations

Course	Pairing / Description	Wine
Hors D’oeuvres	Pan Roasted Day Boat Scallops, Trio of Pickled Cauliflower, Celery Root and Carrot Puree, Shoestring Parsnips Varietal composition: 43% Sauvignon Blanc, 32% Sémillon, 25% Muscadelle This wine has a brilliant, intense yellow color. The complex nose reveals Sauvignon Blanc’s plethora of aromas, ranging from boxwood to tropical fruit and an array of citrus notes. The Muscadelle wines are a beautiful golden color, contributing hints of rose and lychee to the final blend. This wine starts out delicious, round and rich on the palate, balanced out by wonderful minerality. The overall impression is of a fruity, powerful wine with notes of lemon and fresh pineapple, enhanced by a rich, velvety mouthfeel and a slightly toasty, silky texture. Wine Enthusiast: 90 points.	Clarendelle Bordeaux Blanc 2021
Seafood Course	Big Eye Tuna Sesame Encrusted Ahi Tuna, Forbidden Rice, Baby Bok Choy, Vadouvan Coconut Curry Varietal Composition: 85% Merlot, 14% Cabernet Sauvignon, 1% Petit Verdot The Indian summer led to the optimum ripeness of the Cabernets, whose proportion forms the backbone of this wine and confers pronounced spicy notes. A deeply colored wine with good concentration and black fruit aromas of blackberry and blueberry. Oaky and fruity flavors come to the fore, accompanied by a minty freshness and spicy and licorice notes, which add harmony and balance. The wine starts out smooth, becoming increasingly intense yet underpinned by a delicate tannic structure. All in all, a very elegant, full-bodied and powerful wine. James Suckling: 91 points.	Clarendelle Medoc 2018
Beef Course	Espresso and Brown Sugar Rubbed Beef Tenderloin Prime Beef Tenderloin with White Pear Mascarpone, Roasted Tomato Jam and Grilled Sourdough Varietal Composition: 88% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc, 4% Cabernet Sauvignon This wine has a brilliant color, with a beautiful, dark red hue. The maturity is evident from the outset, with fleshy red berry aromas, particularly black cherry and blackcurrant. They are followed by some subtle animal notes, hints of forest floor and a dash of violet. The gentle extraction process has yielded a well-balanced and concentrated wine, with velvety smooth tannins. The palate is full-bodied and indulgent, with splashes of chocolate and Morello cherry. The aftertaste reveals nuances of pepper and licorice. Great length of flavor, silky and delicious throughout. This is a truly magnificent wine, powerful and wonderfully complex. James Suckling: 93 points.	Clarendelle Saint Emilion 2019
Venison Course	Osso Bucco of New Zealand Venison Red Wine Braised Shank of Venison with Beet Root Whipped Potato, Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus, Black Garlic Demi Glaze Varietal composition: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Merlot, Petit Verdot The wine reveals a very beautiful dark and purplish color, emanating from the two grape varieties Cabernet-Sauvignon and Franc. The appreciated aromas are of black fruits such as blackcurrant and blackberry. Aging for more than 8 months offers lovely woody and vanilla aromas. Combined with beautiful acidity and lovely, fine tannins, the wines can age for up to 30 years, a true feat of know-how.	Chateau Tour Blanquet Saint Estephe 2017
Dessert Course	Apple and Pear Crepe Pernod and Cinnamon Braised Apple and Pears with House Made Crepes and Chambord Whipped Cream Varietal Composition: 84% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 6% Cabernet Franc This wine is very fruity, with aromas of red fruit and blackcurrant alongside floral overtones reminiscent of violet. They combine the tannic power of great vintages with a deliciously velvety texture and rare smooth, powerful, and generous on the palate. Their relatively high level of acidity gives them an admirable freshness and tremendous balance, without any hardness. James Suckling: 91 points.	Clarendelle Bordeaux Rouge 2016
Chip Wine	Varietal composition: 72.3% Merlot, 27.7% Cabernet Franc The 2018 Quintus is deep purple-black in color and rolls sensuously out of the glass with very pure, perfumed notes of lilacs, lavender, plum preserves and chocolate-covered cherries giving way to notes of spice cake, cardamom, fenugreek and fragrant soil plus a touch of unsmoked cigars. The full, rich, seductive palate provides layer upon layer of perfumed black fruits and spicy nuances with a firm yet soft frame and oodles of freshness to lift the long finish. Beautifully done. Jeb Dunnuck: 96 points.	Chateau Quintus Saint Emilion 2018