New World vs. Old World

     Thursday September 21, 2017

Reservations Closed
Course Pairing / Description Wine
Hors D' Oeuvres Cucumber with Herbed Cheese and Cured Salmon (Fresh Dill and Caper) Smoked Chicken & Apple Sausage En Croute (Whole Grain Mustard Aioli)
The Huber Grüner Veltliner originates in lower Austria from a mixture of different vineyards; mainly conglomerate and loess soils. The vinification process includes a selection of only physiologically ripe grapes which are crushed and cooled with skin contact for 2 hours. These grapes are then pressed and fermented in stainless steel at 18 °C. The wine is then kept for 3 months with lees contact in stainless steel. This wine is delicate, with fresh green apple fruity aromas. It displays flavors of lemon, lime and peaches with a solid fruit core. It is rich in finesse with a beautiful length and mineral tones. This wine earned 88 points from Wine Enthusiast.
Huber Grüner Veltliner Hugo (Austria) 2016
Salad Course Bell Pepper, Tomato, Endive & Alpine Cheese (Charred Grapefruit and Lemon Vinaigrette, Fresh Basil with Pistachios)
Zocker is an American winery that produces wines made exclusively from the white varietals of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling. The grapes are grown on the Niven family’s famed Paragon Vineyard in the Edna Valley on the Central Coast of California and the wines are made by veteran French winemaker Christian Roguenant. One of the latest projects of Niven Family Wine Estates, Zocker (Austrian word for Gambler) is likely their riskiest venture yet, as these varietals are far from conventional. The 2015 Zocker Grüner Veltliner is rich and round but with great acid structure. This wine is steely and has pronounced minerality. It has a bit of an earthy characteristic, a strong white pepper note and flavors of ripe melon and fruit cocktail.
Zocker Grüner Veltliner (Edna Valley, CA) 2015
Pork Course Cast Iron Pan Seared Pork Cap Steak (Sonoma Cheese Polenta, Roasted Piquillo Peppers, Pinot Noir and Pork Jus Reduction with Sesame Fried Green Beans)
The Tollot family represents a long lineage of winegrowers dating back to the late 1880s when François Tollot began planting vineyards in Chorey-lès-Beaune. His son, Alexandre Tollot, continued in his father’s footsteps and married Aurélie Beaut. In 1921, Tollot-Beaut became one of the first to bottle their wines under the domaine and started exporting their wines to the U.S. shortly thereafter. Today, cousins Nathalie, Jean-Paul, and Olivier Tollot are in charge. The wines of Tollot-Beaut are well-known for their serious but pleasing style across a range of appellations from Bourgogne to Grand Cru. Chorey-lès-Beaune lies on the plains below the Cote d'Or escarpment with 336 acres almost exclusively planted with Pinot Noir. Initially, the Tollot family owned vines only in Chorey, but successive generations made small acquisitions in Savigny-lès-Beaune, Aloxe-Corton, and Beaune for a current total of 60 acres. Most of the wine grown in Chorey-lès-Beaune is bottled as Côte de Beaune-Villages, a catchall appellation that allows several villages to blend their red wines together. Tollot-Beaut is proud of their village and produces this classic example from vines planted between 1992 and 1998. The wine spent 18 months in 25% new Burgundian pièce. A good Chorey-lès-Beaune should display aromas and flavors typical of red wines from Beaune with red fruits and flowers coupled with freshness and minerals. The Tollot-Beaut Chorey-lès-Beaune is bright and perfumed with red cherries and slightly coarse tannins. This is a classic rustic red wine.
Tollot Beaut Chorey Lès Beaune Rouge (Burgundy) 2014
Pork Course Cast Iron Pan Seared Pork Cap Steak (Sonoma Cheese Polenta, Roasted Piquillo Peppers, Pinot Noir and Pork Jus Reduction with Sesame Fried Green Beans)
Paul Hobbs’ CrossBarn began as just one small lot of Cabernet Sauvignon from the 2000 vintage but its popularity has inspired the introduction of chardonnay, pinot noir, sauvignon blanc and more. With CrossBarn, Paul ventures beyond the vineyards sourced for Paul Hobbs wines while holding to his ideals of sustainable vineyard practices and gentle winemaking techniques, to bring you wines of stunning quality and exceptional value. The 2014 CrossBarn Pinot Noir was produced using hand-harvested fruit from carefully selected vineyards in the Anderson Valley and offers structure and weight in balance with pure concentrated fruit. This wine’s deep ruby red hue prepares the senses for intense rhubarb, blackberry, lavender and herbs de Provence. The palate offers juicy Bing cherries, boysenberry, winter spices and white pepper. Its silky, elegant tannins are followed by a mouthwatering finish.
Paul Hobbs Pinot Noir CrossBarn Anderson Valley 2014
Main Course Seared Hanger Steak & Melted Andouille Onions (Sweet Heat Black Pepper and Red Wine “Caramel” with Paprika Potato Hash)
The Ferraton Crozes Hermitage Matiniere is 100% Syrah. The grapes are grown in soil consisting of glacial alluvial deposits with a lot of rounded pebbles, stones and gravel in the districts of Mercurol and Beaumont-Monteaux, in the Rhone Valley. The grapes are destemmed and the vinification takes place in vats. The extraction is made by punching down and pumping over. The maceration lasts around 20 days and the wine is partly matured in oak barrels for 12 months before bottling. This wine has intense cherry red color and aromas of small red fruits and blackcurrants. It is a very round wine on the palate with aromas of cherries and raspberries.
Ferraton Crozes Hermitage Matiniere RG (Rhone) 2015
Main Course Seared Hanger Steak & Melted Andouille Onions (Sweet Heat Black Pepper and Red Wine “Caramel” with Paprika Potato Hash)
Syrah was not widely available in the U.S. during the early 1970’s, U.C. Davis having the only source in their “mother block.” Noting that the true French Syrah cuttings produced remarkable wines in Australia, Gary Eberle decided to introduce the world of Rhône grapes to California winemaking. Gary secured bud wood from U.C. Davis originally obtained from Chapoutier’s plantings in Tain Hermitage. He planted twenty acres of this Syrah clone in Paso Robles in 1975. In 1978, Gary became one of the first winemakers to produce 100% Syrah varietal wine in the U.S. The grapes were hand-picked and immediately delivered to the winery where the clusters were crushed and de-stemmed. A portion of the juice was transferred to a stainless steel tank and allowed to co-ferment on Viognier lees for a period of 7 days. The remaining juice, also in stainless steel tanks, was pumped over twice a day to extract color and flavors from the skins. After fermentation, half of the Syrah was transferred to American oak barrels and the other half to French oak barrels (12% new oak on both) and aged for eighteen months. The finished wine was transferred to stainless steel tanks where it was allowed to settle prior to bottling. This Syrah shows the restraint of an “Old World” Syrah, earthy and spicy, combined with “New World” fruit forward characteristics. This full-bodied wine has soft, silky tannins with aromas of blueberries, strawberries and a hint of mocha.
Eberle Syrah Steinbeck (Paso Robles) 2014
Dessert Course Dark Chocolate Macaron & Espresso Mousse (Blackberries, Toasted Almonds and Pound Cake)
Passion and knowledge of wine has been running through the veins of the Labarre family for decades. Owner Arnaud de Labarre's mother, Claude Labarre, purchased Chateau Laplagnotte Bellevue in 1990 and in keeping with tradition, Arnaud will one day pass it on to his own children. Named for the striking 360° view from the vineyard, Château Laplagnotte Bellevue is a humble, yet riveting estate that produces wines of exquisite quality year after year. The Chateau Laplagnotte Bellevue St. Emilion is a balanced blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Franc. It is a fruit-driven wine, exhibiting a deep plum and ruby hue with heady aromas of black currant, black cherry, licorice and graphite. This wine exhibits a medium body with soft, silky tannins, and consumer-friendly appeal.
CH Laplagnotte Bellevue St. Emilion (Bordeaux) 2014
Dessert Course Dark Chocolate Macaron & Espresso Mousse (Blackberries, Toasted Almonds and Pound Cake)
Raats Family Wines was originally a partnership between brothers Bruwer and Jasper Raats, with their father Jasper Sr. as viticulturist who passed away in 2009. Cousin, Gavin Bruwer Slabbert joined Bruwer as Winemaker and Viticulturist in 2009 and this relationship has seen Raats Family Wines flourish. Bruwer spent time at esteemed Blaauwklippen, Delaire and Zorgvliet estates before his commitment to build the Raats Family brand full time. His intense and personal devotion has seen Raats Family Wines evolve into a New World leader in the production of these varietals, which many international critics consider benchmarks. A great deal of effort has gone into sourcing specific soil types and old low-yielding vineyards located in the Stellenbosch, Paarl, Durbanville Hills and the Paardeberg area. All grapes are handpicked and wines made with extensive knowledge and attention to detail. The result is a truly distinctive showcase for South African wine and soil.
Raats Red Jasper (South Africa) 2014