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| Dining with Celebrities at Brookstreet! |
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| Saturday, 14 April 2007 | |
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Reported by Martin Carrière Fess Parker * Mario Andretti * Nick Faldo * Francis Coppola Truly a first class dining experience worthy of Guild participants! There was no shortage of great wines from celebrity cellars but the real celebrity of the evening was probably Executive Chef Michael Blackie with his five-course dinner. More about that a little later. The evening started with a stunning sparkling wine, the S. Anderson Blanc de Noirs Brut. Great pedigree: 2000 vintage, méthode champenoise, 100% Pinot Noir from Napa Valley—rich mouthfeel, plenty of fine bubbles and a delicate mousse leading to a long yeasty finish. Then it was off to the Private Dining Room of Perspectives Restaurant that added a special cachet to the evening. The duo sashimi of Ahi and Yellow tail tuna with a slice of lobster tail was matched with the Fess Parker 2004 Chardonnay. At 15.1% alc. and from the Santa Barbara County, this wine was expected to overwhelm this type of seafood dish but elegance, finesse with good tropical fruit proved to be a good match. Congratulations Fess Parker! Then it was the Beet and Radish Stack. Good roasted flavours in the food was another good match with the Andretti Merlot from Napa Valley with its rich fruit, full body and smooth finish. Our third appetizer of Stained Turbot with a Cauliflower Pulse swimming in a pool of Puréed Spinach was a combination of colourful and delicate flavours. The Parker Syrah was too powerful a wine for this dish even though it was thoroughly enjoyed by Syrah/Shiraz fans who love this type of wine full of dark cherry and blueberry fruits on the nose and palate with enticing spice, toast, and smoke notes through the finish. A short break to refresh our palate with a Cranberry Sorbet led us to the pièce de résistance: perfectly cooked medium-rare medallions of venison tenderloin. Two Cabernet Sauvignons were poured. The 2001 Faldo from Coonawarra was a great wine but the favourite was the 2004 Claret from Francis Coppola. A Bordeaux style full-bodied wine with aromas of currant, allspice, and mocha. Succulent flavours of berries, plums, and anise are deepened by the rich, silky texture. Both wines however enhanced this remarkable dish. Two choices of dessert with the Chocolate Bavarois truly a masterpiece of appearance, textures, and wonderful tastes with its Dark Chocolate Ganache topping. Michael Blackie, the master in the kitchen, took a good twenty minutes of his precious time to sit down with us and entertain us with anecdotes and stories of his travels and searches for exotic ingredients. He even went back to the kitchen to provide us with individual tastings of various exotic ingredients used for this dinner to explain why and how they were used in the preparation of individual dishes. Truly the winner of the celebrity contest for the evening. Exceptional value was provided to Guild participants: exquisite cuisine, great service, great wines, and comfortable surroundings that made the evening a truly memorable experience. Organizer and VP Martin Carrière thinks this commands a repeat performance sometime soon… |
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| Last Updated ( Sunday, 06 May 2007 ) |
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| Moderation |
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 The National Capital Sommelier Guild strongly supports moderate and responsible consumption of wine and spirits. Guild dinner events allow a designated driver to attend at a reduced price. The designated driver will not be served alcohol. Guild tasting events provide and encourage the use of spit buckets. |
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