Reported by Jim Gallivan

The Amber Garden has been the venue for several Sommelier Guild dinners, and on Sunday, September 16 they again opened their doors to the Sommelier Guild (they are normally closed Sundays) to allow us to sample their cuisine at their new location at 1702 Carling Avenue. The evening was organized by Guild VP Martin Carrière.

The evening started with a 2006 Savée Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, 2006 from Mount Riley in New Zealand, hardly a common find. This was a very refreshing, well balanced sparkler with aromas of grass, lemons, and tropical fruits. It served to prepare the palate for what was to come.

The first course was Wild Mushroom Spinach Cups served with a 2005 Errazuriz Wild Ferment Pinot Noir from Chile. The Pinot was medium bodied with aromas of dark cherry, mushrooms, earth, beetroot, and a bit of smoke. There was slight metallic flavour when the Pinot was matched with the spinach, but this disappeared when the spinach was combined with the pastry which absorded the tannins and minerals in the spinach allowing the mushrooms to dominate.

The second course was Cabbage Roll with Tomato Sauce and Potato-Cheese Perogies with Sauteed Onions and Sour Cream matched with a 2003 Xavier Vignon Vacquéyras from the southern Rhône. The Vacquéyras had a peppery nose with abundant red berry fruit. The tannins were ripe and the finish was soft and round with good balance. The Vacquéyras was an excellent match for the cabbage rolls. It was bit light for the perogies, but went quite well provided the perogies weren’t dipped in sour cream. Sour cream is a tough match for any wine.

After a palate refreshing salad, we were served the main course, a Game Platter of Roast of Wild Boar in a Rosehip Sauce and Quail Stuffed with Veal and Cranberries Spatzle-egg Noodles, Red Cabbage, and Seasonal Vegetables. The main course was matched with two wines, a 2003 Schoolhouse Recess Red from California and a 2003 Mulderbosch Faithful Hound from South Africa. The Schoolhouse Red was a blend of 7 varieties with zinfandel accounting for 46%, followed by Primitivo (aka Zinfandel) at 19%, Cabernet Sauvignon at 15%, and Barbera at 10%. The nose was fruity and spicy, and the wine had a round, soft mouth-feel with soft tannins backed by the brambly, spicy flavour of the Zinfandel. The Schoolhouse Red was an excellent match for the wild boar in rosehip sauce. The brambly character of the Zinfandel stood up to the strong flavours of the boar while the soft tannins complemented the sauce. The Mulderbosch Faithful Hound was a Bordeaux blend (54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot), with a dash of Shiraz along with Malbec and Cabernet Franc. The nose was blackberry/cassis and typical South African smoke. This wine was well balanced with loads of ripe tannins. It was an excellent foil for the quail, complementing the rich flavours of the meat and the stuffing. Both wines also went well with the vegetarian option of grain patties and mushrooms stuffed with mushrooms and cheese.  

The evening ended with a Blueberry White Chocolate Mousse and the choice of Coffee or Tea (no dessert wine —nor was one needed).

Martin is to be congratulated for organizing another excellent event, and the Amber Garden deserves further attention from guild members.

Wine List

• Savée Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc, 2006, Mount Riley, Marlborough, New Zealand, $22.95 (LCBO #032326)
• Wild Ferment Pinot Noir, 2005, Errazuriz, Casablanca Valley, Chile, $17.95 (LCBO #510396)
• Vacquéyras, 2003, Xavier Vignon, Southern Rhône $19.95, (LCBO #017574)
• Schoolhouse Recess Red, 2003, Adelaida, Paso Robles, California, $19.95 (LCBO #686253)
• Faithful Hound, 2003, Mulderbosch, Stellenbosch, South Africa, $19.95 (LCBO #922443)