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| Fine Dining with 2005 Burgundy Wines! |
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| Saturday, 09 February 2008 | |
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Reported by Joseph J. Phelan Twenty-five members of the guild met on a snowy evening at one of Ottawa’s premiere catering companies, Tulips & Maple, to dine in their beautiful private event venue called STAGE. The focus of the evening was on French cuisine to complement premium wines from the stellar 2005 vintage from Burgundy. A Burgundyfocused menu was arranged by Executive Chef Alan McEwan to pair with Guild VP Martin Carrière’s impressive selection of wines. The evening started with a Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé Bru, from Bailly Lapierre. This gorgeous pink bubbly is a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay. It had enticing aromas of wild strawberries. A very good start to the evening. Martin then introduced the evening and described what inspired him to create a dinner focusing on the 2005 Burgundies. The idea began last fall during the Bouchard Pere & Fils tasting of their portfolio of 2005 vintage Burgundy wines at the Chelsea Club. Given that many wine critics view the 2005 as an outstanding vintage in Burgundy, perhaps the best since 1990, he felt that the best expression of these wines would be as part of a dinner where Burgundy-inspired cuisine was showcased. The first starter was a take on coq-au-vin pot pie. Rather than basing it on red wine, the chef used white wine in this wonderful stew of chicken, diced mushrooms, carrots, grilled pancetta, and portabella mushrooms. The “pie” was actually a type of scone pastry. This earthy dish was paired with a Premier Cru Chablis from William Fèvre. This premium Chardonnay saw both stainless steel and French oak barrel-ageing. This elegant wine was quite juicy and offered fresh sweet citrus and pineapple on the palate though with a firm mineral spine. This complex wine met the challenge of this earthy dish. We then moved to the second starter. Though described as a baby green salad with duck confit, goat cheese, and creamy roasted garlic dressing, the chef artfully arranged each of these items separately on a full length-wise slice of English cucumber. This allowed Bouchard’s Côte de Beaune-Villages, chosen from both the 2004 and 2005 vintages, to be enjoyed with each of the items. The Côte de Beaune-Villages applies exclusively to the 16 red wine communes in Cote de Beaune. The 2004 vintage displayed quite a pronounced nose with sour cherry, leather, and a mineral spicy firm finish. The 2005 was very approachable and definitely more food-friendly. The aromas suggested strawberry, earth, and sweet oak tones. Red wine and salads can be a challenge. The consensus was that the 2005 vintage was a superior match, especially for the duck confit, though the pairing of a Pinot Noir with the baked goat cheese was not as successful and for some, gave the wines a slight metallic taste. The main course was wine braised short ribs with a hint of cinnamon olive oil, roasted garlic and caramelized onion crushed potatoes, and in-season vegetables. The ribs were fall-of-the-bone tender and full of rich earthy flavour. The roasted carrots and tender-crisp green beans and red peppers offered a wonderful counterpoint to the accompanying intense wine-infused sauce. This entrée was carefully paired with a Côte de Beaune-Villages, 2005, Louis Latour and a Santenay, Clos de Malte, 2005, Louis Jadot. The Latour Burgundy was elegant, supple with a nose of fresh strawberry. The village Santenay from Jadot was the standout of the entire evening with ripe cherry fruit, somewhat firm structure with a long finish. Both of these red wines worked marvelously with the main course really picking up on the cinnamon spice. This for me was the signature dish for a cold winter’s night, of course aided and abetted by the excellent choice of really expressive wines. We then moved on to the final course, dessert—a pear tarte tatin (sweet caramelized pears on top of a flaky pastry). The simple yet elegant presentation was enhanced by a golden berry garnish with edible silver covered leaves, how decadent! Everyone agreed that we were very fortunate to have been part of such a wonderful evening. Martin is to be congratulated for organizing such a great event, and to excellent staff of Tulips & Maple for their inspired menu and terrific service. I look forward to the next Guild event at this world-class catering company. The wines Crémant de Bourgogne Rosé, Brut Bailly, #0339585, $19.95 Chablis 1er Cru Montmains, 2005, William Fèvre, #977587, $32.95 Côte de Beaune-Villages, 2004, Bouchard Père & Fils, # 714998, $24.95 Côte de Beaune-Villages, 2005, Bouchard Père & Fils, # 714998, $24.95 Côte de Beaune-Villages, 2005, Louis Latour, #043299, $32.95 Santenay, Clos de Malte, 2005, Louis Jadot, #047811, $37.95 |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 05 April 2008 ) |
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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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