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Summer Dining with California Wines |
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Reported by Marie Hélène Zahles
 Summer 2008 will be remembered for a long string of rainy days, but the weather was perfect on August 26th for an al fresco dinner at an exceptional venue… Ottawa’s oldest stone house, the Bayne-Morrison House. Chef Gay Cook and her sister, Grete Hall, opened their residence, terrace and garden to some thirty Guild members eager to taste California Wines carefully selected by Martin Carrière and a home-cooked gourmet meal.
The hosts regaled guests with stories on the construction of their house that started in 1828 and with anecdotes about their family acquiring the building, developing their business in the face of many odds, and instilling strong entrepreneurial values in their daughters. Meanwhile, guests were sipping a crisp Napa Valley Domaine Chandon Brut Classique that is on the LCBO General List but is not often available. Next came a Francis Ford Coppola Bianco Pinot Grigio 2006 with melon and grapefruit notes and an intense mouthfeel, served with bruschetta and foie gras appetizers.
 The buffet style meal was served in the memorabilia and antique-filled dining room. Guests then took their plates to tables laid out on the terrace overlooking a spectacular garden featuring, among many other interesting plants, generations old peonies and the tallest chestnut tree in Ottawa.
Two reds were served with the main course of poached salmon and local baby vegetables: a Rodney Strong Estate Pinot Noir 2006 from the Russian River Valley and a Sterling Vineyards Merlot 2004 from the Napa Valley. Both worked very well, but most guests declared that the Merlot, with its spicy and toasty oak notes and a lingering finish, was their preferred wine. They are part of the Vintages Essentials collection.
 The winner of the evening, however, was a Rosenblum Petite Syrah 2006 Heritage Clones from San Francisco Bay, served with a platter of pungent, old cheeses made in Quebec. Its strong berry and chocolate flavours were a good match for the peppery taste of the cheeses.
The evening will long be remembered by all – a combination of old world class and a selection of young, but elegant California wines. |
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Last Updated ( Sunday, 28 September 2008 )
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