The 2nd Anniversary of "The Art of Wine & Food" Series!

At last week's installment of "The Art of Wine & Food" at the Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale we celebrated the second anniversary of the series!

In addition to our featured wines we had lots of fun giveaways including a Family Membership to the Museum, free tickets to the "Shark" Exhibition accompanied by gorgeous Guy Harvey coffee table books, free tickets to the wine tasting of your choice as well as a free month of The Glamorous Gourmet Wine Club, complete with wines and recipes to pair with them. We also gave special recognition to two very special guests who have been with us since the beginning, Kathleen Van Schalkwyk and Jill Harris. 

Our official theme of the evening was "Take a Walk on the Wild Side with some Alternative Grape Varieties" and featured three wines selected specifically to indulge your inner wine geek! The wines were accompanied by the delicious cuisine of Hugh's Catering whom we have had the pleasure of working with on many of the events in the series. We also gave a big round of applause and heartfelt thank you to Republic National Distributing Company for their ongoing support over the past two years! 

In the spirit of wine geekiness, the evening's wines were made from grape varieties a little off the beaten path but delicious nonetheless and definitely worth experiencing:

2008 Pfaffl Grüner Veltliner Austrian Pepper 

The home of Mozart, Edelweiss and Riedel Crystal has a long, rich tradition of winemaking that dates back to approximately 700 B.C. Nowadays Austria is a dynamic wine region characterized by its white wines which account for approximately 65% of the country's total production.
 

More than one third of the vineyards are planted to Grüner Veltliner, a white grape which is indigenous to Austria and not found much outside its borders. Austria’s wine law, which is very similar to Germany’s, dictates grape variety and yields within delineated zones of production. This particular wine hails from Austria's largest wine-growing area, Niederösterreich which is located near the capital of Vienna.
 

This wine is 100% Grüner Veltliner fermented in stainless steel to preserve its fresh fruit flavors and acidity. It is bright green-yellow in color with hints of citrus, minerals and herbs on the nose. On the palate, flavors of lime zest, honeydew melon and white pepper follow through on a refreshing finish. This wine is a natural match for shellfish, grilled fish, chicken or Asian-inspired cuisine. Guests enjoyed this wine paired with deliciously refreshing Ceviche Shooters.

2010 Renato Ratti Barbera d'Alba  

Piedmont is one of Italy’s most revered wine regions and home to the majestic Barolos and Barbarescos made from the Nebbiolo grape. While lesser known, the Barbera grape provides the majority of the region’s everyday wines which are also capable of great style.
 

Unlike many producers, Renato Ratti entered the world of winemaking without a family tradition behind him. Free of any ancestral ties or responsibilities, he was able to face Barolo, "with neither pride nor prejudice, but with unfettered freedom." He was a true pioneer in the region, responsible for creating the first single-vineyard Barolos produced in the same tradition as Burgundy. Following his untimely death in 1988 his innovative wine-making philosophy lives on today thanks to the passion and commitment of his son Pietro.
 

This 100% Barbera is crafted from 20 year old vines located in the Torriglione vineyards situated in La Morra. The Tortonian soil creates wines that are approachable with marked fragrance, softness and elegance. This wine spent six months in French oak barriques creating a wine with an intense, ruby red color and aromas and flavors of ripe plum, cassis, violets and spice. This wine is perfect for pairing with heartier dishes such as aged cheeses, grilled or roasted meats and/or tomato based sauces. Guests enjoyed this lovely red paired with Hugh's Mediterranean Flatbreads.

 

2008 De Bortoli Deen Vat 4 Petit Verdot

Deen De Bortoli created his Vat Series with the idea of developing a range of delicious, full-flavored wines at an affordable price. Deen personally selected the blends and chalked the numbers on the vats to identify them. The Vat Series includes traditional varietal wines and also wines made from interesting varietals newer to Australia.
 

This wine hails from the Riverina wine region in New South Wales. Petit Verdot is one of Bordeaux’s classic black grape varieties which is currently enjoying a revival in Australia, where it performs exceptionally well. This late-ripening variety does well in the warmer climates of Australia and other New World wine regions compared to the cooler climes of France where it didn’t ripen as well due to climatic differences.  

This wine is a vibrant, deep ruby-purple color with heady aromas of blackberries, cherries, and violets. On the palate, rich dark fruit, chocolate and spice predominate along with chewy tannins imparted by the oak aging. Enjoy this wine paired with smoked meats, roasted or grilled lamb, veal chops, and/or a big, juicy steak. This wine was paired very well with Hugh's Lamb Rounds with Grain Mustard Demi-Glaze.

Looking forward to our next event on Thursday, July 19th featuring "The Rosé Lifestyle of St. Tropez with Chateau d'Esclans" with our Special Guest Paul Chevalier. We will have the pleasure of sampling the latest releases of some of the world's finest rosés. If you think you're not a fan of these delightfully pink dry wines, think again! To make reservations, please contact Gail Vilone at gvilone@moafl.org or (954) 262-0249. Hope to see you there! 

 

 

 

Cheers,

   

Boca Bacchanal Vintners Featured at Museum of Art "Wine & Food" Event!

Last Thursday's "Art of Wine & Food" tasting event at The Museum of Art, Ft. Lauderdale, marked my first event back at the Museum since hip surgery. I have to say, it felt pretty darn good! We had a fabulous group of folks turn out and we got to enjoy our evening in the Museum's Marks Gallery which exuded an elegant ambiance. Our theme of the evening was "Wines of the Winter Season: Hearty Wines that Will Warm you Up - Paired with Your Favorite Comfort Foods" - and boy, did they! We enjoyed some wonderful wines that will be featured at the upcoming Boca Bacchanal March 18-20th, and culinary creations by the charismatic Chef Hugh McCauley of Hugh's Catering. It was an evening of some very special pairings!

Butternut Squash Bisque & ZD California Chardonnay

Our first wine of the evening was a 2009 ZD California Chardonnay. ZD Wines was founded in 1969 by Norman deLeuze and Gino Zepponi, two former aerospace engineers who pursued their dream to produce world-class wines. Their goal was to produce wines similar to those from the renowned Burgundy region using the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grape varieties. If tonight was any indication - they  have definitely succeeded! The 100% Chardonnay had aromas of tropical fruit and green apple with hints of vanilla, pear and honey. It had a lovely roundness on the palate with ripe apricot and oak that integrated nicely with the balanced acidity. Chef Hugh created an amazingly delicious Butternut Squash Bisque with Creme Fraiche, Chives and Paprika Oil that paired beautifully with the creaminess of the wine. I have to say, I have never heard so many men (yes, MEN!) express how much they enjoyed a Chardonnay!

Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops & Louis Jadot Santenay

Second, we poured a 2007 Domaine Louis Jadot Santenay "Clos du Malte" Burgundy. Founded in 1859, Maison Louis Jadot focuses on the classic grapes of Burgundy: Pinot Noir for reds, Chardonnay for whites and Gamay for Beaujolais. The vineyards of Maison Louis Jadot are scattered across 154 hectares (385 miles) of Burgundy, from the Cote d'Or to the Maconnais and down into Beaujolais. Santenay is the southernmost commune of the Cote d'Or located in the southern part of the Cote de Beaune, just after Chassagne Montrachet. "Clos de Malte" is actually a 7 hectare (17.5 mile) "Monopole" (meaning Louis Jadot is the sole owner) situated at the foot of the Montagne des Troix Croix. This 100% Pinot Noir was rife with warm spice, candied cherry flavors and subtle earthy notes. With it's polished tannins and food friendly acidity, this wine was a fabulous pairing for Chef Hugh's Pistachio Crusted Lamb Chops and Parsnip Puree. A perceivable hush fell over the crowd as participants savored this mouth-watering duo!

Beef Rossini Tenderloin & Hall Napa Valley Cab

Finally, we served a 2007 Hall Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon. Hall Winery was established by Craig and Kathryn Hall in 2005 amid the legendary Sacrashe Vineyard in the hills of Rutherford, California. The Halls specialize in making single vineyard and limited production wines with their extensive estate vineyards encompassing more than five hundred acres of classic Bordeaux varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc. The 2007 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a blend of 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc aged for 18 months in 60% new French oak. It was a deep, luscious garnet color with aromas of blackberry, plum, chocolate and spice. On the palate, this was a BIG wine! Flavors of blackberry, cassis and semisweet chocolate were accompanied by very firm, youthful tannins. This wine could have benefited from more time in the bottle as well as decanting in order to aerate it, and soften it a bit. The Cab lovers in the group were smitten though and the wine paired wonderfully with Chef Hugh's Beef Rossini Tenderloin on Garlic Crostini with Foie Gras Topped with Onion Marmalade. 

Cheers to Chef Hugh and his wonderful team for a fabulous event! For more information on the upcoming Boca Bacchanal & Auction held on March 19th please click here. Our next event at the Museum of Art, Ft. Lauderdale "Women of Wine: Sample Wines Created by the Fairer Sex. Learn Why Women May Have a Wine-Making Advantage," will be March 24th. For more information, please check the "Events" tab above - hope to see you there. Also, a big thanks to Amy Traiger for the use of her fabulous photos for this post!

 Cheers,