Maison Joseph Drouhin & Napa Valley's La Toque are a Perfect Pairing at Boca Bacchanal Vintner Dinner!

Kate Toomey, Me & Sharon Shubin
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Murdoch Titcomb

We recently celebrated the 10th Anniversary of the Boca Bacchanal, a weekend-long celebration of food and wine that benefits the Boca Raton Historical Society. As Chairs of the event this year, I am pleased to announce we raised over $300,000 to benefit the Historic Preservation and Heritage Education Programs of the BRHS. A tremendous thank you to everyone who supported the event this year!

The weekend began with Vintner Dinners held on Friday night in private homes and clubs in Boca Raton and Delray Beach. My husband Steve and I co-hosted a Vintner Dinner with our friends Kate and Ted Toomey and Bill and Sharon Shubin at the Seagate Beach Club. Our dinner featured the renowned wines of Burgundy's Maison Joseph Drouhin paired with the cuisine of Napa Valley's heralded La Toque, recipient of a coveted Michelin star. Representing his family's estate was the charming Laurent Drouhin, a member of the fourth generation of the family perpetuating the legacy of Joseph Drouhin established in 1880. From La Toque, Chef-proprietor Ken Frank created our amazing menu and, along with his beautiful wife Sherylle, graced the kitchen to prepare our fabulous five course meal. The pairing of Chef and Vintner was a splendid match in terms of both flavor and philosophy. 

Chef Ken Frank & Black Truffles

Prior to the event, Chef Ken shipped in some special ingredients especially for our dinner. Two items of particular interest included black  truffles from Italy (some of the last of the season) and Colossal Dutch white asparagus straight from Holland (the first of the season). I had the pleasure of observing him in the kitchen the day of the event and definitely learned a thing or two including how to make perfect lardons - dangerous! I also had the chance to speak with him about the controversial California foie gras ban set to take effect July 1st, 2012. More about that in a future post!

As guests arrived at the Sea Gate Beach Club, located on the shores of the Atlantic in Delray Beach, they were greeted with a flute of Champagne Taittinger Brut La Francaise NV and a delicious assortment of hors d'ouevres including Freshly Baked Gougeres, Smoked Salmon Mousse, Patatas Bravas, and Curried Dungeness Crab. While everyone sipped and savored, the music of our jazz trio provided an atmosphere of relaxed coastal elegance. Steve and I were very happy to have reconnected with one of our favorite vocalists, local jazz legend Samm, since she had performed at our wedding almost eight years before! We were so glad she could join us for this event.

Steve & Laurent Drouhin
Photo courtesy of Elizabeth Murdoch Titcomb 

As the Champagne reception drew to a close, guests took their seats at tables adorned with Tiffany Blue tablecloths and vases brimming with coral-hued French tulips. Once everyone was seated, Laurent introduced us to his family's estate and shared some personal anecdotes about growing up among the vineyards of Burgundy. He was also kind enough to speak about each of the spectacular wines as they were poured, giving revelers a better insight into the history and terroir present in every glass. We then had the distinct pleasure of enjoying each wine paired with a dish created specifically to highlight its unique characteristics and nuances:

 

Tai Snapper with Sweet Garlic Puree and Sauce Verte

Les Clos Vaudon Chablis Grand Cru 2009

Colossol Dutch White Asparagus with Maine Lobster and Fresh Black Truffle

Beaune Clos des Mouches Blanc 2009

Spring Vegetable Salad with Duck Confit and Seared Artisan Foie Gras

Beaune Clos des Mouches Rouge 2009

Bouef Bourguignon "Moderne"

Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru 2009

Crepes with Blood Orange

Quady Essencia 2010  

Following our fabulous meal, Chef Ken emerged from the kitchen and both Chef and Vintner received an extremely well-deserved round of applause. They were also kind enough to answer a few food and wine related questions from our dinner guests. One of which was, "What's your favorite Drouhin wine?" Without committing to one in particular, Laurent stated he generally prefers wines that are more feminine in style. Chef Frank said his favorite wine of the evening was the Les Clos Vaudon Chablis Grand Cru. Another guest asked about the sourcing of foie gras to which Chef Ken replied he only uses the most reputable domestic producers. Again, more about that in a future post! 

Following dessert guests lingered and relaxed on the balcony enjoying the remainder of the wine and the cool ocean breeze. Steve managed to convince some of the guys it was also the perfect time for indulging in cigars! As guests left, they received a sweet reminder of the evening custom made by the The Occasional Cookie Company featuring our fabulous Chef and Vintner.

On behalf of my husband Steve and our co-hosts, I'd like to thank our amazing Chef and Vintner for a truly magical evening. We'd also like to express our heartfelt thanks to some other very important people including Cathy McNellen and the staff of the Seagate Beach Club for all their hard work and attention to detail; Julia Johnston and Steve Mednick for their invaluable pre-event assistance and for stepping in as sous chefs for the evening; and Elizabeth Murdoch Titcomb and Katherine Regna our liaisons and photographer for the evening. We couldn't have done it without you!

Cheers,

Winesday with Gary Vee: a California Chardonnay & Winery Not to Be Missed!

In keeping with the white Burgundy theme, this Winesday Gary has selected a lovely California Chardonnay that can hold its own against these classic French offerings. Here's what he had to say about the 2009 Frank Family Chardonnay:

"The current Daily Grape Newsletter is loaded with 70+ white Burgundy tasting notes and reviews, but sprinkled in the mix are a handful of Chardonnays from other regions around the world. This flight of white Burgundy set the Chardonnay bar high...they're hard to compete with. The 2009 Frank Family Chardonnay from Napa Valley though, proved it can compete on the same level with so many of its French counterparts. Like many Napa Valley Chardonnays, this wine is laced with a fair amount of oak. The key is, it's well integrated and matches up to the hedonistic, undeniable (apple and coconut fruit), making it downright delicious. It's also priced pretty fairly, when compared with so many over priced Chardonnays in the same category. Frank Family is one of my favorite places to visit in Napa, so stop by their Calistoga tasting room if you ever get the chance and tell them I sent you."

Gary's tasting note: Super bright and vibrant nose, with a nice balance of coconut, oak, and butterscotch. As I taste this wine, I can't help to think...this is what I wish Rombauer Chardonnay was! I don't like to compare wines within a tasting note, but the extreme popularity of Rombauer with its buttery, oaky style makes me realize why this wine would be extremely popular, with its additional acid structure and focus that will appease wine nerds and traditional Cali Chardonnay lovers alike.

2009 Frank Family Vineyards Chardonnay
100% Chardonnay
91 Points
$29 MSRP

Winesday with Gary Vee: Think Pink this Summer with a Provençal-Style Rosé from the USA & Recipe for Mussels “Marinières!"

This Winesday, Gary shares his thoughts on rosé wines and gives us a fabulous recommendation from the USA. Perfect for drinking this Memorial Day - Enjoy!

"With Spring in full effect, it's getting to be rosé season. Ladies, this will go great with all those outfits and guys, don't be afraid of the pink stuff! On a more serious note, there's so much more out there than just that sweet, White Zin your Grandma used to drink. The 2009 Azur Rosé from Napa Valley is inspired by the great rosé wines from the South of France. Bone-dry with great strawberry and rose petal characteristics, it's making a push to become one of the best domestic rosé wines I've ever had."

Gary's Tasting Note: An almost coppery kind of rose shade, with a little hint of strawberry and rose petal on the nose. Wonderful acidity...this is yum-yum city. Kudos to Azur for allowing me to believe that there's real potential for rose in California. At the time of the tasting, I don't know this wine's price but if it's under $25, it's making a push for one of the best domestic premium roses I've ever had." Score: 89+ points!

The Azur California website shared this recipe that pairs nicely with a Provençal-style rosé like this one. One of the things I love about rosé is it pairs nicely with a variety of dishes or, frankly, nothing at all. Hope you enjoy this one!

Mussels “Marinières” 
"Recipes from Provence" by René Husson
Serves 6 
9 lbs of mussels 
2 garlic cloves 
1 large onion 
2 shallots 
1 bunch of parsley 
3⁄4 cup of crème fraiche 
1 cup of white wine Olive oil
Debeard the mussels and rub off the excess seaweed, rinse in cold water.
In a large pot, warm the olive oil and sauté the minced shallots and onion, then add in the chopped parsley.
Add the mussels and let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring from time to time.
Pour on the white wine and continue simmer for 5 minutes.
At the last moment, add the crème fraiche, stir in and serve right away.