Wine Tasting Dinner & an Order

I attended a wine tasting last night at a local resturant. The owners are good friends. The back room was packed with xenophiles & foodies eagerly awaiting the tasty treats.

*Blogger's note: Alas, I didn't have the foresight to bring a notepad with me. I wrote my notes on the order form. Since I ordered 2.5 cases, my notes went with the order. I've reconstructed all this from memory. I'll try & add to this post when the wine arrives later this week (by Friday, it is hope).

Porter Zana (?) Lambrusco served with Polenta cake topped with a hearty bolonaise sauce. A dry Lambrusco - can you believe it?! Fruit forward and full bodied. A nice apertif to start the evening.

Four Vines Naked Chardonnay served with a creamy Cesar salad. Wow! At last a California Chardonnay that tastes like something other than oak or butter. I have friends who absolutely rave about Toasted Head Chardonnay. While it is a great wine for a small price, I think it has a heavy, melted butter flavor. I want to eat butter, not drink it. (Of course, when I was in high school, one of my friends suggested rubbing butter on herself for sunbathing, but, ewww, that's just gross.)

My friend, Ron Anderson, actually visited the Four Vines Paso Robles vineyard earlier this week. He & his wife came home from that tasting trip to a crashed server. Ron's been scrambling to repost all the blogs. (I'll include his Four Vines blog in a later post.) Here's his blog anyway: www.thewinespace.com

The next course featured Sicilia Nero d'Avola served with a wild mushroom risotto. This is an Italian grape varietal that's becoming more popular. It had a nice bite to it.

Cantele Salice Salentino served with a beef stew, potatoes & steamed broccoli. A heavier wine almost similar to a cab, but without the mouthful of red. One of my fellow foodies thought my husband would like it. "It's a good wine for those who like beer," he said.

Dessert was tiramisu with a tawny port. (Obviously I wasn't impressed with the port. And I love, love, love port.)

All these wines are inexpensive and ready to cork and drink now. It was a delightful evening. I promise to remember my notes for the next wine adventure.