This event was a four course dinner with wine pairings – wines introduced by Ed Haddon, sommelier from Foreign Affair Winery, and food courses described by Chef Ben – apologies, no last name!

The evening was thoroughly enjoyable.

Over the course of the tasting Ed shared information on Italian style wines – appassimento, ripasso and recioto (sweet wine).

Appassimento technique – talked about Amarone and the drying of the grapes prior to making the wine. How to keep the grapes from rotting while drying – the first attempt at Foreign Affair was harvested too slowly, handled too much and piled up when stored. It all rotted. Today plastic trays go to the vineyard, grapes are hand harvested to these trays in a single layer and the trays are taken to drying sheds. No-one touches the grapes after picking, fans keep the air circulating in the drying sheds. White grapes dry a month to 6 weeks. Big red grape varietals may dry for a year.

Ripasso wine is “a poor man’s Amarone”. The skins from the appassimento wine are added to a fermentation of less robust grapes.

1st Course – Amuse-bouche

Crostini topped with bacon jam, cranberry, brie and a sorrel leaf – delicious combination of flavours – kind of lemony, super vibrant.

Accompanied by 2018 Conspiracy Bianco – $17.95 – a riesling, nice and fresh.

80% reisling and 20% sauvignon blanc. The skins came from the sauvignon blanc appasimento.

2nd Course – Appetizer

Seasonal soup – carrot, ginger, parship, spice (perfect for the early snow and cold)

Two wines – the first a 2017 Unoaked Chardonnay – 10% appasimento – remaining wine fermented in stainless steel tanks – $23.95 – acidic, lean – nicely cut through the richness of the soup – the second a 2018 Barrel Fermented Chardonnay – $26.95 – (10% appassimento with 1 month of drying time, remaining wine aged 9 months in French oak barrels) stood up to the intensity of the soup.

A complement wine – equal weight as the food – would be the oaked chardonnay with the rich soup. A foil wine is a contrast and can also work well. The unoaked chardonnay is more acidic and instead of matching it cuts the richness of the soup.

3rd Course – Entree

Pork tenderloin, prosciutto, squash risotto, maple bourbon demi glace.

Two wines – both Bordeaux varietals – the first the 2017 Conspiracy -$23.95 – (made ripasso style – skins and lees of the appassimento red grapes) – still making this wine in April – the second the 2016 Dream – $29.95 – (partial appassimento – a Bordeaux style blend – merlot cabernet franc, petit verdot, cabernet sauvignon). No two years are the same varietals or proportions. Base the blend on the strengths and weaknesses of the varietals in the year the wine is being blended.

Both wines paired well with the pork but the Dream was a more complex, interesting wine.

Interesting to see the difference in the glasses between the white wine and red wine offerings. Ed suggested we try a little red in the white wine glass and compare with the same wine in the red wine glass.

4th Course – Dessert

Butter tart – fig, pecan, maple, bourbon, dulce de leche, spice

2016 Marisa (Recioto style) – $49.95 – riesling grapes set aside to dry for 70 days. Fermentation is stopped when the desired sweetness and acidity is reached. Not as sweet as ice wine. Great pairing with this tart.

Sorry for the delay in posting on this event. Perhaps the timing is good! Several of these wines, e.g. the riesling and the Gewurtztraminer, go well with turkey.

Farewell to Nick

This was Nick’s last wine and dine as a RiverBend staffer. We gathered for the occasion, sipping on sparkling wine – Henkell Trocken.

As most of us know, Nick joined RiverBend about the same time we launched this website.

We celebrated his WSET achievements (Level One and Advanced) and joined him on virtual wine and dine journeys to California, South America, France, Italy and Australia.

All the best to Nick on the next stages of his career (can’t believe it has been almost three months) – hope we can entice him to host a wine event in 2020.

Apologies to Nick – we didn’t take any pictures of him on this occasion so I have included some earlier shots that reflect his contribution to RiverBend.

Welcome from Chanel

Chanel provided an overview of what was to come in the evening. The dishes follow an Eastern European theme (Kirk’s menu reflecting his family’s Austrian roots). Nick also commented on the treat of home style cooking.

1st Course

Seared Lamb and Cabbage Soup

Traditionally just cabbage soup in Russia. Paired with Irish seeded soda bread. No proofing time – mix and bake. Added a little cinnamon to the soup. Simmered for 4-5 hours. Lamb was melt in your mouth.

Paired with Pinot Gris from Pierre Sparr 2017 (Alsace). Very Germanic. A French version of Pinot Grigio. Very dry. Grapes left on the vine longer and the skins get a pink tone. Pear, nectarine, stone fruit. Rich, slightly sweet tone. Macerated with skins. Sweetness level is not listed on the label. Higher the alcohol percentage the dryer the wine (12.5% for this wine). In Alsace the label, Gran Reserve, is used if a better parcel of grapes. These wines are usually intended to be drunk young and fresh. Unusual to have a white wine match with a dish this rich. West coast pinot gris not as rich, terroir coming through.

2nd Course

House Made Pork Sausage Rolls

No certain origin – maybe France, pastry recipe from Hungary. Ground pork seasoned with salt, pepper, roasted garlic, thyme, oregano. Wrapped in puff pastry. Paired with Pommery mustard.

Paired with Darting Riesling Kabinett, Durkheimer Hochbenn Pfalz 2014. German wine, Kabinett style. Really good cellaring and aging potential. Grow on slopes so steep that all grapes are handpicked. Some sweetness but high acidity. Great food wine because of the acidity level. Salty and sweet also works well. Riesling also works with spicy chicken wings. Also great pairing with turkey.

River systems – main river through the wine region is the Rhine, other regions are the Ahr river and the Mosel river (steep slopes). The water reflects the sun, moderates the temperature. The cooler the region, the higher the acidity. The grapes are less ripe than hotter regions where there will be more sugar. Less sugar to ferment with means a lower alcohol level.

Some of the oldest wines are rieslings – still drinkable because of the acidity. Odd, Germans are fans of mould that collects on the bottles in the cellar.

3rd Course

Classic Chicken Paprikash

Chicken cooked with paprika – combination of smoked and regular paprika. Chicken broth, onions, tomatoes. Simmered for about 8 hours. Paired it with a spaetzle. Seasoned with salt, pepper, nutmeg.

Paired with Gewurtztraminer. Spicy grape. Does have a little bit of pink colour to the skins. Pairs well with spicy dishes – flavourful rather than hot. This wine is from Germany. Waterloo has a destination store for the LCBO for German wines. From Pfalz as well – Villa Wolf 2017. Touch of sweetness in this wine to go with the paprika. Lower alcohol – 11.5%. There is a greenish tinge to the wine. Also a good wine for turkey!!

4th Course

Steamed Dumpling with Smoked Bacon and Forest Mushroom Compote

Very rich – steamed dumpling, yeast dough that rises briefly and is then steamed – paired with mushroom compote – shiitake mushrooms, oyster mushrooms, bacon, pork fat, onions, coriander, garlic – garnished with a little parsley.

Chef Kirk says this dish is something he grew up with.

German red paired with this dish. Pinot Noir but the German name is Spätburgunder – late ripening Burgundy grape. Also acquired at the LCBO in Waterloo. Comes from Baden, the most southern region in Germany and the warmest. The river Nectar influences the vineyards, warming during the night. Age this pinot in giant vats so minimizes oak influence. Tannin from the skins that makes this a bigger bodied wine. Also Weissburgunder – white – and Grauburgunder – pinot gris. Labelling system called the VDP, a privately owned board that rates the wines from the regions, is displayed on the bottle. Another term is Grosses Gewächs which relates to the dryness.

5th Course

Braised Brisket and Blue Cheese Pierogi

“Sometimes things in the kitchen just don’t go the way you were hoping for.” The pierogi effort failed. Chanel offered potato pancake, latke, instead of the pierogi. Everyone has potatoes in the pantry! Paired with creme fraiche.

The red wine is from California, not Germany. New world wines have good ripeness and the fruit characteristic really stands out. Blue cheese is very difficult to pair wines with – sweet wine a natural. This wine is a Robert Mondavi Bordeaux style blend – Cabernet Sauvignon, merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot. Skins remain with the juice on this wine for 2 1/2 days. It is aged in French oak. Maestro series 2014 – $67. The wine was poured out of a decanter – still a little tight so aeration helped. Decanted about 3 hours before pouring. This wine is technically a “meritage” which is an American term for the Bordeaux blend. It is an expression of winemaker’s skill at blending proportions of these varietals in order to deliver a consistent wine year after year. In France the proportions are regulated so year on year there are may be significant vintage variations.

Nick expounded on decanting – one reason to decant is for a young, robust red wine is that really needs more time in the bottle and the time aerating helps bring out the fruit – decanting an old wine is usually only to remove the sediment and the wine is poured immediately.

6th Course

Plum Pie Soaked with Vanilla Custard

Dessert is Chanel’s favourite. Pizza dough recipe, sweetened, with ripe plums, raw sugar and West5 honey. Vanilla custard – butter, vanilla, sugar, brandy. Chanel gave kudos to her team who were swamped in the kitchen with a full roster.

Aszu is a berry affected by “noble rot”, botrytis. The region in Hungary is quite humid, the moisture sticks to the grape and the fungus attaches. depleting the grape of water thereby increasing the density of the sugar. Harvest is very time consuming – picking for about a week to get the berries as they are ready. Have a base wine, 10% alcohol and already fermented. Add the berries into this wine and another fermentation takes place. A little more alcohol and more sweetness. The wine is aged in an oak cast which is unusual for a sweet wine. Really good stone fruit, honey – comes from the fungus.

Aside – Muscatali – Tokaj Eszencia – press the “rot” grapes into a paste. 454 grams of sugar per litre by law. Takes three years to complete the fermentation process. Mere $290 a 350 ml bottle.

Trivia ( I think these are the right answers – corrections accepted. I didn’t get them all.😒)

Type of wine not grown in Alsace – Chardonnay

Is it appropriate to send back a bottle just because you don’t like it? – NO

Which German wine is the sweetest? – Trockbeerenauslese

What does the German word trocken mean? – Dry

Pairing a wine with spicy Chinese or Thai dinner – Gewurtztraminer

What does the term reserve mean for a U.S. wine? – Nothing

Chaptalization is adding to wine to balance its taste – False

This “Wine and Dine” had a new creator point person – Chanel Gulych, Sous Chef. Kirk Weiss, Executive Chef, introduced her glowingly (energy, enthusiasm, just infectious, team player) and her creations lived up to his praise of her abilities. Chanel returned the compliments noting that Kirk is the best chef she has worked with.

Asked for recipes she said she was pleased to provide information as close as possible to what was served. “Don’t want to give all my secrets…sort of make things up as we go along…improvising as we go.” Commented that she had really enjoyed the event. “All these new modern plating techniques around now. I have been dying to try.”

The oohs and aahs as the dishes were served certainly confirmed that we were very impressed with the plating, the flavours and, yes, the wine pairings. Nick Attard, WSET Certified Advanced, outdid himself yet again.

1st Course

Grilled Watermelon Stack with Pressed Feta Cheese, garnished with arugula and a balsamic reduction

Chanel introduced this first dish – “I love pretty things!” A little sugar during grilling. Pressed feta giving a creamier texture.

Nick paired this dish with a sparkling rosé from the coastal Abruzzo region of Italy (Fantini/Farnese). Noted the salinity of the wine. Also high acidity – red grape, Aglianico. Every bottle has a little Swarovski crystal on it. Non-vintage.

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2nd Course

Vermicelli wrapped prawns with house-made chilli salsa

Large shrimp. Crispy noodle pancake. Shrimp seasoned with salt and pepper and finished roasting in the oven. Topped with lime chilli sauce (started with plum sauce, added extra spicing to it).

Nick gave the group two options for this course. Both were Spanish wines. First wine was a blend and had a touch of sweetness – added Muscat grape. Designer wine from a Japanese winemaker (wine for sushi). Second wine was a single grape, albarino, from the coast of Spain. Like the rosé a little salinity. Both wines were made with a “no oxygen” method.

3rd Course

Seared Scallops with fresh cucumber ribbons and butter sautéed spring peas over micro greens

Beautiful plating. Marinated cucumbers, little lemon. Salt, pepper and butter. Edible flower.

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Nick’s pairing was a chardonnay from a warm climate. The nose was tropical fruit. Cross Barn is an oaked Sonoma wine. Barrel aged, aerobic fermentation – exposed to oxygen. 95% old oak. 5% in new oak. 8 months of aging and then blended. Small batches, hand-picked grapes. Chardonnay is known as the chameleon grape – the winemaker can have a lot of influence on the final product.

4th Course

Roasted vegetable rose served with fennel cream

Continuation of flower theme (and beautiful plating). A roasted vegetable rose. Natural reduction of cream with fennel infused. Shreds of asparagus underneath marinated in orange juice to balance the liquorice. Purple yams, carrots, zucchini, leeks – with a little orange zest and roasted red paper flavouring. Vegetables sliced using a mandolin.

This dish Nick paired with a Pinot Noir wine. New world. Sonoma county. All hand-picked, not a large production, very little new oak. The old oak enhances the flavour in this wine. Earthy tones. Pinot Noir is usually medium bodied. Warm climate Pinot Noir will often be “jammy”. French style is the earthy characteristic rather than fruit forward.

5th Course

Braised short ribs with a spiced carrot purée

Braised for 6 hours, “melt in your mouth”, real maple syrup, house-made demi, mustard. Carrot puree very simple – salt, pepper and a little ginger. Pommes frites on top.

The wine pairing – Nick poured a Ridge Three Valleys blend from Sonoma County. 4 grapes – Zinfandel, Carignan, Petit Syrah, Grenache. This wine Nick describes as a “winemaker’s beauty” rather than a reflection of terroir. This winery does have excellent vineyard specific “terroir” wines as well. The blend is the strength of this wine. The main grape, the zinfandel, has characteristics of red fruit and black fruit. It doesn’t ripen evenly – nature of the skins of the grapes – at least 80% need to be ripe or there will be green, bitter overtones. Zinfandel works really well with barbecue sauces. Can confuse people because Zinfandel is often associated with white/rosé wine – California does produce a “white” zinfandel.

6th Course

Raspberry sorbet with meringue rose drops and candied lemon peel

Chanel’s favourite course. Local raspberries. A little apricot puree as well. A little lime. Meringue leaves. Candied lemon peel on top and edible flowers. The final pairing from Nick was a Canadian Cabernet Franc icewine. Icewine is a very challenging wine. To harvest the temperature has to be below freezing (8C) and the grapes need to stay frozen until pressed. Picking late at night or early morning and sorting outdoors. Very concentrated. Lusciously sweet. Serve in small servings. The lower the alcohol percentage the higher the sugar. Fermentation stops naturally and the yeast can’t manage to convert all the sugar. Can start a meal with icewine.

Finally

Another wonderful wine and dine – thanks from all of us who enjoyed this event. Kudos to the whole team.