Winemaker’s Dinner: fourth in a series from Stoney Ridge
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Event: Winemaker’s Dinner: fourth in a series from Stoney Ridge The Venue: the Print Room of Truffles, Four Seasons Hotel The Target Audience: wine media and private clients The Availability/Catalogue: part of the dinner was to introduce the new Winemaker’s Reserve Wines, here the Cabernet Franc 2004, limited edition, ultra premium, aged for two years in oak. Winemaker Liubomir Popovici spoke to all of the wines, which included some future releases.
The Quote: “Some of the wines here are simply not yet available until early 2007 – some are just babies at this point”.
The Wines: we began with a reception, little inviting finger foods to accompany the unoaked Charlotte’s Chardonnay 2003 ($24.95, lush and plush, braced with tropical fruit and a citric leanness). This was followed by the Proprietor’s Reserve Sparkling Wine 2005 ($34.95, to be released in March 2007 unfortunately missing the Valentine season, Kew Vineyard, 50% young vines of Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, bottled January 2006, biscuit nose and tiny bubbles reflective of the traditional method). The Founders Pinot Noir 2004 ($42.95) was sold out, but the 2005 will be in the spring. The 2004 had some juicy complexity, 13 ABV, and showed its strength by complementing the next two dishes! The Reserve Chardonnay 2005 Old Vines ($24.95) was not yet ready. It needed time to age, it was a bit out-of-balance, with definite French oak and clove tones. You cannot get it until next Spring anyway, so it will have a chance to improve. The first in a series of Winemaker’s Reserve wines went to Cabernet Franc 2004, from the Wismer Vineyard. It is certainly tight at this stage, but looks promising for delivering tamed down leafiness. The Gewurztraminer Icewine 1999 ($59.95) had been barrel aged for two years, which gave it a certain unique complexity and somewhat smoothed out the spiciness.
The Food: Chef Laura Kirk prepared the five course meal and spoke to the dishes. The cauliflower veloute with the sparkler was dead on, as was the roast squab and foie gras ravioli with the pinot. The peppered monkfish came with the chardonnay, but was also appropriate with the pinot. The pinot was also good with truffle braised short ribs, although the cabernet franc was outstanding here. For dessert, we had a vanilla panna cotta which was a bit overwhelmed by the icewine.
The Downside: you’ll have to wait for the wines, except for Charlotte and the Gewurztraminer, but the wait will be worth it.
The Upside: it was indeed a treat to test drive some wines before their nominal release date, and I wish more wineries would do this.
Winemaker’s Dinner: fourth in a series from Stoney Ridge
Wednesday, October 25, 2006
The Event: Winemaker’s Dinner: fourth in a series from Stoney Ridge The Venue: the Print Room of Truffles, Four Seasons Hotel The Target Audience: wine media and private clients The Availability/Catalogue: part of the dinner was to introduce the new Winemaker’s Reserve Wines, here the Cabernet Franc 2004, limited edition, ultra premium, aged for two years in oak. Winemaker Liubomir Popovici spoke to all of the wines, which included some future releases.
The Quote: “Some of the wines here are simply not yet available until early 2007 – some are just babies at this point”.
The Wines: we began with a reception, little inviting finger foods to accompany the unoaked Charlotte’s Chardonnay 2003 ($24.95, lush and plush, braced with tropical fruit and a citric leanness). This was followed by the Proprietor’s Reserve Sparkling Wine 2005 ($34.95, to be released in March 2007 unfortunately missing the Valentine season, Kew Vineyard, 50% young vines of Chardonnay, 40% Pinot Noir, bottled January 2006, biscuit nose and tiny bubbles reflective of the traditional method). The Founders Pinot Noir 2004 ($42.95) was sold out, but the 2005 will be in the spring. The 2004 had some juicy complexity, 13 ABV, and showed its strength by complementing the next two dishes! The Reserve Chardonnay 2005 Old Vines ($24.95) was not yet ready. It needed time to age, it was a bit out-of-balance, with definite French oak and clove tones. You cannot get it until next Spring anyway, so it will have a chance to improve. The first in a series of Winemaker’s Reserve wines went to Cabernet Franc 2004, from the Wismer Vineyard. It is certainly tight at this stage, but looks promising for delivering tamed down leafiness. The Gewurztraminer Icewine 1999 ($59.95) had been barrel aged for two years, which gave it a certain unique complexity and somewhat smoothed out the spiciness.
The Food: Chef Laura Kirk prepared the five course meal and spoke to the dishes. The cauliflower veloute with the sparkler was dead on, as was the roast squab and foie gras ravioli with the pinot. The peppered monkfish came with the chardonnay, but was also appropriate with the pinot. The pinot was also good with truffle braised short ribs, although the cabernet franc was outstanding here. For dessert, we had a vanilla panna cotta which was a bit overwhelmed by the icewine.
The Downside: you’ll have to wait for the wines, except for Charlotte and the Gewurztraminer, but the wait will be worth it.
The Upside: it was indeed a treat to test drive some wines before their nominal release date, and I wish more wineries would do this.
The Contact Person: Art Coles acoles@stoneyridge.com
The Effectiveness (numerical grade): 91.