We belong to several wine clubs and never seem to take advantage of all they offer. One of our 2011 resolutions was to go to more of the wine club events and have more fun with our wines. So, our first Big Event was the Bogle Bandwagon (their wine club) Barrel Room Dinner on 4/15/11. Bogle Winery is in the Sacramento Delta, just off Route 160 on a scary, narrow, winding levee road that you do not want to drive while drunk. Kinda ironic, huh? The winery and tasting room are unpretentious, and the staff are fun and interesting, so we thought this sounded like a blast - and it was! The food was prepared by Hawks restaurant in Granite Bay, near our home in Roseville. We've heard wonderful reviews of this restaurant and have yet to go, but after last night's dinner, we will be rectifying that soon!
So, following are the wine and food pairing, first the wine, then the food.
2010 Dry Chenin Blanc, Clarksburg - Tank Sample paired with Shaved Spring Vegetable Salad with Goat Cheese Mousse and Pistachio Vinaigrette
A good Chenin Blanc is one of my favorite sipping whites, and I love them when they remind me of fresh cotton or linen that has been line-dried. Weird, I know, but that really does it for me, and this one really did it for me. The nose was of crisp apple and lemongrass, fairly light and bright. The front of the wine had a beautiful crisp balance of apple and lemongrass with the mid-palate bringing in a tart note of clementine. The finish was just what I wanted, a dry, fresh cottony note that lingered briefly on the palate like a summer breeze. YUM. 10 out of 10 for that perfect fleeting moment. It paired perfectly with the fresh, bright salad and goat cheese mousse (have to try that at home!)
2009 Pinot Noir, California, paired with Sweet Pea Agnolotti with Braised Rabbit, Carrot Pearls and Pea Shoots
The pinot had a smoky nose with hints of plum and rose. The front of the wine had big bright flavors of cherry and rose, and mid-palate brought in oaky tannins with pepper and cinnamon. The finish was medium with cinnamon and cherry lingering on the palate. It was good, and paired very nicely with the rabbit. 7 out of 10 points. I thought the mid-palate was a little flat. The rabbit was sweet, tender and delicious, but the agnolotti (I have a family recipe for this, so I know what I like) needed to be cooked a few minutes longer. The sweet pea filling was delicious, though, and I am going to try making it myself.
2006 Reserve Petite Sirah, Clarksburg & 2007 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Old River Vineyard, Barrel Sample, paired with Slow-Roasted Dixon Lamb Shoulder with Pommes Purees and Red-wine Braised Onions
First, I preferred the Cabernet Sauvignon with the lamb, as the dish had very strong flavors that overwhelmed the Petite Sirah. If this were the first time I tried the Petite Sirah, I would not have rated it well, as I could not get much from the wine when paired with the lamb. However, I have had the 2006 Reserve Petite Sirah before and it is one of my favorite Bogle wines. (See my blog post about Red Wine Reductions.) So, I will focus on the Cab here, which was a barrel sample that impressed. The nose was a nice balance of leather, oak, pine, and coffee. The front of the wine brought flavors of dark cherry, leather, and rounded tannins, and the mid-palate delighted with flavors of plum, rosemary, and chocolate. The finish was rather tannic with lingering notes of cherry and leather. I think this wine will develop very nicely, and if it is priced similar to other Bogle cabernets, it will be an exceptional value. 8 out of 10! I am not a huge fan of lamb, it has an aftertaste that to me tastes like (this is gross) the smell of old men's unwashed clothes. Uck, and I can only eat so much of it before I can't take it any more. However, the lamb was perfectly prepared and if you are a fan of it, you would have loved it. I loved the red-wine braised pearl onions (see my red wine reduction posts.)
2007 Petite Sirah Port Clarksburg paired with Valrhona Dark Chocolate Cremeux with Dark Caramel and Cocoa Nib Gelato
Oh, heaven. Port and Chocolate, my heart's desire. Okay, Bogle's Port is not going to win against any Portugese ports, and I really prefer Graham's Tawny (especially the 10- or 20-year versions) but for the price, it is a damn fine port. It has notes of cedar, dark plum and cherry, and a little bit of a cough syrup flavor at the end, which is why I can only give it 6 out of 10 points, but since I have three bottles of various years of this port, I have to say it's a fun and friendly version. It overwhelmed the chocolate Cremeux, however, and went much better with the Dark Caramel Gelato. Still...chocolate and wine! I am not complaining!
We had a blast at this event, and met some very nice fellow Bandwagon members, including one who pours at Winterhawk Winery in Fairfield on Saturday afternoons. See you soon, Ron!
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