Our very good friends and neighbors Cher and Chris live in another world: the 9 to 5 world where life begins early in the day. It's rare that they ever really have a chance to cut loose and come to the dark side with Kara and I. EXCEPT - on three-day weekends! So, we have a standing commitment every three-day weekend to live it up with the CVA's (Cher and Chris).
We opened the party with a White Bean Puree on Crostini that Kara made from Nancy Silverton's A Twist of the Wrist. It's a simple but delicious recipe and I think they even serve this at Pizzeria Mozza. A cheese plate, of course, as well. And Cher made these really awesome Panko and Coconut-Crusted Shrimp with a Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce.
To pair to the cheese and shrimp, I opened the recently released Sanguis 'Ramshackle and Threadbare' 2008. If you don't know this winery, you should! Matthias Pippig (owner and winemaker) was Manfred Krankl's assistant (Sine Qua Non) and is pretty much making SQN Jr. With this wine, he branches out from Manfred's mold on his whites and offers an intriguing blend of Roussane, Malvasia Bianca and just a touch of Viognier. The wine is very stone-fruit focused and, while fat on the palate, seems to remain crisp. I was actually pulling a little coconut off the wine which made me think it'd be badass with the shrimp. Man, was it!
The dinner turned out fairly perfectly, if I may say so. I tried to keep it somewhat simple so only one course plated: Beef Wellington, Twice Baked Potato and Sauteed Summer Corn.
Chris pulled a bottle from his cellar and wanted to blind taste me so he foiled it. As we sat for dinner and I sucked down the rest of the Sanguis, I was primed and ready to be tested. For their enjoyment and boredom, I ran through the entire MS format and came to the final conclusion of a 1999 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon (potentially Stag's Leap AVA). It turned out to be a 2001 Napa Cabernet Sauvignon from Spring Mountain Vineyard AVA. Close...
I also pulled a bottle and let Kara taste it blind. She didn't go through the format for Cher and Chris, but rather just powered out an impressive conclusion (gut reaction!) Her instinct was a 1986 Left Bank Bordeaux. Well, she was only ten years off, but otherwise dead on with the 1996 Pichon Baron from Pauillac. This wine was drinking surprisingly well for a 1996 - soft integrated tannins and quite a bit of tobacco leaf on the nose and palate. Could have maybe wanted a touch more fruit. A solid wine and I was glad to find it less tannic than many of the other 1996's I've had in recent years.
Chris selected a 1997 Grgich Hills Cabernet Sauvignon from the "Guest Grab Bag" Cellar for a post-dinner bottle. I've been underwhelmed with the 1997's for years now and this was no exception. While imminently drinkable, there was very little structure left to this wine and not much more than some ripe (but evolved) fruit. Not bad, but not good - it's Grgich Hills...
The games ensued and the real partying began. I did have a couple of simple desserts prepared, though. First was a Classic Crepe with Nutella. This is just a crowd-pleaser everytime. Who doesn't love Crepes?!!! The second was a very simple Baked Peach with Nocello Whipped Cream and a Tupelo Honey Drizzle.
To pair to the peach dessert, I opened a 2001 Chateau Myrat Sauternes. I've never found this to be a profound wine, but it's a great vintage and relatively inexpensive for Sauternes. Kara loved it back when we first tasted it, but she was also brand new to Sauternes and seemed to like ALL of them. The wine was good: some baked apricot flavors and honey, orange marmalade, lemon. Not cloying at all - I might have even liked a little more perception of sweetness. The peach was great, though, and it makes me want to cook some more simple fruit desserts before the summer is over.
Another fantastic party! Thanks to the CVA's for their participation and contributions! What a relief that home was only three doors away. At least no one passed out this time...
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