Patti and Jim Lafferty present Frank Family’s Chardonnay from Carneros Region of Napa Valley.
Barb Robinson flambeaus the meringue on Baked Alaska with kitchen torch.
Duke and Sue Halsted hosted “Vinamare” at their home.
Teresa Blackburn-Korn
Duke and Sue Halsted hosted the final 2014 gathering for Vinamare Food and Wine Pairing Club, and what a spectacular event it was! The evening began with Jim and Patti Lafferty presenting a starter of prosciutto-wrapped fig, basil leaf and goat cheese on finger toast, which they paired with Chardonnay from the Frank Family’s Lewis Vineyard located in the heart of Napa in the area known as Carneros. The maritime influence of the Pacific Ocean creates the cool temperature, fog and wind that make Carneros ideal for growing world-class Chardonnay grapes. In 1990 Rich Frank, the owner, came to Napa from Hollywood where he was president of Walt Disney Studios and Paramount Television Group. Some of his successful television/movie properties include Cheers, Taxi, Family Ties, Golden Girls, Regis and Kathy Lee, Pretty Woman, Aladdin and The Lion King. He purchased the Kornell Champagne Cellars in Calistoga in 1992 and is now as successful a wine maker/producer as he is a Hollywood executive.
Dan and Marylon Nicolet offered an appetizer called Southern Caviar with chips and paired it with LaMerika Pinot Noir from California’s Central Coast. This 2011 Pinot Noir was awarded Gold from the San Francisco Chronical Wine Competition. It has aromas of strawberry, blackberry and sweet plum and flavors of red cherry and raspberry. Combined with silky tannins and balanced acidity, the finish was very nice and smooth.
Brad and Wanda Killingsworth presented Brie cheese covered with homemade fig compote and they perfectly paired it with a French Chardonnay. This Chardonnay hails from the little village of Chardonnay in the Macon where the grape got its name, or the other way around.
After the group sampled all the starters, they gathered around the beautifully decorated holiday table for a salad prepared by Teresa and Eric Korn. The Winter Salad with avocado, pomegranate, fennel and almonds was paired with a citrusy Chilean Sauvignon Blanc. The couple chose a 2012 Casillero del Diablo, which has aromas of pears, limes and green apples and also has a refreshing finish due to the balance of fruit and acidity.
The entrée of beef tenderloin fillet was braised and oven-roasted to a perfect medium rare and served with rosemary roasted root vegetables including potato, carrot, onion, butternut squash and yam. This dish was prepared by Duke and Sue Halsted and presented with 2011 VSJ Petite Sirah. The intense berry, floral and earthy characteristics of the wine was in harmony with the fresh rosemary vegetables and paired perfectly with braised meat.
A suitable finale to the five-course meal was an exciting presentation of Baked Alaska. This ice cream dessert was layered on a chocolate brownie base and perfectly covered with meringue, which was toasted at the table by Barb Robinson with her kitchen torch. Luther Robinson poured and served Quinta das Carvalhas Reserve Ruby Port from Portugal. The fermentation of the Ruby Reserve is in stainless steel and is then moved to old oak vats for an aging period of four years. Ruby Ports are intended to be consumed young and enjoy remarkable food-pairing versatility.