Over the weekend, my colleagues and I had a special opportunity to host an extraordinary wine dinner at the Vaquero Club. For this special event, I prepared a wonderful selection of highly praised wines that are some of our favorites at Graileys while Vaquero Club Executive Chef Andrew Barlow created a masterpiece menu to pair with the lineup. This was a first major Graileys’ wine dinner event at Vaquero and with the overwhelming reaction from the happy guests, I am sure this will not be the last time I visit Vaquero…
Local Goat Cheese with Sparkling Honey
Rosewood Ranch Beef Tartare on Brioche with Fennel
Compressed Melon and Prosciutto
NV Henriot Rose Champagne- One of our favorite Rose Champagnes for the price, the Henriot Rose easily drinks double its price! With its signature creamy texture and rich flavors, these gorgeous and delicious bubbles is notorious for seducing just about anyone’s palate! Bright crushed raspberries with hints of lemon rind, vanilla, cream and toast, this is a great Champagne to start any dinner or just to drink on its own as a quick refresher during the summer season. The beef tartare on brioche was my favorite light bite with the Henriot Rose Champagne!
I can’t thank the Vaquero team enough for such a spectacular event!
Baja Day Boat Scallop with Abalone, Mexican White Shrimp, Baby Pea Greens, Turnip, Farro, Almond, Lemon
2007 Arnaud Ente Meursault Clos de Ambres- The next star of Meursault, Arnaud Ente is a mastermind creating beautiful, polished Chardonnay that can compete with the best producers of White Burgundy. Coming from Chardonnay vines that are at least 65 years old from a small lie dit east of the town of Meursault, the flavors are abundant yet compacted, the wine is focused yet expansive and the minerals just cling the palate creating a lengthy lovely finish. Meyer lemons, lemongrass, lime and crushed limestone lead the palate while elegant layers of sweet cream, fennel and spice melt into the citrus and minerals. Add the seared scallops, shrimp and farro the wine was shot straight into another dimension!
Bison Tenderloin with Salsify, Black Garlic, Onion Soubise, Lady Cream Peas, Beet, Manchego Cheese, Salted Blueberry
2014 Paul Hobbs Ulises Valdez Pinot Noir- A beautiful Pinot Noir from the heart of the praised Ulises Valdez Vineyard in the heart of the Russian River Valley, it was perfect with the Bison Tenderloin dish! This fantastic Pinot had great weight and multidimensional flavors that paralleled the dish to the tee! With the Pinot’s ultra supple texture and long finish; the wine was spectacular on its own, but in taking a sip of the wine along with a bite of the dish, Paul Hobbs Ulises Valdez Pinot and every component in Chef Andrew’s Bison dish was a marriage meant to be!
A-5 Japanese Wagyu New York Bone Marrow, Pink Peppercorn, Kennebec Potato, Foraged Mushrooms, Foie Gras, Currant
(not pictured due to a blissful trance of food, wine and great company)
2005 Cos d’Estournel, Second Growth, St. Estephe- This was a great pairing of both powerful Cabernet driven wines from the Old World and New with the final savory course. The 2005 Cos was the wine of the night! With a little over ten years under its belt, the flavors were well integrated and round. The texture was smooth while still holding its strength with a little bit more grip that compliantly soaked up the richness and the proteins of the dish.
2013 Perfect Season Cabernet Sauvignon- The Perfect Season has been absolutely fabulous in past showings but with the richness of the bone marrow, the dense umami of the foie and wild flavors of the mushrooms and the sauce, the flavors that I already love in the ’13 Perfect Season went through the roof! The ripe fruit and the velvety texture just wrapped around the components of this course and created a stunning experience!
BITTERSWEET CHOCOLATE TERRINE, NECTARINE, CHERRIES, PISTACHIO, BURNDT ORANGE
A fantastic night indeed with the great members and the talented team of Vaquero! There is nothing I love more in dining than when the dish and the wine are both elevated into greater levels that might not have been experienced when served alone. Bravo to the Vaquero Team and many thanks for having us host a wonderful event!