Pairing food with wine is creating art - there are some guidelines of composition, but it also takes passion and intuition. When done well, food and wine pairing can be as sublime as a masterpiece painting or sculpture. In Nashville, there are some great venues that showcase the epicurean art of pairing. One such establishment is New Orleans-based Ruth’s Chris Steak House, which features a semi-regular series featuring the wines of various winemakers and wineries paired with the steakhouse’s reputable cuisine. At the most recent event on June 6th, an intimate group of 25 gathered together at Ruth’s Chris Steak House for a casually classy five-course dinner paired with the wines of California stalwart, Rodney Strong.

After a few welcoming words from the vineyard representative, Heather Hanks Kathey, the evening began with the Charlotte’s Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc paired with mini crabtinis. This lump crabmeat was dressed in a delicious remoulade made with creole mustard was impressive as the creaminess of the sauce neutralized some of the wine’s acidity, creating a refreshing, yet slightly sweet, effect.

The second course consisted of seared scallops in a parsley pesto paired with the Chalk Hill Vineyard Chardonnay. The scallops were wonderfully prepared and very artistically presented atop small white stones reminiscent of sea salt and with a mesh-wrapped lemon tied with ribbon. The Chalk Hill is a classic butter and oak California Chard. Although a faint metallic flavor resulted from the combination, most likely from the distinct presence of garlic in the scallop dish, each element was appealing in and of itself.

The first entree course was lamb chops, which filled the room with a mouth-watering savory aroma upon arrival. The lamb was paired with the 2003 Jane’s Vineyard Pinot Noir, which tasted young and will likely reach its potential in three to four years. The fatty meat paired with the slightly tart, bright-berried wine created a simple yet lovely effect reminiscent of blueberries and cream. Next, the Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon was showcased on its own. This estate vineyard wine is a lighter-style Cab with notes of plum and cherry. The interlude allowed for guests to enjoy the wine on its own, and also to digest a bit between entree courses.

The second entree course was filet mignon with shrimp. The dish was finished with a sizzling barbeque sauce that added a great auditory element. Both the meat and shrimp were very flavorful, although some may have preferred the filet a bit more rare. The dish was paired with the Alden Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon, which is a wonderfully yummy cab. The tannins of the wine successfully cut through the muscle and fat of the filet, thus releasing additional flavors, without overpowering the shrimp (probably because of the barbeque sauce). Unfortunately, the mashed potatoes and creamed spinach side dishes intended to accompany this course were accidentally brought out long before the course itself.

Dessert was the aptly named Chocolate Sin Cake paired with Gentleman’s Port. The cake was decadently rich and delicious. However, the Gentleman’s Port is a lighter style port and after playing around with the wines from previous courses, our table decided that they preferred to pair the cake with the more-pronounced Alden.

Aside from great food and wine, a highlight of the evening was the opportunity to speak with both the representatives from Rodney Strong and Best Brands. They offered unique insights into the operation, from the history of Rodney Strong to the soil composition of specific Rodney Strong vineyards. Heather and a few others circulated around the room throughout the night, answering questions and ensuring that everyone was enjoying themselves.

Overall, the event was a whole lot of fun, peppered with a bit of education and promotion. The dinners are $99 per guest plus tax and gratuity, which is a pretty good deal considering the well-sized portions, hefty pours, enjoyable ambiance, and polished service. Be sure not to miss out on upcoming pairing dinners at Ruth’s Chris (check back with us for specifics soon!)

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Cru Beaujolais was the star on Monday, November 12 as 45 strong came out to hear Yann Bourigault discuss how Georges Duboeuf is the King of Beaujolais—then we tasted why. In all it was nine wines—two whites, seven reds and all with subtle nuances that enlightened even the professional palate. Brouilly, Julienas, Morgon, Fleurie might not be household names for Americans but they should be. Like children in a large family, these styles/areas bring unique personalities to the wines—some with pronounced floral and fruit notes like the Chiroubles while others displayed sophisticated and seemless balance like the Moulin-A-Vent (absolutely gorgeous by the way). All of the wines retail for under $20 here in Nashville which means for all of you readers from other states, it must be incredibly cheaper (we get taxed up the wazoo here). This is the first event we co-sponsored with Ombi and Village Wines. Hoyt Hill is the owner of Village Wines and he provided some excellent backdrop of information to Mr. Bourigault’s presentation and Ombi owners Kim Totzke and Laura Wilson were ready for the onslaught of diners after the event. In fact, I encouraged the group to stay for dinner and get Laura in the weeds in the kitchen and that she would like nothing more. Laura is a bit too skilled to let that happen to her but the guests seemed to give it their best effort!
Cru Beaujolais is an inexpensive gem that is overlooked due to Burgundy’s big guns—Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Now is your chance. It’s not just for thanksgiving mind you but i would suggest trying some now and some in the summer. Hopefully, there will be another of these in the near future. Thank you to all who came out and discovered how diverse and interesting this wine can be.

jimmy

On March 10th, I was privileged to be a part of the “back room” tasting of 27 vintages of third growth, Chateau Palmer. My article in Nashville WinePress describes the fundraising side of l’Ete du Vin in the midst of the day’s events. What’s listed here are my notes from the wine tasting itself. You have to imagine 3 people huddling around one glass of wine savoring each sip then writing our notes. Rather comical but for wine geeks, it’s a once in a lifetime moment.

Flights 1989-1981

The 1982 was my rock star for this flight. It stood apart for me being extremely well balanced with dark berries as your prominent fruit. It seems to have come into its own and is getting ready to peak. The ’81 was similar but the ’83 had some zip to it. The GM of Chateau Palmer, Thomas Duroux, felt the 1985 was his Rock Star. And honestly, I wouldn’t attempt to argue with him. He would know best!

Flights 1979-1970

The ’75 has personality, the ’71 still felt young but the 1970 is the sexy centerfold with lots of vegetables especially green pepper. Tannins and finish were huge and I like where this is settling right now.

Flights 1966, ’61, ’59, ’57, ’55, ‘53

The 1961 is a legend and it showed its status here. It’s 36 yrs old and does not reveal any signs of dying soon. The ’53 is incredibly balanced and powerful. The ’57 had the overpowering nose of bacon fat. No other vintage had it like this one. It was quite different.

Flights 1945, 1934, 1928, 1924, 1921, 1910

I cannot tell you enough wonderful things about the 1945. It was ready—finally! It only took 62 years! It’s decadent, delicious, and harmonious and is probably the best sip of wine I have ever tasted! Amazing to taste this and then go to a 1982 and say, “wow, the ’82 is young!”
The ’24 had a lot of butterscotch notes, the ’21 was corked unfortunately and the 1910 (which was made before WWI!!) was a lot like tea. It was drinkable but was more of a novelty than say the 1945. In fact, the ’45, 34, and ’28 were working better than the other 2 vintages.

There you have it! They always say, “You never forget your first 1945 Chateau Palmer.” Ok. They don’t say it. I am. It will be my only 1945 but it was spectacular and I am thankful to l’Ete du Vin for giving me the opportunity.

A Bientot!