To help our members ease the post holiday blues, the IW&FS’s January 2009
‘Where’s the Beef?’ Dinner was held Tuesday, January 13th at the Park Hyatt Hotel, 24th and M Streets at 7:00 pm with passed Hors d’Oeuvres and champagne. The five course dinner began at 7:30 pm.
For the past 23 years, Brian McBride has been the chef at the Park Hyatt Hotel, consistently serving some of the finest food in the Washington area.
Hors d’Oeuvres-
Chef's selection of passed hors d'oeuvres including mini crab cakes, tuna tartar, chicken balls and anchovies mini tarts with black olives.
Muscadet, Chateau de Chasseloir 2007-
This wine is from the region of Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine where a collection of vineyards, scattered between 23 communes around the confluence of the Sèvre and Maine rivers as they flow towards the Loire. This region produces 81% of the Muscadet and many contend this region produces the best Muscadet.
This wine has a pale straw color, very fresh with aromas of earth, fruits, apple and citrus with good amount of crisp acidity. It was a good complement to the mini crab cakes, though clashed with the tuna and the anchovies.
First Course-
Grand Plateau of Fruits de Mer-
Fresh platter of scallops, shrimps, clams, lobster claws, mussels and oysters on ice with cocktail sauce, shallots and vinegar, and green mint sauce.
Sauvignon Blanc, Dog Point Vineyard 2007-
Clean nose, vibrant and fresh a complement to the sea food platter.
Very pale color. Pungent, nuanced nose combines tangerine, lemon, anise and pepper. Dense and sappy, with terrific breadth and depth to the ripe flavors of tangerine and Meyer lemon. Finishes broad and long, with noteworthy energy.
Second Course-
Roasted Bresoala Wrapped Striped Bass, Celeriac and Celery Leaves-
The presentation of this course was very original, the Bass was firm and bresoala gave the Bass an added taste dimension.
Puligny Montrachet la Pucelles 2003, Olivier Leflaive-
The pale yellow color with an unmistakable nose of a great Montrachet. Ripe stone fruits and hazelnut on the nose. Quite rich, almost exotic, in the mouth, showing the ripe, fat side of vintage 2005. This is atypically rich for this cuvee wonderfully layered wine but today I find more grip in the Combettes. This was great from cuve, notes Pierre Morey, but it has been more affected by the bottling than the estate's other premier crus.
Third Course-
Warm Terrine of Short Rib, Jerusalem Artichoke Cream-
Clos de Vougeot 2002, Louis Jadot
Very ripe and incredibly earthy aromas lead to perhaps the densest flavors of any wine tasted today. The flavors are also extremely ripe with notes of chocolate, coffee and obvious torrefaction yet like many extremely ripe '02s, the buffering acidity keeps things fresh if not altogether typical. This is extremely concentrated, almost thick and while there is obvious rusticity and a touch of youthful austerity along with stunning length. To be sure, this is no model of elegance but it's impressive in its fashion with big but completely buried tannins.
Fourth Course-
Porterhouse Steak with Bernaise Sauce and Roasted Marrow Bone, Root Vegetables-
The presentation was inviting with the bone marrow, 3- slices of the steak and the potatoes. The bone marrow was rich and sweet, the meat was tender and the potatoes were cooked just right.
Cabernet Sauvignon, Dunn Howell Mountain 1990, Dunn Vineyards-
The color was intense red, the nose of this wine reminded me of an old grand cru Burgundy, on the palate, intense and multidimensional with long finish, though not a big body.
While Dunn's Cabernets slumped in quality in the difficult vintages of 1988 and 1989, the 1990s exhibit exceptional richness, depth, power, and ferocious tannins. The massive 1990 Howell Mountain exhibits huge tannin, but immense concentration. The richest Dunn Cabernet since the 1984s? Anticipated maturity: 1999-2020. At this early stage, it does not appear to be as super-concentrated as Dunn's wines from the early and mid-eighties. It is slightly more tannic. It does possess a tell-tale mineral, cassis, flowery nose, and a rich, full-bodied, dense, highly extracted, tannic personality. Score: 96. —Robert Parker, October 1993.
Dessert Course-
Fresh Pineapple Soup with Coconut Parfait-
The presentation was Chef McBride's signature. Refreshing sweetness that does not overwhelm the taste buds.
Brachetto d’Acqui 2006, Giacomo Bologna-
Nice light and flavorful but a bit more acid would help balance out the sweetness. Went well with the dessert dish.
Dinner Committee:
Illy Coffee
Dinner Committee
Fred Deutsch- Chair
Henry Greenwald- Wine Committee
Mel Greenblat- Wine Committee
Ed Sands- Wine Information
Steven Greenwald- Ex-Officio
