Alinda's Birthday Dinner at Corduroy, DC

We celebrated Alinda's Birthday at Tom Power's restaurant, Corduroy. Tom used have his restaurant in a hotel on K Street about 5 years ago. He purchased this row house and had it renovated and turn it into this very chic restaurant. It is located just across from the Convention Center. Our reservation was at 6:15 PM on Friday. We got there at 6:30 and there were just a few tables with folks just staring their dinner. Our table was by the kitchen. We said hello to Tom and I told him that I had brought a 1983 St. Julien that we were going to try with the main course. He suggested us to have the 5 course tasting menu and he said that he was going to have the Pork Cheeks and Lamb for the main dish and that he thought they would go well with the wine. I requested our server to decant the wine 15 minutes prior to the first main course.

First Course- Satsuma Imo Soup (Japanese Squash Soup)
Slightly sweet and creamy with crispy roasted garlic and onions.


Cotes De Gascogne, Haut Marin, 2009. 60% Colombard, 20% Ugni Blanc, 20% Gros Manseng. This wine had a freshly cut grass nose. On the palate was full body with sweet finish which was a nice pairing with the soup.



Second Course- Tuna Tartar with Crispy Shallots and Mountain Potato- Very elegant presentation with micro greens. What was interesting were the little crispy mountain potato cubes that gave this dish an added crispy texture. We carried the same wine with this dish as well which was a good pairing.
 

Third Course- Seared Sea Scallops with Anson Mills Antebellum Grits- The sweetness of the caramelized scallops worked well with the creamy sweet grits and the wine went well with this course as well.



Fourth Course- Braised Pork Cheeks Osso Bucco Style with Tarbais Beans- The sauce on this course was complex with peppery notes that was phenomenal with the wine!
 

1983 Chateau Gruaud Larose, Saint Julien, Bordeaux- Second Growth. Deuxieme Grand Cru Classe in 1855. This is a perfect example of a fabulous Bordeaux. This wine was decanted about 15 minutes prior to pouring. Color- dark opaque red, with no significant amber ring. First nose, leather and cedar box; second nose, roasted vanilla, blackberries, licorice and china ink. On the palate, big body, mouthful, with notes of pepper, spice and ripe fruits with long long long finish! Wow, even better that the 1983 Margaux and the 1982 Petrus! This one goes in the books! What was amazing that the peppery notes of the Pork Cheeks sauce was a perfect pairing with this wine!





Fifth Course- Lamb Loin with Lamb Sausage-
The least favorite of the dishes for both of us.


Dessert- Flourless Chocolate Cake for the Birthday Girl and Apple Tart.
 
Banyuls Wine.

IW&FS Holiday Dinner at the Woodmont Country Club

The Society's December event "Holiday Celebration” was held on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at the Woodmont Country Club, 1201 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland.

Hors d'Oeuvre
Smoked Salmon Fillet at the Carving Station

Fried Oysters

Shrimp Tempura

Le Menu

Amuse Bouche

Demi Tasse of Chestnut and Foie Gras Soup 

Intense earthy aroma, creamy on the palate; crude.

First Course

Maine Lobster in Whiskey Sauce Gratinée

Beautifully presented, half lobster tail that was succulent.

*Domaine De La Bongran Vire-Clesse 2005
"Mâcon Chardonnay, fermentation was with natural yeasts and took two years to complete. Grapes picked very late. The nose of offers an instant wow-factor and never ceases to thrill, magnificient with ripe pineapple, peach, citrus, vanilla, honey and touch of minerality. Plenty of weight in the mouth, however is balanced by nice acidity and gives a balanced mouthfeel."
Clear light yellow color; mineral nose, citrus notes; on the palate, medium to full body, crisp with long finish with enough backbone to stand up to the buttery/creamy lobster tail.  Good marriage.

Intermezzo

Plum Sorbet

Second Course-

Homemade Ravioli Trio:

Pear and Roasted Butternut Squash in Brown Butter, Sweet Potato in a Sage White Wine Sauce and Sausage in a Grainy Mustard Sauce

Very fine presentation.  The butternut squash in the brown butter was the hit.

*Ken Wright Cellars “NYSA” Vineyard 2009
The Willamette Valley Pinot Noir is a blend of our traditional vineyards. Though not at the same level of complexity as the vineyard designates, this blend is extremely enjoyable, lush and full of pure, Pinot fruit. It is also a terrific value. The blend consists of fruit from Abbott Claim, Canary Hill, Carter, Freedom Hill, Guadalupe, McCrone, Meredith Mitchell, Nysa and Savoya vineyards.

Fabulous wine, however, too young!

Main Course

Stuffed Loin of Veal with Porcini Mushroom Farce and Truffle Stuffed Tenderloin En Croute Served with Roasted Root Vegetables, Anna Potatoes and Pumpkin Flan-

Very artistic presentation.  Everyone loved this course.

*Grand-Puy-Lacoste 1999-

89 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2002

This deep ruby/purple-colored 1999 has some tannin to resolve, but it is an elegant, medium-bodied, delicious effort that will reward readers who have the patience to cellar it for several years...the 1999 offers charming roundness, sweet cassis fruit, excellent purity, and fine overall balance
*Ducru-Beaucaillou 1999-

91 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2002
"The deep purple-colored 1999 Ducru Beaucaillou, which represents 60% of the crop, offers aromas of crushed stones, raspberry liqueur, and black currants. This sweet, pure, and harmonious wine possesses elegance, finesse, and multiple nuances rather than power, concentration, and structure. This is Bordeaux at its finest. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018."
The Ducru-Beaucaillou was phenomenal!

Cheese Plate

Coffee

Dessert Course

Cobbler Trio:

Black Currant, Apple and Blackberry with Homemade Vanilla Ice Cream

Chateau Partarrieu 2009-
The Wine Advocate 92 pts - "The Chateau Partarrieu is nascent and in fieri on the nose, but the palate is already showing great freshness and acidity, crisp honey and lemon curd, precise and animated towards the finish. The harmony and focus is already tangible. This is a Sauternes that may surprise a few people after bottling."
All the elements of a grand Sauternes but not quiet there.

Dinner Chair, Bill Wallert Dinner Committee, Bud Shulman, Stanley Pearlman, David Simpson,

Gene Shugoll Wine Committee, Steve Greenwald Ex-Officio, Andy Adelson, President

IW&FS Game Dinner at Vidalia 11/13/2012

The International Wine & Food Society Game Dinner
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
VIDALIA 1990 M Street, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Tel: (202) 659-1990

Reception with passed hors d’oeuvres 
Graham Beck Brut
first course-
hudson valley foie gras seared foie gras, foie gras parfait, sauternes gelée, persimmon butter, toasted cashews, spiced brioche, pickled raisins, sorrel
Chateau Lafaurie-Peyraguey 1986 3L*

second course-
 grilled stuffed calamari lobster mousse, pickled fennel, persimmon jam, radish-fines herbes salad
Monmousseau Vouvray Clos Le Vigneau 2011

third course-
 scottish hare bacon wrapped loin, leg confit, salsify purée, pickled carrots, red currant jus
 L’Aventure Optimus 2001**

fourth course-
 pepper crusted wild boar chop boar sausage, stuffed cabbage, cipollini onions, red wine apple butter, pickled huckleberry jus Delas Freres
Cote Rotie Seigneur de Maugiron 2003**

Dessert-
sweet potato panna cotta sauternes-white raisin gelée, chestnut-bacon praline, honeysuckle, meringue, clove chantilly cream
Mathilde Poire Liqueur
*Donated by Randy Lewis
**From the Society’s Cellar
Vidalia Team: Jeffrey Buben, Chef Proprietor Hamilton Johnson, Chef de Cuisine Beverly Bates, Pastry Chef Michael Nevarez, Maitre ‘d Edward Jenks, Sommelier
IW&FS Team: Dr. Randy Lewis, Dinner Chair Dr. Tom Lenz, Dinner Comm Mr. Ken Cort, Dinner Comm Mr. Ed Sands, Wine Comm Ex-officio Andy Adelson, President