Just before 7:30, we took a brief hiatus for biological needs and a much desired rest on the outside patio between courses. But not before we saw some magic happen in the mirror in the room…
For the third course… Paul instructed us to sit tight.
Matt thought the next two wine pairings were some of the finest producers in all of California, the first being Morlet family vineyards. The Gentleman behind it was named it was Luke Morlet. He was the eldest of three sons from a Champagne family. Five generations making champagne with two younger brothers. His wife was supposed to be from there and they would still be making champagne until he fell in love with an American school teacher named Jody and left his legacy, came to California in the 90s and went to Newton Vineyards under Michel Rolland, pioneered their line and then went to work for Peter Michael Winery and made them very famous. In 2006, Jody had quit teaching school and they mortgaged EVERYTHING they had, started their own vineyard and are making some of the best wines in all of CA. They make 16 wines: 3 chardonnays, 3 pinot noirs, and amazing cabs. When he first met them and tasted, it took 2 days to taste them all. This next one was the wine which stopped him in his tracks. It’s a Syrah which actually isn’t from a vineyard which they own. He sources it from a place called Bennett Valley in northern Sonoma. When he tasted it, it reminded him of a favorite Syrah from Côte-Rôtie in France, which produces the most elegant and beautiful Syrah’s he’s ever found. When he tasted it, he wondered how it inspired and reminded him of Côte-Rôtie. He pondered how it was possible that this wine could inspire him and make him think of that place across the world, so he asked Luke Morlet. His response: Côte-Rôtie. How could he translate that inspiration into a glass? People make good wines, but he’s striving for something higher.
This is his Syrah, called Bouquet Garni It’s named after the herb bunch which a chef will toss into a stock to impart flavor. That’s what this wine is. It’s heavier than pinot with blueberry and stewed red fruits. It’s known for having a meaty quality but elegant and polished on the palate. All of those roasted qualities were why he chose it for this course and they go together like hand and glove. (Personally, I got blackberry and pomegranate as the front note on it).
One of the chefs came out to introduce the next course, which was wrapped in Joha Santa (Mexican Pepper Leaf which might actually kill us over time, but so good), which is also called sacred leaf due to it’s wonderful aromatic qualities once the aromatic oils get heated. They were talking about star anise, coriander, and a touch of nutmeg and you can smell all the flavors and smells coming through. They wrapped it around a pheasant. It came from Texas and was free range and grilled over an open fire. The question of whether Matt E got to taste the dishes beforehand came up and he responded tongue in cheek that he was forced to. Oh what a job!!! He wanted to make sure that they were perfectly suitable for the dinner and really get to know the dishes and work with the chefs. He’s had moments where they thought everything was going to work together with the dish and the wine and it just didn’t say anything. Sometimes all it needed was a little of the special salt and it just popped. And that is how finicky cuisine can be. Sometimes 1+1 = 3 and that is how it is with the wine pairings.
This course was entitled “Discover the West” (Another deviation from the original menu). It was a fun course and they wanted you to feel like you were in the west... sitting around a campfire, eating a rustic meal. They got a pheasant, inlaid some herbs, and the wrap smelled like root beer. The Puree is a hay roasted carrot puree. When you eat it all together you feel like you are in the west around a campfire.
The official description is as follows:
The Mighty West
Pheasant Roulade, Hay Roasted Nantes Carrot, Plum Chimichurri
Morlet Family Vineyards, Bouquet Garni, Syrah, Bennett Valley 2014
For those wondering, my thoughts on every course will be at the end of this TR.