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Home > Blogs > Uncorked > Archives > 2007 > October > 09 > Entry
Best Burgundy dinner ever?
Friday night’s Burgundy dinner at The Winds had it all: a beautifully prepared five-course meal, eight thoughtfully selected Burgundies from the stellar 2005 vintage, insightful comments from arguably America’s most influential Burgundy expert, a bargain price — and a looooong waiting list.
Mary Kay Smith, co-owner of The Winds, said she could have booked two more for every one of the 40 or so who made it in to the Burgundy dinner. It’s easy to see why.
The first draw was the star power of the guest: David Schildknecht, formerly of Mason-based wine distributor and importer Vintner Select, now on the staff of Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, where he reviews, among other regions, Burgundy.
I’ve written before that wine is a part of David’s DNA — intertwined in his soul. He proved it again Friday night, with in-depth explorations of Burgundy history, terroir, climate (and climate change!) , vintages and producers.
But this was no lecture. It was a meal. The five-course menu and wine pairings consisted of:
— Pear Fennel Salad, paired with the Chateau de Cary Potet Aligote;
— Seared Sea Scallop with Ginger Lemongrass Buerre Noisette. with Domaine de la Feuillade St. Veran Vieilles Vignes;
— Salmon with Grape Sauce with Domaine Joseph Drouhin Chorey-les-Beaune and the Domaine Joblot Clos de la Servoisine Givry;
— Mushrooms Cooked like Escargot with Nocholas Potel Savigny-les-Beaune Vieilles Vignes and the Domaine Bruno Colin Chassagne-Montrachet Vieilles Vignes;
— Grilled Labelle Farms Duck Breast with Corn Risotto with the Nocolas Potel Nuits St. George and the Domaine Louis Boillot 1er Cru Gevrey-Chambertin les Cherbaudes.
Each course was well-executed — no small feat, considering it was served in a separate building from the kitchen, on a Friday night when the restaurant’s regular customers were in the dining room, and when the restaurant’s executive chef and co-owner, Kim Korkan, was half a world away, visiting Japan.
All this for $70 a head? Are you kidding me?
The wines? Well, the full combined retail bottle price of the wines served was well in excess of $300. That, and the food menu described above, puts the dinner’s price in perspective.
The reds were fascinating, showing the full breadth of colors, aromas and tastes that pinot noir can achieve on this relatively small plot of French soil. But the quality-to-price ratio wines of the night may well have been the two whites, the brisk and bracing Cary Potet Aligote ($15), from Burgundy’s “forgotten” white grape, and the St. Veran ($25), with its tightrope dance of fruit, acidity and minerality usually found only in the most expensive of white Burgundies. Stack the St. Veran up against any California chard in its price range, and, well … no contest.
Quite a night.
Cheers!
Mark Fisher
Comments
By John
October 14, 2007 9:41 AM | Link to this
Red Bean, You can also subscribe the Winds’ RSS feeds, or to their vCal calendar, which works in iCal, Outlook, and others. Just visit the Winds’ Events page: http://www.windscafe.com/eventsBy Mark Fisher
October 9, 2007 10:06 AM | Link to this
Red Bean: This dinner was listed on several consecutive Fridays on the Uncorked wine tastings and events list that is compiled and distributed by a Dayton-based wine listserv. You may also want to subscribe to The Winds’ electronic monthly newsletter, which also mentioned the dinner.By Jon
October 9, 2007 10:04 AM | Link to this
I agree that this was a terrific value and all around great tasting. To have David comment on the range of burgundies served and put in perspective the 2005 vintage was special. The food was well chosen and the execution excellent as always. You don’t have to spend $100 to get great red and white burgundy… at least for now. JonBy red bean
October 9, 2007 9:55 AM | Link to this
Mark, how do I get on before the fact list! I wish I had known about this one, did I miss a story advertising the event?