the wine begins to pour...

So, off we went to the first wine dinner of the season... when we are in Chicago we do our own wine dinners with wine from our cellar and/or other wine collecting friends.  However in Florida we make an effort to go to events like this so we can meet other like-minded wine folks. Michael's Wine Cellar is a lovely venue (this was our fourth time visiting there) and the food at each of the wine dinners has been wonderful.  Here was the menu we received via email the day before.

Robert Kacher Selections Wine Dinner



It's one of the most highly-anticipated wine dinners each year 

Michael, Chef Jamil and Chef Catherine have just completed the finishing touches on the extravagant menu for this special Robert Kacher Selections Wine Dinner featuring French wines from Bobby's prestigious portfolio at Michael's Wine Cellar.

Passed Hors d'Oeuvres

Blue Crab Fritters with Roasted Apples & Saffron Rouille

Fennel Spiced Duck Breast with Onion Jam
& Sweet Potatoes Allumettes

Butter-Poached Oyster Shooter with Crispy Apple Wood Smoked Bacon & Salmon Caviar Hollandaise

Cremant d'Alsace, Domaine Ehrhart, FR, NV

First Course

Pan-Roasted Mote Sturgeon and Maine Lobster
Spiced Crawfish Bisque, White Truffle Pomm Puree
& Ruby Micro Greens
Chassagne-Montrachet "Virondot",
Domaine Mar Morey, FR, 2011

Second Course

Confit Of Veal Breast
Chanterelle Mushrooms, Roasted Butternut Squash,
Pearl Onion, Hashed Petits Pois, Burgundy Demi Glace
& Crispy Leeks

Givry 1er Cru "Clos de Cellier aux Moines",
Domaine Joblot, FR, 2010

Beaune 1er Cru "Cent-Vignes",
Albert Morot, Burgundy, FR, 2009

Third Course

Fig & Espresso Braised Kobe Short Ribs
Roasted Heirloom Carrots, Sautéed Rainbow Swiss Chard, Parsnip Puree & Chive au Jus

Gigondas, "Prestige des Hautes Garrigues",
Domaine Santa Duc, Rhone Valley, FR, 2011

Chateauneuf-du-Pape "Les Cailloux", Domaine Brunel, 2011

Dessert

Trio of Desserts

Tarte Titan, Calvados Crème Brulee, Pistachio Macaron

Muscat Beaumes de Venise, Domaine de Beaumalric, FR, 2011

and here are some photos of the evening:

in the reception area of Michael's Cellar

in the cellar- where we dined on one long table - hostess Kim Jackson on the far right

the chargers are glass - a brilliant idea- that way you can read the menu through the glass (protect it, yet refer to it) - I am sorry to report that my dining partner distracted me during the first course (Beth, where are you when I need you?) so I have no photo of the very tasty lobster and sturgeon course.  After missing that I tried to pay closer attention when the courses arrived...LOL

the first course wines were both good but as is usual for me I found the Meursault too lemony (it was also a bit reduced) but the Chassagne was excellent - we have Marc Morey Chassagne in our cellar from older years and pretty much always find them winners.  Chassagne is my "go-to" white wine... I save the Corton Charlemagne for special guests LOL (most of the time- LOL)

the veal breast course - excellent  and here the wines were both showing well but I had a preference for the Beaune over the Givry - Phil felt the opposite.

the wine pairings for the short rib were Rhones, which I like better than Phil does, here I preferred the Chateauneuf-du-Pape

three wonderful desserts - with the winner being the creme brulee and the giant macaron coming in a close second- the wine was however not all that fabulous with a distracting spritz... preferring sauternes and TBAs of greater acidity, I didn't really expect to love it anyway...

on the right Terri Klauber and to her right Kim Jackson two of the hosts for the evening - seated between them but up handling details at this point of the meal was the eponymous Michael Klauber.  Michael did inform us that the Forks & Corks tickets had sold out for the Grand Tasting in two minutes this year... so we were thrilled we made it in under the wire - LOL

a lovely evening - Phil said on the way home that he thought this was the best meal yet at a wine dinner at Michael's.  I didn't disagree but have found them all pretty much flawless; that guy really knows how to run an event, he keeps his eye on all the details that help create a perfect evening.

I would love to see them sponsor a BYO dinner where the guests could have a menu prepared by Jamil (amazing food) and yet bring bottles of things from their own cellars to share with each other.  Not unlike the wines we had at last summers events at Yusho, EL Ideas , A10 and Oceanique to name a few...

like this- 

http://semifreelife.blogspot.com/2014/09/the-big-one.html

or this- this and this-
http://semifreelife.blogspot.com/2014/08/an-idea-or-two-or-el.html

http://semifreelife.blogspot.com/2014/08/lastly-through-hogshead-of-real-fire.html

http://semifreelife.blogspot.com/2014/06/the-actual-a10-meal.html

since we are new to this wine scene, we hope to make more friends to share these kinds of moments with... because they certain make life that much more special....