Hello Prince Albert! One of my favorite times of the year came and went last Saturday at the 18th annual Rotary Club Wine Premier at Plaza 88 in downtown PA. Speeches were given, wine was served, and delicious food was eaten by those in the city who have an appreciation for culture, cuisine and wine. The best part of the event is that the Wine Premier raises funds for so many worthy causes and contributes to making our city a better place for its residents, young and new. What exactly is the wine premier? Here’s my breakdown of the 18th annual Wine Premier.
After walking past the main foyer, coat check and picture wall (where you can feel like a small celebrity by getting your picture taken by a professional photographer), guests are greeted with a welcoming sparkling wine. The opening sparkling wine is one I’ve mentioned in this column, the Pol Remy Brut and it offers a simple, but crisp sparkler with notes of citrus, hints of yeast and a touch of minerality. Once guests have passed under the arch of colorful flowers and are ushered to their tables, polite conversation ensues as everyone waits for the proceedings to begin.
The first speaker to grace the stage is news anchor Teena Monteleone who announces that this year’s theme is Chile! Some brief introductions are given as Teena introduces the wine MC of the night, Mr. Ian Litzenberger. Ian explains the diversity of Chile and the fantastic array of vinicultural zones and variety of wine types that come from this South American country. Our first main wine of the night is the Santa Carolina Reserva Sauvignon Blanc, paired with a creamy lemon/butter seafood trio (cod, scallops and mussels) and charred lemon. The seafood is impeccably prepared, especially the mussels which taste incredibly fresh and still have the light steely flavor of the ocean. The wine works relatively well with the seafood, but the herbaceous/grassy flavors and higher acidity overwhelm the cream-forward dish slightly.
Before the next wine is served, the attention of the crowd is drawn to a piece of art which is being created live by a local art studio: Lemon Yellow Studios. The painting is taking shape already at this point and the bright impressionist flowers form a sort of bough at the top with clear, blue sky underneath. This painting will be up for auction later in the evening.
The time has come for wine number 2 which is the Santa Carolina Reserva Chardonnay. It can be difficult to find affordable wines which offer some complexity, so it is quite impressive for this creamy Chardonnay to end with nutty caramel notes (attributed to its time finishing in oak barrels). Creamy coconut, vanilla, pears and citrus are most evident in the flavor profile and the dish chosen to pair with this wine is a marinated herb chicken with a mushroom cous-cous. Not to be too controversial but I believe that the 2nd wine should have been switched with the first. The creamy coconut and pear with the lighter acidity of the Chardonnay should have paired with the 1st course where the creamy components would have matched harmoniously. While I loved the bright tangy herb flavor of the chicken in this course, the cous-cous was a bit on the dry side and the lack of acidity in the Chardonnay left the flavors falling flat. The finish of the Chardonnay became less enjoyable when paired with the chicken and cous-cous because it didn’t have the intensity or acidity to match.
The 3rd course is usually where things start to heat up and heavier meats are often introduced, but this year, a different approach was taken. The wine is introduced as the Montegras Intriga Cabernet Sauvignon and this red has a nose of fruity dark berry syrup with hints of oak. The accompanying food course is presented as a combination plate of Brie, medium Canadian cheddar, a blackberry and a raspberry. This is more of a tasting sampler and while the wine smelled good enough on the nose, it doesn’t seem to match a lot of the food and tastes bland and basic on its own or with the food. There is more success with the cheese (especially the cheddar), but overall, this course misses the mark as the wine is overwhelmed (not usual for Cab Sauv). That being said, the raspberry tasted excellent with the wine.
The 4th course is usually the big one for most folks as it almost always features a red meat of some type cooked in a succulent sauce or gravy. After the slight disappointment of the last wine, the Santa Carolina 150th Anniversary Red blend is delivered to our table. This is what we’re looking for! Immediately, intensely bold notes of blackberries, cherries and a hint of smoky graphite hit the nose, promising delicious flavors. This is paired with the best course of the evening, a braised, wine-infused beef short rib (huge rib!). Everything in this dish works in tandem with the wine and the Yukon gold smashed potatoes give us the creamy carb overload we’ve been craving. The wine is big and bold with excellent grippy tannins (the kind that stick to your teeth) which is exactly what the short ribs need to match properly. Even though everyone is sufficiently stuffed after the 4 courses, there is always a dessert round.
Short and sweet is the best way to describe the introduction from Mr. Litzenberger as the dessert course is announced. A liqueur, the Luxardo Amaretto di Saschira paired with a puffed-pasty crust full of Chantilly cream and an Amaretto-infused poached half-pear. I had my misgivings about this course as I find Amaretto to be heavy handed, but this course changed my perception and the combination was not only light and fruity, it was in perfect harmony!
The motto of the Rotary Club is (Service Above Self).
Cheers and thanks for reading!
