Dinner - Cave Ridge Vineyard (Fireside Dinner)

Cave Ridge Vineyard
Conicville, VA


Fireside Dinner

The menu for this dinner was an appetizer plate, a salad, an entree, and dessert (see image below).

Menu

     Upon entering the foyer, I was poured a glass of Cave Ridge Riesling. It was the perfect way to start the evening. The wine was pale, tinted yellow with a crisp and refreshing semi-sweet flavor. It was a perfect accompaniment with the cheese & crackers and bruchetta. It wasn't overpoweringly bold or sweet, it just complemented the food (both the food and the wine had lighter flavors).

In the foyer receiving our "welcoming" glasses of wine

Appetizer Plate (marinated shrimp, artichoke hearts, carrots,
garbanzo beans, tomatoes and mozzarella)

     The next course was a salad served with a Rambling Rose wine. The Rose is composed of 4 red and white wines that combine to create a lovely mix that displays characteristics of both the reds and the whites. It had hints of roses and other flowers on the nose, with citrus and a gentle sweetness on the palate. The marinated shrimp really stood out in this dish. Something about the acidity and the mild sweetness of the wine really brought out the sweetness of marinade.

     Following the salad was a chicken marsala fit for kings. It was tender and juicy and it had a layer of prosciutto that added an incredible extra dimension to the dish. But that was just the food. The wine is where things got fascinating. The menu called for a two vintages of Chambourcin, 2010 and 2011. According to the winemaker, 2011 was the rainiest season in the vineyard's history. This massive amount of rain produced a wine that left something to be desired. It was almost as if it was watered down. All the flavors and characteristics you would expect in a Cave Ridge Chambourcin were present, but they were held back and muted. In stark contrast to the rainy season of 2011 was the perfectly hot and dry season of 2010 (especially in the crucial month of August, as shown in the weather maps below courtesy of www.weather.gov). This vintage was noticeably darker in color and had much stronger earthy tones than the 2011. Being able to compare two vintages that are only one year apart but vastly different was an incredible experience. It perfectly illustrated just how important weather conditions during a growing season can have a HUGE impact on the final wine product. As a special surprise, the winemaker served a glass of 2012 Petite Verdot. As we were drinking, he explained that most of the bottles would be aged longer but he wanted us to have the unique perspective of trying the wine while it was still young.

VA Precipitation: August, 2010

VA Precipitation: August, 2011

     To conclude the meal, we were served a decadent dark chocolate raspberry tart with a Raspberry Noir. The sweetness of the Noir was a perfect match for the tart. And, of course, the raspberry flavors played off each other delightfully. I felt that, because the wine and the tart were such a phenomenal match, more of the fruit and chocolate flavors were able to surface...I subsequently went to fruit & chocolate lovers' heaven for several minutes while I enjoyed every last bit of my dessert.

     I had never been to a wine dinner before, but after this experience, it certainly will not be my last. The art (because after this dinner, I'm convinced there is nothing short of poetic beauty to be found in a well-paired food & wine combination) of pairing food with wine is absolutely fascinating. Not only that, but sharing good food with great wine and even better company makes for a fantastic evening that won't soon be forgotten.

After dinner, surrounded by glasses from the evening.