Haras di Pirque Wine Dinner

Friday, May 27, 2011

Delius Restaurant in Signal Hill hosted a Chilean wine dinner tonight.  The dining area was full which surprised me because it being "Chilean" wines. People always seem to want a "popular" wine when they sign up for theses dinners.

Haras di Pirque is owned partly by the Antinori family in Italy. Chile & Argentina are getting a lot of interest from successful wineries in different countries.

Lorenzo Mottola was the wine rep sitting at our table. Delightful person and is the rep for Ste Michelle Wine Estates which takes in a portfolio of 29 labels from 7 regions.  Domestic and foreign. I will keep his card and if I go back to Italy I will  definitely take his offer to set me up with some wineries for tasting. Most foreign countries do not have the open tasting rooms that California enjoys.

I will state now that this dinner was one of the most prefect dinners with wine pairings I have ever had. I have a few stored in my memory bank but this is at the top of the list. Wines were extremely reasonable in pricing. Less that $12 each. I do not feel I would want to drink a glass of any of these wines without food because they do not show what they are alone.

First Course:  White Asparagus Custard with Micro Herb Salad. A savory custard with pureed white asparagus and a two thin strips of asparagus on top. Excellent flavor. Paired with a 2009 Sauvignon Blanc. This wine had the citrusy nose to it but had a very soft, long finish.

Second Course: Crispy Oyster Salad, Pork Belly, Pineapple Gelee & Upland Cress. A small fried oyster with  a nice briny taste, small piece  of  excellent pork belly. The pineapple gelee really set this dish off.  Wine was a 2009 Chardonnay. First sniff of this wine showed the oak. I personally would not dink this wine alone because of the oak but the fat of the oyster and pork belly cut through the oak and made an excellent pairing.

Third Course: Roasted Pheasant Breast with Yukon Gold Potato, Duck Confit, Blackberries and Pistachios. The blackberries really added a new dimension to this dish. Set off the pheasant breast really well. Paired with a 2008 Carmenere. Again a perfect pairing.

Fourth Course: Venison Loin with Turnips, Parsnips, Carrots, Micro Arugula, Foie Gras Foam. Wine served was a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon. The root vegetables paired so well with the venison. A classic pairing since deer is traditionally hunted in the fall.

Dessert: Strawberry Rhubarb Terrine, Vanilla Gelato & Pecan Streusel. Just the right touch for the end of a perfect meal. The Terrine was excellent and the homemade gelato was a perfect accent.

Since the Pheasant & Vension were farm raised they have a tendency to be less gamey  and available all year. No hunting season for them.

I think aside from the oyster my friend Margie who is the pickest eater I know would have liked this dinner.

As  each new dish was brought to the table and people started eating you could hear the low rumble of approval. This dinner was so perfect in wine & food pairing. Chef Daniel Hyatt got a rousing applause. Which is good as his father and his girlfriend were dining that night. Made Dad really proud.