Wine Makers Dinner - Lido at Dolphin Bay

Friday, November 2, 2012

This is the way to start a vacation. Left the OC about 9:20 am, stopped in the Sta Rita Hills to pick up wine at Huber and visit Norm & Traudl then up the coast to Avila Beach, Checked in about 4:30 and rushed to make the 5:30  "reception" at the Lido restaurant in The Dolphin Bay resort at Shell Beach. This was a dinner hosted by the San Luis Obispo vintners association.

Talked with several people and found it interesting that their were 2 groups from Wisconsin. Neither group knew the other. 

 After several glasses of wine and numerous past appetizers we were seated for dinner. Tables of 8 with a winemaker at each table. Since this was reserved seating I had asked to be put at Mike Sinor's table. He is the winemaker at Ancient Peaks and has his own label Sinor-Lavalle. Small production on his own label. About 300 cases per year total. I have been buying wine from him for quite a few years now.

First Course:  Salmon Carpaccio with grilled peach, lime creme  fraiche and almond tuille. Wine was a 2011 Zocker Gruner Veltliner. The peach really made the salmon stand out and the Veltliner was a perfect pairing.

Second Course: Pan Roasted Breast of Duck, black pepper and strawberry compote. It was duck - good quality but nothing spectacular. Paired with a 2009 Claiborne & Churchill Runestone Pinot Noir and a 2009 Laetitia Les Galets Pinot Noir. The Clairborne was by far the better wine.

Third Course: Roasted Leg Of Lamb with beets, fingerlings, greens and pomegranate reduction. Again a very good quality of lamb but again nothing that screamed to me. Wines were 2010 Saucelito Canyon Estate Zinfandel and 2010 Ancient Peaks Zinfandel.  The Ancient Peaks was the better of the two.

Dessert: Brown Sugar Pound Cake with roasted pear and vanilla bean ice cream. This was simple but very good. Served with a 2010 Sextant Winery Late Harvest Sauvignon Gris. Wine was not too sweet and went well the the pound cake.

Good dinner and good conversation. I had a real interesting mix of people at my table. This was the first year they did this dinner in conjunction with the San Luis Obispo Wine Fest. It would be nice if they continued this part of the wine fest.