• Mar 24, 2014 Experience

Registry Bistro Wine Dinner - Mon, Mar 24, 2014

http://www.registrybistro.com

I attended a Registry Bistro wine dinner in February of 2013, and it was fantastic, so I'm looking forward to this one. Another great lineup of dishes is planned.

Update: No surprise that this was another fantastic experience. Great food, wine, and conversations with people who I knew and did not know.

Courses:

1.
Kumamoto Oyster
Pineapple-Basil Mignonette
Verjus Champagne Cocktail

2.
Olive Oil Poached Tuna with Preserved Meyer Lemon
Marinated Lupini Bean Salad
2012 Sauvignon Blanc

3.
Grilled Sweet Corn Milk with Lobster
Uni Crema
2012 Chardonnay

4.
Duck & Mushroom Tortelli
Beluga Lentils & Guanciale
2012 Bell Mountain Red

5.
Pork Cheek in Oaxacan Mole
Grilled Plantain & Rice
2007 Merlot

6.
Seared Calves Liver with Beef Braised Carrots
Caramelized Onions with Smoked Bacon
2009 Cabernet Sauvignon

7.
Petite Chocolate Mousse Cake

Mar 24, 2014 Experience

Guesstimating that 50 to 60 people attended.

Family style seating. Tables placed end to end to form two long rows. People sat on both sides of the rows. Get to know at least briefly strangers who sat around us.

All the wines came from the Medlock Ames winery.
http://www.medlockames.com

Medlock Ames is an estate fine wine producer located in Alexander Valley, Sonoma County, California. Started in 1998 by friends Chris James and Ames Morison, we consider our commitment to quality through mindful and organic farming to be one of our greatest assets.

Our vineyards are farmed organically with no insecticides, chemical fertilizers or herbicides and solar power provides the energy we need to run. Only 56 of our near 320 acres are farmed, we chose to leave the majority of land in a natural state - reserving the majority of our acreage for oaks and wildflowers, not vines.

Innovative and traditional methods are used to farm this boutique vineyard where vegetables, olives and wildlife also flourish.

The portfolio includes Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Reserve Chardonnay, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, a Red Bordeaux Blend, estate bottled olive oil, verjus and preserves.

Ames Morrison attended the dinner. He introduced himself to me prior to dinner. We had a nice chat. He said that controlling weeds is one of the most difficult functions of farming organically. He brings in sheep from another farmer, and the sheep eat the weeds. During the dinner and prior to each course served, Ames gave excellent explanations of the wines.

The oyster appetizer was tasty. The pineapple-basil sauce was delicious, but maybe it overpowered the oyster. The Verjus plus the carbonated vodka made a delicious cocktail. It was served in small, skinny glasses. Verjus is made from unripe grapes.

The tuna dish was amazing and possibly my favorite of the night, although it's hard to pick a single favorite. The tuna was pink in the middle and brownish-grey on the outside and along the edges on the inside. It was firm but still flaky enough that a knife helped in cutting, but a knife was not a necessity. I believe it was the first time that I ate lupini beans. The beans were very firm. It was a fascinating texture and very delicious. We'll have to try these beans at home. The bean salad also included an asparagus and lemon juice. Fantastic.

The lobster soup was amazing. Creamy. Big chunk of lobster. All of these courses could be an amazing meal by themselves.

The duck was wrapped in a thin pastry.I love duck. This had to take some time to prepare.

The pork cheek, rice, and plantain made for a fabulous combination of flavors. I tried to get a piece of each in each bit. This could also be my favorite course. I think it was the best course when combining everything on the plate in a bite. The pork cheek was cooked in the mole sauce or the sauce was cooked into the meat. Either way, the meat was not saucy. The mole simply added a little spicy flavor to the meat.

The person who sat across from disliked liver, so I got a second helping. I asked that she at least try it, but still a no-go for her. The calves liver was colored a light grey, much lighter than the typical beef liver that I've eaten. The calves liver was prepared much softer than I've experienced with beef liver. I loved it. When the liver was combined with the caramelized onions and the smoked bacon, it made for an incredibly tasty bite. Apparently the braised carrots were amazing too, but I gave mine to the person who disliked the liver.

The little chocolate mousse caked contained a zippy, spicy peppery flavor. I was not too hot or spicy, but the zippy flavor helped balance the rich, sweet mousse. Great combination. The plate also included a candied violet, which, as usual, was fantastic.

Every little detail and every little piece of food was prepared with tremendous skill and care. The Registry Bistro's chef Erika Rapp is an artist.

The servers did an amazing job with bringing and removing dishes, silverware, glasses, and pouring wine. Perfect, efficient, machine-like process.

I rated wines and the courses from one to three stars.
My highest rated courses were the tuna and the pork cheek. My favorite wines were the 2009 Merlot, 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon, and the 2012 Chardonnay. I bought one bottle of the chardonnay and the Merlot. Each bottle cost around 35 dollars.

The 2012 Bell Mountain Red - 80% cab and 20% Merlot

2009 Merlot - 90% Merlot and 10% cab - used Jefferson Grapes.

Ames said that they grow mostly Cab Sauv grapes.

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