“Live Long & Prosper” Wine Pairing Dinner at The Bottle
Last Thursday night in honor of my husband’s birthday, we attended a special event at The Bottle in downtown Huntsville. Who wouldn’t want to celebrate their birthday with delicious food and amazing wine?! This wine pairing dinner featured six Mediterranean dishes and wines. As usual, we brought along our two best friends. The line to get into the restaurant was quite long when we arrived, so we knew this was a popular event. The restaurant was closed to outside diners since this event required reservations. The four of us were seated in the main dining room area at a lovely table by the window.
Before each course was served, the chef came out and spoke briefly about the ingredients of each dish and how it was prepared. Following that, the wine manager spoke to us about why she chose each wine and what we could expect from each tasting. Since this was a Mediterranean dinner, we were not surprised that the meal began with Greece. We were promptly served a small plate with Greek feta dip, olives and bread for dipping. The creamy feta dip had flavors of dill and garlic, and it tasted so fresh and luscious. A couple of us chose to spread it on the bread while others simply dipped. I am normally a red wine lover, but the paired Zoe white blend Greek wine was both refreshing and light.
Next came Portugal, and a Seafood Cataplana was brought out. It was explained to us by the chef that a cataplana is a type of clamshell shaped metal pan used for cooking Portuguese food. The broth was flavored with saffron and quite tasty. The cod, shrimp, scallops and chorizo in the broth were cooked perfectly and soaked up the flavors of the broth. I could easily have eaten another bowl of that goodness, but I needed to save my appetite for 4 more courses. The white wine served with this course was a Vinho Verde with citrus and flowery aromatics.
The third country on the list was France, and the dish was a Duck Confit. Since I watch many cooking shows, I know that confit is a French term meaning “preserved”. In the confit method, a food is cooked in fat for a long time at a low temperature. The duck was shredded and so tender, and it was served on some Pommes Anna (sliced and layered potatoes cooked in butter) with comte (French cheese). One of my favorite red wines, a Cotes du Rhone, was paired with this dish.
Following France, we were taken to Italy to sample a Veal Meatball Marina. This dish was plated with polenta and shaved parmesan. The red wine served with the meatball was a Linea Fiori Perricone (also called a Pignatello) from Sicily. This wine is often paired with meats, and its bouquet is fruity and peppery. The large meatball was moist and savory, and the velvety polenta seemed to melt in our mouths. The marinara was light and full of ripe tomato chunks and Italian spices.
From Italy,, we then moved on to Spain. This wine was my favorite of the bunch, a Juan Gil Monastrell from Jumilla. The wine was deep and rich, and you could smell the aromas of fig, blackberry and chocolate (could be why I liked it so much). Our plates were loaded up with grilled adobo (garlic, onion, oregano, pepper & salt) lamb chops covered in a chimichurri sauce on a bed of paella (arborio) rice. The combination of flavors was like a party in our mouths!
Last but certainly not least was the dessert from Morocco. I’m a lover of all things chocolate, so I was excited about this chocolate mousse. It was fluffy and light as air, and so very full of dark chocolate flavor. On the side of the mousse was a crisp bar of flaky shortbread and a pile of candied tangerines. Chocolate and orange go together so well, just like chocolate/strawberry and chocolate/peanut butter (I do love a Reese’s). It was the perfect ending to a scrumptious meal!
If you’re interested in trying a wine pairing dinner at The Bottle, there is one coming up for Mardi Gras on February 20-22. You can call them at 256-704-5555 to make your reservations. Trust me on this, it will be a wonderful experience!