Spanish Wine Dinner (menu)

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey

Peter Creasey
MENU:

sevbcmnu-1.jpg


1840 Madeira:

sevbcmad.jpg
. . . . . Pete
 
I’m confused, Pete. Why are the first 3 wines French? For a Spanish wine dinner you all couldn’t pick a Spanish sparkler, a Spanish white, and a Spanish Garnacha-based wine instead of those?

And was the food for the final three (Spanish) wines Spanish in any way?
 
Jayson, my assumption is that the Spanish wines that were provided used up the budget so non-Spanish wines filled in the other slots.

The last 3 courses:







BCN Taste & Tradition is predominantly a Spanish restaurant run and staffed by Spanish people; thus, my incentive for titling this thread with the Spanish qualifier. In retrospect, perhaps a bit misleading.

[EDITED TO ADD] "BCN" are the call letters for Barcelona.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
I’m confused, Pete. Why are the first 3 wines French? For a Spanish wine dinner you all couldn’t pick a Spanish sparkler, a Spanish white, and a Spanish Garnacha-based wine instead of those?

And was the food for the final three (Spanish) wines Spanish in any way?
Click to expand...

"Trans-Pyrenean", DeMiniMouse, etc.

At least find some Albariño for the saffron.
 
Bual Vintage Madeira 1840 -- Medium dark brown, sweet tones to lovely bouquet, pleasing subtle aromas, maybe some cinnamon, hints of nuttiness, melange of fruits (including figs?), alcohol in abeyance, seemingly not near the end of its viability, a delightful special treat having a 180-year-old Madeira. (Rather than exploring the wine, we got sidetracked trying to guess who was president in 1840 - best guess at the time was Rutherford Hayes.)

. . . . . Pete
 
Martin Van Buren was President in 1840. Rutherford Hayes won the contested election of 1876 against Samuel Tilden. As part of the agreement to get Tilden to concede, his administration abandoned Reconstruction. Another name that will live in infamy.
 
originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:
Martin Van Buren was President in 1840. Rutherford Hayes won the contested election of 1876 against Samuel Tilden. As part of the agreement to get Tilden to concede, his administration abandoned Reconstruction. Another name that will live in infamy.
Click to expand...

We still live with the mistakes of Andrew Johnson and Hayes. I instinctively liked the idea of radical Republicans and only later knew why.
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Bual Vintage Madeira 1840 -- Medium dark brown, sweet tones to lovely bouquet, pleasing subtle aromas, maybe some cinnamon, hints of nuttiness, melange of fruits (including figs?), alcohol in abeyance, seemingly not near the end of its viability, a delightful special treat having a 180-year-old Madeira.
Click to expand...
Sounds lovely. And that stuff has gotten expensive, too.

Provided by the house, by another member, or simply bought off the back of an unmarked van?
 
All of the wines, including the Madeira, were generously contributed by members in this case, thereby easing the relentless demands on the wine cellar.

. . . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

All of the wines, including the Madeira, were generously contributed by members in this case, thereby easing the relentless demands on the wine cellar.

. . . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

How was the quail, cooked that way? Overkill? Delightful?
How did the Priorat go with the quail prepared like that? Would a late- harvest Jurancon have gone well ( being a splendid accompaniment with foie gras, generally, and white-fleshed birds as well...?) ?
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

All of the wines, including the Madeira, were generously contributed by members in this case, thereby easing the relentless demands on the wine cellar.

. . . . . . Pete
Click to expand...

How does this harmonize with "my assumption is that the Spanish wines that were provided used up the budget so non-Spanish wines filled in the other slots"?
 
originally posted by Karen Goetz: How was the quail, cooked that way? Overkill? Delightful? How did the Priorat go with the quail prepared like that? Would a late- harvest Jurancon have gone well ( being a splendid accompaniment with foie gras, generally, and white-fleshed birds as well...?) ?
Click to expand...

Karen, the quail was "delightful", perfectly prepared with very tasty ingredients. Not a surprise as the BCN staff, especially its chef (Luis Roger who has two decades of Spanish gastronomy experience) are very accomplished culinarians... surely one of the top restaurants in town.

Honestly, I didn't like the Flor de Pingus nearly as much as the other stellar wines. Way over-oaked and hopelessly out of balance, in my view. Other folks and pundits like it more than I did. As a result of the perceived (by me) lack of balance, the pairing wasn't ideal. Your comment about a "late-harvest" wine is intriguing... one I probably would never have thought of but, now that idea has come about, one I would like to experience/explore.

. . . . . . Pete
 
Clarifying, the persons providing the Spanish wines already went over-board with their generosity thereby leaving the chairs with the option of non-Spanish wines for the other courses.

The "harmony" of the event itself was, as always, abundant.

. . . . . Pete
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top