It was a night centered on one variety: Pinot Noir. Each couple brought a Pinot Noir from a different location. We had wine from France, California, Oregon, Chile, and Spain. The meal was decidedly French. The entree was a mushroom tart. It was followed by Tourin d'Ail, a garlic soup Cody and Becky enjoyed in the Dordogne region of France. Then we feasted on a salad of tossed greens, green lentils, fried parsnips, and duck breast. After that came the fromage course of about 6 delicious cheeses specifically recommended for pairing with Pinot Noir plus a special 98 month aged cheddar Jordan and Emily brought from Vermont. We finished with salted caramel chocolate shortbread bars.
I was struck, as always, by the depth of authentic conversation shared at the table. Our topics ranged from travel anecdotes, to stories about our kids, to meaningful conversations about faith and generosity.
We used special wine glasses designed for drinking Pinot Noir and were amazed at the way the shape of the glass magnified the sense of the wine on the nose. Maybe there's something to all the different shaped varietal wine glasses after all. Perhaps that will require more research on our behalf? (wink)
There were lots of warm, lovely photos from the evening. Enjoy the slideshow.
