Festive Beef Wellington Bordeaux - Meritage Proprietary Blends Wine-Dinner
For our gala family Christmas dinner Linda prepared classic Beef Wellington featuring tenderloin of beef, foie gras, medley of mushrooms, topped in an incredible port wine syrup sauce, baked in a puff pastry shell to lock in and harmonize the flavors. Starting with Caprese salad, side dishes included au-gratin potatoes, peas, brussel sprouts and crescent rolls.
Our dinner wine selections included a right bank Bordeaux Pomerol, proprietary Meritage blends from Napa and Yakima Valleys, and a duo of Burgundies, young and old. None of these are causal easy drinking wines, rather they were chosen to complement and highlight the complex flavors of the beef dinner preparation. The port wine sauce featured Warre's Warrior Oporto NV (and some HazyBlur Baroota South Australian Shiraz 2006 left over from the other evening).
Wines shown below, left to right:
Domaine Tortochot, Champerrier, Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, 2005
Matthews Cellars Yakima Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Melka Metisse Napa Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Château du Domaine de l'Eglise Pomerol Bordeaux 1996
Albert Morot Beaune Bressandes, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy 1992
The Beef Wellington
The Holiday Dinner Wine Course:
Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuis 1er Cru N.V.
Light gold color - Bright vibrant expressive, smooth silky polished nice drinking - touch of sweetness,crisp acidity, tangy lengthy finish.
RM 90 points.
http://cellartracker.com/w?389638
Melka Metisse Proprietary Red Wine 1999
Flagshp namesake wine from legendary winemaker Phillip Melka, this wine comes entirely from hillside Napa Valley vineyards.
Full bodied, deep dark inky color - dense concentrated complex layers of black berry fruits, hints of black tea, silky clove and spice with a long ripe smooth refined tannin finish.
Drank from magnum.
RM 91 points.
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc 100% Napa Valley
Château du Domaine de l'Eglise Pomerol Bordeaux 1996
Surprisingly light, medium bodied, opaque garnet color, vibrant cedar and floral aromas and flavors predominate with bing cherry, black cherry and black berry flavors with layers of leather, tea and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
Drank from magnum.
RM 89 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=333874
Matthews Cellars Yakima Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Surprising over-achiever for our gala Christmas beef wellington dinner - this was more polished than earlier tastings, full bodied, complex, vibrant and expressive with layers of blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, a layer of spice, with hints of black tea, tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
52% Cabernet Sauvignon 37% Merlot 11% Cabernet Franc
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=79548
Domaine Tortochot, Champerrier, Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, 2005
Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish.
RM 89 points,
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162
Albert Morot Beaune - Bressandes, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy
I thought this had given up the ghost a while back but it remarkably still had life in it - light bodied, opaque garnet purple color - initial funky barnyard aromas thankfully burned off - the black cherry and olive tapenade gave way to earthy leather, tea and wood.
RM 86 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=605439
For our gala family Christmas dinner Linda prepared classic Beef Wellington featuring tenderloin of beef, foie gras, medley of mushrooms, topped in an incredible port wine syrup sauce, baked in a puff pastry shell to lock in and harmonize the flavors. Starting with Caprese salad, side dishes included au-gratin potatoes, peas, brussel sprouts and crescent rolls.
Our dinner wine selections included a right bank Bordeaux Pomerol, proprietary Meritage blends from Napa and Yakima Valleys, and a duo of Burgundies, young and old. None of these are causal easy drinking wines, rather they were chosen to complement and highlight the complex flavors of the beef dinner preparation. The port wine sauce featured Warre's Warrior Oporto NV (and some HazyBlur Baroota South Australian Shiraz 2006 left over from the other evening).
Wines shown below, left to right:Domaine Tortochot, Champerrier, Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, 2005
Matthews Cellars Yakima Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Melka Metisse Napa Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Château du Domaine de l'Eglise Pomerol Bordeaux 1996
Albert Morot Beaune Bressandes, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy 1992
The Beef Wellington
 |
| Trimming Beef Tenderloin |
 |
| Mushroom Medley |
 |
| Foie Gras Hash |
 |
| Grilled Mushroom Medley |
 |
| Beef Wellington Preparation |
 |
| Beef Wellington Puffed Pastry Shell |
 |
| Slicing Beef Wellington |
The Holiday Dinner Wine Course:
Pierre Gimonnet Champagne Brut Blanc de Blancs Cuis 1er Cru N.V.
Light gold color - Bright vibrant expressive, smooth silky polished nice drinking - touch of sweetness,crisp acidity, tangy lengthy finish.
RM 90 points.
http://cellartracker.com/w?389638
Melka Metisse Proprietary Red Wine 1999
Flagshp namesake wine from legendary winemaker Phillip Melka, this wine comes entirely from hillside Napa Valley vineyards.
Full bodied, deep dark inky color - dense concentrated complex layers of black berry fruits, hints of black tea, silky clove and spice with a long ripe smooth refined tannin finish.
Drank from magnum.
RM 91 points.
80% Cabernet Sauvignon, 17% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc 100% Napa Valley
Château du Domaine de l'Eglise Pomerol Bordeaux 1996
Surprisingly light, medium bodied, opaque garnet color, vibrant cedar and floral aromas and flavors predominate with bing cherry, black cherry and black berry flavors with layers of leather, tea and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
Drank from magnum.
RM 89 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=333874
Matthews Cellars Yakima Valley Proprietary Red 1999
Surprising over-achiever for our gala Christmas beef wellington dinner - this was more polished than earlier tastings, full bodied, complex, vibrant and expressive with layers of blackberry, black currants and cherry fruits, a layer of spice, with hints of black tea, tar, leather and tobacco on the lingering moderate tannin finish.
52% Cabernet Sauvignon 37% Merlot 11% Cabernet Franc
RM 90 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=79548
Domaine Tortochot, Champerrier, Vieilles Vignes, Côte de Nuits, Gevrey-Chambertin, Burgundy, 2005
Very open and expressive - bright berry, strawberry, mulberry, spice and wood with long moderate tannin finish.
RM 89 points,
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=537162
Albert Morot Beaune - Bressandes, Côte de Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Burgundy
I thought this had given up the ghost a while back but it remarkably still had life in it - light bodied, opaque garnet purple color - initial funky barnyard aromas thankfully burned off - the black cherry and olive tapenade gave way to earthy leather, tea and wood.
RM 86 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=605439