Eyrie Robert Morris Special Dinner and Neiman Cellars Red Blend Punctuate Wright Plus Weekend
This weekend was the annual Wright Plus House Walk of historic homes in suburban Chicago. The event is sponsored by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust which owns and operates the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio in Oak Park, and manages and offers tours of the famous Robie House in Hyde Park, and the Rookery Building and Emil Bach house in Chicago.
The highlight of this years event centered on the showcase Avery Coonley House in Riverside (shown left).
As part of my work as a volunteer docent/interpreter for the Trust, after working the preview night tour at the Coonley house, we headed to Oak Park to visit the FLW Balch house. We made arrangements to dine at Eyrie Restaurant, the outlet of the Robert Morris College Institute of Culinary Arts. Tonight they offered a special price fix four course dinner prepared by two alumni chefs, Brad Hindsley and Rachel Murphy, Owner and Executive Chef and Pastry Chef of Spire Farm-to-Fork Restaurant in LaPorte, Illinois.
We naturally are wine centered in our dining choices so this was the perfect occasion to pull a prized bottle from our cellar since BYOB is the standard at Eyrie. To accompany the filet of boeuf entree we brought a Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend 2004.
The Dinner
(Pictured at bottom)
Amuse Bouche
First - Smoked Trout Pate, Pickled Vegetables, Crusty Bread, Saxony Cheese
Second - Duck Confit Risotto, Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese
Third - Porcini Crusted Fillet, Grilled Asparagus, New Potato Hash, Bearnaise
Finale - Rhubarb Sorbet, Polenta Cake, Ginger - Orange Jam, Candied Orange
After - Dark chocolate cookie
The Wine
Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend 2004
This exceeded our expectations - this is the best Neiman we have had to date from the half dozen vintages we hold in our cellar. I forgot how good this wine is until I went back and read an earlier review. It is like the 2002 which we reviewed in an earlier blogpost.
This wine was a perfect accompaniment to the smoked trout, the duck confit with morel mushroom and the parmesan cheese, the filet of boeuf, and even the sorbet with orange, and finally the chocolate cake.
This comes packaged in a heavy oversized almost magnum weight bottle.
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, it opened a bit hot, but this burned off (no pun intended) after a third of an hour ...
This tasted like a vibrant expressive Bordeaux, full forward complex berry fruits accented by floral, leather, tobacco leaf, some slightly earthy tones and long lingering notes of cedar with a smooth polished tannin finish that resonates with silky floral cedar mouthfeel long after tasting. Blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=914199
The special dinner and perfect wine selection provided a delightful evening out and a wonderful wine and dine experience. Eyrie is a jewel and worth checking out for a BYOB experience. When I can get my hands on Linda's smartphone/camera, I'll post pictures of our dinner courses and restaurant.
www.eyrierestaurant.com
www.spirefarmtofork.com
The Dinner
Amuse Bouche - Ginger and berry
First - Smoked Trout Pate, Pickled Vegetables, Crusty Bread, Saxony Cheese
Second - Duck Confit Risotto, Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese
Third - Porcini Crusted Fillet, Grilled Asparagus, New Potato Hash, Bearnaise
Finale - Rhubarb Sorbet, Polenta Cake, Ginger - Orange Jam, Candied Orange
After - Dark chocolate cookie
The highlight of this years event centered on the showcase Avery Coonley House in Riverside (shown left).
We naturally are wine centered in our dining choices so this was the perfect occasion to pull a prized bottle from our cellar since BYOB is the standard at Eyrie. To accompany the filet of boeuf entree we brought a Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend 2004.
The Dinner
Amuse Bouche
First - Smoked Trout Pate, Pickled Vegetables, Crusty Bread, Saxony Cheese
Second - Duck Confit Risotto, Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese
Third - Porcini Crusted Fillet, Grilled Asparagus, New Potato Hash, Bearnaise
Finale - Rhubarb Sorbet, Polenta Cake, Ginger - Orange Jam, Candied Orange
After - Dark chocolate cookie
The Wine
Neiman Cellars Napa Valley Red Blend 2004
This wine was a perfect accompaniment to the smoked trout, the duck confit with morel mushroom and the parmesan cheese, the filet of boeuf, and even the sorbet with orange, and finally the chocolate cake.
This comes packaged in a heavy oversized almost magnum weight bottle.
Dark garnet colored, medium to full bodied, it opened a bit hot, but this burned off (no pun intended) after a third of an hour ...
This tasted like a vibrant expressive Bordeaux, full forward complex berry fruits accented by floral, leather, tobacco leaf, some slightly earthy tones and long lingering notes of cedar with a smooth polished tannin finish that resonates with silky floral cedar mouthfeel long after tasting. Blend of equal parts Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
RM 92 points.
https://www.cellartracker.com/wine.asp?iWine=914199
The special dinner and perfect wine selection provided a delightful evening out and a wonderful wine and dine experience. Eyrie is a jewel and worth checking out for a BYOB experience. When I can get my hands on Linda's smartphone/camera, I'll post pictures of our dinner courses and restaurant.
www.eyrierestaurant.com
www.spirefarmtofork.com
The Dinner
Amuse Bouche - Ginger and berry
First - Smoked Trout Pate, Pickled Vegetables, Crusty Bread, Saxony Cheese
Second - Duck Confit Risotto, Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese
Third - Porcini Crusted Fillet, Grilled Asparagus, New Potato Hash, Bearnaise
Finale - Rhubarb Sorbet, Polenta Cake, Ginger - Orange Jam, Candied Orange
After - Dark chocolate cookie
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| Amuse Bouche - Ginger and berry |
 | |
|
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| Second - Duck Confit Risotto, Spring Peas, Morel Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese |
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| Third - Porcini Crusted Fillet, Grilled Asparagus, New Potato Hash, Bearnaise |
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| Finale - Rhubarb Sorbet, Polenta Cake, Ginger - Orange Jam, Candied Orange |
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