Its hard to believe we're entering week four of the Coronavirus shut-in. On this weekend, we were supposed to be watching NCAA March Madness.
For the third straight weekend, the dispersed shut-in family conducted another COVID shut-in virtual family dinner and wine tasting, and like we did the weekend before, sharing videos texts and photos of their selections.
Most importantly, this was son Alec's Thirtieth Birthday so we did a virtual internet celebration highlighted by a lengthy tribute video produced by Vivianna from dozens of clips submitted by family and friends widely dispersed from France, New York, Florida, Illinois to California.
For the gala birthday celebration dinner, Vivianna and Alec, shut-in on the Conneticut seashore, prepared aged prime steaks and lobster tails.
Before dinner, there was a fabulous feast of the French Edition of Pairing Perfection, a selection of artisan cheeses from Murray's Cheese on Bleeker Street in the West Village. This is one of Alec and Viv's favorite Manhattan dining sites, within sight of brother Frankie's apartment, and a memorable site of several family dinners that we have featured in these pages.
@murrayscheese #murraysathome
The cheese selection consisted of Murray's Perfect Pairing, French Edition, Bucheron with Murray's Wildflower Honey, Morbier with Tres Petits Cornichon, Comte Sainte Antoine & Jambon Bayonne, and lastly, Murray's Forme d' Amber with Murray's Dried Cherries.
For their cheese wine accompaniment they drank Matthias et Emile Roblin Sancerre Origine Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2018.
With the steak they drank Long Shadows Vintner's Collection Sequel Syrah, crafted by Penfold's Grange legendary winemaker John Duvall.
Long Shadows Vintner's Collection Sequel Columbia Valley Syrah 2016
We source this label as Vault Key members of the wine club, but Alec found it and obtained more special order via the local wineshop there in Westport.
Back in Illinois, son Ryan and Michelle prepared Leg of Lamb, medium rare, in a homemade rosemary red wine vinegar marinade, with Turmeric Basmati Rice with fresh garlic and onion, green beans and lemon honey vinagrette and feta.
For their wine selection Ryan served FEL Donnelly Anderson Valley Creek Pinot Noir 2017 from producer Cliff Lede.
Erin and Johnny and the family ordered in Mediterranean fare from a new local restaurant in nearby LaGrange.
Lastly, Linda prepared a chicken Marsala with asparagus and fresh tomotoes, Angeli's style.
For our wine selection we finished the remains of the Tablas Creek Vineyard 2013 Côtes de Tablas Blanc. I featured this wine in Tablas Creek Vineyard in an earlier blogpost the other night.
Tablas Creek Vineyards Estate Grown Côtes de Tablas Blanc 2013
This release was awarded 90 points by Jeb Dunnuck of The Wine Advocate and Antonio Galloni of Vinous.
Winemaker notes: The wine, like most wines
of the Southern Rhône, is a blend of varietals, featuring the floral
aromatics and stone fruit of Viognier, the crisp acids and rich
mouthfeel of Grenache Blanc, and the structure and minerality of
Marsanne and Roussanne.
This was straw colored, medium bodied, creamy notes of citrus, floral, hint of lime and minerality.
RM 88 points.
@TablasCreek
