Tips, Treats & Treasures: Wine Tasting

Dominick's Wine Tasting Dinner

We had an enjoyable evening out last night at Dominick's for another of their fantastic wine tasting dinners. We do enjoy attending these every chance that we get, and Dominick's usually has one about every three months or so. The food was not from their usual menu, it was prepared specially for this event. Let me tell you it really was fantastic and very delicious. I especially enjoyed the King Prawns and the Angus Steak. The wine featured was from famous golf legend, Greg Norman Estates. The best wine for me was the Petite Sirah, a very good wine!..(you can read info about it below) I really enjoy good eats like this, pure joy and satisfaction for the taste buds, it's fine cuisine indeed. Food and wine, that's my kind of good time! Also our friends were a blast to be with, lots of laughs and many cheers with clinks of the glasses! I even won a bottle of wine!

Food, Fun and Friends!

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A few photos of the fun!

Me, Susan, and Joan - Ladies having a good time!

I like Susan's shirt. "Age gets better with Wine"!

Greg, Chuck, and Marty - Our Guys/Dates having a great time too!

Cheers & Smiles!...and giggles too!

Yay! I won a bottle of Wine!
Susan and I, so nicely doing the wine presentation!
Actually I won a different bottle of wine, but with a little begging (and a pouty lip face) I persuaded a nice fella that had won this one to trade with me, because this was my favorite wine of the evening! Win Win!..or Wine Wine!! *giggles*

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The info below is from our invitation!

The Menu

FIRST COURSE

over edamame-napa cabbage slaw with avocado-wasabi aioli.

Greg Norman Chardonnay, Aus.
The Greg Norman Estates 2009 Chardonnay is pale straw in color with a vibrant green hue.
The nose is dominated by ripe stone fruit, mandarin peel and lifted spice. This wine is
bright and lively on the palate, with notes of fleshy peach, mandarin peel and fresh vanilla cream.
The wine finishes with crisp lemon zest acidity, giving it incredible length.

SECOND COURSE

Stuffed with figs, roasted peppers, spinach and goat cheese
with marble potatoes and dark cherry-cocoa jus.

Greg Norman Pinot Noir, Ca.
The Greg Norman Estates 2010 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir has lifted aromas of straw-berry,
black cherry and subtle earthy notes of crushed bay leaf and mushroom. The aromas lead to
a flavorful, fruit-forward palate with distinct cherry, raspberry and baking spice flavors.
The juicy palate is highlighted by vanilla notes and a touch of cardamom. This well balanced
wine is smooth, offers bright acidity and has a lingering finish.

THIRD COURSE

over truffled mac & cheese, confit tomatoes and summer
leeks with silky bone marrow butter.

Greg Norman Petite Sirah, Ca.
The 2008 Greg Norman Estates Petite Sirah is an inky, dark garnet color – beautiful in the glass.
The wine’s bright aromas of violets and blackberries invite from the glass immediately. The
palate is luscious with flavors of ripe blackberry and plum and notes of spice and roasted coffee.
This rich and well structured wine has nicely integrated velvet tannins that provide a smooth and lengthy finish.

FOURTH COURSE

over whipped celeriac, ruby port braised criminis, ginged
baby french beans with sticky shallot sauce.

Greg Norman Cabernet Merlot, Aus.
The Greg Norman Estates 2009 Limestone Coast Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot is a dark crimson color
with garnet red hues. On the nose black currant fruit is prominent but hints of lavender add complexity.
The palate is soft and inviting and the medium bodied wine has generous flavors of cranberry, cherry,
mulberry and plum. Fine, soft tannins make this classic wine blend easy to sip. The focused linear
structure creates good length and plush, ripe berry flavors linger on the finish.

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Had a great time with great friends, food and wine!...

~Tammy~

~ Wined & Dined ~

We had a nice evening at a Wine Tasing Dinner at Dominick's Italian restaurant last night! We enjoyed the delicious food and the wine! A four course meal was served and a sampling of four different wines, one paired to each course. We had a great time and even met some new friends that we were happily seated next to for the evening! We shared many laughs with them!

The manager said this was the biggest wine dinner they had hosted to date! I think he said they had 140 some reservation requests and they decided to scale it back to about 116 guests, I didn't count but it looked like a lot were there for this occasion! We have been to many of their wine tasting dinners at two different locations. The food on this occasion was one of the best to me! We did enjoy all of the wines, but came away with the Sangiovese being the favorite for the evening!

The info below is from our invitation!

The Menu

with heirloom tomato, fire-roasted corn and micro greens.

Folie A Deux Sonoma County Chardonnay
Seductive, complex aromas of honey, green apple, tropical fruits, vanilla and baking
bread introduce juicy apple, pineapple and tropical fruit favors with light butter notes
from partial malolactic fermentation and crisp balancing acidity.

SECOND COURSE

over roasted fingerling potatoes, panko fried asparagus
and aged balsamic-truffle reduction.

Folie A Deux Sonama County Merlot
Crafted primarily from vineyards in the cooler portions of Alexander Valley, this
deliciously approachable Merlot offers ripe, juicy, black cherry favors complemented
by enticing notes of vanilla, tea and cocoa.

THIRD COURSE

over gorgonzola polenta cake, willd mushrooms
compote and caramelized shallot jus.

Terra D'Oro Sangiovese
The 2008 Terra d’Oro Sangiovese is bright and juicy with aromas of cherries, Holiday spices
and sweet blueberries. The palate is warm and inviting with silky tannins and a refned fnish.

FOURTH COURSE

with roasted zucchini ribons, lobster mashed potato-shitaki
mushrooms napolean and herb-port demi.

Folie A Deux Sonama County Zinfandel
Intense, juicy and jammy, our classic Zinfandel’s bright raspberry and blackberry fruit is
complemented by the characteristic black pepper spice tones that give the varietal its invigorating
zestiness. Tis Dry Creek Valley Zin is the quintessential Folieà Deux wine – i.e., it will impel you to
dance and share a bottle with friends, probably simultaneously!