Another Atlantic Beach Club Wine Tasting

Sandy writes in to report:

Well, you know we love our beach club. They offer three or four wine tastings each summer, and competition is fierce to reserve a table, since the chef limits the number of diners to fifty each time. Barbara and I were thrilled at the last minute to take the place of a couple that couldn’t make it. In the end, though, we were somewhat disappointed with both wine and food pairings.

Opening Wine: Rotari Sparkling Blanc de Noir
A very dry sparkling wine from northern Italy. A blend of Pinot Noir with Chardonnay, light pink in color, and with a silky texture. Aromas of sweet spice and cherry. Emphasis on the very dry. Virtually unyielding to the tongue.

First Course: Castillo de Querceto—Chianti Classico 2003, served with Fried Calamari Puttenesca.
***Corked!***
This is a wine we’ve had before in potable condition. Then it is ruby or black in color, with a nose of roses and violets with macerated cherries. However, who ever heard of serving a corked wine at a wine tasting? The distributor's rep, who visited each table promoting the wines, was slow to admit that the wine was ruined, instead urging us to let it breathe. After forty minutes with the unchanging wine sitting in our glasses, even he had to admit that there was a problem. The Puttanesca sauce, usually made with black olives and capers visible, was pureed, thus taking all the tarty fun out of it.


Second Course: La Tunella—Pinot Grigio 2003, served with Crusted Red Snapper with Roasted Garlic Broccoli Robb.
Pretty good wine with fresh apple and mineral notes. The Red Snapper was tasty—probably the best of the dishes we were served.


Third Course: Raspberry Sorbet.


Fourth Course: Casanova di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino 1998, served with Veal Saltimbucca with Fingerling Potato.
Tongue-curling tannins and firm acidity. This was a very good wine. Veal: kind of yech. Had to drink the wine to cover the taste of the meat. Potato good—best thing on the plate. Tried to convince a table partner who had had a bit to drink earlier in the evening that the potatoes were actually made of fingers.


Fifth Course: Concilio—Barrel Aged Chardonnay Trentino 2000, served with Mesculan Salad with Roma Tomatoes and Portabella Mushrooms.
I’ve never tasted a Chardonnay as dense and sweet as this one. Deep, rich gold color. Fruit and dried flower aroma. Not one I’d want to try again. Odd. Badly paired with the salad, since this seems to be really more of a dessert wine.


Sixth Course: Valdo—Prosecco, served with Cappuccino Tear Drop.
Just what you’d expect from the name: an extremely dry wine. I guess I just don’t have the palate for this.


Barbara and I concluded that other diners were likewise unsatisfied with the offerings. Dinner over, we all moved over to the bar, where many began gulping Scotch. This isn’t the kind of end of a wine tasting that a promoter should consider positive commentary on his products.