Pork, Pinot Noir & Port Night

The Wine Line Up

     Last Friday evening I joined my fellow wino, Lisa, along with my husband Mike and friends Jackie and Phil in attending a fabulous wine pairing dinner entitled "Pork, Pinot Noir & Port Night" at Fezziwig's Marketplace in Lebanon, IL.  I must say the food and wine delighted all of our senses.

Gorgeous table ready for the diners

     Our evening began with a lovely appetizer of Brie cheese and  pomegranate-jalapeno compote on top of a crostini. This delightful treat was enjoyed with the first two Pinot Noirs of the evening, Mossback Pinot Noir from the Central Coast  and Brassfield High Valley Appellation Pinot Noir. Both wines paired wonderfully with our appetizer, and also highlighted how different appellations and terroir affect the Pinot Noir. The Mossback, from the Central Coast of California, was an earthy Pinot Noir with the distinctive cherry flavors of the Pinot grape. This wine has a touch of Syrah and Tannat blended with it that added to the spiciness of the finish. The Brassfield Pinot was an elegant, estate grown Pinot from a mixture of Dijon and Pommard Clones. A nicely balanced wine, with black cherry and an earthiness of a forest floor.

     After having our fill of our first course, we were invited into the newly renovated Culinary Experience Room. This room is separated from the store by French doors and houses wine pairing events, cooking demonstrations, and other culinary events. The setting is beautiful! Once we were all settled in we were ready for our second course-Wild Rice and Sherried Mushroom soup. All I can say about the soup is it is fantastic! The earthy mushrooms in this soup paired perfectly with both the Brassfield and Mossback Pinot Noirs. 

Fezziwig's own Wild Rice & Sherried Mushroom Soup

Stopped just short of licking this bowl clean!

       Now we were ready for the main course and our next two wines, Fess Parker Sta. Rita Hills 2010 Pinot Noir and Hahn Santa Lucia Highlands 2011 Pinot Noir. The Fess Parker had lovely black cherry and raspberry on the nose with a hint of vanilla. Medium bodied with a lovely spiciness. The Hahn was a little lighter bodied, a bit tarter than the Fess with brighter fruit on the nose and palate and a nice finish. Both wines paired very nicely with the pork tenderloin, truffle potatoes, and hericot verts (sautéed in bacon infused olive oil-delish-sold at Fezziwig's). After sampling these two wines, I have to say my favorite Pinot of the evening was the Hahn, with Fess Parker a close second!

     
      At this point I was feeling fat and happy, but the evening wasn't over just yet! Dessert was Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake with Caramel Sauce served with RL Buller and Sons Fine Tawny. Let's just say it was a perfectly rich, decadent way to finish a wonderful meal.

RL Buller Fine Tawny

Sticky Toffee Pudding Cake

     Fun was had by all this evening. The meal, prepared by Ellen Leaf-Moore and Julia Jensen was such a treat. As always, Tim entertained us with his knowledge of wine and witty conversation. If you enjoy wine, good company, and wonderful food, I suggest you make it a point to attend an upcoming wine pairing dinner at Fezziwig's. Check out all their upcoming events at www.fezziwigsmarket.com. Also, I want to thank Jackie for sharing some of her wonderful photos for this blog. Check out this talented lady at www.wind-inspired.com. 

Cheers,

Beth