Wine Tasting Luncheon at the University Club

I had been working with a diverse group of people 

the last few months in order to put together this 

wine tasting luncheon featuring wines from Oliver Winery

and the fine culinary creations of Chef Damian Esposito.

It was a complicated endeavor to coordinate

between IMU Catering, Oliver Winery, and the University Club,

but we eventually got all the details ironed out and all the 

plans set in place.

Fortunately, I had a wonderful co-chair and club manager

at my side to help and guide me along the way.

After the wine tasting back in February,

Chef Esposito began working on the menu

based on the wines we picked.

 The first wine was Creekbend Vidal Blanc and was paired 

with a Stuffed Cherry Tomato with Boursin Cheese.

I was on hostess duty, so no pictures.

The Creekbend label means that the grapes were grown locally.

I think I have found a new favorite wine.

After we were seated,

the first course was served.

This was a Tian of Pickled Melon, Grilled Red Onion,

and Watercress with Sweet Lemon Vinaigrette.

The wine for this course was Pinot Grigio.

The Chef's thought was that the dry wine

would pair nicely with the sweet and peppery salad.

I think he was on to something.

And I really liked this salad.

 The entree was Chili Roasted Duck with 

Fig and Feta Polenta,

Stir-Fried Snow Peas,

and Port Wine Demi-glace.

The vegetarian option was

Grilled Spiced Tofu with Stir-Fried Snow Peas

and  Pasrmesan Basil Polenta with Mint.

A light, summery red wine, Valdiguie accompanied the dish.

This is a lighter alternative to a Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot.

The duck was moist and tender and the port wine demi-glace

was very tasty. 

The figs were an unexpected and interesting addition to the polenta.

I have to admit that outside of a Fig Newton(tm), I have never had a fig before.

I think I like them.

And once again, I liked the play of the sweet against the savory.

I appreciate it when I don't feel the need to reach for the 

salt and pepper shaker.

That means that the chef has done his job.

 Finally dessert was served:

Key Lime and Blueberry Bombe with Graham Cracker,

Candied Orange, and Raspberry Drops.

This was topped with a disk of dark chocolate that had been

printed with a golden design.

This dessert was almost too pretty to eat.

Almost.

Dessert was served with White Sangria.

This wine had just been released.

Our special guest was Bill Oliver, the son of the man

who started the winery in 1972.

Bill Oliver started working at the winery in 1983.

He explained the wines to us and told us a bit about

the winery.

We learned that Oliver Winery is the largest winery

east of the Mississippi.

They make a wide variety of wines

and chances are that you can find Oliver wines near you.

Many thanks to Oliver Winery without whom this would not be possible

and my deepest appreciation to Chef Esposito.

Wine Tasting and Luncheon

at the University Club

This past Thursday I attended the University Club’s

Wine Tasting Luncheon.

IMU Executive Chef Damian Esposito worked

with Dennis Dunham,

a winemaker at Oliver Winery, to pair wines with a special menu.

We were informed that Chef Esposito had personally selected

the wines to complement the meal.

We were in for a treat.

The first wine presented was Vidal blanc sparkling.

Vidal blanc is a sparkling wine that is made from

grapes grown around B-town.

The taste is light and fruity with a touch of honey.

It is a specialty wine and only 300 cases are bottled each year.

This wine was paired with cherry tomatoes stuffed

with boursin cheese and

tarragon and Dijon chicken salad tartlets garnished with sliced grapes.

I was assured that the chicken salad tartlets were delicious.

I can tell you that the boursin stuffed cherry tomatoes

were wonderful.

The salad course arrived with its paired wine.

This time we received a glass of Reisling

and a lovely plate of smoked trout-stuffed ravioli with frisée

and Belgian endive and a lemon thyme vinaigrette.

The vinaigrette was light and refreshing

and the smoked trout filling was simply inspired.

The Reisling grape is grown elsewhere

as it requires a cool climate.

That is not what it would find in Southern Indiana.

This wine has a slightly spicy and citrusy flavor and fruity undertones.

After this course we asked if the chef

would part with his recipes.

Hopefully Chef Esposito will post the recipes

in the next University Club newsletter.

Then it was time for the entre.

The wine was Valdiguie, pronounced Val-dih-gee-ay.

This red wine does not age in oak barrels and is described as clean,

with the taste of cherries and rose.

I would compare it to a cabernet,

but brighter and not with as much of a bite.

The food pairing was a wild mushroom stuffed turkey breast roulade

and a truffled tomato demi glace

over sweet basil polenta with dried figs and sweet peppers

and broccolini.

The turkey was cooked perfectly and the flavors married perfectly.

This was a perfect match with the wine.

The final pairing of the meal was Moscato with dessert.
Oliver Winery's Moscato is slightly effervescent and
is bottled cold.
Moscato is light, fruity and sweet and perfect for
pairing with desserts.

The dessert for our meal was
a vanilla ginger custard over grilled pineapple bread
with a warm berry compote and an almond tuille.
Afterwards a self-serve coffee bar was available for
the diners.

This was a delicious lunch and we were able to try
some new wines and appreciate how they went with
different foods.

Many thanks to the University Club,
Chef Damian Esposito,
Dennis Dunham and Oliver Winery
for this lovely meal.