Voluptuous Pairings At The Ridge Wine Tasting,  Saturday, 03 November 2007

If you happened to be walking up the hill to the Ridge Golf Course at dusk for a Wine Tasting, you would have seen the valley spread out around you, a beautiful yellow and gold sunset peaking out through a huge heritage oak that seems to embrace the sky. It was barely promoted, and extremely well attended. The secret is, that behind that heritage oak, hidden up at the Ridge is the Executive Chef, Mathew Broucaret. If you want to taste culinary care and delicacy in action check out the hors d'oeuvres at the Ridge. Rest assured, it will be worth the trip.

The banquet room with a view filled up quickly. The wine tasting tables provided by 12 Nevada and Placer county wineries surrounded the outside of the room, the center dominated by two large tables laden profusely with delicious bite-size nibbles that evolved into an ever changing fresh palette of creativity over the course of the evening. First temptations included a lovely presentation of individual skewers of tiny sausages with a delicate olive tapenade, alternated with chicken breast skewers on a bed of light sun-dried tomato dipping sauce. Artisan breads, thinly sliced formed the foundation for a lovely selection of cheeses, one, a cross between a brie and a blue cheese made with double cream, as light and melt-in-your-mouth as butter.

There were surprise tastes as well. What at first glance appeared to be tiny stuffed tomatoes were actually miniature marinated sweet, hot peppers, their tangy fire perfectly balanced by an herbed cream cheese filling. These virile flavors perfectly complemented some of the more self-assured wines, namely my personal favorites of the evening, the Baumbach Wines out of Auburn. Sample, for example, the Barbera 2004, a lovely blend of Barbera and Aglianico grapes from Italy. It has been said that the barbera grape mimics the character of the Piedmontese farmers who grow it: unassuming yet robust.

This could also be said of the character of Chef Broucaret, whose obvious skill in the preparation of fine cuisine is equaled by his gracious hospitality. In the tradition of the chefs of Italy, from whence some of his family hails, he came out to greet his guests personally. Not too shabby from a man who has been cooking at his grandmother's knee since the age of five, and who, incidentally, was simultaneously managing to provide the adjacent restaurant with a full menu of equally delectable taste offerings. This is a man who is able to handle multi-tasking without missing a beat.

Meanwhile, the room continued to fill and the offerings morphed into hot fresh rolls, grilled asparagus wrapped in proscuito, spinach-garlic croustades, a variety of imported deli meats, more grilled asparagus, again, perfectly tender, this time in a bed of light, creamy, perfectly executed hollandaise. Enter the cucumber salad with a virgin olive oil dressing tempered with fresh mint and exploding into the vibrant red flavor of hot pepper flakes. Hmmn, another good reason to find a wine that could stand up to the challenge: Ophir Winery's Sauvignon Blanc was certainly up to the challenge and their Petite Sirah was no slouch either.

So in all of these delectable surprises, what more can be hidden? Check this out for a hot tip: the Early Bird Special includes Grilled Salmon with herb aioli and lemon, or Chicken Breast smothered in a rich marsala wine and mushromm sauce. All this for less than $10 a plate, if you show up before 6:00 p.m., and, you can catch the sunset while dining al fresco on the terrace. This has to be the best-kept secret for miles around. In an era of superstar television chefs, it's refreshing to have our own local talent presenting his skill with grace, and humility, in an environment that speaks to the heart as well as the belly.
© 2006 Gabrielle Pullen