A Five Star Meal

     It’s been years since I’ve said this: “That was a five-star dinner.”

     Following my very favorable comments about White and Wood in Yes! Weekly newspaper (see issuu.com/yesweekly) in the February 2 edition, my wife and I made reservations for a wine dinner, featuring Cain winery in California. This is a seriously high-end winery, making only red wines, usually based on Bordeaux style blends- Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, and Petit Verdot. Thus the name of their signature wine- Cain Five.

    First course was Salmon Rilette with sliced radish, capers, and chive crème fraiche, drizzled with watercress oil. This was a preliminary, not paired with Cain wine. Instead, we got a serving of Billecart Salmon Brut Reserve Champagne- bright and crisp, a delight.

    The first Cain pairing came with Scallops, presented over a polenta cake, surrounded by swirls of bright red bell pepper coulis. The scallops were perfectly seared to a brown crust, giving way to a buttery tender texture. The presentation looked like an abstract painting. NV12 Cain Cuvee was the wine. The “NV” signifies non-vintage, the “12” meaning a blend of 2011 and 2012 wines. This is a mid-priced Cain wine from the Napa Valley, Spring Mountain District, a Cabernet-Merlot blend, lighter and fruitier than Cain Five. White and Wood priced this for purchase at $36, the same price as listed on the Cain website- no additional markup! Pairing a red wine with scallops is unusual, but it worked.

        Next came Duck Rossini, a seared strip of breast, flanked by pieces of duck foie gras, spinach, a seared potato sprinkled with walnut gremolata, and a duck bordelaise sauce. My wife is not a duck fan, but in this case, she ate the entire serving. That’s the highest praise duck can get. A 2008 library release Cain Five was the pairing, rich, mellow, wonderful in a way that only an aged red wine can be. We got a second taste a little while later, after it had opened up even more. Price was $140 a bottle. Steep, but worth it, in my estimation, for an aged wine that you can be assured has been kept properly at the winery.

Beef Wellington was the main course, another knockout presentation, the solid depth of flavor from the beef enhanced with a veal bordelaise sauce. Celery root puree extended the experience, laced with truffle oil, yielding additional complexity. Swiss Chard greens completed the presentation, providing a balanced meal as well as a pleasant flavor variation from the greens. The winery’s flagship Cain Five was the wine, vintage 2016. This still has enough age to merit consumption now, although it will get even better for another decade or more. Price- $125, again, the same as the winery website.

Call the restaurant to order these and other wines. They have a great retail wine program.